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darlingfarthings 's review for:
Six of Crows
by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows is overall just really good at what it does. I really wanted to take an analytical approach to this -- mostly to see Bardugo's craft, not really to analyse themes or whatever -- and it all works really well. The strength really is in the worldbuilding -- you can tell that Bardugo really understands what it means for magic to exist within this setting. Kaz, Inej and Matthias all have their little character arcs, and though I'd argue that Bardugo moreso added depth to each character instead of really letting each of them grow, it's enough for readers to get attached to them, which is really all that matters.
If you think about it, Kaz Brekker's plans aren't actually all that inventive. You can tell that Bardugo just had a bunch of good ideas ("What if they entered as prisoners and then they drove out in a tank?") and some of the book's events just happen entirely due to chance (Nina being given the instruction of "get information" is really quite difficult lol in a way she was very lucky to bump into Jar wtv). I'd argue that oftentimes characters are where they are simply due to coincidence. The introduction of different, well, spy gadgets also helps adds to this illusion of expert chicanery. I know it sounds like I'm dragging her but I'm actually admiring her abilities. Bardugo isn't a master thief, but she hides it so well that you don't even care.
I think it's because she just has such an eye for dramatic moments. In a sense, it's slightly formulaic -- Inej, Matthias, Nina and Kaz (lmao, every character with a deep backstory) all meet a spectre of their past that they have to confront. But it's always such a Big Character Moment that you can't help but love it. She also always knows when not to reveal something so that later on it seems super smart and intelligent even though it's not actually that complex. The plot also doesn't fall into the Ocean's 8 trap of everything going swimmingly, which is nice. I guess what I'm saying is that no matter what happens, Bardugo keeps things interesting, which is a writing philosophy I can definitely support. She ensures that almost everything goes wrong but then gets salvaged in the most satisfying way imaginable.
A few gripes though -- I kind of hate that the Shu Han have golden eyes like let us East Asians live with our brown-black eyes and romanticise those instead. I'm also annoyed by how incredibly boring Wylan is. I mean, give me a break hon. If I wanted a gay dyslexic kid with a rich father I'd just go read about whatever Nico di Angelo has been doing recently. In contrast, Inej is a beautifully written character who doesn't come across as boring in spite of her more moralistic, nice girl type energy.
If you think about it, Kaz Brekker's plans aren't actually all that inventive. You can tell that Bardugo just had a bunch of good ideas ("What if they entered as prisoners and then they drove out in a tank?") and some of the book's events just happen entirely due to chance (Nina being given the instruction of "get information" is really quite difficult lol in a way she was very lucky to bump into Jar wtv). I'd argue that oftentimes characters are where they are simply due to coincidence. The introduction of different, well, spy gadgets also helps adds to this illusion of expert chicanery. I know it sounds like I'm dragging her but I'm actually admiring her abilities. Bardugo isn't a master thief, but she hides it so well that you don't even care.
I think it's because she just has such an eye for dramatic moments. In a sense, it's slightly formulaic -- Inej, Matthias, Nina and Kaz (lmao, every character with a deep backstory) all meet a spectre of their past that they have to confront. But it's always such a Big Character Moment that you can't help but love it. She also always knows when not to reveal something so that later on it seems super smart and intelligent even though it's not actually that complex. The plot also doesn't fall into the Ocean's 8 trap of everything going swimmingly, which is nice. I guess what I'm saying is that no matter what happens, Bardugo keeps things interesting, which is a writing philosophy I can definitely support. She ensures that almost everything goes wrong but then gets salvaged in the most satisfying way imaginable.
A few gripes though -- I kind of hate that the Shu Han have golden eyes like let us East Asians live with our brown-black eyes and romanticise those instead. I'm also annoyed by how incredibly boring Wylan is. I mean, give me a break hon. If I wanted a gay dyslexic kid with a rich father I'd just go read about whatever Nico di Angelo has been doing recently. In contrast, Inej is a beautifully written character who doesn't come across as boring in spite of her more moralistic, nice girl type energy.