Six of Crows

“No mourners. No funerals.”

OMG!!!! WOW!!!! I could go on shouting all the way through my review because that's how I feel after finishing this. Books like Six of Crows are quite rare – dark, intense, violent, gritty, fast paced, full of action and angst – above all pure fun and entertaining. Five stars is too less to rate this book. It's so different from the usual books that I read, I am not sure how I will get out of this hangover and ever like any other book.

“The heart is an arrow. It demands aim to land true.”

The world building here is amazing and fantastic and rich, the plot is adventurous but the strength is in the characters. Each of them is a flawed, morally grey person, shaped by the circumstances of their past but most importantly, a survivor. And this ragtag team of six embarks on a mission – to commit an impossible outrageous heist at the heart of the Ice Court in Fjerda and get away with it. If anyone can get out of the mess alive, it is this band of misfits, if they don't kill each other first. So, this review is incomplete if I don't talk about every one of them.

“Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I'm going to get Wylan's ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute just so I can annoy the hell out of your ghost.”Brekker's lips quirked. “I'll just hire Matthias's ghost to kiss your ghost's ass.”“My ghost won't associate with your ghost”, Matthias said primly, and then wondered if the sea air was rotting his brain.

Jesper the Gambler – He is an impulsive, adrenaline junkie sharpshooter with a sassy mouth, who can't sit still for a minute.

“The water hears and understands. The ice does not forgive.”

Matthias the Convict – A former Fjerdan witch hunter who is broken out of prison by the gang to help plan the heist. He is angry, and guilty for being hopelessly in love with an enemy he has been trained to hate.

“Besides, I have other skills that's bring me more pleasure and profit than this. Lots of other skills.”Wylan coughed. Flirting with him might actually be more fun than annoying him, but it was a close call.

Wylan the Wayward Son – He ran away from his wealthy father, no one knows why. Hired as a leverage, he turns out to be extremely smart and skilled with his hands when in need of a big explosive distraction.

“She wouldn't wish love on anyone. It was the guest you welcomed and then couldn't be rid of.”

Nina the Lost Grisha – Sent out on a mission from Ravka, captured by a witch hunter and now working in a pleasure house, all she wants is to go home, but can't turn a blind eye to the hatred that is meted out to her fellow innocent Grisha.

“Many boys will bring you flowers. But someday you'll meet a boy who'll learn your favorite flower your favorite song, your favorite sweet. And even if he is too poor to give you any of them, it won't matter because he will have taken the time to know as no one else does. Only that boy earns your heart.”

Inej the Wraith – She can disappear, she can steal your secrets, she can kill you and you will never see her coming. She is courage epitomized and needs no one to save her, but has her own nightmares which haunt her every step of the way.

“Greed is your God, Kaz.”“No, Inej. Greed bows to me. It is my servant and my lever.”

And then there is the leader of this crew, the Thief Kaz Brekker – He is driven by revenge but no one actually knows the man, only the legend DirtyHands. He is a thief, a planner and an escape artist. He plays his cards close to his vest, so close that even his team never knows the whole plan. He seems incapable of feelings not borne out of greed but boy, are we wrong. His plans are outrageous, his skills are uncanny and his vengeance is brutal.

“I'm not some character out of a children's story who plays harmless pranks and steals from the rich to give to the poor.”

I don't think I have ever read a book with six main characters and loved every single one of them. They are all just AWESOMENESS PERSONIFIED .... because I can't think of more words to describe my love for them. I never thought I'll get over the Darkling very soon, but Kaz is just 😍😍😍!!!! I was rooting for him all the way and now, I can't wait to see what devastation he is going to wreak on his enemies. The cocky Kaz is a memorable character but the vengeful version of him is a sight to see and then flee.

“Though he'd trusted her with his life countless times, it felt much more frightening to trust her with his shame.”

I have to specially mention the writing in this book – it's not just the plot and characters that are superb, the book is full of these wonderful quotable lines that I had to note down, because I don't ever want to forget them. And about the couples in this book – “romance” feels like the wrong word here. I felt their love, their angst, their longing. And the ending is gut wrenching but I know in my heart that Kaz will come out on top at the end.

“What do you want, then?”The old answers came easily to mind. Money. Vengeance. Jordie's voice in my head silenced forever. But a different reply reared to life inside him, loud, insistent, and unwelcome. You,Inej. You.