Six of Crows

In short: a team of six very different people get together to pull off an impossible heist.

Quite the pageturner! I finished it more quickly than I usually would. I loved the dynamic between the characters and I liked most of them in general. Each of them (well, five of them) get their own POV chapters, so that made for a great way for you to get to know them. They're all also very different, so there's bound to be one or two you might be drawn more to, and to others less.

So yes, a very enjoyable read even if just for the characters alone. They're a fun bunch! I didn't always care for what was happening in the story itself, but I was already invested so it was easy to get through those parts.

My son discovered this author not long ago and quickly became a fan. He pressed this on me and said I should read it too. It's the story of a small band of thieves hired to break out a valuable prisoner from an impregnable fortress. It's also a fantasy so there are some magical elements which manifest themselves in the people known as the Grisha. The Grisha have varied powers that fall into about seven different categories, mostly having to do with manipulation of elements. They've appeared in a prior trilogy set in the same world as this one (one I haven't read.) The band of thieves, six of them, are interesting, distinct characters, each with their own motivations. The plot is straightforward, linear, and easy to follow. It was an enjoyable story. It continues in the followup called Crooked Kingdom.

Gorgeous writing, interesting and intriguing characters, an epic and harrowing and breathtaking adventure, and a richly detailed, fascinating and imaginative world are just some of the things that make Leigh Bardugo's SIX OF CROWS a riveting and unputdownable story. Its alternating points of view allow readers to get to know each of its main characters – Kaz, Inej, Nina, Jesper and Matthias. Its twists and turns will keep them guessing. Its dangerous mission will put them on edge. And its scheming mastermind of a leader will leave them wondering whether he just might pull off the impossible.

Kaz Brekker has been looking forward to the day where he can finally exact his revenge against the man he blames for his brother's death. After years of waiting, planning, biding his time, the end is almost in sight. He just needs to pull off one more job. A theft that will be the biggest, riskiest, most dangerous, least likely to be successful he's ever attempted.

Just making the deal puts him and his crew in danger. He'll be lucky if they all survive long enough to make it out of Ketterdam. Succeeding at breaking into the impenetrable Fjerdan Ice Court and escaping alive is a feat that even the invincible Dirtyhands may not be able to accomplish.

But with the six-member crew he put together and his well-thought-out plan he'll have the best chance possible to beat his rivals, achieve the unachievable, and destroy his enemy once and for all.

Leigh Bardugo created a story, world and characters that are completely captivating and all-consuming. The world is elaborate and exquisitely crafted. It will instantly ensnare readers and ensure they will never want to leave. The different personalities, abilities, motivations and backgrounds of each of the characters make them likable, appealing, compelling. The plot is danger- and tension-filled, delivers the unexpected, reveals secrets, offers up insurmountable obstacles, and promises to be exciting and nerve-wracking and surprising.

The author incorporates a number of thought-provoking issues in her story – slavery, morality, humanity, hypocrisy, greed, vengeance, compassion, cruelty, fear, trust. And she does so in a way that they become an integral part of the story and don't feel like add-ons.

SIX OF CROWS is stunning and lush and complex and astounding. And with a daring and treacherous heist, extraordinary feats of strength, courage and bravery, a skilled crew of cunning and clever thieves, deceivers, schemers, a heavily guarded fortress, a heartbreaking sacrifice, a double-cross, and the promise of even more to come, it is a read that is guaranteed to be indescribably awesome.

I basically stopped reading fantasy books for a while because it got to the point where I felt like I was reading the same story by a bunch of different authors. But this is different, it's a heist story set in a fantasy world. And it was really fantastic. I loved it and I need to make time to read it again. Also this book is a great example of a main character with a disability without that disability becoming the whole story.

Six of Crows is by far now one of my favorite books. It is very fun and exciting, and the characters were very different from other current YA books out there. A major character, Kaz, walks with a limp, and the rest of the cast is very diverse. I wont spoil anything, but I really suggest reading this heist book.

Pros:
-Diverse Cast
-Great World Building
-Amazing Writing Style
-Characters Seem Real
-The story is exciting and fun.

Cons:
-Slightly cheesy romance(likely just me-I am not one for romance anyhow)

SMALL SPOILERS

-Slightly cheesy cliffhanger.

Solid YA fantasy read with unique, well drawn characters and an interesting story line. Look forward to continuing the series.

Loved this!! More thoughtful review to come.REVIEW:There are so many things I loved about this book.Six of Crows has been on my TBR list pretty much since the moment it was announced because a) more Grisha and b) [a:Leigh Bardugo 4575289 Leigh Bardugo https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1437274413p2/4575289.jpg], and this book totally lived up to my expectations.Right, so first and foremost, the question I've seen most about this book is whether or not it can be read without having read the Grisha trilogy. The answer is yes—pretty much everything is explained, and the only downside is you'll come across a few spoilers. But if you don't mind, Six of Crows is definitely understandable without previous Grisha universe knowledge.I'll admit the first couple chapters were a little slower than I tend to like, pace-wise, but the story drew me in very quickly after that. I totally loved the vibrant Ketterdam and Fjerda setting, and I thought it was really cool that we got to see parts of the Grishaverse only mentioned in the previous books. The cast of characters are super diverse and I found that each POV (Kaz, Jesper, Inej, Matthias) were really interesting and drew me in for separate reasons, which was great because frequently in multi-POV novels, some POVs are more interesting than others, but I thought these were equally balanced.Then the plot! The whole heist narrative was so ridiculously fun to read—it was incredibly smart and clever and I loved all the twists and wrenches in the plan. It reminded me very much of the Artemis Fowl series, in that the heist plot was super elaborate was unlikely odds and high stakes and the mastermind behind the plan (Kaz) repeatedly impressed me with his ability to think his way out of many problems.And so many ships! I loved all the pairings in Six of Crows and was cheering for every single ship with equal fervor (which, when you have six mains/major characters, is impressive since again, I didn't find myself massively favoring one character or POV over another).And finally, the thing I loved most—hello disabled protagonist in genre fiction! I actually didn't realize Kaz was disabled until after I bought the book, which was a really nice surprise. His disabilities (PTSD and chronic pain that causes a limp and necessitates the use of a cane) were very much part of the story and he didn't require a miracle cure to get around them—Kaz dealt with his disabilities in very real ways and I totally loved how he leveraged his cane to his advantage in various circumstances.All in all, this book hit a home run. If you like fantasy and heist books or just really enjoyed the Grisha trilogy, I couldn't recommend this one more.Now to wait impatiently for September when the second (and final) book, [b:Crooked Kingdom 22299763 Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) Leigh Bardugo https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png 42090179], releases...Diversity note: Kaz, one of the main protagonists, has chronic pain and a limp from an old injury and uses a cane to help him get around. He also deals with sometimes-debilitating PTSD. Another POV character, Jesper, is black and (slight spoiler) bisexual and (slight spoiler) Wylan also seems to like boys. Format note: I'm sure this book is equally excellent in e-book, but if you're able to get the print hardback, I do recommend it. It's one of the most beautifully designed books I own.

This book was so much fun. It's like “the Italian Job” Grisha style. I enjoyed the characters and learning their backgrounds. My only sadness is that there's a bit of a cliffhanger at the end and I have to wait until the next book comes out to see what happens.

A new and we'll written entry into the fantasy world with some really memorable new protagonists. There is some simmering romance thrown in taking it down the path of a different kind of reader but it's well worth it. Onwards!

Six of Crows is one of the best books I've read this year. The pacing is a bit more on the slow side for the first half of the book, where we get to learn more about Ketterdam, the Dregs, and the people Kaz gathered for the heist. But that doesn't mean we don't get any action—we do, and it's really, really good.

What I love the most from this book, however, are the characters. Every single one of them isn't purely good nor evil. They're not “friends”. They don't trust each other for the most part, and that doesn't change even as they work together. They have different objectives, and while there is romance growing between them, it never shoves those objectives out of the spotlight. While they do make mistakes, they have their priorities straight. They have depth; everyone is not what they appear to be.

Being an anti-hero fan, my favorite ended up being Kaz... but I just have to mention how awesome the girls are—Inej and Nina. Inej is naturally nice, but while she often expresses concern about what the others are planning, she never forces her beliefs on them. Her relationship with Kaz is fascinating, and I think this one line she said to him describes her really well.

“I will have you without armor, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all.”

(25/02/23) I am usually not a fan of YA fantasy (or YA in general) but this duology is the cream of the crop. Such pure fast-paced fun with a colourful cast of characters. Magic and intrigue and heists! This is a great palette cleanser in between denser fantasy books.

As I get older (I was fifteen/sixteen when the first book released and am twenty-four during this particular reread) I'm agreeing more and more with the TV show's decision to age everyone up by about ten years because there's absolutely not a chance these characters are sixteen. The classic game of thrones problem and solution.