Six of Crows

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Kaz Brekker heads up a crew of criminals in the bustling trade town of Ketterdam. He gets an offer he cannot refuse that will make him and his team rich, if only he can assemble the right team. He gathers his own rag-tag team of crooks who each bring their own strengths but no shortage of weaknesses to the table. Together they make a plan to pull off the biggest heist that any of them have ever even considered, but will they be able to pull it off? And what sacrifices will they have to make along the way?

This book was one I picked up because it came highly recommended from all angles and because it is a continuation of the timeline after the story in the Shadow and Bone series. (Although, you do not have to have read Shadow and Bone before you read this duology.) I was definitely not ready to wrench myself out of the Grishaverse just yet, so I was thrilled to find myself knee deep in the trenches with Kaz and the gang. The story is told through various perspectives of each member of the crew, bouncing between them as they endure hardships and grow closer together.

The found family in this story is unparalleled. The characters each have their own well rounded back story, with strengths and weaknesses that make you question their youth. Kaz Brekker is so clever and he often reminded me of Sherlock Holmes in the way he could see solutions to problems that others didn’t seem capable of solving. He has a keen eye and is able to set up plans like dominoes to fall at just the right moments.

I love the relationships that are woven between different pairs of characters and the way they bounce off of each other. Their personalities are so genuine and beautifully crafted that you almost forget that they are fictional. I loved the heist aspect of this story as well. When I had just finished it, I described to my husband as Oceans 11 if it took place in a fantasy world. It is so fun to see the plans unfold and fall apart and then reform and fall into place at exactly the right moment. At every twist you never know if it was all part of the plan or if it is throwing everything into chaos and they will have to regroup and recover. It is so unpredictable and keeps you guessing until the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves heist stories and found families. I think that there are characters that appeal to all sorts of readers and anyone can find a perspective that they connect with. It was fabulous fun to read this book I am so looking forward to reading the second one.

I give Six of Crows 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Length/Page count: 462 pages
Format & Source: Paperback, Bookshop.org
Publishing Info: Henry Holt and Co. 2015