Six of Crows

This book will always stick with me because of the amazing thought put behind one of the main character’s plotting. Kaz easily has one of the best minds in any book I’ve ever read. Along with Kaz, though, there are multiple other POVs which are equally as important to the story.

It had more POVs than any book I had read previously, but the way Bardugo wrote them had me wanting more of them all and unable to pick a favorite. Each character has a unique voice and story that perfectly complements the overarching plot.

Even when I wasn’t sure… show more.

This book is part of the Grishaverse series, and though it is not the first book, I think it’s a good place to start for new readers. Bardugo builds an intricate dystopian world in which a group of six misfits, thieves, and gangsters come together when given a huge offer for a near-impossible heist.

Elegantly written, this book entices and thrills readers through a fast-paced action sequence told from multiple viewpoints. 

No list of queer-found family fantasies would be complete without mentioning the Dregs. Leigh Bardugo’s book, set in a gritty city called Ketterdam, is the first book that made me fall in love with a found family.

If I could join any fantasy-found family, it would be this one. If you’ve ever wanted to join the ultimate heist crew, you’ve got to read Six of Crows.

The main thing I loved was Leigh Bardugo’s writing. She has a way of being elegant yet succinct with her writing which makes it easier for me to get lost in the intricate world she creates. And what a world she creates!

I fell in love with all the characters in this book. They had deep flaws and the vulnerability made me love them so much – it made them so real. There’s a powerful female lead in Nina, a passionate, voluptuous grisha (type of witch) who loves food, making her immediately relatable. The plot had me hooked and I… show more.

Even though it’s set in the same universe as Bardugo’s Shadow & Bone trilogy, Six of Crows tells a very different story. I am a massive fan of Bardugo’s ability to blend humor, romance, and danger with sharp dialogue and intriguing characters, and Six of Crows did not disappoint.

It features a gang of six outcasts who tell their story from five perspectives, with interspersing flashbacks throughout. No small undertaking for an epic crime heist, but Bardugo does it effortlessly.

The tale takes place in an alternate Amsterdam where dark magic and the criminal underground try to subvert the team… show more.

There are many, many reasons why I absolutely adore this book and its sequel. When I picked them up, I had already seen the TV show Shadow and Bone twice, and going into the book, into the story they didn't show, into the depths of the characters that didn't make it into the TV series, was the most amazing thing.

There are always two (or more) sides when adaptations happen, but in this case, I think they stand far apart. Six of Crows takes you deeper into the world of Ketterdam and the minds of the characters, slowly revealing their… show more.

I absolutely loved this series. The dynamic of a group of people working together to save someone is astounding to me because I can't even get my toddler to settle on a book for bedtime. 

Howbeit this isn't a good guys are the best guys kind of series. You root for the bad guys, but aren’t they really just good guys in the end? I love the morally gray characters and use them in my novels. I feel like they are the most genuine characters because it's what we really see in the real world.

This book reminds me of… show more.

What’s better than a classic heist tale?

Taking that formula and plonking it in the middle of a lushly imagined fantasy world and populating it with unforgettable characters. Bargudo’s Six of Crows is set in her larger Grishaverse and features a cast of misfits who are irresistible in all their feats and flaws.

This is a book where you’ll be laughing on one page and crying the next, making for an incomparable reading journey. 

This book was my introduction to Bardugo’s work and I would argue it stands among her best. Six of Crows’ greatest selling points are the compelling plot that involves heists, intrigue, and shifting allegiances, the magic system of the Grishaverse, and the chemistry among the cast of characters.

The worldbuilding and relationship dynamics in her books directly influenced aspects that I explore in my book. Additionally, the magic system is organized and medium on the complexity scale. There exist magic users known as Grisha that fall under three main divisions of magic. While the basic elements are established in a… show more.

I love a good heist story and this is one of the best! A notorious gang leader, Kaz "Dirtyhands" Brekker knows better than to trust anyone—but when an opportunity falls into his lap that he can't ignore, he needs to put together a team of the best specialists he can find, and fast! The narrative is shared among the main characters and slowly reveals the secrets hidden in each character’s past. At the beginning, each main character begins alone, but by the end they are so tightly interwoven that even when they're fighting amongst each other, it's still apparent how… show more.