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.

This is a slightly darker book. Be warned that you might find yourself contemplating a crow tattoo and a love affair with an emotionally damaged crime boss by the end of this novel. Six of Crows is a heist story in a vivid fantasy setting, and it features top-notch character development. You get to know each member of the crew intimately, so you understand the nuances of their personalities and why they decide to use illegal methods to accomplish their goals. The Crows are clever, ruthless, often funny, and exactly the sort of people you’d want on your side if… show more.

As readers, we are often presented with the ‘good guys’ as our main characters. Those slightly imperfect protagonists brimming with justifiable righteousness and honorable intentions. In Six of Crows, the main characters are all criminals. Through their stories, we learn that even murderers have a moral compass, that lawbreakers have valid reasons, and that the irredeemable have value. This heist story, touched by magic, taught me to look beyond surface and background and see the soul of the person beneath. It’s about friendship, love, adventure, and surviving the worst that life throws at you. Truly, a book you’ll never… show more.

Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker knows that in Ketterdam, anything can be bought for the right price. When he’s offered a shot at becoming rich beyond his wildest dreams, Kaz sees a chance for revenge against the man who humiliated him as a child. But he can’t pull off this heist alone. Six of Crows is the perfect example of a team of unwanted misfits pulling together to take on power and authority, with main characters whose sexualities span the rainbow. Exciting and in constant movement, the author juggles twists and turns while presenting a cast of characters who, despite many… show more.