Six of Crows Book Review
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo Book Review and Recommendation.
Date: 2-19-25 Post Written By: MK Overall Rating: 7.7/10 Buy on Amazon: Six of Crows
Book Cover Rating: 6.9/10
(My personal opinion)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 480
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Subplots: Romance
Series: Six of Crows #1
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Published: 2015
Number of Editions: 153
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audio
Awards Won: Pennsylvania Young Readers’ Choice Award Nominee for Young Adults, Rhode Island Teen Book Nominee, Evergreen Teen Book Award Nominee, Lincoln Award, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee For Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction, and More
Goodreads Rating: 4.47/5
Amazon Rating: 4.6/5
Movie/TV Show?? : No
Book Type: Standard
POV Type: Multi, Third Person
Pacing: Fast
Generally: Action Packed (after the first third), Gripping, Page Turner, Character Growth
Hook:
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone...
A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.
My Review
Going Into It:
Going into this book I was looking for a book that would become one of my new favorites, after my REALLY bad last book I read. I haven’t heard ANYTHING negative about this book, so I figured it was probably the best way to go!!
Characters:
Kaz Brekker- Kaz is the main character. He has a reputation for being ruthless, smart, and loyal, but also distant. He generally helps the people who help him, but ALWAYS make sure to hurt those who hurt him too. He’s practically the leader of a gang called The Dregs.
Inej Ghafa- Inej is also known as the Wraith. She can move silently and climb anything. She is passionate and has a strong sense of right and wrong, even though she is a criminal. She is also a member of The Dregs.
Jesper Fahey- Jesper is another Dreg member. He is known for his pistols that he ALWAYS has with him. He is a great shot. He tends to be outgoing and likable.
Nina Zenik- Nina is a Grisha, meaning she can use magic. She is particularly good at manipulating human bodies and emotions. She is compassionate and loving, while still being strong.
Matthias Helvar- Matthias was a Drüskelle, meaning he hunted and killed Grisha ‘abomonations.’ However, he fell out of contact with the organization, and it is unclear whether or not he is still a part of it.
Wylan Van Eck- Wylan is a rich merchant’s son. But, he recently left his father to become a part of The Dregs instead. He is smart and skilled with explosives, but can also be insecure and easily embarrassed.
Hmm… at the start of this book I was not a fan of these characters at all. I really liked two of them and then felt badly for the two that they were stuck with everyone else. But, the farther I got into this book, the more I liked the characters as a whole. There was significant growth and positive change, and by the end, I even kinda liked the characters that were originally BY FAR my least favorites.
Character Rating: 7.6/10
Setting:
This book starts in a city called Ketterdam in Kerch. Then the setting moves to The Ice Court in Djerholm, Fierda.
Ohhh!! I liked this setting!! Recently I’ve been reading a lot of books with really average settings, but this one is a lot better. The book starts in a grimy part of the city, but it is described SO well, and matches the characters/plot well. Then, the plot moves to other places, equally well described. This book had a lot of planning and new experiences for the characters, which gave room for great setting descriptions.
Setting Rating: 9.4/10
Plot:
To be completely honest, I did NOT like the plot at all for the first third of this book. It felt boring and forced. But, once the plot started to pick up pace and get more interesting, I ended up LOVING it!! For the last two thirds of this book, the plot was FULL of adventure, danger, and thrill (which was kinda what I was hoping for from the start, but that’s okay).
Plot Rating: 6.8/10
Writing:
This is pretty much the same vibe I got as with the characters and plot. Hated the first third of writing, but LOVED the last two thirds once everything started to pick up.
Writing Rating: 7.3/10
Ending:
YES!! Endings make or break a book for me, and this one MADE IT!! Any leftover boredom from the first part of the book I completely forgot about because of the ending. It tied up the current mission/plot well, but still left us on a fairly large cliffhanger (that I did totally see happening, but whatever). The ending made me excited to read the next book in the series, which I originally didn’t think I’d do at all.
Ending Rating: 8.9/10
The Overall:
While the start was slow and boring, the middle and end of this book were AMAZING!! I LOVED the plot/setting, and am looking forward to reading the next one!! I would recommend, as long as you can wait through the first part!!
Overall Book Rating: 7.7/10
I would recommend this book
Buy on Amazon:
ChatGPT’s Opinion: I think Six of Crows is an incredibly well-crafted and engaging book. The way Leigh Bardugo weaves together a diverse cast of characters, each with complex backstories and motivations, is impressive. The dynamic between them is compelling, and their personal growth throughout the story adds so much depth to the plot.
The world-building is another strong point—Ketterdam feels alive, gritty, and dangerous, a perfect backdrop for the heists and schemes. I also love how the book balances action with emotional moments, giving readers enough time to connect with the characters while still keeping the plot fast-paced and exciting.
The twists are really well-executed, and Bardugo’s ability to keep you guessing about what’s going to happen next makes it hard to put down. Overall, it's a mix of high-stakes adventure, smart strategies, and deep emotional layers, which is why it’s become such a popular read.
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Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Familiar, Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University.
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ChatGPT.com (ONLY for specified “ChatGPT’s opinion” portion of review and basic information gathering)