Crooked Kingdom Book Review
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo Book Review and Recommendation.
Date: 3-24-25 Post Written By: MK Overall Rating: 8.7/10
Book Cover Rating: 7.1/10
(My personal opinion)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 561
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Subplots: Romance
Series: Six of Crows #2
Publisher: Orion Children’s Books
Published: 2016
Number of Editions: 135
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Ebook, Audio
Awards Won: Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Fiction
Goodreads Rating: 4.58/5
# of Goodreads Ratings: 711,758
Amazon Rating: 4.7/5
# of Amazon Ratings: 40,391
Movie/TV Show?? : No
Book Type: Standard
POV Type: Multi, Third Person
Pacing: Mid-Fast
Generally: Outcasts looking for revenge against rich nobleman, magic powers, heists
Blurb:
Kaz Brekker and his crew of deadly outcasts have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn't think they'd survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they're right back to fighting for their lives.
A war will be waged on the city's dark and twisting streets - a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of the Grisha world.
My Review
Going Into It:
I’m gonna be completely honest, I was not looking forward to this book. The main reason I was reading this was to finish the series.
Main 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 a member 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. She is compassionate and loving, while still being strong.
Matthias Helvar- Matthias was a Drüskelle, meaning he hunted and killed Grisha ‘abominations.’ However, he fell out of contact with the organization. He is large and strong.
Wylan Van Eck- Wylan is a rich merchant’s son. But, he 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.
I never thought I would say this!! My absolute least favorite character went through SO MUCH character development, that I actually liked him by the end of it!! The character development was AMAZING, and each character felt unique.
Character Rating: 9.5/10
Setting:
This book takes place throughout a city called Ketterdam in Kerch.
Ketterdam was a dark and grimy city (and the reader could tell!). The setting was described quite well, and was constantly moving all throughout the city.
Setting Rating: 9.0/10
Plot:
WOW!! This plot was laid out in such an entertaining way, where small events throughout the book wove together with events before and after. It did loose me a little near the middle (just because it was a pretty long book), but the plot was still great.
Plot Rating: 7.9/10
Writing:
The writing was great in the beginning and end, but it did loose me near the middle.
Writing Rating: 7.2/10
Ending:
Wow!! Not a 100% happy ending (there was really only one section that wasn’t happy), but definitely a 100% satisfying ending!! This was actually a GREAT conclusion to the series, and wrapped up all the loose ends.
Ending Rating: 9.8/10
The Overall:
Overall, this was a great book, and was MUCH better than I expected. The characters were unique and dynamic, the setting was detailed, and the ending tied up the whole series well. The plot and writing lost me a little near the middle, but I still really enjoyed this book!!
Overall Book Rating: 8.7/10
I would obviously recommend this book
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ChatGPT’s Opinion: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo is a thrilling and intricately plotted sequel to Six of Crows, filled with high-stakes action, rich world-building, and complex character development. The book masterfully balances intense moments with humor and heart, particularly through the evolving relationships between Kaz, Inej, Jesper, and the rest of the crew. With clever twists and a deep exploration of themes like loyalty, trust, and revenge, it provides a satisfying yet bittersweet conclusion to the duology, leaving a lasting emotional impact on readers.
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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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Six of Crows
View my Review: Six of Crows
The Familiar
Ninth House
Hell Bent
Shadow and Bone
Siege and Storm
Ruin and Rising
King of Scars
Rule of Wolves
Demon in the Wild
The Language of Thorns
The Lives of Saints
The Severed Moon: A Year-Long Journal or Magic
Slasher Girls & Monster Boys
The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy
Summer Days and Summer Nights
The Invisible Parade
Last Night a Superhero Saved my Life
Explore Leigh Bardugo’s books her website: Leighbardugo.com
Or on Amazon: Leigh Bardugo’s books
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ChatGPT.com (ONLY for specified “ChatGPT’s opinion” portion of reviews and small information gathering)
