Six of Crows duology

Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology has been sitting on my TBR for a long time due to the mere reason that its predecessor (Shadow and Bone) did not live up to my expectations. However a few pages into the novel and I was completely floored! The writing, the plot, the setting and oh my god – the characters were absolutely brilliant. There was nothing to complain about or dislike in this duology, except that I was book hungover for quite some time!

If I had to choose, I would say that I loved the characters the most. I honestly cannot pick a favorite, because they were all enigmatic, realistic and wholesome; different in their own right but seamlessly connected by a sense of loss and lingering darkness. Bardugo introduces their quirks and traits in a rather novel fashion; either dipping into the past or a throwing in a heated banter. Take a look at this exchange between Van Eck and Kaz that gives us a glimpse into Kaz’s character:

…You’re the youngest to ever run a betting shop, and you’ve doubled its profits in that time. You’re a blackmailer-
“I broker information.”
“A con artist – “
“I create opportunity.”
“A bawd and a murderer -“
“I don’t run whores, and I kill for a cause.”
P.44

Absolutely brilliant isn’t it?

Bardugo no doubt has a rather unique style of writing which keeps the reader hooked from beginning to end. The mysterious past of each character makes the reader invested in their lives right from the first page. Bardugo masterfully reveals just the right amount of information to keep you going; alternating from different points of view and offering an in depth glimpse into each character. Even though Kaz is the head of the gang, Bardugo makes certain that he does not take center stage. Inej and Mathias in the first book together with Nina, Jesper and Wylan have fascinating backstories that will leave you intrigued.

The Six of Crows is set in the trading town of Ketterdam presided by the Merchant Council. While Ravka from the Shadow and Bone series had elements of Russia, Ketterdam borrows its atmosphere from Victorian London and old New York. There were moments while reading where I felt as though I was reading a Charles Dickens novel; moving across narrow alleyways and jumping over rooftops in a nucleated setting. Needless to say this rather realistic atmosphere is guaranteed to transport you right into the heart of the novel.

Bardugo says she got the idea to write the Six of Crows while driving and coming across a billboard advertisement for the movie Monument Men. She wanted to break the conventions of a story revolving around a heist and thought why not make it magical? While the movie Oceans Eleven is considered to be the inspiration for the story, the idea sparked off thanks to a billboard advertisement.

This enthralling cast of characters together with an action paced plot makes this duology unputdownable. There were times I found myself laughing out loud and exclaiming in surprise. Kaz’s rather crazy schemes, Nina’s wit, Mathias’s rigidity, Inej’s smoothness, Jesper’s lightheartedness and Wylan’s naivety is what made this duology stand out when compared to that of Shadow and Bone.

If you have never EVER read a fantasy, I suggest you start with the Six of Crows. To this day I would have always said read Harry Potter (for the mere reason that I grew up along with the cast of characters while reading the entire series), but I would now say Six of Crows because:

It has the perfect balance of both realistic and magical elements
It’s not too long to leave you confused nor is it too short to keep you yearning
The plot is not too complicated to grasp
The characters are absolutely brilliant