Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Six of Crows
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Six of Crows #1
Genre: Fantasy/YA/
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Publication Date: September 29th, 2015
Edition: Hardcover, 465 pages
Source: Owned
Purchase: Amazon US | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | BAM | iBooks

Synopsis:

   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.

This. Book. Is. Amazing.

*sips coffee*

    I have been in a reading slump for most of the year. I read a handful of really fantastic books at the start of the year, then things kind of fell flat for me. There were books I enjoyed while I was reading them. And books that I had been really excited to read for a while that when I finally got to them I was just not as motivated to take the time to read them as I had hoped.

    This book has been sitting in my self for 2 years. I kept putting off reading it, I think partially because I love the Grisha trilogy so much, and this being a spin-off, some-what, sequel series... I was hesitant to read it. I only heard good things about it but there was always that part of my brain that kept saying "but what if you don't like it as much?" I should have told my brain to shut up.

    Granted this book is pretty much nothing like the Grisha trilogy. While it takes place in the exact same world only a few years after the events of the first series, I had to do some research to figure that out, the setting feels very 1920's Noir, where the Grisha trilogy felt more "fantasy" in a lot of ways. This series still has some of those fantasy elements, but they aren't exactly as prevalent to the story. Even considering that the plot is.

    I can honestly say that I loved all these characters. I love how all these different cultures, that are based on real ones, are so seamlessly woven together. And how they still remain distinct.

    Now, to talk about the plot, without really talking about it because I don't want to give anything away, in case there might be somebody who found my blog and hasn't read this book yet. Although that is probably unlikely since I am so far behind on this.

 I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, I had to force myself to put the book down and be a responsible adult. I was anxious for the characters, I loved the little flashback scenes that explained the characters better. I think if it had been in chronological order, reading their backstories wouldn't have been as interesting.

    The heist itself was kind of a smaller part of the book than all the setup, but ho part of this book felt slow. I am so excited to read the sequel, and I don't even have to wait, it's right next to me. I actually had to stop myself to pick it up until I wrote this review.