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A review by onejadyn
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This review contains spoilers.
I picked this book as a light read after finishing Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb.
I expected a fairly cliché but faster paced and enjoyable book, and it was that, but it also surprised me quite a bit.
While at first everyone seemed obscenely talented with no flaws, but later we learn that they do, in fact, of many flaws, even if they're still obscenely talented at the end of it.
I genuinely enjoyed reading about every character, which isn't very common in multiple POV stories. But honestly, I enjoyed slowly unraveling the pasts of Kaz and Inej, and I think their romance is also fairly well done. The hints came early, but I appreciated that it was rightfully secondary to the time-sensitive plot, and that they didn't jump in recklessly into a silly relationship that neither were ready for.
I also enjoyed Jesper and Wylan. While they had less depth to uncover in their backstories, they were both fun characters to hang out with, and their banter was great.
Nina and Matthias were a really big highlight as well. While Matthias' point of view was explored though, I somehow feel that we didn't get nearly enough justification for his participation in the Druskelle.
We learn of his hatred for the Grisha, but there's a startling lack of why. He doesn't seem to have a lot of real reasons to believe what he does, aside from the fact that he was taught to. He mentions a Grisha attack to a town only briefly, and while he obviously has revulsion to Nina's magic, I don't remember any negative experiences that he or anyone else he knows had from it. Obviously the environment he grew up in was the majority of the reason for his beliefs, but there's very little personal weight to it, and that's a bit disappointing.
At the end of the day, the book wasn't mind blowing. Everyone involved was a prodigy, the heist was fairly predictable in execution, and this isn't the first cast that has had a decent rapport with each other. Arguably the rapport between the group as a whole is largely only okay, as there are clear relationships that are explored (i.e. Wylan + Jesper, Kaz + Inej, Nina + Matthias), some mild relationships explored (Inej + Nina?) and then a lack of content between many other dynamics in this party.
So while it's not mind-blowing in any way, it's honestly just enjoyable. It's fun, it's well-paced, and the folding of each character's history is engaging. I had a good time, and I'm glad I read it.
I picked this book as a light read after finishing Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb.
I expected a fairly cliché but faster paced and enjoyable book, and it was that, but it also surprised me quite a bit.
While at first everyone seemed obscenely talented with no flaws, but later we learn that they do, in fact, of many flaws, even if they're still obscenely talented at the end of it.
I genuinely enjoyed reading about every character, which isn't very common in multiple POV stories. But honestly, I enjoyed slowly unraveling the pasts of Kaz and Inej, and I think their romance is also fairly well done. The hints came early, but I appreciated that it was rightfully secondary to the time-sensitive plot, and that they didn't jump in recklessly into a silly relationship that neither were ready for.
I also enjoyed Jesper and Wylan. While they had less depth to uncover in their backstories, they were both fun characters to hang out with, and their banter was great.
Nina and Matthias were a really big highlight as well. While Matthias' point of view was explored though, I somehow feel that we didn't get nearly enough justification for his participation in the Druskelle.
We learn of his hatred for the Grisha, but there's a startling lack of why. He doesn't seem to have a lot of real reasons to believe what he does, aside from the fact that he was taught to. He mentions a Grisha attack to a town only briefly, and while he obviously has revulsion to Nina's magic, I don't remember any negative experiences that he or anyone else he knows had from it. Obviously the environment he grew up in was the majority of the reason for his beliefs, but there's very little personal weight to it, and that's a bit disappointing.
At the end of the day, the book wasn't mind blowing. Everyone involved was a prodigy, the heist was fairly predictable in execution, and this isn't the first cast that has had a decent rapport with each other. Arguably the rapport between the group as a whole is largely only okay, as there are clear relationships that are explored (i.e. Wylan + Jesper, Kaz + Inej, Nina + Matthias), some mild relationships explored (Inej + Nina?) and then a lack of content between many other dynamics in this party.
So while it's not mind-blowing in any way, it's honestly just enjoyable. It's fun, it's well-paced, and the folding of each character's history is engaging. I had a good time, and I'm glad I read it.