November 2016 Book Review: Six of Crows

SIX OF CROWS 

By Leigh Bardugo 

~Book Review~

Warning! Spoilers!

YEAH…I WAS BORED…

This book had massive hype around it. I really enjoyed Bardugo’s world-building and memorable characters in her Shadow and Bone series, and this book promised to be a grittier, edgier heist extravaganza.

Smmhhh…

The characters: I didn’t care. And I should have! Kaz is the mysterious, sarcastic leader of the crew hired to break out a well-known scientist from the Ice Palace/Court. He is accompanied by Inej (best character in my opinion: sneaky and fierce assassin), Nina (a Grisha), Matthias (a soldier sworn to destroy Grisha), and Jesper and Wylan (yawn, they can do something-something). However, I simply felt like the characters never came to life from archetype draft. There was a barrier between me and the characters, and I couldn’t keep track of the various names, and I didn’t feel a connection to them. The plot didn’t intrigue me. Maybe it was because all of the characters were so supremely confident in themselves, and their bevy of sarcastic comments made it difficult to distinguish one from another.

What this book needed was a good, rival gang, or at least a cunning, compelling villain to make Kaz fail. Yes, there is the “twist” at the end, but honestly, was it that much of a surprise? And I’m afraid Duke Van Eck makes me shiver as much as a mewing kitten.

In contrast, TheLies of Lockmora by Scott Lynch had me riveted from page one. I cared about Lock and Jean. Lynch was able to make them and their city come alive in a way that enchanted me. Kaz and his crew are just too perfect and don’t have the flaws and compelling storyline that I’m looking for. Everything down to the characters’ backstories was just predictability seen coming from a mile away.

I’m definitely a minority opinion on Six of Crows so I would urge you to give it a try. However, I’m not sold on picking up the next book. Maybe to see what happens to Inej. We’ll see.

Recommend for fans of: Scott Lynch, Kate Elliott, Suzanne Collins

Upcoming Book Review: Court of Fives by Kate Elliott