Six of Crows

 

(Picture from Goodreads.com)

1.       Bibliography

Bardugo, Leigh. 2015. SIX OF CROWS (J. Snyder & B. Rubin & F. Berman & L. Fortgang & R. Clark
              & E. Evans & T. Morris, Narr). [Audiobook]. Audible Studios.

2.       Plot Summary

Taking place in another world, Bardugo introduces her reader to six dangerous outcasts. Their task: pull of an impossible heist. Kaz Brekker might be known as a criminal mastermind, but he will need help if he is going to pull off this opportunity for riches and fame.

Kaz brings together a crew for the prison break of Bo Yul-Bayer who created jurda parem, a drug that when ingested by Grisha (people who possess magical powers) amplifies their powers. This drug is extremely addictive and could allow a take over by people who have control over it.

Kaz’s gang consist of Inej, known as “the Wraith” since she can practically become invisible; Nina, a Grisha with the power to control feelings; Matthias, a Fjerdan former druskelle (Grisha hunger) who is from where Bo Yul-Bayer is being held; Jesper, a sharpshooter; and Wylan, a skilled bomb builder who is the son of the man who hired Kaz, Van Eck.

As a team, the crew goes through a series of obstacles and close calls in order to liberate Bo Yul-Bayer. The biggest hit to their crew is when Nina takes jurda parem to save them, sentencing herself to sure death. Finding out Bo Yul-Bayur us dead and they have his son, they take Kuwei with them with them but soon find their benefactor has no intentions of handing over the money. Van Eck takes Inej, and the gang needs to get her back, leading into the sequel.

3.       Critical Analysis

When looking for high fantasy, readers want a world that is creative, new, and believable. Bardugo delivers in The Six of Crows. Told from six different character’s perspectives, the reader gets to know each character intimately.

 

Kaz is easily a stand out character because he is the one who brings the whole gang together. Bardugo gives detailed flashback during some of his chapters so that the reader knows how he became a criminal leader and feel sympathy for him. In Inej’s chapters, it is revealed she was a sex slave, but keeping to young adult standards, the details are not mature. Inej and Kaz are close since he freed her from her servitude, but there are hits at deeper feelings.

For Nina to join with Kaz, she requires he frees Matthias, which Kaz actually planned to do because he wanted to use Matthias’ knowledge of the ice court. In the chapters narrated by Matthias and Nina, the reader finds character change between the two; they had hatred for each other’s people, turned to trust and respect, turned to deeper feelings.

Then there is Jesper, who can’t keep his mouth shut. He is a character we don’t learn too much about, not as much as the others. But he adds to the other character’s by giving information that the other character’s are not providing. Finally, there is Wylan, who is their insurance to get the money. There is some background provided from him, helping the reader understand the motives of Van Eck, who has sent them on this mission.

Listening to the audio version of the book helps distinguish more between characters. The people who narrate bring life and feeling to their assigned character. Hearing the different voices helps to keep track of who is who. Whenever I would hear a voice, I knew which character I was on, even if I had stopped my audio in the middle of a chapter.
 

While there are love connections between characters, the main focus of the novel is the action and character building. Readers who are sick of love triangles will not find that happening in this book.

 

The Grisha universe is very detailed, but not in a way that is overwhelming. There are descriptions of the places the characters go, their clothing, and the powers many possess. In the physical book, I would assume there is a map. This might help with picturing the travel of the characters. The detail provided is enough to help the reader imagine this complex world, but are not too overwhelmed by made up words or places.

4.       Awards/ Reviews

·       2016 Dragon Awards- Best Young Adult/ Middle Grade Novel

·       2018 German Fantasy Awards- Best International Novel

·       2015 Goodreads Choice Awards- Best Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction

·       2015 New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2015

·       2020 Time- 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of October 2015: Leigh Bardugo is a fascinating storyteller and in her latest book, Six of Crows, she’s stepped up her game even more. At the heart of the novel is Kaz Brekkar, a mysterious young man who has clawed his way to notoriety in a city fueled by corruption and greed. When Kaz is asked to perform an extremely dangerous heist in return for a staggering sum of money, he calls upon his most trusted compatriots to help. The story is told from multiple points of view and readers discover what led each character to Kaz in the first place, as well as his own shocking path. Six of Crows is a vivid, entertaining fantasy that boldly captures the imagination and leaves an impression well after the novel’s cliff-hanger ending. -- Seira Wilson

From School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up—Bardugo has created a wildly imaginative story of six young people who have been commissioned to pull off the greatest heist of all time. They are to nab the creator of jurda parem, a highly addictive product that enhances the innate paranormal powers of the Grisha peoples, in the hopes of creating weapons of war that will upset the balance of power and destroy the economies of rival governments. Kaz, the hero of the story and mastermind of the plot, recruits five others to aid in his quest for revenge for the loss of his brother and the promise of vast wealth. Taking what could have been stock characters of young adult fiction—the loner, the rebel, the outcast, and the con artist, the author has fashioned fully fleshed out, dynamic protagonists who will engage and enchant readers. What a thrill it is to return to the world she created with her popular "Grisha Trilogy" (Holt). While the unresolved ending may frustrate some teens, the promise of a sequel will give them hope that this unsettling, captivating, magical journey will continue.—Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

 

5.       Connections

People that like fantasy worlds, like Harry Potter, would like this series.

The Throne of Glass and Cruel Prince series comes to mind as similar titles. They both have mythical and magical elements to them.

 

Readers of this book might like other fantasy worlds https://bookriot.com/best-books-like-six-of-crows/ from this website:

1.       Bring me their Hearts- Sara Wolf

2.       The Bone Maker- Sarah Beth Durst

3.       The Black Witch- Lauri Forest

4.       Mistborn: The Final Empire- Brandon Sanderson

Medieval

5.       Serpent & Dove- Shelby Mahurin

6.       Shadow of the Fox- Julie Kagawa

7.       Graceling- Kirstin Cashore

8.       Foundryside- Robert Jackson Bennett

9.       Flame in the Mist- Renee Ahdieh

10.   Onyx & Ivory- Mindee Arnett

Late Modern Books

11.   These Violent Delights- Chloe Gong

12.   The Gilded Wolves- Roshani Chokshi

13.   A Darker Shade of Magic- V.E. Schwab

14.   Gunslinger Girl- Lyndsay Ely

Dystopian

15.   The Rise of Io- Wesley Chu

16.   Spellhacker- M.K. England

17.   Chosen Ones- Veronica Roth

18.   Deal with the Devil: A Mercenary Librarians Novel- Kit Rocha

19.   Not Even Bones- Rebecca Schaeffer

20.   Renegades- Marissa Marr