Heist gone wrong cliff hanger. ( )

This review is for the complete Six of Crows duology (Six of Crows; Crooked Kingdom) by Leigh Bardugo:

This is a heist story, with one young and rising criminal mastermind from the Ketterdam underworld being offered an incredible sum of money in order to accomplish an impossible rescue, almost a suicide mission. A team is assembled and they go for it, getting involved in a complex plot involving magic and international politics.

I liked the story, the worldbuilding and the characters. It's YA, for those who care about labels, but it's quite well-written. I enjoyed that we got to know the back stories (sob stories) of all members of the team, and that they all were interesting, and I liked the dynamics of the team. The romantic elements were integral to the story and did not feel like an unwelcome distraction. The story is rather character-focused. The city of Ketterdam is inspired by Amsterdam, but it did remind me of Venice, and there were other foreign powers inspired by imperial Russia and others. And the story was good: even if I'm not a big fan of heist stories, this book had enough epic to have me entertained, with a plot involving the discovery of a drug that greatly potentiates Grishas' abilities (Grishas are people with certain magical abilities, who are often exploited and/or persecuted) at the cost of quickly destroying their minds, and that many countries are trying to control.

One thing that bothered me is that we are continually being told how evil and ruthless Kaz is, but we only see him act in an honorable manner. Well, with a roguish code of honor, but a code of honor nevertheless. For me that was the main YA tick. And there's no grimdark here: the heroes, albeit criminals, are good guys.

All in all, an enjoyable and easy read. ( )

This book ends on a cliff hanger, so I'm glad that I have the next book ready.

It took me a bit to get into the story (maybe about 10%), but then I really liked it. The characters are likable, and we get to see things from almost everyone's perspective, which really helps me connect with the characters. The heist is really interesting, as well as the characters relationships. I'm excited to read more in Crooked Kingdom. ( )

As a leader of the Dregs, Kaz has contacts, associates, and even a handful of what he might (if pressed) call friends across all the lowest places in the city of Ketterdam. Of late, there have been rumors of a new form of jurda parem, a mind-altering substance, which has been endowing magic-users with previously unimagined power and whose presence threatens to alter the economy in potentially disastrous ways. Accepting a task to lead an ill-advised rescue into the unforgiving neighboring land of Fjerda in exchange for a reward too tantalizing to pass up, Kaz begins to assemble a small team of misfits to take on this impossible mission.

This is a book I wanted to savor and was disappointed when it ended — on a cliffhanger, no less. I had heard such good things about it and was anticipating an immersive experience, so I saved it for while I was vacationing. I was immediately captivated and had difficulty putting it down after just the first few chapters. I loved that the world-building kept me guessing, with some aspects familiar and recognizable and others stretching my brain in a way that was welcome. Eagerly anticipating the next in the series. ( )

Kaz and his crew accept a nearly impossible job because of the promise of a payment beyond their wildest dreams. They must steal a weapon and its creator from an impregnable fortress.

The story is told from multiple POVs filling in the back stories of the characters a little at a time. Each has a different reason for being a part of the crew and it is interesting to see the dynamics of their interactions.

I liked this even more than the Shadow and Bone trilogy and am looking forward to reading the conclusion of the story in the next book. ( )