Six of Crows
Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt Genre: YA, fantasy, mystery Year: 2015
OVERALL
I was surprised and delighted by Six of Crows. I didn't know what I was expecting going in, but it's equal parts, fantasy, Ocean's 8 style con, mystery, and thriller all rolled up into one fun and exciting package. It's not often that I am genuinely surprised by a mystery but the twists and turns were enough to keep me on my toes. The characters were diverse and interesting and were different enough that seeing how they meshed together was fun.
WORLDBUILDING
The worldbuilding was extensive and detailed enough that it held up for the entire novel, but it did feel like there was something missing. Ketterdam felt like a seedier fantasy Amsterdam. Fjerda clearly has Nordic influences, reminiscent of Viking times. Even though both Ketterdam and Fjerda are the only two countries that the story takes place, and they're not quite different enough from each other to be believable. One has canals, the other is encased in ice. I was hoping to see how these changes in environment affected culture.
Then there's the undeveloped fantasy equivalents. The Suli are a pretty obvious fantasy equivalent of the Roma, Novyi Zem is the fantasy Black country, and Shu Han the fantasy Asian nation. Which is all good in theory. I am 100% on board for broadening fantasy horizons, but these nations were mentioned in passing, but serve as the backstory for a few characters. But again, they are eurocentric in their construction, and aren't quite fully developed. A few key areas could have used more development, like Inej and Matthais' respective religions, and I was really hoping language barriers would play a bigger role in the story. But it's the few minuscule gaps in this that keeps this book from reaching 5 stars.
PLOT
The intricate plot of Six of Crows is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the novel. The craftsmanship that goes into creating such intricate plans that pivot on a needle-sharp turn is impressive. The way the story is written, choosing simultaneously the best and worst times for a flashback--the information is critical to enlighten the action in the present, but it's also during at the apex of the action--drives the plot and pulls the reader through the book at break-neck speed. But my favorite thing by far, is the intricate plans that Kaz cooks up, but systemically keeps those plans from some of the other POV characters, but also the reader.
All in all, the plot was fast-paced, fun, and clever enough to keep me on my toes, when I often times can guess the plot pretty easily.
THEMES & TONES
There didn't seem to be any overarching themes to the book, other than misfits stick together and a vague sense of 'take what you want and give nothing back.
CHARACTERS & CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
•Kaz Kaz is by far the most interesting character. He's morally ambiguous, deceptive, intelligent, and wholly focused on vengeance, which makes him really fun to read. His disability and quirks--wearing the gloves--are an important part of his character and not glossed over. Although I personally would have loved some more time spent on his limp, each time he is separated from his cane, we feel the absence as he does.
•Inej It took me a while to warm up to Inej. She didn't feel fully developed to me. The best assassin in the world (despite being only 16 and doing if for only a year, hmm), she's the definition of the silent and deadly archetype. I would have liked to learn more about her culture and especially her religion, because she clearly holds it in high regard. She definitely grew into her character.
•Nina Nina felt a little flat to me. She's the stereotypical flirt, loves to eat, and is an all-powerful Grisha. I have issues with her romance with Matthais, again due to the fact that they are apparently so young. At the beginning, it seemed like they had a lot of history, I was assuming they'd known each other for years, but apparently they traveled together for a few weeks, then spent a year apart, and that's... it.
•Matthias An intriguing character for sure, although a little oversimplified for me. He was raised to be an elite warrior and religious fanatic who hunts and kills Grisha. I feel like it would take more than a hot bod to undo years and years of grooming. Again, I don't have a problem with their romance, but I would have liked to see more development. But once again, the fact that they're so young means that they don't have the time to get to know one another.
•Jesper Definitely underutilized in the story. His main characteristic is that gambling is his vice. I wish he'd had more exploration. Maybe it's because I've never encountered this particular problem before, nor had someone close to me with a gambling problem, but I just didn't get it. There was no real motivation to his gambling, and he was just so quick to do it. I feel if he had a little more page-space dedicated to him, I might have a better understanding of him.
•Wylan Another interesting but underutilized character. A pet peeve is that there are six people on the team, and they split neatly into 3 couples. It reminds me of being a kid and watching shows like the Winx club where a group of 7 girls who are best friends, just happens to meet a group of 7 guys who are best friends and they all date each other. It seems juvenile as a plot device, and again these kids are so young that romance probably won't last.
•Kuwei I thought he was 10 at first and was really sad to find out that this was not the case.
Although my biggest pet peeve is the main reason that I can't give Six of Crows 5 stars: not a single of these characters is older than 18. They're all young enough that often times they are referred to as "boy" and "man" simultaneously. Because they're so young, some of the backstory doesn't fit the timeline. How does Kaz break his leg bad enough to give him a permanent disability, heal, work his way up in the Ketterdam gangs, and also teach Inej to be a master at stealth in just 2 years? It doesn't work. Another thing--they don't act like they're teenagers. They don't make hotheaded stupid young people mistakes. I'm expected to believe this group of kids is somehow the BEST at their respective jobs in the world? Don't get me wrong, I'm young too, and I'm all for young empowerment, but they were just so young for their supposed talents. Even physically, young people are at their prime in mid-twenties. Also, the official art for these characters is ridiculous (see below). This is more an indictment of all YA but Six of Crows definitely falls into this trope. If they don't act like teens, and they don't look like teens, and they don't have the ability of teens... then what's the harm of making them a bit older?
The age diversity could have been such an interesting angle, too. Like if Kaz was twenty, or twenty-two and Wylan really was fifteen, how would that change the team dynamic? Having them all be within 2 years of each other made them seem more like super-powered self-inserts and it leeched away at their credibility.
My last major problem is with Kuwei. He was introduced as a "boy" so my mind went straight to "10 year-old" boy. Nope. Look at the art of him. Not 10 at all. But after learning he wasn't a kid, I was kind of disappointed. It would have been really fun to see a ragtag group of criminals try and keep a kid alive and safe. A missed opportunity.
Pictures of the Cast:
Kaz:
Inej:
Nina:
Matthais:
Jesper:
Wylan:
Kuwei: (clearly, and to my sadness, not 10 years old)
Is it just me or do none of them look 17? They all look 30.
WARNINGS
Mentions of forced prostitution after kidnapping, but not graphically described, but it is a significant part of a character's backstory.
MY RECOMMENDATION
If you're looking for a fun, fast read that definitely stands out in the YA genre, then pick up this book! Especially if you're a fan of mysteries or the epic burglary team trope, then you will definitely enjoy this read.
goodreads | amazon
RATING: ★★★★