Hijinks and Heists • Six of Crows

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Dregs #1
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Publication Date: September 29, 2015
Source/Format: BEA 2015 || ARC
[I received this from the publisher. This in no way affects my review.]

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

Six of Crows is my favorite novel ever from Leigh Bardugo. There, I said it. Yes, it's a very strong declaration. Yes, I did enjoy the Grisha trilogy. But there's just something about Six of Crows that won't allow me to deny the deep affection that it inspired in my heart. Perhaps it's the volatile dynamic of this unlikely group of outcasts, or perhaps it's the nature of the plot - hijinks and gangs and heists. Whatever it happens to be, I just cannot get enough of it apparently, as I'm already pondering a reread and eagerly anticipating the sequel to come.

There are several different narrators juggled throughout this story, but it is five of the six main characters hinted at in the summary who get the most narrative time - Kaz, Nina, Inej, Jesper, Matthias. I really love how well-composed each individual's chapters are, really cohesive in terms of voice, character motive and development. Bardugo excels at character complexity, their own individual problems spiraling out to mark them in the middle of the common plot thread that binds them together with the others. I was particularly enamored with Inej and with Nina, not only because they happen to be powerful females, but also because their own histories are so intriguing. But Bardugo certainly managed to make me care for just about all these outcasts, and I need more of them immediately.

In terms of plot, there's a certain craftiness and cleverness that is demonstrated by how well-woven the tale is. There's the incredibly difficult heist that this crew needs to pull off that serves as the main plot of this story; but there are also so many tinier plots (betrayals, lies, secrets, romances, friendships, dreams) involving these characters that result in Six of Crows being a well-woven, colorful tapestry of story. It did take a little time to get my bearings, particularly in terms of the way the world works in Ketterdam. But once I'd found my footing, I was solidly invested in the outcome and could not stop turning the pages.

Clearly, I fell in love with Six of Crows. I'm so impressed by Bardugo's ability to tell a story, to create characters that feel so real, to weave together a plot that's complicated in appearance yet simple to keep straight. It's such a stellar follow-up to her first series, and I'm definitely excited to see what she has in store for the crew and for the readers in the sequel.