Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)
Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he'll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:
Break into the notorious Ice Court
(a military stronghold that has never been breached)
Retrieve a hostage
(who could unleash magical havoc on the world)
Survive long enough to collect his reward
(and spend it)
Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done—and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable—if they don't kill each other first.
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Rating: 4.5/5
"Everything in her wanted to say yes, but she would not settle for so little, not after all she'd been through."
This book was exactly the YA fantasy adventure I was looking for. It was exciting and fast-paced, with a captivating universe. The world-building did move quickly in the first chapter or two, but I know there are other books in this universe that chronologically precede Six of Crows, and I have not read them. I caught on fast enough, though.
I love the depth and diversity of the characters in this book, and I love how relatable they all became—even those who seemed somewhat flat in the beginning. Mostly, I was blown away by the strength and independence of Inej. She loves and respects herself more than anything else. She wavers but never falters. It is so, so impressive.
At first, I thought it was a tad cheesy how the different countries and ethnicities in this universe run somewhat parallel to countries and ethnicities in the real world, but as the story went on, I realized it is important that they do so. This parallelism allows Bardugo to dig deep into the way humans treat one another and attempt to explain why. And it allows him to show that no matter how divided we may seem, you will always find a Romeo and Juliette who simply cannot help but see the good in one another. There is always hope for reconciliation.
I cannot wait to read the second book!