Before this month it was a while since I read any YA fiction novels other than those I read to teach. I was intrigued by the sound of Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows after hearing all about it on Booktube and so I picked it up on Audible with the idea that I would possible have to return it after listening to the first hour. Contrary to what I thought, however, I absolutely loved it almost immediately.
Characters
Kaz Brekker is tasked with putting together a notorious crew for, what seems like, mission impossible. He is promised millions if he can break into the Ice Court - a military stronghold. From the beginning of the series Kaz presents as a troubled young man with a multitude of skeletons in his closet. His brutal honesty, intelligence and brooding nature poses an intriguing read. In the face of every difficulty that is put in his path Kaz shows himself fearless and smart enough to overcome anything. It is through Kaz that we eventually are introduced to the rest of the main characters.
The Wraith - also known as Inej - is Kaz' main weakness. She is a trained acrobat as well as a skilled fighter. She gains the secrets of the city to provide Kaz with the information he needs to stay on top of his enemies. From the beginning it is very clear that Inej is in love with Kaz but as to whether those feelings are reciprocated we do not find out until much later. Inej is a character who comes to life through her dry sarcastic humour and her emotional capacity. As a reader, I loved Inej and felt like I was routing for her all the way through the series.
Jesper is a gambling addict with a knack for shooting exactly on target. He is extremely lovable but it is clear that he has done some very questionable acts to get through a tough life.
Nina is my absolute favourite character. She is a charming young woman with the power to turn people's internal organs to mush. She is a Grisha Heartrender who was saved from a life in a brothel (The Menagerie) by Kaz when he brought her into a life in the Dregs. Nina is hilarious - she is a character who can simultaneously make light of a situation while kicking ass at the same time. My favourite quotation from Nina is: “Fear is a phoenix. You can watch it burn a thousand times and still it will return.” Nina goes through one of the toughest journeys of all the characters. It is depicted in a realistic representation of the hardship she faces as well as a believable portrayal of the human responses to such situations.
Other main characters include Matthias Halvar, a Fjerdan Druskelle, who is grudgingly in love with Nina. He is very much stuck in a mindset that has been drummed into him by his peers. This mindset almost stops him from making the right decisions on so many occasions. He is a character that I feel real sympathy for. I think everyone, at some point, is guided by the wrong people to believe in things that are not necessarily true. Matthias is a particular example of this who really goes on a journey of discovery to make up his own mind on his beliefs.
Plot
Six of Crows has a real page turning quality to the plot. It is, on the surface, an impossible quest but one that we get behind straight away because we are so invested in the characters. Leigh Bardugo is very good at showing the events of the story rather than just telling us what is happening. I really enjoyed her portrayal of the plot (more of that in the narrative style section). The seamless transition between Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom was excellent. I actually don't read a lot of series, particularly fantasy, because they can get caught up in the time gaps between each release which really turns me off as a reading experience. The plot of the series is eloquent, fast-moving and engaging from the very start to the last word.
Narrative Technique
As with most YA fantasy novels the story is told through multiple narrative perspectives. Each character's story is closely intertwined. At first it can be a little bit confusing because you are trying to follow the plot as well as getting to know all of the different characters. There are lots of strands of stories that are started but then cut to start someone else's story. I was very worried that I would lose the place with the plot and end up missing out on the story but actually came to appreciate Bardugo's writing style even more. She ensured that the plot was paced appropriately at the beginning to allow us to keep up with what was happening at the same time as getting to know everyone.
Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom have definitely opened my eyes up to a new genre that I would not normally have given a second look at. I feel like my reading horizons have definitely broadened as a result of reading this series. My only flaw with the series is the characters are very young in age but not in attitude or actions. It is clear that the characters are written from an older perspective. I feel like that does not actually take anything away from the plot.
There are a few posts on the way...September Wrap Up, October Reads, September Book Haul which will all be up in the next few weeks.
Meg x
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