Six of Crows

This was good. Extremely slow to start, but it picked up momentum as it went along.

i just love this book so much, i felt like i literally just lived through everything with them. leigh, you're a goddess of writing and this is truly a masterpiece and i loved every single second of it.

the dynamics, the chemistry, THE PLOT LIKE YESSJEBRNSNJDNDJDJDJDD. I CANNOT WAIT TO FINISH THE DUOLOGY.

truly beautiful, i loved every character and every single duo. i loved the complexity of each character and how they came to be. it was just so perfect and i love this book so so much and i'll be rereading this for the rest of my life

Re-read in anticipation of the TV show, and because I had forgotten 80% of the dialogues! Still love it.

The best heist movies are filled with intricate planning, last minute challenges thwarted by “actually we meant to do that” reveals, and a cast with a diverse set of strange backgrounds that make them uniquely equipped to pull the whole thing off. So in that sense, Six of Crows is up among the best of the best. The generic fantasy world is SOOOOOO generic and the ethnicities are very real world, painted over with excessive apostrophes so you know it's fantasy, which at times felt a little uncomfortable (like the exotic fantasy version of Roma), but you can tell Bardugo means the diversity earnestly even if she sometimes gets it wrong. And the heist was so very heisty.

From the beginning, this story is gripping. You cannot help but be swept up by the challenges and little victories of the protagonists. The part of the world we get to see if overwhelmingly tragic and dirty, and our protagonists are in that world for reasons that are mostly reasons outside of their control and making the best of their situation. The pacing is delightful, with dramatic moments getting more time to allow your heart to race along with the action.

I particularly enjoy the unfolding of mythology of the different characters, leaving aside that each of the protagonists has a different race/mythology and they stick to it pretty well. That is something that you notice but don't have to notice with many fantasy genre books. The world, from what we can see, provides an interesting setting, the characters are driven and rich, and the plot keeps moving.

Things to note: strong female characters, magic, racial oppression, some violence, strong disabled characters

4.27.21 Update: lol I reread my review below from when I first read this in 2016 and like apparently I didn't like Matthias? Hahaha I would literally sell my soul for Matthias. Anyways Stream Shadow and Bone on Netflix. 05.21.17 Update: Lies I tell myself: I'm sure reading this a second time will be a great idea. You'll definitely won't feel that void in your heart when you finish. Hahaha can I hire Jesper to slay me? a new, updated review expressing my utter obsession with this book will be coming one day 4.25/5 stars “The knowledge that they might never see each other again, that some of them—maybe all of them—might not survive this night hung heavy in the air. A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who had become a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse.” Ever since its release, I've been hearing non-stop how amazing Six of Crows is. Not once have I ever seen a negative review. Everyone loves Six of Crows. Everybody. That isn't even a generalization. Everybody loves Six of Crows. (Have I said everybody enough? I'll say it again just in case. Everybody.) Including me. I have now fallen into the abyss that is Six of Crows . This book, especially compared to what I've read of The Grisha Series , blew me away. The characters and the world building and the writing and just everything. It was amazing. However, with all the hype surrounding it, I couldn't help but be a little disappointed. I'm not quite sure what it was, and I'll probably never figure it out, but there was something missing. I'm sure that you've heard the plot before, I mean if you haven't then I'm not sure where you've been living? Under a rock maybe? But in case you came out of that rock to read this review, the entire thing can be summarized with the tagline: “Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist.” It's been a long, long while since I've read a heist book (Shout out to twelve-year-old me who read [b:Heist Society 6574102 Heist Society (Heist Society, #1) Ally Carter https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1359254479l/6574102.SY75.jpg 6767235] at least five times in a row, probably more) and I absolutely loved it. I'm so used to YA Fantasy books being out a main character trying to overthrow a grumpy old ruler and seizing the throne for themselves, that it is honestly so refreshing to see a twist to that stereotype. Leigh did a great job of making the heist feel impossible from the beginning, as opposed to telling us it is impossible and never showing us, as I appreciated that very much. In fact, I appreciated everything she did with this book. I'm going to get this out of the way: those stained black pages were absolutely gorgeous. There were times when I stopped reading just to stare at them. Then after about ten minutes, I'd have to snap out of it, wipe away the drool, and continue on reading. God, everything about this book is just so aesthetically pleasing. The characters are what made this book so spectacular. It is rare to find a book that isn't just plot-driven, but also character-driven. Honestly 4/6 of the cast I love so f***ing much I'd probably jump off a cliff if they asked me to, maybe I'd even commit a murder for them. Who knows? The other 2/6 , I'd probably wouldn't kill for, but I'd still like to be best friends with them and maybe we can have sleepovers together or something. I think that would be nice. “No mourners,” Jesper said...“No funerals,” the rest of the Dregs murmured in reply. Among them, it passed for “good luck.” Kaz. Everything I want in a character, and more, was throw together and presented itself in Kaz. He's ruthless, clever, diabolic, intelligent, thoughtful, bad-ass, and more. Just all of the adjectives thrown into one, bloody perfect boy. He now has a very special place in my heart. I applaud Leigh for throwing everything the world has to offer at him, from a tragic childhood (can I just say little tiny Kaz was such a cinnamon roll. I just loved his backstory and the path he ended up taking) to wearing those gloves all the time to a limp, and instead of making it a weakness, turn it into his strength. Honestly, Leigh took the stereotypical YA protagonist, threw it out the window, and created this beautifully imperfect character that I will cherish forever. I don't want to mention [b:Shadow and Bone 10194157 Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157.SX50.jpg 15093325] too much because I honestly feel like these books are so far apart it isn't fair to compare them, but I'll just say that Alina to Kaz is main character biggest leap I have ever seen from an author. Kaz is very easily in my top ten favorite characters of all time, and I am honestly heartbroken that there is only one more book I have to read that is full of him. Honestly, I'd read anything if Kaz was the MC. Even 50 shades. Inej. Inej really surprised me. I didn't really like her at first. I'm not sure why since it was clear from the beginning that she's amazing. But I grew to like her very quickly, and now I don't remember what my life was like before her. It's kind of a bad habit, but I often compare characters to others I have read/seen before. Usually, I can easily find many comparisons, but Inej was different. There was only one person I could think to even begin to compare her to, and even that's a stretch (her stealth and aerobic training reminded me a lot of Ty Lee from Avatar the Last Airbender, her personality however, did not). Inej was such a new type of character to me, and I loved it. I love her. Kaz loves her. There's this weird love triangle thing happening between the three of us. Jesper. I know that Leigh made is clear from the beginning that Jesper was a sharpshooter, but I was about a fourth of the way through this book when I realized there were guns. Guns! A fantasy world with guns! Just more proof that Leigh Bardugo truly made something unique with this book. I liked Jesper, I really did, but he wasn't my favorite character. I enjoyed his development throughout the book, both physically, emotionally, and romantically. Yet, two weeks after finishing Six of Crows, I am struggling to remember specific details about him. I am hoping that when I get around to reading [b:Crooked Kingdom 22299763 Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456172607l/22299763.SY75.jpg 42090179], I get to dive more into the world of Jesper. Nina. Alternate name: My Queen. Nina was amazing. Just amazing. Probably my favorite character, well besides Kaz of course. She didn't have the typical YA appearance, and yet she was still beautiful, flawless, and strong. And everyone in the book knew it. Again, I applaud Leigh Bardugo so much. I'm not the skinniest person in the world, and I was honestly so shocked to see a character like Nina, someone I can picture myself as, while still feeling confident and proud. I'm still a little confused about what exactly she can do with her Grisha powers, but that's not a big deal. I know that she is incredibly powerful and that I don't ever want to get on her bad side. When I do read [b:Crooked Kingdom 22299763 Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456172607l/22299763.SY75.jpg 42090179], I hope we get to see even more of what she can do. Just a quick recap, Nina is queen and she's better than you. Wylan. I don't know why, but the entire time I pretty much pictured Troye Sivan as Wylan. Maybe not Troye Sivan, per say, but the same composure and look of innocence. If that makes any sense? Was it just me? It was probably just me. After Kaz and Nina and Inej, Wylan was another one of my favorites. And we didn't get to see one chapter of him. I mean, I understand, he can't read, so it wouldn't really make sense. But if Feyre can do it in first person, than Wylan can do it in third. If that doesn't change in [b:Crooked Kingdom 22299763 Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456172607l/22299763.SY75.jpg 42090179], I am gonna revolt. I will show up on Leigh's front yard with a picket fence. But anyways, Wylan kind of got thrown into the team with no special skills (well, no special skills that are up to par with everyone else) but he still held his own and made himself a valuable player in the game. Like Jesper, he stole my heart. Quite a shame he kinda felt underappreciated in the story. #TeamWylan Mattias. What can I say about Mattias? Probably not much. I wasn't the biggest fan. He made me have trust issues, and I just haven't been able to let go of them yet. I'm just going to have to wait until I finally read [b:Crooked Kingdom 22299763 Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456172607l/22299763.SY75.jpg 42090179] before I can make myself from a more positive and sturdy opinion about him. Don't get me wrong, I still like Mattias. He was such an interesting character to throw into the mix. I just don't trust him fully. I want to give this book five stars so badly. I just wish I could figure out what was missing. I loved everything about it, but yet I just can't bring myself to give it five stars. But, as I said earlier, everybody loves this book and that census now includes me! Yay! I've owned this book for almost a year now, why hasn't anyone forced me to pick it up earlier? Now if you excuse me, I'm gonna go think about how perfect Kaz Brekker is some more.

Yet another instant favorite from Leigh Bardugo. I should expect be awed at this point after reading 4 of her 5 books. But this one yet again left me in awe of how the story was woven together. There were so many instances in this book where I was convinced it was the end for our dear gang or that something had to go a certain way for the story to continue. Yet each time, Leigh Bardugo shocked me with an alternative solution/timeline for the characters.

Loved this!! More thoughtful review to come.REVIEW:There are so many things I loved about this book.Six of Crows has been on my TBR list pretty much since the moment it was announced because a) more Grisha and b) [a:Leigh Bardugo 4575289 Leigh Bardugo https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1437274413p2/4575289.jpg], and this book totally lived up to my expectations.Right, so first and foremost, the question I've seen most about this book is whether or not it can be read without having read the Grisha trilogy. The answer is yes—pretty much everything is explained, and the only downside is you'll come across a few spoilers. But if you don't mind, Six of Crows is definitely understandable without previous Grisha universe knowledge.I'll admit the first couple chapters were a little slower than I tend to like, pace-wise, but the story drew me in very quickly after that. I totally loved the vibrant Ketterdam and Fjerda setting, and I thought it was really cool that we got to see parts of the Grishaverse only mentioned in the previous books. The cast of characters are super diverse and I found that each POV (Kaz, Jesper, Inej, Matthias) were really interesting and drew me in for separate reasons, which was great because frequently in multi-POV novels, some POVs are more interesting than others, but I thought these were equally balanced.Then the plot! The whole heist narrative was so ridiculously fun to read—it was incredibly smart and clever and I loved all the twists and wrenches in the plan. It reminded me very much of the Artemis Fowl series, in that the heist plot was super elaborate was unlikely odds and high stakes and the mastermind behind the plan (Kaz) repeatedly impressed me with his ability to think his way out of many problems.And so many ships! I loved all the pairings in Six of Crows and was cheering for every single ship with equal fervor (which, when you have six mains/major characters, is impressive since again, I didn't find myself massively favoring one character or POV over another).And finally, the thing I loved most—hello disabled protagonist in genre fiction! I actually didn't realize Kaz was disabled until after I bought the book, which was a really nice surprise. His disabilities (PTSD and chronic pain that causes a limp and necessitates the use of a cane) were very much part of the story and he didn't require a miracle cure to get around them—Kaz dealt with his disabilities in very real ways and I totally loved how he leveraged his cane to his advantage in various circumstances.All in all, this book hit a home run. If you like fantasy and heist books or just really enjoyed the Grisha trilogy, I couldn't recommend this one more.Now to wait impatiently for September when the second (and final) book, [b:Crooked Kingdom 22299763 Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) Leigh Bardugo https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png 42090179], releases...Diversity note: Kaz, one of the main protagonists, has chronic pain and a limp from an old injury and uses a cane to help him get around. He also deals with sometimes-debilitating PTSD. Another POV character, Jesper, is black and (slight spoiler) bisexual and (slight spoiler) Wylan also seems to like boys. Format note: I'm sure this book is equally excellent in e-book, but if you're able to get the print hardback, I do recommend it. It's one of the most beautifully designed books I own.

“No mourners. No funerals.”

OMG!!!! WOW!!!! I could go on shouting all the way through my review because that's how I feel after finishing this. Books like Six of Crows are quite rare – dark, intense, violent, gritty, fast paced, full of action and angst – above all pure fun and entertaining. Five stars is too less to rate this book. It's so different from the usual books that I read, I am not sure how I will get out of this hangover and ever like any other book.

“The heart is an arrow. It demands aim to land true.”

The world building here is amazing and fantastic and rich, the plot is adventurous but the strength is in the characters. Each of them is a flawed, morally grey person, shaped by the circumstances of their past but most importantly, a survivor. And this ragtag team of six embarks on a mission – to commit an impossible outrageous heist at the heart of the Ice Court in Fjerda and get away with it. If anyone can get out of the mess alive, it is this band of misfits, if they don't kill each other first. So, this review is incomplete if I don't talk about every one of them.

“Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I'm going to get Wylan's ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute just so I can annoy the hell out of your ghost.”Brekker's lips quirked. “I'll just hire Matthias's ghost to kiss your ghost's ass.”“My ghost won't associate with your ghost”, Matthias said primly, and then wondered if the sea air was rotting his brain.

Jesper the Gambler – He is an impulsive, adrenaline junkie sharpshooter with a sassy mouth, who can't sit still for a minute.

“The water hears and understands. The ice does not forgive.”

Matthias the Convict – A former Fjerdan witch hunter who is broken out of prison by the gang to help plan the heist. He is angry, and guilty for being hopelessly in love with an enemy he has been trained to hate.

“Besides, I have other skills that's bring me more pleasure and profit than this. Lots of other skills.”Wylan coughed. Flirting with him might actually be more fun than annoying him, but it was a close call.

Wylan the Wayward Son – He ran away from his wealthy father, no one knows why. Hired as a leverage, he turns out to be extremely smart and skilled with his hands when in need of a big explosive distraction.

“She wouldn't wish love on anyone. It was the guest you welcomed and then couldn't be rid of.”

Nina the Lost Grisha – Sent out on a mission from Ravka, captured by a witch hunter and now working in a pleasure house, all she wants is to go home, but can't turn a blind eye to the hatred that is meted out to her fellow innocent Grisha.

“Many boys will bring you flowers. But someday you'll meet a boy who'll learn your favorite flower your favorite song, your favorite sweet. And even if he is too poor to give you any of them, it won't matter because he will have taken the time to know as no one else does. Only that boy earns your heart.”

Inej the Wraith – She can disappear, she can steal your secrets, she can kill you and you will never see her coming. She is courage epitomized and needs no one to save her, but has her own nightmares which haunt her every step of the way.

“Greed is your God, Kaz.”“No, Inej. Greed bows to me. It is my servant and my lever.”

And then there is the leader of this crew, the Thief Kaz Brekker – He is driven by revenge but no one actually knows the man, only the legend DirtyHands. He is a thief, a planner and an escape artist. He plays his cards close to his vest, so close that even his team never knows the whole plan. He seems incapable of feelings not borne out of greed but boy, are we wrong. His plans are outrageous, his skills are uncanny and his vengeance is brutal.

“I'm not some character out of a children's story who plays harmless pranks and steals from the rich to give to the poor.”

I don't think I have ever read a book with six main characters and loved every single one of them. They are all just AWESOMENESS PERSONIFIED .... because I can't think of more words to describe my love for them. I never thought I'll get over the Darkling very soon, but Kaz is just 😍😍😍!!!! I was rooting for him all the way and now, I can't wait to see what devastation he is going to wreak on his enemies. The cocky Kaz is a memorable character but the vengeful version of him is a sight to see and then flee.

“Though he'd trusted her with his life countless times, it felt much more frightening to trust her with his shame.”

I have to specially mention the writing in this book – it's not just the plot and characters that are superb, the book is full of these wonderful quotable lines that I had to note down, because I don't ever want to forget them. And about the couples in this book – “romance” feels like the wrong word here. I felt their love, their angst, their longing. And the ending is gut wrenching but I know in my heart that Kaz will come out on top at the end.

“What do you want, then?”The old answers came easily to mind. Money. Vengeance. Jordie's voice in my head silenced forever. But a different reply reared to life inside him, loud, insistent, and unwelcome. You,Inej. You.

Dec 16: I ended up being glad that I gave this another chance but found that having read the Grisha series before made this a much easier and more comprehensible read. Some parts were a lot slower than I expected but the few meatier chapters made the entire book worth it.

Dec 11: Restarting to see if it was just my mood at the time. I adored the Grisha series so I can't hate this one, right? //

DNF. Immersive writing but the POV seemed to shift constantly - written in 3rd person omniscient which is hard to follow. I found myself wandering and uninterested even while enjoying the world being portrayed.

There's no reason why you shouldn't read this book. At the very least, hold it in your hands, thumb through and feel that velvety black trim. It's a sexy book to look at, and it's an even better book on the inside.

There are a lot of YA books these days set in fantasy or sci-fi settings that are all about revolution and dystopia. This isn't one of them. This is about a heist. This is about the game. This is six kids from a rotten part of the world who have lived rotten lives giving a chance at glory their best shot. Yeah, there's a little bit of political machinations, and the effect a new drug may have on a global war, but for the most part you are neck deep in the criminal underbelly of a bustling, Victorianish city, and the street kids who live and thrive there.

Each one of the six is captivating, rich and well-drawn. Jesper, the sharp-shooter and gambler; Wylan the wayward son; Nina and Matthias, the soldiers and lovers on opposite side of a war; Inej the circus performer, spider, and survivor of trafficking. Six of Crows bounces between each of their perspectives, and no one is boring or unwelcome. And then there's Kaz. Kaz is just enough. He's a brilliant criminal prodigy, looks good in a suit, refined but not flashy, wicked but not cruel. He is bad, though, make no mistake. Ruthless, alarmingly clever, and just fucking mean sometimes. But you know him, you get him. His flaws are deep ones, down to the bone, and his desires are still human. You can feel good getting invested in him, without feeling bad about loving a sexy teenage criminal who is magically good at everything evil. It's not magic - he's just smart and determined and is carrying vendetta, and Leigh Bardugo is a smart enough writer to know how to do that in the right way.

One thing that I found striking about the characters is that while this is YA and they are all teenagers, none of them, with the exception of Wylan and Jesper perhaps, act like it. Which, honestly, is appropriate. For their short amount of years, they have lived very long lives. As such, they treat each other with impressive maturity. Inej and Kaz's relationship, despite all its pining and awkward moments, does not feel like two children experiencing a crush. They love each other, they know that they love each other, but at 17 they're already very grown up and very set on the path of who they're going to be, and it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for them to be together. Nina and Matthias have more room for pettiness and conflict, but well, he was raised to see her as an animal, and she sent him to prison. They grow in ways that make sense and raise the stakes of the story, rather than slow the story down.

Their epic crime, the one that is so supposed to make them all filthy rich and perhaps even save the world moves fast. There isn't much time spent on maybes. These kids aren't the kind for that anyway. I don't want to say this is filled with twists and turns - like I said, this story is a mature one. Everyone involved knows what they're getting into, and it's hard to say their surprised when they know they have a better chance of dying than succeeding. But they do it anyway. That's what makes this so interesting, and every turn of the page worth your time.

I'm genuinely surprised and impressed, but mostly just stressed

reread: so last time i was sick and didn't remember a single thing so i read it again and yeah it was average, i will read the second book and maybe watch the show? Better than the grisha trilogy lol
–

no rating because my brain didn't take anything in, I restarted the book 3 times and still nothing. I finished it but couldn't remember a thing.
I'll re-read this later in the year and give it a rating then!
it has a nice writing style though!

Nothing better conveys my enjoyment of this book than the fury and disappointment I feel right now. You see, I read the Kindle version, and was humming along around 77% through the book, seeing some new threads develop, the building blocks of a Crowning Moment of Awesome for the hero, some kickass action, and delicious plotting.And then THE END.So yeah, the Kindle version has tons of sample material, acknowledgements, and so on at the end of this FIRST HALF of the story. So be warned. If you're into the story and you want to know what happens next, have [b:Crooked Kingdom 22299763 Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) Leigh Bardugo https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456172607s/22299763.jpg 42090179] on deck!So, why did I like it? It's a well-constructed heist story, set against a compelling world where some people have magical abilities (think air/water/blood/metal bending a la Avatar), and their mostly workaday powers become a pivot point for global conflict. The motley crew assembled to retrieve a vital player from an unbreakable prison all have their own backstories that brought them to this caper, and those stories slowly come to light as the adventure progresses. Each character is well-drawn, and the potential romances and URST add some spice. (This is YA, so nothing more than PG-13, but the tension is artfully written.)This reminds me of [b:Head On 35018901 Head On (Lock In, #2) John Scalzi https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497994548s/35018901.jpg 45415409], despite them having nothing in common on the face of it. Both use standard storytelling structures (SoC a heist, HO a police procedural), but they use the tropes well, and set them in a world that raises interesting questions about the human condition. Add in fun, relatable characters who get us invested, and you've got a story guaranteed to keep the pages turning.Better wrap up so I can go dive into The Crooked Kingdom and neglect all my worldly duties till I finish!

The first book of the Grisha trilogy was so poorly written that I quit after book one, so I wasn't expecting much, but she got so much better, thankfully! She excels at worldbuilding, but this time she really leaned into characters, observations, and much better dialogue, and kept a humming and intricate plot and pace. It was incredibly long but I wasn't bored once! Had a great conversation with BOB team about the growth of her writing today, and the team is looking forward to reading the sequel!

Six of Crows is a solid book but not one that wowed me. It took me awhile to get into even though it had some fun dialogue and intriguing characters, but even at its best I didn't enjoy it as much as a lot of other books with a similar focus. However, I did like some of the characters (especially Inej... and Kaz... and Nina) and I do want to find out what happens to them in the second half of this duology!

Rating: 7/10

Full Review: http://www.fantasybookcafe.com/2016/10/review-of-six-of-crows-by-leigh-bardugo/

“No Mourners, No Funerals.”

PLS WHY IS THIS BOOK SO GOOD. the plot, characters, and writing style are top tier

also i'm actually in love with Inej, Nina, and jesper

wanted to love it, didn't love it, and hate that this is the way my 2020 reading journey started out

i thought it was just the slow start that kept me uninterested but it wasn't until i was 300 pages in that i actually started caring — that's awful. nearly 500 pages and i didn't care for most of it?

i'm still trying to figure out what disinterested me so much. long blog post to come

One of the best books I've ever read! I don't understand how this was so much better than Shadow and Bone but hey, I guess authors improve.

One sentence synopsis... A familiar set-up - charismatic leader assembled a gang of misfits to pull off a heist against impossible odds - well executed, closely plotted, and snappily written. .

Read it if you like... ‘Ocean's Eleven''s crew of exceptional criminals, meets ‘Avengers' unlikely groupings and humor, plus Brandon Sanderson's ‘Mistborn' series sprinkling of fantasy. .

Dream casting... Bill Skarsgård as criminal mastermind Kaz Brekker, Barbie Ferreira as the resourceful Nina Zenik, and Alfred Enoch as sharpshooter Jesper Fahey.

I was so excited to come back to this world! And happily, it has so much story and great characters. For me, everything worked out in this book - the gang, the plot, twists, and the ending! Really excited to read the next one.

This book started excruciatingly slow. The flashbacks mid action scene were also very annoying and the whole thing really only came off the ground in the last 200 pages. The characters not saying anything they meant really annoyed me, as were things like only half the crew knowing parts of the plan. It felt like fake plot twists somehow. 

Though I did like the characters to a certain degree and really wanted to see where this change in their lives would lead them. Near the end, I was already beginning to be wary of the final handoff, where there would certainly be a plot twist. And I was really disappointed with it. I am not a fan of books that end in the middle of something. I know this is a duology and that there was one more book to come but I detest if something is made like that. The story now isn't done. I think any book part of a series should be good on its own. This one just isn't. 

guess it's better late than never to read an absolute MASTERPIECE of a book

I get it why every other review said that this book is better that Shadow and Bones.
Six unusual people attempting an impossible heist, overcoming their own demon and being badass.
One of the best Fantasy reads of the year :)

4.75 - lovedddd this!!! I was completely hooked start to finish and absolutely adored every single character and their, at times, complex relationships.

So much better than the shadow and bone trilogy and honestly i dont think you need to read that trilogy to understand this one.