Warning: This review contains plot spoilers from the book ‘Six of Crows’ by Leigh Bardugo
If you are the kind of person who loves a dark-haired character with an even darker past, then Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo should be your next read!
The plot revolves around Kaz Brekker, the ruthless, violent and cunning Bastard of the Barrel, who wishes to conquer Ketterdam with his tricks. He takes over anything he puts his mind to regardless of how senseless his plans are. He is also portrayed as someone who doesn’t trust anybody other than himself but does just the opposite by putting all his faith in his companions.
The said novel has five other main characters with their own unique backstory. Inej Ghafa wants to find her lost parents, Jesper Fahey is trapped under his debts from gambling, Wylan constantly tries to prove himself worthy of his father’s respect and love, Nina Zenik, a powerful Grisha (Heartrender) spy wishes to see Ravka free of war and lastly, Matthias Helvar, a Drüskelle witch hunter, who has beliefs stronger than the Fjerdan military itself.
Throughout the book, we see how two characters, Kaz and Inej, challenge each other to survive yet another day and become each other’s strength. It is admirable how both of them pull the other one out from the deepest and darkest pits of misery and agony even when they are not together. They rely on each other in matters of life and death without even realizing so and that is something that the readers may find quite intriguing.
One of my favourite characters, Nina Zenik, is introduced quite later in the book. She is a powerful Grisha Heartrender spy. A Heartrender is someone who can control a person’s internal organs, can even stop a person’s heart just by flexing their fingers and also soothe seizures! How cool is that, right?
Well due to some mistakes, she gets captured by a Drüskelle pack where she meets a top rank Drüskelle witch-hunter, Matthias Helvar. Throughout the book, both Nina and Matthias argue about their ideas and beliefs on Grisha power — how all Grishas are murderers for Matthias and how being a Grisha is Nina’s pride. But after Nina saves Matthias’ life, his beliefs undergo a transition. He questions himself and understands Nina’s perspective.
The best part of the plot starts when all of these characters meet together and go for a heist where, if they succeed, each one of them will get a million Kruge (currency used in Kerch). It’s so exciting to read about the heist, their different perspectives and how it all comes together at the end.
We witness some really sweet moments such as Inej and Nina becoming friends, Wylan and Jesper bickering and teasing each other, Nina and Matthias always arguing but worrying about each other just the same! We witness some emotional moments as well such as when Wylan meets his father and is criticised for not being a worthy son.
Well, going through this book was indeed a rollercoaster ride! It was emotional, thrilling and funny but it was never boring. Every POV in this book is very important to the plot. There were so many moments where I had to put my book down and go ‘DAMNNNN’ because you never know when the plot will get intense or emotional.
Overall, I would surely give ‘Six of Crows’ a 5/5 rating! What I love most about reading this novel is that it isn’t a book where characters keep on trying to save each other instead of focusing on themselves. Here, the characters try to make themselves a better version no matter how dark their past was, giving readers hope that second chances are available for all of us!