Release Date: September 29th 2015
Published By: Orion-Hachette / Henry Holt and Company (US)
Pages: 465
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Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Synopsis: 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.

Kaz’s crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

Review: Entering the Grisha world once again, Leigh Bardugo does not disappoint with Six of Crows. With its own unique style and flare, Six of Crows is far enough away from The Grisha trilogy to enjoy separately from the original series, but with just enough of the magical Grisha world for fans to love this new and interesting story.

Six of Crows is told from multiple POV. In fact, a lot of different POV! And in third person. And while I know this may in fact be unappealing to some people, trust me when I say that this is one of the best parts of Six of Crows! Leigh Bardugo knows how to write multiple points of view, she knows how to give each character a distinct voice, without giving the reader whiplash when jumping between characters. Oh, and the characters!

These characters are amazing! And learning more about them through multiple POV makes you understand them, to feel for them and to fall in love with them. And you will love them all! You will have a hard time picking a favourite out of this band of misfits (one could even say mostly criminals), otherwise known as Kaz, Inej, Nina, Matthias, Jesper, and Wylan.

This group who have come together for a common goal are as diverse as they come. And with such an array of characters and backgrounds, there are bound to be some very interesting relationships (yes, including romantic ones!). There is Kaz who is mysterious, cocky and cunning, Inej who is like smoke; dangerous, deadly and very hard to catch, Jesper with his sharp tongue but humorous nature, Nina with her wit and drive, Mathias who is loyal, determined and complex, and Wylan the poor little rich boy.

Each character is well thought out, have a strong sense of their own personalities. They each have their own distinct attitude and character traits, some of which compliments another character, some of which are a deadly combination. Either way, the interactions are dynamic. Every character is an individual, all with varying histories, loyalties and desires - and sometimes these contradict one of the other’s wants, and sometimes even their own. They are all on this journey together, and each have their own individual journey as well, and sometimes it is the inner demons that are the hardest to battle.

Six of Crows is masterfully written. Filled with amazing world building and intriguing characters. It is dark, frightful, adventurous, gripping and action-packed! Overflowing with tension, drama, betrayal and cunningness, Six of Crows will leave your heart pounding from one scene to another - either due to the danger, action or from those relationships pulling on your heart-strings! The friendships are strong, loyalties are unyielding, and the romance - well it is slow, burning and even forbidden. There is just so much to love about this book :)

Yes, some may think this book is a little slow to start, but that is because while still being in the The Grisha theme, this is a new world - and that world needs to be created. And each character needs to be exposed, little by little, for you to understand their journey. This is an intricate world with interesting characters, and well worth every word used to build it.

If the character development continues to be as strong in the sequels as it was in Six of Crows, I dare to say that this will be a better series than the The Grisha trilogy. I know - I just heard you all gasp out loud at such a statement, but for me the The Grisha trilogy lost some of its character development later on, and I have to say, Six of Crows is heading in a much better direction. So there you have it, my call - this could be better than the The Grisha trilogy! It is a beautifully constructed world with the right amount of touches of everything you want from a YA fantasy, and whether or not you were a fan of the original series, I urge you to pick this one up!