Six of Crows #1
YA Fantasy
Henry Holt and Co | September 9th 2015
 

“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.”

First, I know my first two reviews for Birdie Bookworm are both five stars but let me assure you that I am not always this generous.  I was just really lucky in the books I selected.  I was blessed with two amazing novels in two completely different genre’s.

Now, on to my review.  I was confident that, for me, Six of Crows was a sure thing.  All of my ‘happy’ triggers were there.  For instance, I love Fantasy books.  I spread them out, because reading them back to back dulls my enjoyment.  I have a habit of comparing, and that detracts from each books/series originality.  When I pick up an epic fantasy book I want to immerse myself in the new world and give it 100% of my imagination.  I pace myself only because it is one of my favorite genre’s.  In addition, I love any kind of a heist story.  Ocean’s 11, The Italian Job, Fast & the Furious, Now You See Me… I’m a sucker for them.  As far as I remember I haven’t actually read one, though.  The marriage of the Fantasy element, the heist plot, and the team of snarky and original characters was sure to win me over.  Leigh Bardugo would have had to royally screw it up in order for me to hate it.

She didn’t screw up even a smidge.

Six of Crows was unlike anything else I’ve heard of or read.  First, it was a story of villainy.  Kaz and his crew aren’t ‘Good Guys’.  They’re thieves, gamblers, spies, convicts…  The beauty is that you still love them.  Kaz is ruthless, and not in the way some books tell you that a character is ruthless.  He is actually ruthless.  I was reading some of the scenes and wondering why I found it easy to overlook his actions, why I loved him.  Leigh Bardugo didn’t hold back, but somehow she made you like their criminality.  I’d want to be in Kaz’s crew.

To say that I loved this book is an understatement.  I was enthralled.  In most series I’ve read, first books have rarely gotten 5 stars.  Usually it starts at 3ish, maybe 4, and builds up.  Both Seven Realms by Cinda Williams Chima and Lumatere Chronicles by (my favorite author ever) Melina Marchetta started with 3-4 stars, and with each installment they got better and better.  Six of crows is starting off with 5 glorious stars.  That says a lot.

The question is, can the future books maintain or exceed the brilliance of the first installment.  I don’t know about you, but I sure as hell can’t wait to find out!

“Kaz leaned back. “What’s the easiest way to steal a man’s wallet?”
“Knife to the throat?” asked Inej.
“Gun to the back?” said Jesper.
“Poison in his cup?” suggested Nina.
“You’re all horrible,” said Matthias.”