#REVIEW | Thick as thieves (Six of Crows)

What happens when you put a schemer, an acrobat, a chemist, a sharpshooter, a witch, and a soldier? You get a very capable band of thieves, perhaps capable enough to break through an impenetrable fortress. If that sounds interesting to you, then the Six of Crows duology is the series for you! Like I said, Six of Crows is about a seemingly impossible heist executed by six people. The series is set in a fictional world called “Grishaverse,” consisting of different nations of people. Six of Crows is mostly set in Ketterdam and Fjerda, but the overall socio-politics of the universe affect the plot adversely. 

the crew

The leader of the heist is Kaz Brekker. He’s always two steps ahead of everyone. Also, he’s emotionally constipated as hell. In all honesty, he’s a morally dubious character, but it’s hard to hate him when all the odds are against him. He’s also a masterclass in giving vulnerability to characters without having to give up their power & skill. He’s not untouchable, but he tries his damn best to be. And to see him grapple with that desire to distance himself from everyone is interesting to see. 

His right hand man is Inej, possible my favorite character from here! As cliche as it sounds, I would say Inej is the heart of the group (where Kaz is the brain). She’s sort of a moral compass throughout the series, and it’s cool seeing her deal with the cognitive dissonance between her actions and her  beliefs. 

The sharpshooter of the group is Jesper, aka my emotional support chaotic bisexual character. I love him so much and his writing! It’s easy for comic relief characters to come off as flat or one dimensional, but Jesper is nowhere near those. His chapters are infused with heart and charisma, it’s impossible to not like him. 

Wylan is the resident chemist and archetypal “pure” character in the group. You don’t really see much of him in Six of Crows due to the lack of POV, but the sequel more than makes up for that. His arc is interesting, especially when compared to the others’ own personal journeys. 

the balancing act

One of the things that amazes me about Six of Crows is that both its characters and plot are given the same care in regards to quality. Books tend to prioritize one over the expense of the other. But, I managed to appreciate both aspects in this duology. Leigh Bardugo seamlessly transitions from a plot point to character introspection. The crew’s personalities drive the plot, especially when it comes to decision making in crucial moments. This allows the story to flow naturally and organically. 

the ice does not forgive 

Perhaps what also makes the book so compelling is its worldbuilding. YA novels tend to fall flat in that aspect, opting to go for fancy sounding names and half baked magic systems. The Grishaverse, while not exactly in depth with its magical mechanics, makes up for it with a compelling sociopolitical system. The differences in identity bring forth concrete consequences. It also creates an interesting dynamic between the main cast, especially between one of the romantic ships. 

This series is easily one of the best I’ve read, especially in the genre. It has more good points than bad, and it’s worth the commitment! Probably one of my few gripes is about the dialogue. The characters sound and feel older than they are, although we can chalk that up to the universe and how it forces them to grow up faster. Still, it’s a small blemish in what is otherwise a perfect novel, and it’s easy to suspend disbelief. 

Overall, if you’re looking for a book with incredible worldbuilding and characters, along with some slowburn romance, then Six of Crows is for you! It’s also a really good book for anyone who’s currently in a reading slump and wants to get back into the motions of being a bookworm.