This book was a fun high fantasy read involving a heist. The world building took me a little time to absorb but as it progressed I was very engaged with the story. With multiple POV books I find myself favoring one character or a few but with this book I was interested in them all. I found the ending not very rewarding. It was more convoluted as if the author was forcibly trying to set up for a sequel but I still think it was worth a read. I found the characters a little too clever but I allowed some suspension of disbelief for entertainment purposes. The few romance moments are also awkwardly placed. ( )

from Laura:

Meet my new favorite YA series: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, taking place in the same world as her Grisha trilogy. I love heist stories, and this one has got it all: a richly imagined fictional world, a gang of well-drawn underdogs, and snappy dialog that kept me laughing throughout the book. Though I guessed one of the big plot twists, the story stayed exciting and unpredictable, with the actual heist taking up a good half of the book. I can't wait for the sequel.

I was delighted to find a couple of detailed maps by Keith Thompson (who illustrated Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan series, which I always recommend to anyone who will listen). I wish there had been more illustrations.

Favorite quotes:

"Greed is your god, Kaz."
He almost laughed at that. "No, Inej. Greed bows to me. It is my servant and my lever."
"And what god do you serve, then?"
"Whichever will grant me good fortune."
"I don't think gods work that way."
"I don't think I care."

"How do you get your information, Mister Brekker?"
"You might say I'm a lockpick."
"You must be a very gifted one."
"I am indeed." Kaz leaned back slightly. "You see, every man is a safe, a vault of secrets and longings. Now, there are those who take the brute's way, but I prefer a gentler approach -- the right pressure applied at the right moment, in the right place. It's a delicate thing."
"Do you always speak in metaphors, Mister Brekker?"
Kaz smiled. "It's not a metaphor."

"This isn't...it isn't a trick, is it?" Her voice was smaller than she wanted it to be.
The shadow of something dark moved across Kaz's face. "If it were a trick, I'd promise you safety. I'd offer you happiness. I don't know if that exists in the Barrel, but you'll find none of it with me."
For some reason, those words had comforted her. Better terrible truths than kind lies.

Pekka Rollins couldn't count the threats he'd heard, the men he'd killed, or the men he'd seen die, but the look in Brekker's eye still sent a chill slithering up his spine. Some wrathful thing in this boy was begging to get loose, and Rollins didn't want to be around when it slipped its leash. ( )

The first 50 pages or so were difficult to get into - lots of new vocabulary, high-stakes scenes with little context, etc;. But past that first chunk, it became really compelling. The author did a great job of finding a different perspective for each character. The magical world was grim and violent. I was actually convinced, by the backstory of these teenagers, that they might be able to pull off such a complex adventure. ( )

Hier hat mich tatsächlich die in meinen Augen recht gut gelungene Serie neugierig gemacht. Ursprünglich wollte ich zuerst die Bücher um Alina und Mal zuende lesen - sie liegen auch auf meinem SUB. Aber irgendwie musste ich mehr über die Krähen erfahren.

Ich mag Fantasy, die in einem etwas ungewöhnlichen Setting spielt - und das ist mit dem Grishaverse definitiv gegeben. Die Reihe um die Krähen scheint mir reifer zu sein als Shadow and Bone, die Charaktere sind ausgefeilter und deutlich weniger eindeutig in Kategorien wie gut oder böse einzuordnen. Gelungen fand ich den hohen Anteil, den die Vorgeschichte der Charaktere in dem Buch einnimmt, und den regelmäßigen Perspektivwechsel. Alle Charaktere (und ihre nicht ganz unkomplizierten Beziehungen zueinander) waren so in sich logisch und stimmig.

Ich freue mich nun auch auf Band 2 der Krähen (neben den übrigen Bänden über Alina und Mal) - und natürlich auf die Fortsetzung der Serie. ( )

You can also check the review here Hi books! It's me JethPlain

I love it!

For me the plot was well written. Every twist and turn of the story was thought about.
The chapters are by the characters point of view, though there were times that I'd forget whose point of view I was reading. Also I like how the dealt with the stigma and stereotype of being different (Grisha) .

Characters
As the summary says:

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

By the end of the book the characters have grown to some extent. They've become, even if just for a tiny bit, a better version of themselves. I just wish there was a point of view for Wylan (Maybe in the next book?)

If you want adventure, almost impossible missions,friendship and a love story that's not sappy and all over your face then you should read this!


Pic from ©marty-mc.tumblr.com ( )