Crooked Kingdom: A Sequel to Six of Crows (Six of Crows, 2)

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.”

Let's all bow down to Leigh Bardugo because she truly outdid herself with Crooked Kingdom. There are very few authors that could write such an amazing, meticulous story such as this, and seriously it's a mind-blowing experience to be able to see a book so beautifully written. While I did have some ups and downs with the book (literally this makes up less than 2% of my feelings with this book), overall (aka the other 98%) this novel is truly extraordinary and I wish there were more to come. I honestly don't want to say goodbye to these characters yet, but it's better this way...at least that's what I'm trying to convince myself. It's better that this amazing series is only 2 books so that we can be left to imagine the future adventures our beloved characters are having.

“Maybe there were people who lived those lives. Maybe this girl was one of them. But what about the rest of us? What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns. We learn to wring magic from the ordinary. That was how you survived when you weren’t chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway.”

Let's start with the teeny tiny thing that bothered me with this book: the pace. There were times at the beginning of the novel that felt super slow to me. I didn't have this problem in the first book, but I noticed it a lot in this one. I don't know if I just was too excited to find out what was going to happen next or if I just was in a mood the day I started this, but when I first started reading, I felt the pace was entirely different. There were parts that kinda seemed unnecessary to me and there were times where the scenes seemed to go on for a bit too long. However, after the first part/part and a half, this resolved and the story really took off. That's why I can't complain too much about this because it really only was a small part of the book. Otherwise, after this slow start, the story really was nonstop action and chaos. I never knew what was going to happen, and Leigh definitely kept me on my toes! There were so many twists and turns that it left my head spinning. With every heist or new trial the group undertakes, your adrenaline skyrockets, and you feel you are right there with these characters risking your own life.

“And that was what destroyed you in the end: the longing for something you could never have.”

One of the best parts of this book though is the character development. The reason I said that not many authors could write a book such as Crooked Kingdoms is because not many authors could balance 6 different character POVs, each with an intricate backstory, and make them sound like individual characters. Heck there's authors that can't even do dual POV (and I'm not trying to offend anyone when I say that because in my opinion dual POV is an extremely difficult task to undertake and I give major credit to authors that can write it successfully)! But Leigh does an absolute brilliant job at making sure every character is heard and we as readers feel connected to every single one of those characters. We get so much more into these characters that were introduced in Six of Crows, and things are revealed that you will never see coming. And if it's possible, Leigh makes the connections that we have with the characters (as well as the connection between the characters themselves) stronger and deeper. Emotions are definitely at an all-time high in this book when any of these characters are involved, and I loved every single second of it.

“We meet fear. We greet the unexpected visitor and listen to what he has to tell us. When fear arrives something is about to happen.”

I will say that at first Kaz seemed a bit too disconnected to me, but over the course of the book we come to see more and more inside his mind and understand prior actions while also keeping us guessing for what he's cooking up next. Inej is still one of my favorite characters in the story. She's so strong and brave, and I loved her tenacity. There were times I was truly terrified for her because it takes a lot to break a character such as Inej, and she was slowly crumbling around the edges during the first part of this book. Nina is like my soul sister, but we definitely see a different side to her due to her withdrawal from that terrible drug. It makes her question everything, including using her own powers. However, I also loved how fierce she was in this book. Nina stuck to her guns and didn't let anyone tell her she couldn't do something. Matthias perhaps has the greatest transformation of all the characters, and seriously I can't even begin to explain my love for him while I was reading this book....after all, he's greater than waffles ;) I really did like the addition of Wylan's POV to the story as well because it added yet another raw, realistic element to the plot that propelled the novel forward.

“Why do you guys say that, anyway? No mourners, no funerals? Why not just say good luck or be safe?” “We like to keep our expectations low.”

There are many aspects of this part that made my heart break, but there was one in particular that involved a certain character's death that absolutely broke me. I didn't see it coming and I'm still not over the character's death, but I will say that it fit with the story and that's why I can't totally be upset at Leigh for killing them. Let's face it, the Dregs and Ketterdam is an unforgiving place and not everyone makes it out alive. This is a sad, but true fact. I think we should just count ourselves lucky that Leigh didn't kill off more people haha!

“They don't know who we are. Not really. They don't know what we've done, what we've managed together. So let's go show them they picked the wrong damn fight.”

Everything about this book is perfection, and I can't even begin to emphasize how much you need to read this book. Leigh does an excellent job at writing an evocative story that sweeps you away and leaves you longing for more. The conclusion of this book is every bit as epic as you imagine it would be, and I will not be forgetting this book anytime soon. The Six of Crows duology is going to be a series that I read over and over again, and it's definitely something you don't want to miss out on!

Happy reading :)

Crooked Kingdom. I am not even sure I can put into words how much I love this duology. They are just in a league of their own in the YA fantasy world. The characters are all so well developed, diverse and relatable. The heists they pull off are clever, planned out and always keep you guessing. And the world itself is amazing, with its rich detail, Ketterdam becomes another character in the plot because of the significant role it plays in Crooked Kingdom and we also get a map of it at the beginning of the novel which I found myself turning to constantly to see exactly where the characters were.

Crooked Kingdom picks up right where we left off in Six of Crows, with Kaz and crew trying to get Inej and their money back. It is the same format as well, switching points of view to get a well-rounded story and different aspects of each scheme as it is being pulled off so you can see it from all angles which I loved. It is very Ocean’s Eleven with almost a steampunk element thrown in which was just fascinating to me. There were several jobs pulled off throughout the duration of this 500 plus page novel and while I figured out some aspects of the jobs, I was left amazed at Bardugo’s ability to write such excellent twists into each one. She does an amazing job of having you look one way, when the real action is happening somewhere else. You would think I would have figured out their tricks by now, but they still had a couple up their sleeves every now and then that I did not see coming at all and I love that about this book!

I also enjoyed how the backstory of the characters continues to expand and the way it was interweaved in to the jobs themselves as they were being pulled off. Inej might be in the middle of jumping from rooftop to rooftop and we learned about her family and how she learned to start walking on wires. It was done so brilliantly that I did not feel a lull in the story, I was eager to learn more about the characters and found myself wanting more from each one. That is what I will miss the most about these books, the people in them. I loved each person so much, I want to know more about their lives in the future and in the past. I am hoping that Leigh will come back to this world someday so we can dive even further into their lives once more.

The only element that I did have a small issue with were the references to the Ruin and Rising series. In Six of Crows, those references are there, but it was very easy to navigate through that book even if you did not understand some of the characters they were referring too. In Crooked Kingdom, I felt like I was missing things because I had not finished that other series by Leigh. I read the first book, so I had some understanding of that world, but I have not read books two and three and I felt like if I had I would have been less confused at some moments in the story. I will eventually go back and read the other books, but I wish I did not feel like I needed to in order to follow along with everything that took place in Crooked Kingdom.

Kaz Brekkar. Let’s be honest here, he is the biggest draw for me to read these books. He might just be one of my favorite characters in any book and the best written one. He is simply amazing. I loved the way he thinks, his sense of humor, his loyalty (even though he would say he had none) and just everything about him. I wish I could take him out of the book so we could be friends, although I do not think I would be of use to him so he might not care to be my friend, ha! Either way, I will miss being inside his head and in his world. This quote is my favorite one from this book describing Kaz’s character:

“Everything is a negotiation with you, Brekker. You probably bartered your way out of the womb.”

The ending of this book was nothing short of spectacular, it had everything I have come to expect from this world and many twists that kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it would all play out. I will truly miss being with these characters and the ending was left open enough that Leigh could easily come back and add more to this world, and I sincerely hope she does. This book may be classified as YA but it could (and should) be read by adults as well. Very well written, great characters and great heists. If you don’t like these books I will secretly judge you because they will forever be on my favorite lists. Leigh Bardugo is an amazing writer and I will definitely be keeping an eye on her to see what she decides to write next.

Rating: 5 Stars

I previously reviewed Six of Crows and I LOVED it! I was so devastated by the ending. Inej was taken and I just couldn’t believe that ending after everything they went through being beat down at the very end. Now our crew is beat down, separated, and tired but they are not out for the count. They have to regroup and come up with more plans. Their lives are more dangerous than ever and old allies could just as easily be enemies these days. When you go up against the more powerful in Ketterdam you need to have more than luck to save you.

I didn’t listen to the first book I read it through but having listened to this one I really enjoyed the narration and how each character had a different narrator. As we see the story from different POVs hearing a different person with a different accent and style was really rather thrilling. I now picture certain accents with the characters that I didn’t before but now seem so natural. The multiple POVs is something I loved because it gave us all the information we needed but seeing things from different views you see how everyone can hear/see the same things but take away different things from it. All of their prospective are important and play off one another. They each have something to bring to the table, the same thing that made them special in the first book we just know and love them more. Each of our characters has a special place in my heart. Kaz and his cold and clinical way of looking at things in terms of what they do for him or how they can be used in the future. Inej and her ability to blend into any shadow and disappear yet despite her life she still has a kindness and good heart to her. Nina who is far from her home but will risk her own life for those she loves. Mathis and his turbulent inner battle between what he was raised to believe and what he has seen and felt to be true. Jesper in his flawed and self-destructive nature full of charm and good intensions. And Wylan the son who has always felt less than and flawed for his inability but has found a home and people who see his abilities rather than flaws.

“Crows remember human faces. They remember the people who feed them, who are kind to them. And the people who wrong them too. They don’t forget. They tell each other who to look after and who to watch out for.”

All of my crows were in my heart and I couldn’t wait for them to save Inej because they had to. I had no other option in my head. Well that is the start of the plan, save Inej and get revenge on Van Eck. He has no only betrayed them and tried to have them killed after they upheld their side of the plan but more he did that and took one of theirs and when you have so many enemies your reputation is important in helping fend off the wolves. I loved all the different plots and schemes from the first page to get Inej and the revenge they deserve. To get what is owed and set things right because no monster like Van Eck can be left standing. There is a difference between being a criminal and being a criminal with no value behind your word. Some things are sacred.

Things don’t go as planned. Oh so many beautifully crafted plans and of course wrenches thrown into the mix. I am struggling so hard to review this book without spoiling things because there is so much happening. So many little subplots that take place and all the little details that are just amazing. Like seeing characters from the original Grisha series come into play and go toe to toe with Kaz and crew. One of the best moments. Inej, some of her chapters just broke my heart. Her captivity, the flashes back to when she was forced to work in the menagerie before Kaz saved her. So powerful. Bardugo has really captured so much emotion within the story. Things are in chaos all around them but still even between the plotting, scheming, running, and fighting they were able to have such deep moments between one another. They care for one another deeply even if they fight. Even if they don’t always show it. A few lines in particular that just hit me in all the feels….

“I would come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were we’d fight our way out together—knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.”

I was rooting for my characters and rooting for others to get what was coming to them because they are just so dang vile. Seriously. Nina is struggling with her addiction and how it has changed her and her power. While Mathis sees just how wrong he was and his hope to try and help others see like he did. Oh but his time with Nina being there for her through it all…I adore him. Kaz and Inej are both so different but they are so good together and understanding one another in a way that no one else can. Both damaged. Both strong and weak. Both with baggage. I love this and shipped them so hard! And of course we had a bit of a spark between the wild card Jesper and our shy and quite Wylan which is adorable how they come to count on one another and support one another in times of need. Each of them have their own journeys to work through and I enjoyed being there as they went through them. They knew the odds for the life they chose to lead.

No mourners, no funerals. Another way of saying good luck. But it was something more. A dark wink to the fact that there would be no expensive burials for people like them, no marble markers to remember their names, no wreaths of myrtle and rose.

The story and pacing of this book was so well done for me. With the larger overall story but full of side stories and little inner stories that just made a more developed adventure. The pacing was on point and it felt like you were there with them rushed and escaping death one moment then having a few moments to regroup. It never let you fully off the edge of your seat but kept you leaning there ready to go. My poor heart was a mess keeping up with it.

This book was everything. One of my favorite series by far. I loved everything. Even the end that had me sobbing. Okay several parts of the book had me choking back tears for several different reasons. My heart raced through it all and even though I took my time reading it fearing the end and while I wish I had more and parts made me sad I love it. It is such a fitting end (minus one part I don’t think I’ll ever get over) for this story and this crew. It started with one job and ended with so much more. I love this book and I would highly recommend this series to anyone and everyone.

So if you read my review of Six of Crows, you already know that I was very impressed with Bardugo's story of the Dregs as they try to protect the world from a lethal drug that could potentially weaponize and destroy Grisha. If you didn't read it -- SPOILER ALERT, I was impressed. Also, you should check it out -- but you do you, baby boo. 

Getting back to my point, having read the Shadow and Bone trilogy, I enjoyed the Grisha-verse but I had some issues with the character development and ultimate ending to that trilogy, so I did not go into this duology with the highest of hopes. Bardugo made some excellent choices as an author that sold me on her ability as a writer, but also as someone able to grow within her own fictional world. Surprised as I was, I did not expect to continue to be surprised as I continued into book two, but man oh man -- Bardugo blew. it. up.

Literally -- there are explosions, shoot-outs, enhanced magical abilities, stake-outs, more robberies and plot twists than you could imagine, and just when you think that you know where the story is going, you are left shocked to discover there is an element you never considered. This was the perfect ending to an exciting and no-holds-barred story of the mobster-mentality of the Barrel. What is so impressive is that Bardugo doesn't make the easy choice in almost any aspect of this book. There are moments when readers could feel things leaning towards an inevitable outcome, only to be ripped from the breath of what could of been to slam hard into the reality of what is. 

One thing I always love and hate about fantasy is that amidst all this chaos, there's always a love story forming/storming/exploring/boring/another -ing word here; I'm hooked because as a reader I want to believe in love and I want to fall in love with the characters, but as a human I am also frustrated because in many ways it feels too far away, too unbelievable. Now, in a world full of magical Grisha who can stop someones heartbeat with a swish of their hand or pull metal shards from the earth and kill someone with them, is it so unrealistic to assume people would find the time to fall in love and share romance? --- uh, yeah. 

Maybe it's me, but I am always slightly more impressed when the author chooses to acknowledge the reality of the situation instead of just giving us readers the inevitable conclusion we desperately crave. We want the characters to kiss as much as THEY want to, but it's easy to build us to that point and give us what we want. What's harder, is giving us a realistic and vulnerable moment that not only captures the affection we know is lying buried beneath these characters, but honors the fact that someone who's experienced these horrors couldn't realistically move past those experiences quickly enough to fall in love and give themselves to another person. 

This is where I appreciate Bardugo the most. By telling the story through the eyes of each character, we see the reality of what is; there is love, there is pain, there is vulnerability, there is strength, there is fear, there is longing. Each character experiences emotions we can all connect and identify with. We also see the reality that these characters have incredibly complicated and haunting pasts that live presently with them as they work through these impossible scenarios to stay alive and complete their mission. Are they capable of love? Yes. Do they want love? Yes. Do they give pieces of themselves to other characters? Yes. Can they devote themselves entirely to someone else? No, not yet. 

The dynamic between Kaz and Inej really brings the brillance of Bardugo's writing to life because she could have easily given readers the ending they all dreamed of; Kaz would change and devote himself to Inej, telling her what she longed to hear and how he really felt. He would trust her enough to be able to touch her, love her and be with her. She would trust him and together they would be unstoppable. That would have just as easily fit into this story line and the build up between the two of them in the first book set the tone for that type of relationship to form and it would have worked. That approach would compromise the character development that is so crucial to this story and would have made it a 4 star read. What makes this book great, rather than just good, is that these characters give what they can, rather than what we, as readers, desperately wish they gave.

I won't go any further into detail because I don't want to completely ruin this for anyone who may have yet to read it. Overall, the character development in this story and the dynamic between the Dregs crew is what carried this excellent plot along and allowed readers to fall in love with the Grisha-verse. The mobster-mentality was not something that I was particularly excited about when I first began these books and I was so fully invested in this world thanks to the talented writing. 

On a more fun note, I loved the nods to Shadow and Bone with the introduction of Genya, Nikolai and Zoya! I always enjoy when books crossover like that and that brought me so many feel-good moments while reading! 

Overall, this book was filled with amazing plot twists that will leave you at the edge of your seat, but I was most impressed with the relationships and the dynamic between the crew. The realism present in these stories made it such a wonderful reading experience and showed that Bardugo is a force to be reckoned with as an author. Definitely a must-read for any fans of fantasy and fictional worlds. (Just make sure you read the Shadow and Bone trilogy first!)

I had heard that Crooked Kingdom would be absolutely incredible, but I didn’t realize how freaking mind-blowingly awesome it would be too! This is it people! This is the end and Leigh Bardugo isn’t going to leave you disappointed! Granted, she might tear your heart out and crush it to bits but all’s fair in love and war I guess! LOL!

We pick up pretty much where we left off. Van Eck has Inej held hostage and Kaz isn’t about to play by Van Eck’s rules to get her back, which is namely give up Kuwei to him. It’s going to take a lot of planning in order to pull off everything that needs doing and he’s going to need his Wraith back in order to get the revenge he’s been wanting for years now. And he also needs to exact revenge on Van Eck for the con he pulled over on Kaz. Basically, lots of people need to pay.

Once again, I found myself lost in the pages of this story! So many awesome characters, we get to see more of Jesper this time, plus Wylan gets chapter time as well. As I might have mentioned before, it’s INSANELY hard to choose a favorite character! I love them all sooo much! They all have their strengths and weaknesses, so trying to pick just one doesn’t compute for me when I love them all!

I felt like in this one we see a lot more tension! The pacing was done incredibly well, for Kaz and Co. have a series of missions they need to complete. First rescue Inej, then exact vengeance. But they go through a series of plans with some failures before the right plan comes along. Needless to say it was an intense read!

I really enjoy how Leigh incorporates the flashbacks! They’re well timed ones and I really enjoy getting to learn more about our characters. What drives them to do what they do and such. And then after the flashback we get back to the present in an equally well timed manner. There’s no misplacing the flashbacks for what they are. Unless you stop in the middle of one and don’t return for a day or so. Which is not recommended! I encourage you to read this one and don’t put it down unless absolutely necessary!

What I also enjoyed more in this one was the romance! Sure there’s no actual love-dovey scenes or whatnot. But we do see some stolen moments and kisses between some of the characters. And I’m sure you can guess who those particular characters are! But you might actually be surprised by some things! And that’s all I say there!

Again, I have to mention my love for these characters! They are just so freaking incredible! I can’t get enough of them! But sadly, this is it folks. We’re at the end of the story! I love Kaz for his ruthlessness, Inej for her loyalty and positivity, Nina for her snark and determination, Matthias for his devotion to Nina and willingness to change, Jesper for his snark and thoughtfulness, Wylan for his thoughtfulness and cunning…they are all just soooo amazing! I love them all! And yet sadly…something happens. I remember hearing brief rumors about this, in the sense that Leigh is prone to doing such things if her previous trilogy was anything to go by. And yet, I still wasn’t prepared. I had asked myself to try to see things like Leigh would and yet…I didn’t want any of those things to happen. Yes, I’m being vague and going all over the place with said though pattern here, but I am trying to warn you without warning you. So think on that and be prepared for…feelings.

As you might know from the start of this epic and incredibly thrilling and amazing duology, Kaz has plans for revenge. He has his eyes on the target and plans to exact vengeance for what was done to his brother. And I can I just say, that I absolutely loved how he did things? Yes, he comes off cruel and cold and he kind of is, he has to be. But what I loved sooo much about this is how it reminded me of a certain classic that I absolutely loved as a teenager, and that is The Count of Monte Cristo. Had I finished this before I met Leigh, I would’ve asked if she used any of this classic as fodder for her story writing here. As you may or may not know, in the classic story, Edmund Dantes plans a long haul of revenge over the handful of people who wronged him. And let’s just say that Edmund knew that death wasn’t always the answer. So basically, I friggin loved this book to pieces!!

The ending to Crooked Kingdom was so, so perfect. And yes, I am overusing the word “so” in this review, but I can’t think of a better word at the moment! LOL! It’s the ending I would have expected out of Leigh. She’s set very high expectations for me after the Grisha trilogy. And while we don’t know exactly what she’s writing next after her Wonder Woman book is coming out, I can definitely say I will be buying it asap! But as this series has proved, I may try to binge read whatever she throws at us next because cliffhangers can be brutal!

If you’re looking for the next amazing and incredibly awesome read than it should definitely be the Six of Crows duology! It’s a heist fantasy duology packed with action, liars, betrayals, scams, cons, a sprinkling of romance, and endearing friendships—though the characters may not exactly use that word, or Kaz may not use that word—that makes it one of the best reads I’ve read this year! So I highly encourage you to read this for yourself, because words cannot explicitly do it justice!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars