Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1) (Grishaverse, #4)

by Leigh Bardugo

[justine_manzano]

Though I had intended to read Six of Crows forever, I chose it because I needed a heist-style/espionage book for the Pop Sugar Reading Challenge this year, and my sister-in-law/reading-partner-in-crime suggested this one. Make that HAS BEEN SUGGESTING this one forever. I didn't think it was my type of book. Boy was I wrong.

The characters in this book aren't good people. Not exactly. Kaz Brekker, the lead, is cold and unyielding, and the group he assembles to accomplish his mission are all of questionable morality or have a twisted understanding of the world. But as the group attempt to accomplish a heist in which they all must help each other survive to make enough money to change their lives forever, we get a view into each character's motivation. We begin to understand them. And we begin to love them, often despite ourselves.

Through Kaz's PTSD and thirst for vengeance, control, and money, through Inej's apologetic brutality and fear of returning to her life as a prostitute, through Nina's questionable choices and former training as a ruthless Grisha soldier, through Matthias' crisis of faith and desire to hunt down every Grisha, through Jesper's gambling addiction, clear ADHD, and love of guns and actions, through Wylan's desire to separate himself from his rich merchant father, we find ourselves wanting the rag tag group of criminals to succeed.

The ending was a shock, but also a welcome moment where plans go awry and nothing ends perfectly. Left with a new mission for the sequel, one can't help but read the final two chapters, and be jazzed.
I just finished this an hour ago, and I'm still desperate to download the sequel. I think I'm gonna stop writing this review and download it already because I'm very eager to find out what happens next!

I'll be back to review that one too. Until then, happy reading! (READ THIS BOOK)