Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

24 reviews

orionmerlin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Characters: 8/10

The characters are engaging, but they are also built around familiar archetypes. Kaz is the cold, calculating mastermind; Inej is the haunted yet noble spy; Jesper is the wisecracking gunslinger; Nina is the flirtatious but emotionally intelligent Grisha; Matthias is the brooding warrior with a tragic past; Wylan is the innocent yet brilliant demolitions expert. While each character has depth and complexity, some of their arcs feel predictable, particularly in their interpersonal conflicts. I enjoyed their interactions, but there were moments when they felt overly tailored to be a “cool ensemble” rather than fully organic individuals. The secondary characters, especially the antagonists, lacked nuance, which made the world feel slightly less lived-in.

Atmosphere/Setting: 7/10

Ketterdam is vividly described, dripping with grime, corruption, and danger. However, its inspiration from real-world Amsterdam felt surface-level at times, and despite the book’s attempt to create a fully realized world, I felt certain aspects were more aesthetic than substantive. Other locations, such as the Ice Court, should have been more fleshed out, given their importance to the plot. Instead, the heist setting felt more like a video game level, designed for the story’s convenience rather than a breathing, unpredictable environment. The atmosphere was strong, but it wasn’t always immersive.

Writing Style: 7/10

Bardugo’s prose is solid, but there are moments where it tries too hard to sound edgy or clever. The alternating points of view generally work, but at times, they slow down the pacing by over-explaining a character’s backstory in the middle of the action. While the dialogue is snappy, it can occasionally feel artificial, as though characters are performing for the reader rather than speaking naturally. Additionally, while the book prides itself on being dark and gritty, it doesn’t fully commit to that tone—characters miraculously survive extreme situations, and consequences are often softened, undermining the supposed realism of the setting.

Plot: 7/10

The heist premise is fantastic, but the execution is sometimes too convenient. Kaz is almost supernaturally competent—his plans seem to account for every possible failure, making him less of a believable character and more of a plot device. The obstacles the crew faces are compelling, but they often feel more like narrative detours rather than meaningful challenges. While the twists keep things exciting, some rely on information being deliberately withheld from the reader rather than genuine surprises that arise naturally from the story. The pacing is generally strong, but the book’s back-and-forth structure, constantly dipping into character histories, sometimes interrupts momentum.

Intrigue: 9/10

Despite its flaws, Six of Crows is undeniably gripping. The high-stakes nature of the heist, combined with the complex character relationships, makes for an engaging read. Even when I found the plot predictable or the world underdeveloped, I wanted to see how everything played out. Bardugo does an excellent job of making each chapter end in a way that keeps the reader turning pages. However, the book’s reliance on Kaz’s omnipotent scheming sometimes reduced tension—when the protagonist always has a secret plan, the stakes don’t feel as high as they should.

Logic/Relationships: 6/10

While the interpersonal relationships are compelling, some of them develop too quickly or too neatly. For instance, Matthias’ arc, while emotionally satisfying, feels rushed given his deep-rooted hatred for Grisha. Similarly, Jesper and Wylan’s dynamic, though fun, follows a predictable pattern. Some character motivations, particularly those of the antagonists, are thinly drawn. The rules of the world, especially regarding Grisha powers and security at the Ice Court, are sometimes bent for narrative convenience. Kaz’s near-superhuman ability to predict every outcome also stretches believability.

Enjoyment: 8/10

Despite my criticisms, I still found Six of Crows to be an enjoyable read. The dialogue, action, and character dynamics make it fun, even when certain elements feel contrived. It’s a book that delivers on entertainment, even if it doesn’t always hold up under scrutiny. Would I recommend it? Yes, but with the caveat that it works better as a fast-paced, stylish adventure than as a deeply immersive or wholly original fantasy novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, War, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Vomit, and Religious bigotry

tiredtori's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

r3nst3r's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Chronic illness, Racism, Blood, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

ashmeanything's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Wow, this book. I haven't taken so long to read something in quite a long time, but it was worth it. Immediately, the prose and command of the world hooked me, and the qualities I initially loved were fleshed out and present throughout the entire story. Bardugo clearly has an amazing ability to weave discrete and complex storylines together, disrupt and reset the status quo, and keep secrets from both the characters and the reader. Finishing this book was like unraveling more and more depth, making the painful and wonderful parts all stronger. The only things keeping it from a perfect rating are the sheer number of details that I had to remember and the very graphic descriptions of injury and bodily harm. Overall, though, this was excellent. I can't wait to read the next one.

Content warnings for xenophobia/racism, trafficking, child abuse, injury and medical content, violence, war, betrayal, genocide, addiction, slavery, and murder (all frequent) as well as bullying, guns, addiction, confinement, illness and child death, sexual harassment, and brief ableism and drug use.

Used for 2024 r/Fantasy Bingo (criminals, hard mode); also fits for first in a series, entitled animals, multi-POV (hard mode), character with a disability (hard mode), survival (hard mode), judge a book by its cover, and book club.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Ableism, Drug use, and Classism

iz___34's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Love, love, love. Perfection. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

fightmeimsmall's review

adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, and Classism

snowiceblackfruit77's review

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

oxfordcommas91's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I understand the hype for this series. Night and day for me from Shadow and Bone where I felt the characters were lackluster and the action felt really contrived. In comparison, Six of Crows is full of complicated and morally ambiguous protagonists and compelling, "what will happen next" sort of action. The twists and turns were endless, and the characters all had rich and well-developed backstories that gave you an interesting perspective on why they act they way they do. This book felt like a fantasy version of Oceans Eleven with traumatized teenagers, and I loved every minute of it. It all worked for me.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and War

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

joeyl22's review

adventurous dark funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Injury/Injury detail