Reviews with content warning for Death - Six of Crows

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

842 reviews

orionmerlin's review against another edition

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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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mrsalexisrjones's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious 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

3.75

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earpsfrasers's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

I wish I could give this book ten stars. I thought the original Shadow & Bone trilogy was so mid and more than a little infuriating but this was absolutely incredible! Immediately starting Crooked Kingdom!

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cultdionysia's review

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adventurous dark funny inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

Clever, fast-paced, and the perfect ensemble piece. I could write essays on how relevant Matthias Helvar is as a character, especially in 2025 (red pill bros, anyone?). If you don't find his arc emotional, I'm going to quietly guess you don't live in the US Bible Belt.

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summerdaidone's review

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adventurous 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

2.75

It’s not you, it’s me…. Six of Crows is a good story and I can understand why people love it. Something about it just didn’t click for me. :( I did love Nina!!

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justinpascua's review

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.25

Read my girlfriend's favorite book, and it did not disappoint.. I rate thee *drumroll* a 4.25!!!

This book was awesome, a great start to the year of reading following The Shadow of the Gods (see previous post to understand why it's been this good of a start). Alrighty, I hope I don't disappoint Teagan with this review...

First and foremost, I have to start with this book's highest of highlights: THE CHARACTERS. Gosh, you fall in love with every single one of them, I still don't know which one of them is my favorite. Each POV from the characters are all distinct and personal in their own ways, and each of them has their own voice. Bravo Leigh Bardugo.. bravo, ya done good kid. All of their backstories, character traits, personalities, and vernacular, just made each one pop off of the page and come alive so so easily.

Next, plot. Man I love a good heist, and this one was so exciting. It was like a twisted-fantasy version of one of the Ocean's movies. The suspense, the tricks up the sleeves, the action, it was all done so good. In fact, the very very ending almost reminded me of a part of Ocean's 13. Iykyk. Every time the characters were stuck between a rock and an ice palace, they always found their way out of it and it was always so satisfying and exciting to see.

The ending was awesome. I loved it and its cliffhanger, and I'm maybe even more excited about the second one than I was during this one tbh. KAZ BETTER GET HIS VENGEANCE.

The only gripe I had with this book was some of the world-building. At times, it seemed like we were supposed to know exactly how something looked or where something was when we hadn't been there yet.. if that makes sense ? For example, something like "they went up the stairs" okay... I've never seen these stairs before. Where are they? How far up do they go? And because of that, a lot of things in my mind were out of proportion than what they actually were (that was a very broad example so don't come at me about complaining about stairs). Also, at some point towards the end I was thinking, okay, things are almost working out TOO well. Granted, Kaz is the man, the myth, the legend, Dirtyhands, and he's a genius, but I was starting too get a little skeptical, until things did go BAD, and then I was somewhat satisfied to see a challenge, but then I was pissed ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END BUT IT SETS UP FOR AN AMAZING SEQUEL.

Great book, thanks for letting me borrow your copy my love :)

Completion emoji: 💵🗡️😈

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laurakoo's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Oli liian monimutkaista sanoa, että onko hahmot rakastettavia tai onko niiden viat kirjan keskiössä, koska nyt tuntui siltä, että oli onnistuttu tosi hienosti kirjottamaan monipuolisia hahmoja, jotka ei ollut mitenkään yksiselitteisen mustavalkoisia. Tykkäsin myös siitä, että kaikkia kortteja ei läväytetty pöytään heti alkuun vaan salaisuuksia paljastettiin muille hahmoille ja lukijalle samaan aikaan aina tarinaa edistäen ja niin, että se kävi järkeen. Mitään ei salailtu vaan salailemisen ilosta ja siks, että se olis mielenkiintosta.

Hyvin harvoin sanon näin, mutta tästä kirjasta tulis ihan sairaan hyvä heist-leffa.

Pieni miinus loppua kohden nousi mieleen, sisältää lieviä spoilereita:

Loppua kohden alkoi pelottamaan, että yks naishahmoista typistyy jälleen vaan yhen päähenkilön love-interestiks ja omat haaveet (jotka oli just muutama luku sitten asetettu aika isoin elkein) jää sitten rakkauden jälkeen unholaan.

Mutta tää jäi avoimeksi ja ratkennee seuraavassa osassa.

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