Reviews with content warning for Toxic relationship - Six of Crows

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

33 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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ashmeanything's review

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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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richardw2024's review

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adventurous dark lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

I enjoyed this book and it pulled me out of a reading slump due to it's fast pace and easy reading style. I like a heist story and this book in many ways reminded me of The Final Empire. I would say that it is a good book if you don't usually read fantasy and want to dip your toes into the genre.

This was so nearly a 5* read for me but there were a couple of things that I didn't like. I think most of these were victims of the book being a YA. The two main things I disliked were:
- the romance - I'd be perfectly happy with no romance but well written romance I don't mind. The romance bits in this were just annoying. Maybe book 2 will change my mind on that point
- whilst there were many points where events went south for the characters, there never really felt like there was any great peril. Again, maybe that is because it is written as YA? But I personally would have liked a bit more tension.

EDIT - I have updated my rating to five stars. Thinking back in this book after a while, all I can remember is that I really enjoyed it and would recommend it (maybe that came after reading book 2) so I felt it fitting to update to five stars.

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wise_old_fishie's review against another edition

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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

5.0

my favourite book and my comfort book I LOVE ALL THE CHARACTERS SO MUCH you just wait IT GETS EVEN BETTER IN CROOKED KINGDOM.
Bardugo's writing is great and she builds a wonderful world that mixes magic and truths about the world we live in. She also creates an amazing cast of characters who are all so different and yet have something to fight for together as the bond, fight and help each other discover who they truly are.

I was personally instantly hooked within the first few chapters, where there were already captivating plot-twists and interesting world building that had me hungry for more, and the whole book pulls you in and makes you fall in love with the characters, and the world they live in! I think it has a good balance of plot and character, with interesting backstories that change how you view their positions, and make you see their actions and thought-processes differently. The characters are very lovable, and there is no 1 protagonist, as we see the story unfold from 5 very different points of view, through the lenses of different culture and backgrounds and also different traumatic experiences.

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undecidedpersonality's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny 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

5.0

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strawberrytheauthor's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

AHHHHHHHH!

Ends on a cliffhanger

Anyway, AHHHHHHHH! 100% lives up to the hype. Found family is amazing! Everyone has a devastating backstory! It’s just perfect!

Do check trigger warnings.

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