No Mourners, No Funerals: A Six of Crows Book Review

Read With Caution: this blog post contains minor spoilers for Six of Crows.

Six of Crows is a fantasy heist novel written by Leigh Bardugo. With glowing reviews and a Goodreads rating of 4.47 stars, I knew Six of Crows would be good. However, I was still blown away by how much I loved this book. The Six of Crows duology is one that took me by surprise and never let me go. 

Kaz Brekker, the best criminal and thief in all of Ketterdam, is offered a job that will make him rich beyond his wildest imaginations. Except this is not an ordinary job—this is an impossible, deadly heist that requires him to break into the most secure prison in the world. Kaz knows that if he wants the reward money from this heist, he needs to assemble a crew.

A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who has become a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse

(Bardugo, 332)

The success of their heist could very much determine the fate of the world. If this crew of outcasts fail, a terrible power will be unleashed, bringing the death of the world as they know it.

I have always heard of Six of Crows, seen it at the bookstore or library. I have seen glowing reviews, and heard people rave about it. But it was not until I bought the book because I wanted to read a heist novel that I was able to understand why it was incredibly popular.

As with any great book, Six of Crows captivates the reader from the very start. While the actual heist does not begin until later in the book, there is plenty of action right from the beginning. 

Six of Crows has some of the best world-building and character development that I have read in a long time. I started this book knowing nothing about the Grishaverse, and by the halfway point, I was fully immersed in the world that Leigh Bardugo created. The Grishaverse is one among many Young Adult fantasy universes, but what sets it apart is its realistic characters, fantastic character development, and complex storylines. In addition to this, Bardugo creates a fascinating magical system that blends seamlessly into the storyline and setting.

Bardugo has written some of the most lovable, morally grey characters that will quickly find a special place in readers’ hearts. This is largely attributed to the character development seamlessly built into the story. 

Throughout the book, for example, readers catch a glimpse into each character’s background. Although heartbreaking, Kaz’s backstory was my favourite. After reading that chapter, I was in utter shock at the hardships that Kaz endured, which went from being conned to traversing dangerous waters on the back of his dead brother. I understand that Kaz is a manipulative, ruthless, and morally grey person, yet I still struggle to judge him harshly, given his tragic upbringing. 

Kaz Brekker, who is arguably my favourite anti-hero, always has a trick up his sleeve. This comes in handy as the missions and heists that he must pull off are extremely dangerous. In fact, these tricks are revealed to the readers only at the last moment, which is always fun to read.

Six of Crows had so many twists and turns that I was only able to guess a couple of them. The others were so unexpected and brilliantly written! This book ends on one of the best and most surprising cliffhangers that I have read. I have read books with good cliff hangers before, like Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan or Marissa Meyer’s Archenemies. While those books did have cliff hangers that compelled me to read the next in the series, they do not compare to the way Leigh Bardugo ended Six of Crows. I was gasping in shock and speeding through the pages as I finished Six of Crows. In my head I was trying to figure if the remaining pages were enough to tie up the loose ends. But besides that, I flat-out put the book down to process what just happened once I turned the last page. Moral of the story: be sure to have the sequel, Crooked Kingdom, ready in hand.

Along with being well-written, Six of Crows also features a diverse cast of characters that always made me laugh. The wide range of nationalities, abilities, and experiences ensures many readers are able to relate a character. Personally, I found Inej’s resilience, determination, and bravery to be truly inspiring. Despite being captured and forced into a life that she never wanted—one that she did not choose—Inej never stopped fighting. She did not lose hope, and when she was finally freed from her indenture to the Menagerie, she continued to fight for her dreams. Among the other backstories, her story of resilience and determination was a stark contrast against the darkness of Ketterdam.

Six of Crows is a breathtaking, masterfully written book that will keep readers up past their bedtime and engrossed in their free time. For readers who want a mix of danger, loveable morally grey characters, and unexpected humor, Six of Crows delivers on every front. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading more by Leigh Bardugo.