Hello there!
Today I had to get up earlier than planned because the carpenters were coming home to fix up the last thing that was pending in my house, and now that is done so hooray! Now it's just getting the rest of the furniture, sorting more stuff and unpacking things... A few months still of work, I think, but very much worth it!
For this week's Mark This Book Monday I have one of my BEA ARCs for review, one that I simply adored and I'm itching to re-read and that was full of diverse characters, so it'll be counting towards my 105 Challenge in the diverse category!
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I had been silly enough to start reading the first 3 chapters as FierceReads started sharing them and I was left wanting so much more (will I ever learn not go for excerpt? I don't think so!) so very soon after I returned from BEA with this amazing ARC (signed!) I caved in and read it.
I had loved The Grisha trilogy very much, but I must confess that I love this one even more! I was captivated since page 1, wondering about what was going on and how will these characters that you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley were going to be involved in a heist.
The beginning of the book reminded me a bit of the start of Ocean's Eleven, since we meet and gather our team of dangerous outcasts, recruiting and rescuing when there's need for it.
Six of Crows was a multiple POV book done right. All the different POV voices were distinctive, relevant and captivating. My favourite character has to be Inej, but my favourite chapters have to be Kaz's, because his story was such a mystery and he's such a fascinating character! You would never consider him a good guy, but he is a multifaceted characters with so many layers and grey areas that I was so drawn to him!
The basic plot is essentially assemble team of dangerous outcasts with special abilities to do the impossible and get something from an impregnable somewhere at the time where it'd be harder to do. But this plot done right is one that has you turning pages like there's no tomorrow! And Leigh Bardugo really did it right!
The alternating POVs worked great for it because you never have all the information, the only one that does is Kaz and he isn't exactly forthcoming or inclined to share it all with either his teammates or us readers, because he is a character with so many secrets! And that reluctace on sharing does gain us (and the others) more than one near heart attack with changes of plan, betrayals that might or might not be real and unexpected tanks (yes, you read right, tanks... you'll know what I mean when you read it).
Even though if romance is not a priority or even a side plot (well, maybe there's one exception) for this book, I ended up shipping quite a lot of ships SO VERY MUCH!! I will not say more because discovering those ships was also part of the experience but one in particular gave me all the feels and I just cannot!!
A wonderfully diverse cast of characters that are all in shades of grey, not really evil, but not what you'd easily qualify as the good guys, with a plot full of surprises, pacing done perfectly, with slow moments and heart stopping moments, full of ships to ship that won't take off from the character development or the plot development and a cliffhanger ending that has me begging for the sequel... this is my favourite Leigh Bardugo book to date!
Very much deserved 5 stars to this one and I'm just dying to re-read my finished copy as soon as it arrives in the mail!
View all my reviews
Today I had to get up earlier than planned because the carpenters were coming home to fix up the last thing that was pending in my house, and now that is done so hooray! Now it's just getting the rest of the furniture, sorting more stuff and unpacking things... A few months still of work, I think, but very much worth it!
For this week's Mark This Book Monday I have one of my BEA ARCs for review, one that I simply adored and I'm itching to re-read and that was full of diverse characters, so it'll be counting towards my 105 Challenge in the diverse category!
Six of Crows by Leigh BardugoMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I had been silly enough to start reading the first 3 chapters as FierceReads started sharing them and I was left wanting so much more (will I ever learn not go for excerpt? I don't think so!) so very soon after I returned from BEA with this amazing ARC (signed!) I caved in and read it.
I had loved The Grisha trilogy very much, but I must confess that I love this one even more! I was captivated since page 1, wondering about what was going on and how will these characters that you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley were going to be involved in a heist.
The beginning of the book reminded me a bit of the start of Ocean's Eleven, since we meet and gather our team of dangerous outcasts, recruiting and rescuing when there's need for it.
Six of Crows was a multiple POV book done right. All the different POV voices were distinctive, relevant and captivating. My favourite character has to be Inej, but my favourite chapters have to be Kaz's, because his story was such a mystery and he's such a fascinating character! You would never consider him a good guy, but he is a multifaceted characters with so many layers and grey areas that I was so drawn to him!
The basic plot is essentially assemble team of dangerous outcasts with special abilities to do the impossible and get something from an impregnable somewhere at the time where it'd be harder to do. But this plot done right is one that has you turning pages like there's no tomorrow! And Leigh Bardugo really did it right!
The alternating POVs worked great for it because you never have all the information, the only one that does is Kaz and he isn't exactly forthcoming or inclined to share it all with either his teammates or us readers, because he is a character with so many secrets! And that reluctace on sharing does gain us (and the others) more than one near heart attack with changes of plan, betrayals that might or might not be real and unexpected tanks (yes, you read right, tanks... you'll know what I mean when you read it).
Even though if romance is not a priority or even a side plot (well, maybe there's one exception) for this book, I ended up shipping quite a lot of ships SO VERY MUCH!! I will not say more because discovering those ships was also part of the experience but one in particular gave me all the feels and I just cannot!!
A wonderfully diverse cast of characters that are all in shades of grey, not really evil, but not what you'd easily qualify as the good guys, with a plot full of surprises, pacing done perfectly, with slow moments and heart stopping moments, full of ships to ship that won't take off from the character development or the plot development and a cliffhanger ending that has me begging for the sequel... this is my favourite Leigh Bardugo book to date!
Very much deserved 5 stars to this one and I'm just dying to re-read my finished copy as soon as it arrives in the mail!
View all my reviews
YAAAAAAAY!!!! I'm starting this this week and CANNOT WAIT! I've been dragging my feet a bit because of the multiple POVs (those so rarely work well for me!), but I should have known Leigh Bardugo would do it right. So looking forward to meeting all these characters Pili!
ReplyDeleteRemember how multiple POV on Legacy of Kings didn't work our for me? This was the exact opposite!! It's amazing Jenny!!
DeleteYaaay :D So thrilled that you loved this book so much Pili. <3 Sigh. I'm so jealous of your signed ARC, though. SOOOOOBS. You are the luckiest sweet girl :D I'm just dying to read this book. Never got any ARC :( Sobs. But yeah. Getting lots of finished copies, lol ;) And yay for getting things done with your apartment :D That is great. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you sweetie! I'm sure you'll adore this one! I cannot wait till my preorder arrives because the finished copy is utterly gorgeous!
DeleteGRISHA!!!!! You are a lucky little ducky! I am either going to get it from the library, or wait and see if it goes on special after Xmas. My January sale look-fors list keeps growing and growing. And that cover... lushious. I am so happy you adored it, but I wasn't expecting anything less. :).
ReplyDeleteI hope you can get it from the library because this was fantastic!! The finished copies are stunning, so hopefully you'll get one on sale too!
DeleteI'm so glad to hear you liked this one more than the Grisha trilogy. I'm also a big fan of that series but this one sounds even more up my alley. I've been waiting to read it though because I'm nervous. But I'm starting it this weekend and I can't wait. I like that despite the multiple POVs you still don't have all the information, usually with that it's the other way around. Great review!
ReplyDeleteCassi @ My Thoughts Literally
You'll love this one to bits I'm sure Cassi!! Multiple POV don't usually work for me but this one is brilliant!! Feel free to DM if you need to talk about anything while reading it! ;)
DeleteMy favorite Bardugo book! I didn't LOVE the Grisha trilogy, but I really liked this book! :D
ReplyDeleteAlyssa @ The Eater of Books!
I loved the Grisha trilogy but I loved this one even more, so it is also my fave Bardugo book to date!
DeleteEveryone is raving about this book and I am loving how everyone has special abilities, the characters sound really mysterious and awesome and I'm glad the multiple povs were done right! Great review Pili!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeann! I say that the hype is very much deserved for this one! I hope you can get to read it soon!
DeleteI definitely agree that I love this book a lot more than I did the Grisha trilogy. Maybe it's just because this one is right up my alley, being a heist novel and a fantasy novel. Wonderful review, and i can't wait to put mine up! :D
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to read your thoughts, Ri! Wasn't it awesome!?
DeleteOh, I have sooo many ships in this book!! An Armada, even! LOL
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
LOL! So many ships indeed!! I SHIP ALL THE SHIPS!!
DeleteI CAN'T WAIT UNTIL I HAVE THIS BOOK IN MY HANDS! I heard there are shipS and no triangles or shapes of any other variety which is just a total bonus :D SO EXCITED! Although I haven't read the Grisha trilogy. Do you think that will affect my reading of SoC?
ReplyDeleteNope, no triangles, just many glorious ships!!! I don't think it's necessary to read the Grisha trilogy but it'll make the experience more complete Eileen!
DeleteKnowing you loved the original series and loved this one all the more makes me so intrigued about it! I can't wait to try this one for myself in time. The cover is gorgeous as well, but I am only just starting on book one of the Grisha Trilogy so it will be a while. You're review has me so eager though!
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll love the Grisha trilogy Olivia! And the later you read this one, the less time you'll have to wait for the sequel! Silver linings and all that!
Delete