Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) - Leigh Bardugo [Review]

Book: Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2)

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Published: 27th September 2016

Publisher: Orion Children's Books

Pages: 546

Rating: 5/5 stars

Wow, this book is a real corker. The follow up to Six of Crows this book follows the whole gang - Kaz, Inej, Nina, Matthias, Jesper & Wylan - as they face off against Van Eck and his cronies. There's heaps of stuff going on in this book, all set in the Grisha universe. There's a lot to love about this book and its arguably Bardugo's strongest work to date.

It's an almost impossible task to make the reader connect with, nor care about, all the primary characters in a book, especially in a book such as Crooked Kingdom which features an ensemble cast of characters. However, Bardugo manages it. I cant recall a book in which I've enjoyed all the main characters. Every one is complex and layered and interesting. No cardboard cut-out or prop characters who serve no purpose; the main gang is so diverse and I appreciate that immensely. Although my all time favourite will always be Inej, I found myself connecting with all the main crew. Even Wylan, who I cared less for in the first book, gets some excellent character development in this sequel, and Bardugo provided much welcomed insight into his back story and some of his relationships, particularly with Jesper, and his family.

Similarly, this book manages to achieve what is a rare feat for me - having absolutely zero repulsive or insta-love romances! I adored all the potential respective pairings, and the romance is absolutely not the center of the book. It is very subtle, and fits in well with the harsh backdrop of Ketterdam. It is complimentary and simply adds another layer to the characters. Kaz and Inej are such interesting characters on their own and although they do not share a typical romance by any means, there are a couple of segments that allow you to catch a glimpse at what could have been had their backgrounds been different. Matthias and Nina are as snarky and witty as ever, and their banter makes up for some of the more light-hearted passages in the book, particularly towards the first half. Jesper and Wylan are so god-damned adorable, and they really become more than just add-ons in this book, with some excellent scenes alone and together.

Ketterdam is notoriously a city of suffering, and all the main crew are no strangers to this. Everyone has secrets, pasts they'd like to forget, relationships they wish they could mend etc. The multiple POVs flow relatively seamlessly and you get a good amount of time with each character. The chapters start off quite far apart but get closer as you move along through the story, which really emphasises the increasing stakes. There's action elements in pretty much every chapter, but things really pick up at around 250 pages or so.

Bardugo's writing is flawless. I liked the Grisha trilogy, but boy has she really perfected how to tell an excellent story. Bardugo blends together a thrilling tale, detailed world building, and developed and engaging characters. Although the language and style may be strange if you happen to be relatively new to the world of the Grisha, Six of Crows did a pretty good job at being accessible to new readers, so if you've read that, then you'll be fine with this. There's a cool map at the beginning detailing the layout of Ketterdam including all the new locations visited in this novel (university district, the cemetery, the church etc.), and I always appreciate the extra detail, so this was a nice touch.

There's also some really thoughtful nods to the Shadow and Bone series, with certain characters being mentioned and a few surprises! It really brings up a bit of nostalgia that I appreciated.

This book really comes alive and everything feels so vibrant and palpable. From the Warehouse district, to West Stave, to the Geldin district, the image Bardugo creates with her writing is clear and mesmerising. Like other immersive series such as Harry Potter, whenever I read Bardugo's books concerning the Grisha, it always feels like coming home - there's something familiar and comforting (even in a harsh universe such as the one she creates) and that's something that's very difficult to construct - and only a handful of authors have managed to emulate this.

In terms of twists and turns, there's definitely a few! There was a really good narrative surrounding Wylan and Jesper in particular, and a lot of unanswered questions were resolved. The level of tension increases the further into the book you get, and this makes for a real page-turner. Towards the end I was on the edge of my seat, and I definitely had tears in my eyes at some parts. The plot is so intricate that when you see everything come together it is really impressive.

A quick note - THE ENDING. Oh my god, my poor heart couldn't take it. I'm still not okay. One things for sure, I need more books set in the Grisha universe. I have so many unanswered questions! I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way - Bardugo knows how to pull on your heartstrings, man.

Overall, Crooked Kingdom completely met and exceeded my expectations and I savored every beautiful, beautiful page. If you haven't read this yet, I strongly urge you to get your hands on a copy.