musingsonbooks

[musingsonbooks]

The Wolf and the Woodsman: 5 Stars

I'd like to say I can't believe I finished this book in a day, but that would be a lie. The Wolf and the Woodsman was a brilliant, enchanting story that I just couldn't put down. Blending folk magic, Hungarian myth, and Jewish faith, this book was a look at a lovingly crafted Eastern-European fantasy world. There is no shying away from the bloody history that this world is inspired by, but that only makes the book better, in my opinon. And then there's the enemies-to-lovers romance that I couldn't look away from. Évike is the type of bloody-toothed, smart-mouthed heroine that I always adore and Gáspár is never truly villanous to hate. Throughout the book you watch them both grow together, two prickly thorns as violent and entwined as the woods that they travel through. I loved the supporting cast, each with their own motivations, and can admit to enjoying watching the true villain meet his end. Ava Reid has created a world that I would love to read more of, one that is complex and intriguing with plenty of stories to explore.

[musingsonbooks]

Skulduggery Pleasant (Book 1)

This was absolutely a nostalgia read and I did thoroughly enjoy it. Derek Landy is an expert in making the reader laugh with quick one liners and snappy descriptions (I particularly enjoy Stephanie's description of the replacement car Skulduggery gets) that have you eager to keep reading. I first read Skulduggery Pleasant as a voracious twelve year old, eager to get his hands on any and every book the school library had to offer and it definitely scratched an itch then. Rereading it over ten years later, I will admit it was a fun book with an interesting magic system and a engaging characters, however I feel that like many YA fantasy books it falls into a couple of traps. There is, of course, the young 'chosen one' protagonist who we're all expected to root for. Don't get me wrong, I like Stephanie; I would have liked her just as much without her being the heir to a special bloodline giving her unique magical abilities. Then we have the missing parents, worse in this book than many others because they're not dead or capture or actively abusive, they just... leave her. Yes, Landy explains later instances of this in the book through magical means, but it's still frustrating to read, Stephanie is still a child (not even thirteen!) and should never have been left alone in a house by herself overnight. Still, the plot is solid, action packed, exciting, and of course open ended enough to ensure that there's plenty of room for a sequel. It's not a book that is going to be critically acclaimed but if you have a fantasy addicted teenager in your life (or are one yourself at heart) then Skulduggery Pleasant could be a book for you!

(cross posted on Goodreads)

[musingsonbooks]

4/5 STARS

What a lovely retelling of an old fairytale that doesn’t hesitate to include plenty of reference to Asian culture.

The cover of Six Crimson Cranes immediately caught my attention when I saw it on the NetGalley page and while I know they say not to judge a book by it, this cover didn’t let me down.

As a newcomer to Elizabeth Lima’s writing, Six Crimson Cranes was an interesting introduction. This story has a lot of potential and I absolutely loved the first two thirds of the book. Following Shiori after she’s cast away from the palace she’d grown up in was entrancing, her fear and her resilience constantly battling each other to see which would win out. I felt for her, the spoilt princess turned cook who desperately wanted to reunite her family.

Where it fell apart for me was in Takkan’s home where the plot suddenly swerves and changes. The last part of the book feels rushed and because of that is a little confusing to read. There was so much going on that I had to go back and reread certain parts multiple times in order to fully understand what was going on.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved what Lim did with Raikama, and even enjoyed the cliff hanger ending, but it felt like the book was missing something. A few more scenes or pages to pad out the end of the story might have gone a long way.

That being said, I did enjoy the story and the characters! Lim incorporated a romance without making it overbearing—something a lot of fantasy authors struggle with—and showed enough time passing to make us feel for both Shiori and Takkan. I also loved Seryu despite his sarcastic nature and can only hope that Lim isn’t building up to a pointless love triangle between him and Takkan.

I just wish that Six Crimson Cranes had had a little bit more. That being said, I’m eager to read the sequel when it comes out! Lim certainly left us on an impressive cliff hanger.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of Six Crimson Cranes! Also posted on Goodreads!

[musingsonbooks]

Todays book: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig!

[musingsonbooks]

The Song of Achilles: Review

What can I say about The Song of Achilles other than that it was brilliant. I went into the book knowing the story of Achilles and Patroclus but reading it from the perspective of Patroclus was a fresh take on the myth and one that wrenched my heart out of my chest. Madeline Miller is an excellent author who doesn't hesistate to show the good, the bad, the ugly, and of course the beautiful.

The Song of Achilles is a love story and Miller doesn't shy away from that fact. We follow Achilles and Patroclus from an uneasy childhood into friendship and finally a beautiful, blossoming romance that makes you ache from just how real and human it feels. Achilles is more than the arrogant, over confident demi-god I had come to know. Miller doesn't ignore his flaws but shows us that he is still kind, loving, and most importantly a boy struggling to balance his own personal desires with the needs of his country and his people whilst grappling with his prophecised fate. Through Patroclus' eyes we see how his heritage burdens him, twisting him from a carefree teen into a hardened and sometimes cruel man who eventually lets his own pride rule him.

There are struggles between them, but Miller consistently shows us just how deep and profound the feelings Achilles and Patroclus share are. You fall in love with their relationship, the care they have for each other and because of this you dread the tragic ending that you know is coming. When the tragedy strikes, the reader feels it like their own loss, a deep, cutting wound that brings tears to your eyes. I'm not one to cry easily over books and yet The Song of Achilles had me sobbing, desperately wanting to change the ending of this ancient myth.

"Why would I kill Hector? What has Hector ever done to me?”

This line, repeated throughout the siege and the constant battles, was like a gut punch when you come to the climax of the tragedy. Despite knowing the myth when I realised what exactly Hector had done I broke down. What indeed, Achilles, what indeed? This is where Miller shines, with her descriptions of emotions, how she described Achilles' grief.

Yet, despite this, Miller gives us hope. Through the last, wandering chapters you rage and weep along with Patroclus until the final page. And then, like the sun finally rising, Miller restores your faith in not the gods, but in Achilles and Patroclus love. This story redefines romance, shows you what soulmates should be, what they must be. It's not one that is forgotten easily and will be lingering in my mind for months (if not years) to come.

The Song of Achilles is a brilliant introduction to Greek myth and one that I would recommend to any young adult (or just adult in general) who wants a modern adaptation to begin with. Miller's writing isn't over worked or hard to read, the book practically flies as you're reading, dragging you into this complex world. What more could you want?

I loved it.

(Also posted on Goodreads)

[musingsonbooks]

Madeline Miller is making me cry. Full review will be out soon!

[musingsonbooks]

My current to read list! Spot anything you like?

[musingsonbooks]

Shadow and Bone: Book Review

4/5 Stars

I'll admit I read Six of Crows first, and watched the Netflix series, before getting around to reading Shadow and Bone but that doesn't mean the book doesn't hold up by itself. Leigh Bardugo's debut novel isn't the best of her writing but it's definitely a powerful start.

Bardugo's take on Fantasy Russia was an interesting one, where military and magic coexist uneasily next to each other. The country of Ravka has been at war for over a hundred years on both its borders and worst of all is the great Shadow Fold that splits the country in two. The world building is immaculate, it draws you in instantly, leaving you wanting to know more about this strange, magical world the characters are in.

And what of the characters? Alina, Mal, and of course the ever enigmatic Darkling. Here, Bardugo follows a lot of tropes of the YA Fantasy genre, set up a love triangle between the 'chosen one', one love interest good and the other bad - it's all pretty routine. I will say, despite the chemistry between Alina and the Darkling, I was never interested in their romance. Something about it made my skin crawl the whole time and Bardugo does a good job at showing the reader just how Alina is being manipulated, which makes her reunion with Mal all the more climatic and important to the story.

I loved learning about Mal and Alina's backstory, though I will admit Mal fell a little short from time to time. I wanted to know more about him, see more of the connection between him and Alina, without him being jealous over Alina after she'd been manipulated. Thankfully, Bardugo did make me empathise (and even like him) closer to the end of the book.

And then we have the Darkling. I didn't like him and that's why I loved him. Here Bardugo crafts the ultimate manipulator, a villain who knows what he wants and has had plenty of time to plan about how to get it. Watching him with Alina was like watching a cat stalking an oblivious mouse and I do have to admit that I wanted to smack Alina on the head a few times for how blind she was being but that's the beauty of Bardugo's writing - Alina is never meant to know. It was painful to see how many Grisha (and friends) end up following him however reluctantly. A harsh reminder that even people who are kind to you can hold warped beliefs and do unmistakably cruel things if they're promised a reward at the end.

There are some tropes that made me cringe, the aforementioned love triangle being just one of them. Alina had to be ugly/plain until she came into her power, a little depressive at times, and prone to self centered thinking. None of these things were enough to make me put down the book though, unlike some YA fantasies.

I did still enjoy Six of Crows more - perhaps the wider cast of characters or simply the greyer morals - but Shadow and Bone has got me gripped and eager to finish the trilogy if only to find out what happens next in the Grishaverse! As a first novel it does a brilliant job at worldbuilding and setting you up for a whole great universe.

Definitely another book rec on my shelf!

(also posted on goodreads)

[musingsonbooks]

The Gilded Ones  - Review

4/5 Stars

Are we girls, or are we demons?

What a powerful story! When I saw the cover, it instantly intrigued me. YA fantasy has long been dominated by white protagonists, so the gorgeous cover art depicting Deka immediately drew my eye and had me picking it off the shelf of my local bookstore. I loved the colour, the striking contrast, and of course all that gold.

And gold is of course a key theme throughout the book. Its the colour of Deka's blood, the colour of an alaki - a demon. Right of the bat, I'll say that this is a book I couldn't put down, once I'd started it I was totally engrossed, desperate to explore more of the rich (and terrifying) world that Forna crafted. A world where being female is a fate almost worse than death. For Deka and her sisters, death would certainly be kinder.

The opening of the novel shines strong, immediately pulling you into Otera and all it's issues. And they're issues that we know well, racism, ableism, xenophobia, and of course sexism. In Otera, women don't show their face, they don't run, they don't work, and before their sixteenth birthday they shouldn't even bleed. And the worst thing that a girl can do is bleed gold.

It was terrifying to see the world that Deka lived in, especially as an outcast. For a YA novel, I will say the violence was particularly striking. There was child abuse, slavery, gore, and rape all at least touched on, things that Deka (and the reader) aren't allowed to forget. Of course, Deka is trained as a soldier so violence is a huge part of her life and you quickly become adjusted to the existence of it, if not the act itself.

One of the things I really loved about The Gilded Ones was the female friendship that Forna explored throughout the novel. There's very little of the stereotypical girl-on-girl hate, instead the girls band together to uplift each other, strengthening their bonds and each other. I also loved the subtle inclusion a wlw relationship. Forna packs in plenty of representation in her 400 page book.

I also really loved watching Deka's character unfold, from a scared, brainwashed girl into a powerful warrior not afraid to rebel. Learning her own self worth and the worth of the girls around them, that they don't have to be pure to be deserving of personhood.

Another thing I enjoyed was Deka's romance. So often, YA novels go painfully heavy on the romance to the point that it saturates every moment of the plot and you begin to resent the characters and the relationship. The Gilded Ones avoids that and I actually connected to the fragile, blossoming love between the characters that didn't overpower the rest of the plot.

However, for all I loved the Gilded Ones, there were some parts I found frustrating. Like many debut novels, the pacing was awkward at times. Forna found excuses to skip months at a time that felt flimsy even in the realm of the novel. There were points where I didn't know when we were, how long something had been going on.

I felt like the final plot twists and confrontations were rushed. Deka was simply <i>told</i> all the information that she'd missed or not discovered in the previous chapters. The final fight felt like it was over before it began, ruining any of the tension that had built throughout the novel. I also got confused as to who (or what) a certain character was meant to be, which made the final chapters more difficult to read.

However, I do think that the Gilded Ones is a brilliant novel and I would definitely recommend it to an audience of older teens who might be affected by racism, sexism, or who simply love complex high fantasy worlds and I'm excited to read more.

(also posted on goodreads)

[musingsonbooks]

Today’s Book Haul!

The Gilded Ones - Namina Forna

Night of the Miraj - Zoë Ferraris

The Disappearances- Emily Bain Murphy

The Argonauts - Maggie Nelson

[musingsonbooks]

Dear Azula, I Have a Crush on Danny Phantom: Review

4/5 Stars

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

I've always loved poetry and always wrapped myself in fandom, which means Dear Azula, I Have A Crush on Danny Phantom was a must read for me, the minute I saw the title. However, I will admit I was expecting something childish, not a collection that stirred up a great wave of emotion in me.

Tyabji and Neal are both excellent poets. I found I had to read and re-read most of the titles in order to fully absorb the impact of the poems. I loved the distinct style and voice of the poetry, each motif a carefully woven thread that bound the past and present together, drawing on childhood experiences and relating them to the messy present most young people have found themselves living in.

The collection wasn't particularly long, but each poem felt carefully considered and edited which I find is a better way to create a collection than simply slapping down as many poems as possible. As a member of the admittedly niche audience that Dear Azula appeals to, I found that I related deeply to some of the pieces but I can accept that not all people would feel this way.

I would love to read more from Tyabji and Neal in the future, either alone or together.

(Also on Goodreads)

[musingsonbooks]

Forest of Stars: Review

3/5 Stars

I enjoyed Forest of Stars. It was a book with a plot that had just enough tension to keep you engaged - 12 year old Louisa walks on air and finds her way to a mysterious carnival after her mother dies. There she meets all manner of magical and mundane people and starts to find a place where she can be herself. While it's a common enough story to tell, I don't think Kassner told it badly.

When things start to go wrong, one of Louisa's new friends is the prime suspect. As a reader, it's made explicitly clear that Mercy is of course, innocent. However, this means that the plot twists are pretty obvious and that drains the tension from the novel. The main villain wasn't a bad character at all, when finally confronted I enjoyed the fight between then and Louisa, but from early in the story it was clear who would be in control.

Louisa's main motivation is finding her long lost father, which is sweet. She has the obstinate innocence of a child, refusing to believe he could be entirely lost or dead, despite what other characters may be telling her. This is endearing and I found myself aching with sympathy for Louisa, hoping she might find what she'd been missing. Otherwise, I found it difficult to relate to Louisa and put myself in her shoes - and I'm not talking about her magical abilities.

Speaking of magical abilities, I did enjoy the world that Kassner weaved, the powers that people were given. Many of the gifts in the carnival were fun, magical twists on carnival acts that have become almost stereotypical with how common they are. I particularly liked some of the plays on words that Kassner used when choosing stage names and the sense of awe that came from watching some of the shows. In other ways, the carnival felt strangely plain, lacking the hustle and bustle you've come to expect from a fairground.

Still, I didn't dislike Forest of Stars. Would I recommend it? Possibly, it depends on the person. However, I will say that I'd be interested in reading more from Kassner in the future.

[musingsonbooks]

The House in the Cerulean Sea: Review

5/5 Stars

A wonderful story about looking past appearances, found family, and love. T.J. Klune does an excellent job world building in The House in the Cerulean Sea with all its magic and monsters and bureaucracy. Still, even in Linus's regular government job, there is a fantastical air of whimsy. In what world is there a Department in Charge of Magical Youth? In what world are your bosses referred to as Extremely Upper Management? For the reader, it gives the story that childish, exciting edge that it excels at - though, for Linus, it's just another part of his boring day to day.

Linus Baker is nothing special. He's a lonely middle-aged man working a government job but even middle-aged men can change the world and The House in the Cerulean Sea shows us that. It was an absolute treat to follow his story as he traverses out of his dull, grey city and into the great wide (colourful!) unknown.

At first, you feel sympathetic for Linus. At work, at home, in every aspect of his life he seems belittled. The bus is always late, the weather is always bad, and despite the magical presence that saturates Klune's world you start to empathise, because we've all had the same struggles. And then Linus gets a mysterious classified case far out in the country, and that's where the plot kicks in.

I adored the quirky, colourful cast of children that we got to meet - if there's anything that Klune is good at, it's writing kids. All of them felt unique, spunky, and full of that childish bullheadedness that children are full of. Despite their different pasts and personalities, all the children melded together well and you begin to see them as siblings despite who (and what) they are.

Which is the message of the book, really. Don't judge people by their looks, by their pasts, by their parents. Every child is special, every child deserves a chance. It's a lesson that more people need to hear, from the cruel people of the village to even disconnected Linus. You either stand with the oppressed party or you stand against them. The children aren't bad for having magic - even if one of them is the Antichrist. And similarly, Linus isn't bad for his ignorance. In the end, it comes down to your actions, whether you choose to willingly cause harm to another.

In many ways, I'm reminded of The Good Place (and Klune's generous references to Kant and philosophy probably don't help the comparison), the idea that morality is not static, that all people can improve. Of course, Klune has something The Good Place is lacking, which is a group of ragtag magical children to steal your heart.

And then of course there's Arthur. It was beautifully refreshing to see a gay relationship like theirs, one that's soft, sweet, slow. Seeing them fall in love captured my heart. Arthur and Linus aren't young, they're not following their bodies, and for some reason it makes their love all the more raw, all the more compelling.

This is a book I would highly recommend everyone read, it's witty, sweet, and with just the right dose of politics that I love in a story. Who could ask for more?

(Also on Goodreads)

[musingsonbooks]

Foretold: Review

4/5 Stars

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Foretold!

Foretold was a fun book to dive into. As someone who struggles with their own mental health, it was a refreshing (if at times painful) representation of how difficult a condition like OCD is to live with and Lumani does an excellent job at never letting us forget what Cassandra is going through. Her writing shines when she pulls us into Cassandra's head, reminding us again and again of that fear, that catastrophic thinking.

For me, Foretold reminds me a little of Percy Jackson. With ‘Cassandra’ and the scryers it's hard not to notice the influence of Greek myth. Combine this with an underground world, a summer camp - however fake it might be - and a final quest and the comparison becomes apparent. That being said, Foretold is not a Percy Jackson rip off, the plot twists, the trauma, and the characters are all unique and wonderful in themselves.

I spoke already about how much I liked Cassandra. While she might not be the happiest protagonist, her pain and her suffering make sense in context. And unlike some YA fiction girls, she's not all sad all the time - a trap that a lot of YA Protagonists fall into. Cassandra is influenced by her OCD, always on the lookout for disaster; she's caught up by the trauma of losing her mother and her desperate need to save Colin, but anxiety isn't the only emotion we see from her. Throughout the novel Cassandra is kind, she's funny, she makes you empathise for her plight. The relationships she builds with her friends and mentors feel genuine, and you're happy for her to have found a place where she belongs.

Speaking of her friends, I enjoyed them immensely. All too often, the friends of a protagonist feel washed down and out. There were times, especially in the beginning, where Griffin and Regan felt like cardboard cutouts; here's the funny chatterbox, here's the school bully, but the more we got to know them the more engaged I became. Griffin and Regan's constant banter reminded me of my own friend group, and that only made me like them more. Seeing them support Cassandra, through her failings and her triumphs, no matter what she was going through, reminded me of what friends are for.

And then there's Colin. Throughout the novel, I wanted to learn more about him. This is where I think Lumani fell short. In trying to sell a fairytale romance, she reduced him to a bland, perfect prince. His troubles felt trivial compared to Cassandra's, though I don't mean to undermine him, and especially in the first half of the novel I found him painfully flawless. It wasn't that I disliked Colin, just that every time he appeared I felt like Lumani was forcing me to love him. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed that there was little time put into love triangles and a messy romance (the bane of any YA novel) but I would have liked to learn a little more about Colin, glimpsed at what secrets he might be hiding.

That being said, his sections were a breath of fresh air in a novel where tension never quite disappears. At its core, I would say Foretold is a story about grief. Like many YA novels, it's a coming of age story but it's also one saturated with the loss of a parent, the loss of an 'unbroken' brain. A disorder like OCD doesn't make you broken, but I understood Cassandra's struggle with it, her mourning of a 'normal' life. Being different often leaves you lonely, and that loneliness is painful to live with. It's no surprise to me that Cassandra latched onto her identity as a scryer when she found out about her gifts, the chance to settle into a new normal.

There were times throughout the novel where the pace felt sluggish, other times where it raced ahead, but I don't think it was a bad book. In fact, for a YA audience, I think Foretold is an important read. Even now, in 2021, it's difficult to find YA protagonists with mental health issues who still get to go on fantastical adventures without being magically cured. Disabled people deserve escapism that includes them too and Foretold does an excellent job showing us the difficulties that come with OCD while also giving Cassandra a gift and powers that most teens can only dream of.

Overall, I enjoyed Foretold. It's definitely a book I would recommend to a friend or family member, even if they weren't a YA themselves. I look forward to a chance to read the sequel when it comes out!

[musingsonbooks]

The Thunder Heist: Review

3/5 Stars

The Thunder Heist was an intriguing book. Almost immediately I was drawn into the world that Herne created, the floating cities, the mutant people. Kef is definitely the type of anti-hero I love to read about, ruthless, amoral, with a secret heart and more trauma than you can shake a stick at.

Kef's introduction is brilliant. A prisoner who's not afraid to walk to her own death immediately pulled me into the world. I loved the cast of characters that were revealed to us - not all of them young and spry, but all of them masterfully talented. An engineer, an alchemist, and a girl who can control lightning. What more could you ask for?

The first half of the novel had me eager to read more, I wanted to hear about Kef's plans, her past. Having recently read Six of Crows, I was eager to immerse myself in another steampunk fantasy world, and Herne delivered on that. World building is definitely where Herne flourishes.

It was the second half of the novel that let me down. The more I read, the more obvious the twists became. The secret of the Lightning Tower was laughably obvious once you considered Kef's own abilities. I also didn't feel any sympathy for Exoran, despite how Herne tried to set him up to have a more sensitive side.

All in all, the end of the novel felt rushed. Get in and out, reveal the secret. It was hard to feel tense when everything seemed to be over in a matter of minutes. I would have loved a few more twists, a slower and more cunning revelation, one more struggle that lasted more than a few gloating lines.

Herne did a brilliant job at setting up a heist, at getting you excited, and then failed to clear the last hurdle. The Thunder Heist wasn't a bad novel, but it wasn't what I'd call brilliant either. That being said, I would glady read more about Kef and her adventures on the ocean world that make up her home. I'm intrigued by the setting, the ships and monsters that fill the sea, I just think the Thunder Heist could have done with a little more mystery to pad out the plot.

[musingsonbooks]

Crooked Kingdom Review

Spoilers Ahead

Fantastic. Another fantastic book from Leigh Bardugo, but I don't know what I was expecting. Every twist and turn had me hanging onto the edge of my seat, every plot twist made my heart stop in my chest. I can't believe how good this book was.

I loved seeing the relationships between the Crows develop further, revealing their cracked, messy cores. All that trauma, all that pain is addictive to read about. I especially adored seeing Kaz and Inej learn to connect better, I especially loved seeing Jesper and Wylan (yay for queer romances!) and as always Nina and Matthias made my heart melt.

Bardugo is excellent at setting up a heist, and Crooked Kingdom is a whole series of them; one long gamble. And the gamble, of course, pays off. Unlike Jesper, I don't think Bardugo knows how to lose. You never quite know what's going to happen, what secrets the characters - Kaz especially - have up their sleeves. No stone is forgotten about, no plot thread left unexplored, and it only makes the endings more satisfying.

In Crooked Kingdom, characters are forced to face their shadows and themselves. As they look at the people they could have become, they are made to reconcile with their pasts, what road they've taken. The final confrontation between Kaz and Pekka Rollins is a written masterpiece that has you gripping at the pages, teetering on the edge of your seat, but it's not the only mirror encounter throughout the book. Inej faces another spider, Jesper is forced to confront his father and the ghost of his mother, Matthias and Nina both come face to face with their respective pasts. Every motif and metaphor is carefully layered to explore the character's rich inner world. None of the Crows feel flat or forgotten about, despite the impressive cast. Often, I’ve found that books with more than two or three protagonists struggle to make them all engaging, but Bardugo does an excellent job juggling them all.

The plot kicks off with a hunt for Inej and turns ultimately into revenge. For Kaz, his entire life has been revenge since the day he dragged himself out of the water and into the Barrel, but now it's all-consuming and there's more than one target of his ire. Kaz Brekker is still an addictive character, unrelenting and unrepentant, terrified of human connection and yet unwilling to give up on those he considers family. Inej, Jesper, the rest of the Crows might bear the brunt of his ire and his sharp tongue, but Bardugo ensures you know he'd never give them up. When he calls Jesper 'Jordie' I almost screamed, it took me a good few minutes to move on with the story.

The more we learn about Kaz and his past, the more we sympathise with him despite his actions. Sometimes, we question whether he's even a true anti-hero, if he can even be redeemed - when he threatens Rollin's son, my heart lept into my throat - but there is always a sliver of that broken, traumatised little boy beneath his sharp exterior. Bardugo making him only seventeen only reminds you of that with every step that he takes.

Crooked Kingdom only leaves you wanting for more. I want to follow Inej and her ship, Nina and Kuwei, Wylan, Jesper, Kaz. I want to see what they do, how they grow up. Kaz has his money now, all that he needs to set up his kingdom and let it burn, and I would gladly watch him do it. Where will these characters go next, what will befall them? How many more situations can they worm in and out of?

They're all questions I'm burning to have answered.

(Also posted on Goodreads)

[musingsonbooks]

Six of Crows: Review

Leigh Bardugo is a mastermind at writing heists. I thought this my first time reading Six of Crows and the second time through just reinforced my opinion. Six of Crows is a wonderfully written, well-paced, heist story that leaves you desperate for more.

First, the characters. A lot of books struggle to balance a larger cast, but Bardugo juggles them excellently, no character seems left out or forgotten about, every single one of them has a secret and story to tell. None of them are wholly good - in fact, many of them are the opposite - and yet they're sympathetic, addictive, the type of characters that you long to dig into and tear apart.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't love Kaz. Sure, he's cruel, vicious, unrelentingly selfish (except in the few moments that he isn't) but he's also the type of anti-hero that I adore. There's a past that he doesn't want to confront, trauma after trauma forced into one teenage body, and of course the limp, the chronic pain. I relate to him, in a way. I know what it means to be angry, to want to rage against the world. I understand his pain, having walked with a cane multiple times in my life. I don't have his genius, his way with locks, or magician's tricks, but I've certainly tried to suppress my emotions, hidden behind a sharp tongue. At first, you're not sure if you should like Kaz Brekker, but Bardugo slowly (and excellently) breaks him apart for the reader and then you can't help but long to help him, if not save him.

Inej is a beautifully complex character, a girl, a spider, a deadly force, one dedicated to her faith and to finding her family. She's 'exotic' without being fetishized by the reader because Bardugo spends pages exploring how she's fetishized in Ketterdam and by the entire world. For some people, Inej is little more than a Lynx to exploit and Bardugo exposes the dark undercurrent of the world, how it treats people who look different to us.

Jesper, the last of the original Crows, is another favourite. A sharp shooter, a gambling addict, quick tongued and quicker to spring into action, how could I not love him? He reminds me of my own ADHD, the ever thrumming energy and how quickly I get hyper-fixated, drawn into a game. His revelation is something you don't expect at first and then, when you go back, you wonder how it wasn't obvious all along. I loved seeing a frank acknowledgement of his queerness as the book progressed and was eager to learn more about his character and his past.

Matthias, Nina, Weylan - I could spend another paragraph or six discussing them all. The culture clash, the love-hate-love relationship, a character with dyslexia, multiple falls from grace. Leigh Bardugo leaves no stone unturned, shies away from no story, and yet the book doesn't feel overwhelming. Every plot point is relevant and engaging, every character a deep well of intricacies that you want to pick at an unravel.

And then there's the plot, intriguing, exciting, full of twists and turns and plan after plan - what more could you want from a heist? Six unlikely, dangerous outcasts come together to break into the Ice Court, an unbreachable stronghold. If you like competency porn, this is a book for you. Like Leverage, but more gritty and full of fantastical elements, you rarely doubt the characters and their skills, only if they'll be able to beat the odds.

I wanted to learn more about the world; I loved seeing how all the different cultures and elements came together to create a puzzle. It's a puzzle you can't imagine solving at first, full of moments where everything seems helpless. You want to give up, but you don't because none of the characters are willing to give up and there's always another branch to explore. By the end of the story, you are stubborn as Kaz and the rest of the Crows, determined to win no matter the cost.

The Grishaverse is such a brilliant universe and Six of Crows is a fantastic story, one that I couldn't put down. I read it in hours both times and I'm sure I'll end up doing it again. (also on goodreads)