The Grishaverse
Leigh Bardugo is the bestselling author of several books within what’s called “The Grishaverse,” beginning first with her Shadow of Bone trilogy and then expanding out from there.
Truthfully, I did not know this when I picked up Six of Crows. But I’d been seeing many good things about it and wanted to try it. Thankfully, I didn’t need to have read Shadow of Bone in order to understand Six of Crows, which takes place in a different country with a different cast. Both center around the Grisha, those with magical capabilities, from Ravka.
A Summary
Six of Crows introduces us to Kaz Brekker from the streets of Ketterdam. Written in multiple point-of-views, we soon meet his carefully crafted crew: Inej, Jesper, Nina, Matthias, and Wylan.
Kaz and his crew set out for an unbelievable journey to break into the Fjerdan Ice Court to steal away their Shu prisoner who has developed a Grisha-enhancing drug called parem. It’s worth a pretty penny! An amount Kaz can’t pass up.
The Ice Court may be impenetrable. But no one has met a guy like Kaz before. And no one is expecting his Wraith, sharpshooter, Grisha heartrender, Fjerdan soldier, and leverage.
What I Liked about Six of Crows
- Original concept and plot
- Unique fantasy world
- Well-written and evenly-paced, despite complexity
- Complicated, flawed characters
- Character relationships
What I Liked Less
- Fairly dark at times with bloody, descriptive violence
- Occasional moments were hard to follow (like details of the heist)
Content Concerns
In many ways, Six of Crows reminded me of Scythe (Neal Shusterman). While rarely explicit, the subject matter is heavy and dark with immoral characters.
It was a dark, gritty tale with morally gray characters and a good deal of violence. The bowels of Ketterdam are a lawless place. Characters hurt, lie, and cheat those around them. No one keeps their word.
There’s minor swearing on and off and some sexual tension, though the book has nothing explicit.
Two characters come from brothels (although it’s very clear they are unwilling participants). And one character is the victim of slave ships and trafficking. There is also a good deal of gambling.
If You Like Six of Crows…
You may want to check out my own novel, releasing April 23, 2026!
Similarly to Six of Crows, Shift follows an orphaned team-up on an undercover op to the country’s capital. While it’s not a heist, there’s a kidnapping and shares the logistical aspect of coordinated crime!
Other similarities between Six of Crows and Shift include:
- Romance as a subplot
- Betrayals and loyalty
- Straightforward fantasy world
- Morally ambiguous, without being toxic
- High stakes
However, Shift has (overall) much less violence, darkness, and language. I hope you’ll check it out!
Final Thoughts
Six of Crows is an extremely well-written young adult novel. I loved how unique it was, how it stood on its own two feet and did not attempt to copy other popular novels.
The romances are subplots; the characters are flawed but not toxic. The violence is real, not gratuitous. The story is engaging and keeps your attention all the way through. I enjoyed the characters’ relationships and dynamics within the group as well.
Fans of Ocean’s 11 and similar heist stories will enjoy Six of Crows, as well as readers who enjoy dark dystopian/fantasy like Scythe or The Hunger Games that leaves a lasting impact.
Stay tuned for my review of Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, book 2)!
Content Rating: Moderate
for intensity, violence, and language
Copyright Leigh Bardugo and Square Fish. Image from Amazon.
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