In Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker holds all the cards in the Barrel, consisting of the lowly people of Ketterdam. A place of trades, debauchery, and violence, Kaz knows how to lead his gang: the Dregs. With the help of his spy, Inej, and his loyal gunsman Jesper, he is the king of the Barrel. For Kaz, he knows that with enough money comes ultimate power. So when the wealthiest merchant of Ketterdam approaches him with a task rewarding more money than he could have ever dreamt of, he gathers five other misfits for the right price, and just enough blackmail. The task? Breaking into the infamously impenetrable Fjerdan fortress: the Ice Court. Through secrets unveiled, hardships endured, and enough waffles for a lifetime, Bardugo spins an intriguing tale of magic and mystery, while highlighting the strong relationships each of them builds during the deadly heist.

We would give this book a 9.5 out of 10 because Bardugo’s execution of the plot was just about flawless. While the beginning got off to a rough start, the rest of the book was skillfully written. The storyline with the heist was easy to understand, despite the frequent switching of the characters’ perspectives. Additionally, Bardugo gives each character a personality more in-depth than most YA books and creates them in a way that seems almost stereotypical, but with realistic backstories and qualities. If we were to imagine a conversation with the characters, it would be much easier than with other novels. Similarly, the characters have vastly differing personalities and traits and do not seem like different variations of the same person, unlike in many other YA novels. However, despite their greatly varying backgrounds and dispositions, we can also see how they are brought together in many ways. She doesn’t try to justify the actions of the morally gray characters, nor does she romanticize the notion that “bad guys are good if they’re charming”, which is a popular theme in many YA books. Although there are tropes commonly seen in YA novels, like enemies to lovers and found family, they are very well written and are not stereotypical. All in all, it is a wonderfully written book with witty characters and a straightforward plot with its fair share of plot twists and heart-wrenching moments.