Book: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Publishing date: September 27th, 2016
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
Pages: 536
Synopsys:
After pulling off a seemingly impossible heist in the notorious Ice Court, criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker feels unstoppable. But life is about to take a dangerous turn—and with friends who are among the deadliest outcasts in Ketterdam city, Kaz is going to need more than luck to survive in this unforgiving underworld.
Review:
Crooked Kingdom - a wonderful story about determination, perseverance, loyalty, and wit. A tale showcasing that no matter how many times life gets you down, you can always climb back up. I loved seeing all the characters battling their own demons and how through many struggles they still managed to have tiny victories.
I loved the diversity in characters. The difference of their cultures, of their backgrounds. How no matter the differences people are still capable of finding common ground. Crooked Kingdom was refreshing in its unpolished character faults. How it shows that regardless of our backgrounds, none of us are immune to hardships. I found this fact strangely inspirational. Thinking - wow, if they could go through all of that, then I could get through everything life throws my way as well.
I would like to see this story continue. Perhaps a final book that could mend my heart after Crooked Kingdom so unceremoniously ripped it out. It will take me a while to recover from the 100 reasons this story gave me to cry. Every single tear shed was worth it though. A bittersweet price for a wonderful story.
*Spoilers ahead* Disclaimer: Might contain ranting.
A lot of thoughts were provoked in my head. There are so many opinions that formed, yet I seem to have trouble to put them into words. I guess it would be logical to first state my general opinion.
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the fact that we got to know all of the characters on a deeper level. Six of Crows hinted at their pasts and showed us how come they ended up exactly where we met them. Crooked Kingdom however, showed us the journey from point A to point B.
I can't even begin to explain how painful I found it to read Inejs backstory. I am a person that is blessed (or cursed) with a very vivid imagination and a wagonload of empathy. Even the parts in Six of Crows that described how she ended up in Ketterdam and what she had to do to survive, impacted me a lot emotionally. Yet scenes in Crooked Kingdom, especially the description of the man that smelled like vanilla, messed me up. I had to put the book down and take a few deep breaths before continuing. I put myself in her shoes and I felt so much sadness. I admire how Inej is capable of holding on to so much hope because I am not sure whether or not I could do the same in her place.
Kaz. Is it odd that I pitied him the most? Brekker, a person is so fundamentally broken, that even slightest bit of progress seems like the whole world. I had a hunch from the start that Kaz has a heart of gold. He just buries it in a deep dark place hoping that no one will find it. But bit by bit, he started to show more affection in a Kaz sort of way. Those small gestures were really endearing. Helping out Waylan, looking out for Jesper, the interactions with Inej. Kaz is far from being a good person but he isn't completely bad either. At the end, when he decided to stop wearing gloves, I felt pride for him. He really made an effort.
Waylan and Jesper. I adore the two. No joke, I looked forward to every single interaction between them. They are just great for each other. It is strange in a way, that their point of bonding, is having complicated relationships with their fathers. Very different stories but similar concepts. I could go deeper into this topic and discuss how deeply saddening it was to see Waylan display signs of Stockholm syndrome in relation to his father, but I’m not going to. What matters more, is the fact that everything somewhat worked out in the end and that Waylan and Jesper found each other.
Nina and Matthias. I just... I can't even. Willing to bet that everyone knows exactly why. I was pissed, and not because he died, but because in my opinion, his death meant nothing. After everything the crew went through, after everything they survived, that is how he met his end? Really? But, but it had no major impact on the story! What did his death change? Well, you know, other than trashing Nina’s mental state. Nothing. Maybe, just maybe, there had been a deeper meaning to this. However, I had failed to see it. It did, however, remind us of the mortality of the characters. The book itself acknowledges that. They seemed untouchable when they clearly weren't. I realize now that I sound ridiculous. Being upset not due to characters death but due to it not being as epic as I would have hoped. Okay, I am going to shut up now.
Thank you for reading. Leave a comment if you like. Feel free to share this review, because as we all know, sharing IS caring.
Have a wonderful day.
Six of Crows review can be found here:
Other books I have read this year can be found here:
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