Six of Crows

I am a firm believer that books are almost always better than movies and should always be experienced first. It has been that way for most of the books I have read, like Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, and so much more. However, when it came to Shadow and Bone on Netflix, I didn’t even know it was based off a book series! When I watched it sometime after the pandemic not knowing it was an adaptation, I was pretty happy with it because it was entertaining enough and more complex than the average teen fantasy show. But one thing I remember clearly was how much I loved the story line occurring in the fictional city of Ketterdam, with Kaz and his crew. Each character was unique and charming, and I was far more interested in these people than the plot with Alina. Unfortunately, Netflix has a habit of canceling good shows to make room for boring movie spinoffs, so I was disappointed that I would never get to see Inej and Kaz become a thing. But this situation changed very recently.

I was at my local library when I saw Shadow and Bone sitting on the shelf of the teen novel section. Excited, I picked up the very first book and began reading, but I found out that I just couldn’t get into it. It felt really tropey, and I realize that it probably changes later on, but I was really struck by how predictable it is. Countless other novels have the ‘powerless individual’ who turns out to be one of the strongest of them all. And something I heard about somewhere which I can’t unsee now is the not-like-other-girls trope, where our protagonist is the exact opposite of ‘beautiful’ or ‘desirable’ and female characters who are seen as that (like the Grisha girl from the beginning, Zoya I think?)  are sort of demonized because they are there to ‘steal the man’. Again, I’m probably being really harsh and this might not have been the case if I actually read the books first, but that really stood out to me while reading. But most of all, I realized that the story line involving Kaz and the Crows was not there at all in the first book! Upon further inspection of the bookshelf, though, it turned out that my favorite characters got their very own book and mini-series. This was the perfect opportunity to re-experience the world of Shadow and Bone again with a better retelling, and guess what- it did not disappoint!

‘Six of Crows’ is written by Leigh Bardugo, and it takes place in the bustling city of Ketterdam, where crime runs rampant. Kaz Brekker is a criminal prodigy who runs a gang called The Dregs, made of misfits. However, with the rise of a dangerous drug that amplifies Grisha powers, Kaz is offered a chance at a dangerous heist that could make him richer than he could possibly imagine. Each member of the crew accompanying him must survive each other and battle their own demons if they want a chance for a better life and to save the world of magic from destruction.

What I love most about this book are the characters. Each one interacts so effortlessly and naturally with one another, and they all have depth, made by their flaws, aspirations, and strengths. The main character of this novel, Kaz Brekker, was exceptionally well thought-out, and felt much more nuanced than in the show. However, because the TV show cast The Dregs with adult actors, I was thrown off when Kaz mentioned he was 17. I literally just burst out laughing, because I didn’t know how I was ever going to take him seriously after that. But the book made up for it, because book Kaz was much more brutal than in the show. His cold, larger-than-life personality was done really well, and that was exemplified in the very first confrontation where he roots out the traitor.

“They’d been badly shaken by his betrayal- both by the revelation and the way Kaz had delivered punishment. Beneath all that jostling and whooping, there was fear.”

Another thing I was not expecting was the entire eyeball-gouging scene, which I will not include a quotation for (haha) but really drove the point home that Kaz was an unhinged criminal mastermind. However, the cracks in Kaz’s facade were really genuine- like his hate of people touching him and him whenever Inej literally exists. The way those cracks grew during the mission was incredibly well done. The way his backstory was told, very tragic and terrifying, was may more impactful than the show, and it brought more development to his character.

In addition to Kaz, I really loved Inej in the book. Her character was again, much more well-rounded than the show, and her life before joining The Dregs was more detailed- simultaneously terrifying but also adding to the complexity of the plot. Her motivations and personality was much more clear, and I understood her uncertainty towards how far her loyalty to the Dregs go. Also, her words to Kaz at the end were just perfect!

“I will have you without armor, Kaz Brekker. Or I will not have you at all.”

It was just really powerful, because with the money from the heist, she could finally be free and return to her family, or really just use her skills to help others. But she also wants Kaz, and he doesn’t want to open up to anybody just yet.

Finally, I loved the way the rest of the characters in the crew interacted with each other. Nina and Mattias’s hatred towards each other due to their conflicting experiences, beliefs, and personality was done really well. They are both extremely self-righteous, and the friction that creates between them is cool to see play out. But again, I just lose it when these characters keep mentioning that they are 17! My mental images of these people are so warped because of this fact, and it is driving me insane. Also, Jesper was a surprise because there were so much more details surrounding who he is, making him more unique. In the show, he felt like an add-in that wasn’t vital to the plot, but in the book, his personality was built more. He (and everyone else) was actually given flaws, and that was what the show failed to do. Characters without flaws in general are not great to me, and would serve better as NPCs rather than members of a highly diverse cast of cunning criminals. Jesper had a gambling addiction and he also lied to his father about attending school, and that added an extra dimension to his views of himself and his guilt, making Jesper a far more interesting character. Wylan was another character that was pretty much ignored in the show, with his only role as being Jesper’s love interest, but in the books, he actually has a personality, a role in the plot, and a reason for being a part of the crew. Also, his banter with Jesper throughout the book was actually hilarious. I feel like this quote perfectly sums up the character of most of the group through their methods of unaliving someone, where everyone responds to Kaz’s question, “What’s the easiest way to steal a man’s wallet?”.

“‘Knife to the throat?’ asked Inej.

‘Gun to the back?’ said Jesper.

‘Poison in his cup?’ suggested Nina.

‘You’re all horrible,’ said Matthias.”

And of course, Kaz’s Pearl of Wisdom (delivered with the roll of the eyes) should not be ignored, where he says, “The easiest way to steal a man’s wallet is to tell him you’re going to steal his watch”. This scene itself reveals how fun it is to read this book and experience the interactions of these characters because of the plot. This was a really good book, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting more information on my favorite Dregs from the TV show. Time to get started on the second installment, “Crooked Kingdom”!