Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

 

Six of Crows

March 15th, 2024

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, 2015, Fantasy, 462 pages

2018 German Fantasy Awards Winner

In the city of Ketterdam, Kaz Brekker's name is widely revered and feared among the cities most notorious gangs. Despite living in a world where some humans, or Grisha, are born with extraordinary abilities, Kaz is most well known for his incredible wit and ability to get any "job" done, especially if there's a high reward in the picture. Kaz's closest allies in his band of thieves are Inej (an ex-Suli acrobat with killer knife skills) and Jesper (a talented sharpshooter with a gambling problem). When Kaz is informed that a new drug,  jurda parem, has been created to control and amplify Grisha's powers to an extreme degree, he accepts the impossible mission of stealing the drug's creator from an impenetrable fortress called the Ice Court. He does this for a handsome reward--of course. This gang of talented teenagers, joined by a Heartrender named Nina and a Grisha ("witch") hunter named Matthias, must use all of their skills, wits, and some good ol' luck to pull off the mission with their lives still intact. 

I was always meant to read Six of Crows. I absolutely fell in love with the Grisha universe Bardugo created in her Shadow and Bone trilogy. I was totally psyched when I saw Netflix was bring the show to life in a TV series. As I started watching, I was confused to see characters I had never heard of before. I realized these "extra" characters were actually individuals from the Six of Crows series. Their fierceness, wit, and humor (especially Jesper's) convinced me that I had to add this title to my reading list.  Funny enough, the next day at school one of my students was reading the book, saying it was his all-time favorite series! Coincidence? Fate? Either way, I'm glad I got a copy in my hands. 

Teaching and Content Considerations:

Considering the sheer length of this book, I would recommend Six of Crows for independent reading. Any middle schooler or high schooler, especially if they are voracious readers and fans of the fantasy genre, will eat this storyline up! I would suggest this to students who are patient and willing to learn a new universe and multiple character names at once--reading the Shadow and Bone series first will help immensely. Students who enjoy action-packed, fast paced plot lines with outcast protagonists will become quick fans of Kaz's gang of thieves. (Note: Inej's character was forced to work in a pleasure house before Kaz paid of her indenture. Later in the book, Inej comes face to face with the woman in charge of the pleasure house and has PTSD. Although there are no depictions of sex or sexual assault, this might be something to keep in mind when recommending this novel to certain students.) 

Instructional Ideas

Characterization/ Theme of Secrets: Bardugo does such a wonderful job developing each of her characters. With each chapter, readers get to know the characters better and will find themselves falling in love with them--despite the fact that they are murderers and thieves! It is often a puzzle how these characters can work so well together despite being so different. Hence, this novel provide the perfect opportunity for students to analyze the characterization of Kaz, Jesper, Inej, Nina, and Matthias. In particular, how each character's effect on others and actions often contrast with their internal thoughts. Each character harbors secrets that ultimately impact the well being of the group. Students could also cite evidence to determine if each character's internal thoughts begins to align with how they present themselves to others. 

Flashbacks: One technique Bardugo uses to provide a closer look at each character is through a series of flashbacks. If I remember correctly, there is a flashback for Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina, and Matthias. Hence, students could analyze each flashback and determine the author's purpose for including each flashback. Is it to reveal a certain character trait? Reveal past trauma? Reveal a looming internal conflict that may play a pivotal role later on? Foreshadow an event yet to come? To make this more "fun," students could draw an image of each flashback, describe what happens, and analyze the purpose of it. After concluding the novel, students might even analyze how the novel would be different if the flashbacks had NOT been included. 

Possible Read Aloud Passages

• Page 15: "Kaz Brekker didn't need a reason. Those were the words whispered on the streets of Ketterdam, in the taverns and coffeehouses, in the dark and bleeding alleyways of the pleasure district known as the Barrel. The boy they called Dirtyhands didn't need a reason any more than he needed permission--to break a leg, sever an alliance, or change a man's fortunes with the turn of a card."
• Readers get some insight into the kind of person, or "myth" Kaz Brekker has built for himself through the eyes of his Wraith, Inej. Although Kaz himself is just a teenager, we learn that he has a reputation that is feared throughout the Barrel and Ketterdam. 
• Pages 40-41; Pages 45-47: "Suddenly, Kaz knew he wasn't alone. He paused, listening. He'c cut through a tight alley split by a murky canal....He'd dropped his guard, let his mind give in to distraction...Kaz felt [his] cane torn from his hands by someone on his right...and then a figure stepped through the wall. Kaz's mind stuttered and reeled, trying to explain what he was seeing as a cluster of mist became a cloak, boots, the pale flash of a face."
• No one ever bests or takes Kaz Brekker by surprise--until the moment a mysterious figure walks through a wall and takes him captive. I suggest teachers read aloud pages 45-47 as well, as it sets the entire premise for Kaz's mission (stop the making of the drug jurda parem). However, it would only help if students are familiar with the Grisha universe. 
• Pages 126-128: "'The easiest way to steal a man's wallet is to tell him you're going to steal his watch. You take his attention and direct it to where you want it to go...We enter as we are,' Kaz said. 'As criminals. The prison is our front door.'"
• Jesper realizes Kaz has his "scheming face" on. Despite sounding like an impossible mission, Kaz explains exactly how they are going to enter the Ice Court to kidnap the creator of jurda parem: they will be taken prisoner. Kaz's wild, fully calculated schemes will have readers on the edge of their seats to see what Kaz has up his sleeve next, and if the group will be successful. 

Thoughts and Reflections

I could really gush all day about Six of Crows. I was amazed at Kaz's wit and how his past trauma holds him back from what he desires most. Inej's high moral ground and beliefs are an incredible contrast to traumatic past and current "profession." Bardugo truly blew me away with her character development--any reader will find themselves on team "anti-hero" by the final page of this nerve-racking adventure. 

After reading this novel, I plan to read the two other books in this series. I'm not ready to let go of this incredible group of misfits just yet. I would also like to rewatch the Netflix show Shadow and Bone to see how well the characters' unique personalties and pasts are reflected on the big screen!