Six of Crows

Reading Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, I really got roped into the characters and the growth they all experienced between the duology. I never did read the Shadow and Bone trilogy but I didn't need to since only a handful of the characters were actually involved with the story the originated back then. The details of the world are still widely explored throughout this series even taking place after another series. The main six characters(as the name of the book suggests) are a wide variety of people. Kaz, being the ringleader, is often referred to as Dirtyhands by side characters and others as a title he earned with dealing cards, theft, and not saying no to a dirty job. Inej was named the Wraith, often shadowing Kaz and staying by his side. She was a trained acrobat and later assassin, though her belief in The Saints guides her throughout the two books alongside her trust that had been placed in Kaz and Jesper.

Jesper, my favorite character, is the Sharpshooter of this ragtag team of criminals and liars. He gambles often, a loud personality filled with what is often compared to ADHD. Though he is a skilled gambler, Jesper loses and he loses hard as he finds it very difficult to walk away from a large risk or bet. Wylan was a new addition to the team when he was introduced, having very little background explored until halfway through the first book. He was the demolition man they brought along on the heist. Nina is what they call a Grisha, a person with powers that can be used in various ways. Her branch was called the Corporalki, meaning she could control the human body. Her specific subcategory was Heartrender, meaning she was trained to do harm to people rather than heal or help them. Matthias was in jail when he was introduced, having been set free by Nina. Having come from Fjerda, he was trained to be drüskelle and that meant he was a professional at hunting and killing Grisha for the sake of his country and his god.

The entire first book is about a heist on the capital of Fjerda known as the Ice Court, it is the most secure location in the entire world. Though they don't always get along necessarily, many of the relationships between the characters are quite interesting. It was a fun story overall, knowing the risk in every move they make and how easy it would be for the entire job to flip upside-down and end up going very poorly.