Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and Bookish and hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl where we get a new topic for a top 10 list.

The original title for today’s topic is ‘Book Titles with Numbers In Them.’ However, I’ve not read a vast amount of books with numbers in the title, and the only memorable one that came to mind was Six of Crows. This book is one of my favourite fantasy novels, so I thought I’d put a spin to this week’s numerical theme and spotlight six reasons to read Six of Crows.

1. Fast-paced action: This is a book that is easy to get into. The opening chapter immediately grabs your attention and throws you right in the middle of mystery and danger. From the very first moment until the last, the pacing of this book is consistent in its fast-paced action. There is never a dull moment and the uncertainty of what’s to come will have you at the very edge of your seats. 

2. Character dynamics: The brilliance of this book is in the complicated character dynamics we explore along the way. The fast-paced action ensures that you’re always alert, but it’s the subtle character moments that are woven in between these moments that really get to you. No relationship is contrived, and no character is sacrificed for the sake of a relationship. Bardugo does a phenomenal job of exploring the complexities of both platonic and romantic dynamics in the series without compromising the character’s individual journey.

3. Intricate plot: There are so many twists and turns your head will be reeling by the end. This book, with all it’s plotting and brutality, has an incredible awareness of strategy and business. Kaz has one of the sharpest minds I’ve ever encountered. He always appears to be three steps ahead of anyone he encounters and has a backup plan for his backup. The level of intricacy in the tiniest details of the plot is incredible.

4. Morally ambiguous characters: None of our main characters are innocent. They have all committed heinous crimes. The world they live in is a kill or be killed life. The only person you can truly count on is yourself, so a lot of the characters are hardened to the world. The beauty of this is that we get to understand more of our characters through their actions and how they react to the consequences of those actions. 

5. Rich world-building: The previous elements mentioned in this post all contribute to the rich world-building in Six of Crows. The imagery of the Ice Court, Ketterdam, and every location we visit along this journey is so vivid you feel as if you’re walking through the streets themselves. There is a distinction between each location, highlighted in the characterization of the landscape and its people. Trust me when I say that Six of Crows is a wholly immersive reading experience.

6. The Six: Finally, to end with the crew that will stab their way to your heart. Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina, Matthias, and Wylan are not your conventional heroes. On paper, this crew should not work. They’re all vastly different from one another, but there is something that connects them, they’re outsiders. They don’t fit into the “natural” order of society and are their uniting factor. Their skill sets are necessary to the cause, but throughout this journey, we see them come to rely on, trust and defend one another. It’s a messy journey, with plenty of conflict, but in their own unique way they are a united team that is a force to be reckoned with.

Have you read Six of Crows?
What’s your favourite part of the book?