(Detailed) plot overview: Kaz Brekker, the leader of the Dregs and owner of the Crow Club, is a formidable figure in Ketterdam's underworld at just seventeen. Also nicknamed ‘Dirtyhands,’ he’s famous for being able to do just about anything and outsmarting rival gangs. His reputation catches the eye of Van Eck, a wealthy merchant, who presents Kaz with an incredibly dangerous heist: to set free the scientist Bo Yul-Bayur from the Ice Court in Fjerda in exchange for thirty million kruge. Bo Yul-Bayur is the mind behind jurda parem, a drug that boosts Grisha's magical abilities.
Recognizing the immense risk and the seemingly insurmountable Ice Court fortress where Bo Yul-Bayur is imprisoned, Kaz still can't resist the thrill and potential fortune. He meticulously selects his crew: Inej, the elusive Wraith and likely the one closest to him; Jesper, a sharpshooter; Nina, a Grisha Heartrender; and Matthias, a former Fjerdan soldier with crucial knowledge of the Ice Court, despite their complicated past and Matthias's initial reluctance. Lastly, Kaz recruits Wylan, Van Eck's estranged son and explosives expert, both for his skills and as leverage against Van Eck.
Their journey is packed with challenges, from a surprise attack by Kaz’s adversary, Pekka Rollins, resulting in Inej's severe injury, to an intricate plan of masquerading as prisoners to infiltrate the Ice Court (and a surprising abrupt discovery of Kaz apparently having haphephobia, the fear of touching or being touched by others, due to traumatic childhood experiences). Inside, the team relies on their unique skills, with Jesper's unexpected revelation as a Grisha Fabrikator proving crucial. However, as the mission progresses, complications arise. Kaz's vendetta against Rollins momentarily sidetracks him, while Nina and Inej face their own peril infiltrating a royal celebration.
The plot takes a grim turn when they discover Bo Yul-Bayur is dead, leaving his son Kuwei, a young Grisha coerced into continuing his father's work. With all the escalating tension, Nina's drastic use of the highly addictive jurda parem to save them, and Van Eck's treacherous double-cross during the exchange (Kaz found out Van Eck had been tricking them and wasn’t going to pay them, so Kaz didn’t hand over Kuwei, and in return Van Eck took Inej hostage with the promise he’d torture her in a week if Kaz didn’t bring Kuwei), Kaz's planning keeps the team one step ahead.
The narrative concludes in Ketterdam, with Kaz scheming up yet another intricate plan to counter Van Eck's betrayal and save Inej, even roping in his old nemesis Pekka Rollins. Rollins, although the author had made it vague what exactly went on between Rollins and Kaz when Kaz found him in a cell, had apparently been freed by Kaz so that Kaz could later collect a favor.
My opinion: To be honest I thought Six of Crows was going to be another possibly overrated book, but I’d heard enough good things about it that I got it out of curiosity, and in this case the good things said about it were actually very very right-. The characters’ dynamics just flowed so smoothly, Kaz’s foresight was definitely unexpected- but not implausible, either, so I can’t say it was unrealistic- there was the perfect amount of banter, and I loved that the worldbuilding was complex but not hard to follow. Kaz Brekker, to me, seemed a little like a young adult version of Artemis Fowl (young criminal mastermind) maybe minus the high-tech equipment, since the Grishaverse seems to rely more on magic, guns and knives (in the case of Inej).
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