So I hit a little reading slump over the weekend and thought the best way to get out of it would be to pick up a fluffy little contemporary novel...so of course, I instead pick up a fantasy book about a gang of thieves and assassins attempting to pull off an impossible heist...of course.

This book was absolutely breathtaking. From the fast-paced plot to the complex characters to the out of this world (see what I did there?) world-building, Six of Crows is definitely a contender for my favorite book I've read this year.

Leigh Bardugo wrote the Grisha Trilogy, a series I highly enjoyed, and Six of Crows takes place in the same universe, at some point after the events in the Grisha Trilogy. There are references to people and events from the trilogy, so I would suggest you read that series first if you don't want to be spoiled for it. However, you can definitely follow this book with no issues if you choose not to read the Grisha Trilogy first (But seriously, it's a great series. Just do yourself a favor and read it!!).

This story is told from the perspective of five of the six main characters. Each character really had a distinct voice, and I never felt like I didn't know whose point-of-view we were seeing.

The characters in this book are flawed and complex...and they are all wonderful! I don't want to get spoilery, so I'll just say that Bardugo does a wonderful job weaving back stories into this book that really help lay the foundation of this story. It doesn't feel expositional or info-dumpy in the slightest. She makes you root for this band of criminals, which I don't feel is an easy task. I think my favorite character is Inej, but even as I type that my brain is saying, "What about Kaz? And Nina? And Matthias? And..." Needless to say, I loved them all.

There are a couple of romantic subplots in this book, but they are NOT the main subject of the story and anyone looking for that may want to look elsewhere...although I LOVED the romantic couples in this book!

The plot was fast paced and interesting. The way that Bardugo crafted the story kept me hooked throughout. Even when we were getting a flashback from one of the characters, it never felt as though we were away from the story. The tension, the drama, the peril was still right under the surface and I really loved that the pacing never suffers.

The world-building is absolutely amazing. Now, as I said before, Bardugo created this universe in the Grisha Trilogy. However, the places we get to see in this book were never explored during the events of the original series. Bardugo does an excellent job of making Ketterdam and Fjerdan their own unique aesthetic. I could picture everything clearly as I read, almost as if I was watching a movie. I appreciate how simply she can set the scene for the reader, with language that is descriptive and effective without being overblown and flowery.

All in all, I really loved this book. It has to be in the running for my favorite book of the year (and I've read some truly amazing books this year).

I can't wait to get the second book in the duology, Crooked Kingdom as soon as I can!