Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Riveting, violent fantasy of flawed teens on a mission.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 16 parent reviews
Parents say this book is action-packed but serves dark themes such as violence, crime, and complex character dynamics that may not be suitable for younger readers. While opinions on age appropriateness vary, many recommend it for teenagers aged 13 and older due to its mature content including graphic violence and nuanced explorations of sexuality.
- dark themes
- graphic violence
- complex characters
- age appropriateness
- mature content
- diverse representation
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 128 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Kaz is the brilliant and ruthless face of the Dregs gang in Ketterdam, a city whose slums team with brothels, gambling, thievery, and plenty of shady deals. Rarely does real opportunity for something better come knocking. But it does one night when Kaz is knocked unconscious on the docks and woken up by a powerful local merchant named Van Eck. Van Eck has a job for him. A new drug called jurda parem causes the already magical Grisha people of Ravka to amplify their powers. It's dangerous for the Grisha -- the addictive properties of the drug can kill -- and it's dangerous for society: The Grishas' powers could topple whole governments. The only known maker of jurda parem is rotting in a prison in the frigid and militarily powerful country of Fjerda in a virtually impenetrable stronghold called the Ice Court. Van Eck's impossible job for Kaz, if he wishes to accept it, is to break the drug maker out and bring him back to Ketterdam. In response to the proposal, Kaz does what he does best: ask for an insane amount of money while stealing Van Eck's wallet and jewels at the same time. Then he assembles a team. Inej and Jesper from his gang are easy choices, and so is the Grisha, Nina, who has powers that can stop a person's heart. And he smartly chooses Van Eck's son, Wylan, as collateral. That leaves one more: the Fjerdan, Matthias. But if they want Matthias' help breaking into the Ice Court, they'll have to break him out of a Ketterdam prison first.
Is It Any Good?
This spin-off series to the Grisha trilogy is equal parts nail-biting Mission: Impossible-style excitement and intimate, compelling portraits of flawed and complex characters. It's hard to know what to rave about first. Even readers who think they've seen it all when it comes to twists and turns will still be wowed by every crazy plan Kaz comes up with to get out of the last one that went horribly wrong. And Kaz never shows his whole hand, so until that plan goes wrong you're still guessing.
Then, in-between breaking into and out of prisons and fighting gangs of rogue Grisha, the backstories of each of the six fascinating characters emerge. Their harsh situations and determination to survive only increase the nail-biting when it seems like they can't possibly make it out of the next scrape alive. Add to that two star-crossed love stories and the pages turn even faster. What a phenomenal start to a new series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the main characters. What do you like about them? Did learning each one's story change your opinion of them? Who are you rooting for the most? The least?
Did you read the Grisha trilogy? If so, how does Six of Crows compare? If not, do you want to read it now?
Kaz is clearly a genuis, tactical and otherwise, but he's stuck in his position as gang leader. What do you think he could have become had he been a merchant's son?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Henry Holt & Company, Inc.
- Publication date : September 29, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 480
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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