Six of Crows Review: Does It Redeem the Grisha Trilogy's Rough Ending?

Is Six of Crows worth reading? Here's a breakdown of the reception to Leigh Bardugo's heist duology — the characters, the pacing, and whether you need to read the Grisha Trilogy first.

8/18/20263 min read

Six of Crows Review: Does It Redeem the Grisha Trilogy's Rough Ending?

Moving away from Ravka's golden palaces and into Ketterdam's criminal underworld, this spin-off duology has earned a reputation among some readers as even stronger than the original Grisha Trilogy that preceded it. Here's a breakdown of what reviewers say.

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Quick Answer

Reception is overwhelmingly enthusiastic, with reviewers consistently praising the multi-POV structure, morally complex characters, and heist-driven plot. Interestingly, reviews suggest this book works well both for readers coming from the original trilogy and for those jumping in cold, without having read the Grisha books first.

What It's About

Kaz Brekker, leader of a criminal gang called the Dregs operating out of Ketterdam's Barrel district, is offered a job too lucrative to refuse: break into one of the most heavily secured prisons in Fjerda. Assembling a crew of five other operatives, each with their own skills, secrets, and reasons for taking on an apparently impossible heist, Kaz leads them into a mission where the reward could set them all up for life — if they survive it.

Do You Need to Read the Grisha Trilogy First?

Reviewers are split, and that's actually good news. One reviewer strongly recommends reading the original trilogy first for historical context and worldbuilding foundation. Another reviewer never finished the Grisha Trilogy at all and still found Six of Crows an easy, immersive read that pulled them in quickly. Both approaches seem to work — read the trilogy first if you want full context, or jump straight into this duology if the heist premise appeals to you more than court politics.

What Reviewers Consistently Praise

The tonal shift from the original trilogy. Reviewers note this book embraces a much darker, grittier version of the Grishaverse — the criminal underworld of Ketterdam's Barrel, complete with gambling rings, dangerous power players, and morally compromised choices, stands in sharp contrast to the more traditional fantasy court setting of the earlier books.

Morally gray characters readers root for anyway. Multiple reviews highlight how effectively Bardugo makes readers connect with and root for characters who do genuinely terrible things — a difficult balance that reviewers consistently credit her character development for pulling off.

The multi-POV structure. Reviewers repeatedly praise how well each character's individual perspective is handled — none feel flat or unnecessary, and the separate POVs create an intimate understanding of each character's motivations and emotional history.

Pacing that rewards patience. More than one review notes the story opens with an enticing, mysterious scene before pulling back to establish the Dregs' world — slow enough to stay immersive, but with enough twists along the way to keep momentum from stalling.

Vivid, well-integrated worldbuilding. Reviewers appreciate that world details are woven naturally into the story rather than delivered as heavy exposition dumps.

What Reviewers Note as Weaknesses

Backstory sometimes overshadows the heist itself. At least one reviewer felt that extensive character backstory, while genuinely well-written, occasionally pulled focus away from the central heist plot more than necessary.

An opening sequence that feels disconnected. One reviewer specifically critiques the prologue-style opening involving characters who barely reappear afterward, questioning whether it needed to be handled that way.

Minor worldbuilding inconsistencies in invented language. A reviewer with Scandinavian language background noted some of the Fjerdan invented language and naming felt inconsistent — a nitpick they were clear didn't affect the overall rating, but worth mentioning for detail-oriented readers.

The Kaz and Inej relationship's frustrating trajectory. Reviewers describe real tension in how Kaz's nature affects Inej by the book's end, with at least one reviewer expressing hope his character grows in the sequel.

What to Know Before You Start

This is the first of a duology, with the story continuing in Crooked Kingdom.

It's set in the same universe as the Grisha Trilogy but follows entirely different characters. You can approach it as a sequel or as a standalone entry point, depending on your preference.

The tone is notably darker and grittier than the original trilogy's court-focused fantasy.

Who This Seems Right For

  • Fans of heist plots with genuine twists and team dynamics

  • Readers who want morally complex characters handled with real emotional depth

  • Anyone who found the original Grisha Trilogy's ending underwhelming — reviewers suggest this duology delivers stronger plot choices

Amazon Link: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Final Thoughts

Based on strong, consistent reviewer praise, Six of Crows succeeds as both a compelling continuation of the Grishaverse and a strong entry point for readers who haven't touched the original trilogy — its multi-POV heist structure and morally gray ensemble cast are widely credited as some of Bardugo's best work.