Crooked Kingdom

Crooked Kingdom

by Leigh Bardugo

SYNOPSIS:

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.

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14323
5
Book #2 in Series

I love a good fantasy, but always since the Lumatere Chronicles and Daughter of Smoke and Bone I’ve had a very hard time finding one on my liking. It’s difficult when the bar is set so high. But this tricky little series was just what I needed to fall in love again, with its dark settling and those lovely (though extremely flawed) characters, with a plot that kept me on edge page after page, and some turnarounds that made my head dizzy and my stomach ache from fear of losing them all to the unknown.

This story is absolutely insane, Kaz comes up with terrific plans that have unpredictable outcomes and if I thought the first book was incredible (which it was!), this one was even more so – I could barely put it down. I also love all these characters to pieces, I want to take them all home to keep them safe. I am not even sure which one is my favourite, as I rooted for them all. I loved them for their loyalty, their deepest wishes & dreams, for their heartbreaking pasts; for both their accomplishments and their failures, for their struggle and their love, for their abilities, but also for their hidden frailties.

“How many times have you told me you’re a monster? So be a monster. Be the thing they all fear when they close their eyes at night.”

They are all bold and determined, they would move mountains to save each other, they would stop at nothing to get what they think they deserve. But what I loved the most about them, is how strong they still are when they are at their most vulnerable point. The entire world (starting with their own city) is against them, but they still find some resources to outsmart their enemies. And they don’t do it without loss. They suffer, they get punished, stepped over, but still… They are there for each other, picking up up the pieces and making themselves whole again. I loved to see their plans in action, I loved to see them fail and, just as much, I loved to see them thrive. And you know what’s even more interesting? They are thieves, they harm people, they lie, they kill, I should not like these guys… But oh, how I loved them!

The ending gives me shivers still. How every tiny piece fit together, how the bigger than life plan came to life, how complex and unpredictable and (I’ll say it again) completely INSANE everything was, also how lucky our guys were because things managed to work out in spite of (what seemed like) the entire universe conspiring against them. I was in awe the whole book, no scene was left filling the page for the sake of it, everything had a hidden backup plan attached to it, a piece of information that would be used further on. I tell you, it was an amazing adventure and I am at a loss for words trying to express just how mesmerised I was – and still am – with this story. It was not all rainbows and butterflies, sure, because life never is and everything has a price, but the bittersweet taste I was left with was just a bit more sweet and less bitter – I will just go, sit in a corner and cry because this series is over and I won’t have other adventures to enjoy with these guys.

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn’t walk, I’d crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we’d fight our way out together-knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that’s what we do. We never stop fighting.”

I could tell you more about the romance (/s), about new abilities, about new connections and reconnections, about how some backstories hurt, about how some futures seemed bright. I could tell so much, too much, but I want you to experience it on your own. So I will tell you none of that.

All in one…

Wonderful series!
Highly recommended!
I want mooooore!

PS: On a side note, I was tempted to give it 4.5 stars, only because if you want to end it with a bang, go on and make it a big one, not a tiny, angry, brainwashed bang – I am talking about a particular tiny part of the story, though I won’t spoil it, as it would be a shame on my part. But this is indeed such an amazing story, mind-blowing even, so I shall let that pass.

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2 responses to “Crooked Kingdom”

  1. Ahhhhh i has all of the sad because I don’t have my copy yet and I might not have it for a while. SUCH A TRAGEDY THAT IS. *sob*

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