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A review by bumblebusra
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
5.0
19/08/2022
You would think, knowing what I know, that I would be fine, but I still cry from chapter 38 on.
19/06/2021
Inej's last chapter always makes me feel twenty emotions per second and I adore her.
02/05/2021
Yes, I cried.
20/03/2021
I did not remember my old review and clearly I still love it just as much (but also learn to write proper sentences busra what are you doing).
08/09/2017
I'm an actual mess, this book is so good? I found my favourite duology ever people, you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands. Seriously though, it's so good? It's as if you take six of crows which is already SO GOOD and then add more of the best bits to it. That good. Now a little bit more in depth about the entire duology maybe mostly the characters so I can express my love for everything. Also just general stuff.
First off Kaz Brekker. WHAT a guy, am I right? You start these books thinking it's about a bunch of losers doing the impossible, and technically you're right, but then you realise you care about these losers so much. Kaz is so fucking clever and so good at planning and he KNOWS his stuff and I love him so much?? Like he doesn't actually CARE about other people (like, random ones of course), but he does actually care for his crew (read: friends) and I love it. Also just in general it's hard not to fall in love with Kaz have you read these books. And his love for Inej?? The realest thing ever god SAME KAZ SAME. But seriously, so many good scenes I can't even choose???
Speaking of Inej, GOD I LOVE THAT GIRL. She doesn't give up on her dreams, her motivation stems from her ideas for her future and her love for her friends (in the giant incinerator). She WANTS to stay in Ketterdam but still doesn't do it really, she goes for herself and does stuff for herself? ALSO SHE WALKS AWAY or sort of anyway FROM KAZ WHEN HE DOESNT ANSWER ON THE SHIP??? She prays to her saints and keeps faith and a good heart even after everything that happened to her AND she still is one of the deadliest coolest people ever. I don't know whether I want to be her or marry her. Probably both.
That reminds me of Nina, I absolutely adore their friendship. It's nice to have two girls love each other and not be competing (especially yknow,, when boys are involved,, hate that trope). Nina is such a refreshing character like she's extremely pretty, but she also eats a lot and is quite deadly. And she may flirt with all things, but that does not diminish her coolness in any way? I don't think anyone ever looks down upon her and I just think she's strong good and very cool.
Then I'll talk about Matthias. Look, both Nina and Matthias weren't my favourite characters, but nearing the end of this book they really started to grow on me?? Matthias became a better person and he constantly challenged his own beliefs because he knew them to be wrong. It's one thing to make a mistake, it's a whole other one to actually acknowledge it and actively work to not do it again. He did that and honestly I feel like that thing shouldn't have happened to him.
Cool then, Jesper. God I love Jesper. Not only is he funny and good at making any scene with him in it more enjoyable, but he is in a constant state of "Shit" but still shoots well and does his job. I have no concrete things to say about him to be honest, but I love him very dearly.
Wylan, MAN I LOVE YOU. Can you believe this boy who grew up so pampered fell in with the Dregs?? he became one of them and like,,, he was appreciated and loved and people cared about him and he did so well in it??? I JUST LOVE HIM ALL RIGHT HE LEARNED SO MUCH AND HE BASICALLY CHANGED A LOT AND HE IS STILL SUPER COOL. Again, not many words specifically, but I just love him. Also, the fact that he wanted to fight his dad MORE for his mom just made it nice.
Then to the relationships, I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. Matthias/Nina made me a little uncomfortable at the beginning to be honest, but I really liked them near the ending. Jesper/Wylan is SO cute GOD like all the teasing Jesper did??? I live for it. And of course Inej/Kaz man I love those two and that last inej chapter??? I gasped and died. But also like the friendships are so good, so easy and lovely and full of love.
AND THE PLOT like whenever something went wrong you could probably guess at it (we're 1/4th into the book, surely this can't go right), but the ending of six of crows was sort of unexpected and quite thrilling and then you know,,, when you think everything goes wrong.... KAZ IS A MASTERMIND. These people went through gruelling stuff and look at them be great! love it
I also loved the diversity a lot in these books. We had a character with a cane (who kicks ass better than most people, see scene at the slat after the Dregs partner up with Rollins, the scene I would pay for to see in real life, the scene that shaped me into the person I am today), a character who couldn't read (I don't think it was dyslexia, but whatever it was seems like some nice representation to me because he may not be able to read but HES A GENIUS and people appreciate him for the things he CAN do) and Inej and Jesper of course. It felt nice to have fleshed out characters that weren't the "standard" model.
Also, I just loved how the characters were motivated beyond (romantic) love. They all fought for each other, of course, but Inej fought for her future and the idea that she could fight all those slavers. Jesper just wanted to pay his da back and give him back his farm. Wylan fought for his mother. I know I am one to absolutely devour romantic love as I love it (ha nice pun), but I love seeing people fight for other things SO MUCH MORE. Especially probably because they're like, seventeen.
AND AND AND ketterdam being a bit like amsterdam and just the general use of dutch words (or like,, words that look like dutch words) was so much fun to me!!! I loved whenever I read something like a name and then it made sense with what the word means or it just felt cool. Loved it a lot.
And I loved just the general wisdom this book spouted, the wonderful quotes. I feel way better knowing that these "losers" got a good ending, or rather a good beginning after a long fight.
special shout out to that Kaz fighting scene and the Kaz and Inej on the docks scene at the end. I loved pretty much all the scenes, but those made me feel a certain kind of way.
and also lastly SPOILERY the fact that this nerd asked if his tie was straight when meeting her parents. You just reunited them with their daughter believe me love they already love you to pieces.
(sorry for the long thing that was all over the place it's late and I'm exhausted)
You would think, knowing what I know, that I would be fine, but I still cry from chapter 38 on.
19/06/2021
Inej's last chapter always makes me feel twenty emotions per second and I adore her.
02/05/2021
Yes, I cried.
20/03/2021
I did not remember my old review and clearly I still love it just as much (but also learn to write proper sentences busra what are you doing).
08/09/2017
I'm an actual mess, this book is so good? I found my favourite duology ever people, you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands. Seriously though, it's so good? It's as if you take six of crows which is already SO GOOD and then add more of the best bits to it. That good. Now a little bit more in depth about the entire duology maybe mostly the characters so I can express my love for everything. Also just general stuff.
First off Kaz Brekker. WHAT a guy, am I right? You start these books thinking it's about a bunch of losers doing the impossible, and technically you're right, but then you realise you care about these losers so much. Kaz is so fucking clever and so good at planning and he KNOWS his stuff and I love him so much?? Like he doesn't actually CARE about other people (like, random ones of course), but he does actually care for his crew (read: friends) and I love it. Also just in general it's hard not to fall in love with Kaz have you read these books. And his love for Inej?? The realest thing ever god SAME KAZ SAME. But seriously, so many good scenes I can't even choose???
Speaking of Inej, GOD I LOVE THAT GIRL. She doesn't give up on her dreams, her motivation stems from her ideas for her future and her love for her friends (in the giant incinerator). She WANTS to stay in Ketterdam but still doesn't do it really, she goes for herself and does stuff for herself? ALSO SHE WALKS AWAY or sort of anyway FROM KAZ WHEN HE DOESNT ANSWER ON THE SHIP??? She prays to her saints and keeps faith and a good heart even after everything that happened to her AND she still is one of the deadliest coolest people ever. I don't know whether I want to be her or marry her. Probably both.
That reminds me of Nina, I absolutely adore their friendship. It's nice to have two girls love each other and not be competing (especially yknow,, when boys are involved,, hate that trope). Nina is such a refreshing character like she's extremely pretty, but she also eats a lot and is quite deadly. And she may flirt with all things, but that does not diminish her coolness in any way? I don't think anyone ever looks down upon her and I just think she's strong good and very cool.
Then I'll talk about Matthias. Look, both Nina and Matthias weren't my favourite characters, but nearing the end of this book they really started to grow on me?? Matthias became a better person and he constantly challenged his own beliefs because he knew them to be wrong. It's one thing to make a mistake, it's a whole other one to actually acknowledge it and actively work to not do it again. He did that and honestly I feel like that thing shouldn't have happened to him.
Cool then, Jesper. God I love Jesper. Not only is he funny and good at making any scene with him in it more enjoyable, but he is in a constant state of "Shit" but still shoots well and does his job. I have no concrete things to say about him to be honest, but I love him very dearly.
Wylan, MAN I LOVE YOU. Can you believe this boy who grew up so pampered fell in with the Dregs?? he became one of them and like,,, he was appreciated and loved and people cared about him and he did so well in it??? I JUST LOVE HIM ALL RIGHT HE LEARNED SO MUCH AND HE BASICALLY CHANGED A LOT AND HE IS STILL SUPER COOL. Again, not many words specifically, but I just love him. Also, the fact that he wanted to fight his dad MORE for his mom just made it nice.
Then to the relationships, I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. Matthias/Nina made me a little uncomfortable at the beginning to be honest, but I really liked them near the ending. Jesper/Wylan is SO cute GOD like all the teasing Jesper did??? I live for it. And of course Inej/Kaz man I love those two and that last inej chapter??? I gasped and died. But also like the friendships are so good, so easy and lovely and full of love.
AND THE PLOT like whenever something went wrong you could probably guess at it (we're 1/4th into the book, surely this can't go right), but the ending of six of crows was sort of unexpected and quite thrilling and then you know,,, when you think everything goes wrong.... KAZ IS A MASTERMIND. These people went through gruelling stuff and look at them be great! love it
I also loved the diversity a lot in these books. We had a character with a cane (who kicks ass better than most people, see scene at the slat after the Dregs partner up with Rollins, the scene I would pay for to see in real life, the scene that shaped me into the person I am today), a character who couldn't read (I don't think it was dyslexia, but whatever it was seems like some nice representation to me because he may not be able to read but HES A GENIUS and people appreciate him for the things he CAN do) and Inej and Jesper of course. It felt nice to have fleshed out characters that weren't the "standard" model.
Also, I just loved how the characters were motivated beyond (romantic) love. They all fought for each other, of course, but Inej fought for her future and the idea that she could fight all those slavers. Jesper just wanted to pay his da back and give him back his farm. Wylan fought for his mother. I know I am one to absolutely devour romantic love as I love it (ha nice pun), but I love seeing people fight for other things SO MUCH MORE. Especially probably because they're like, seventeen.
AND AND AND ketterdam being a bit like amsterdam and just the general use of dutch words (or like,, words that look like dutch words) was so much fun to me!!! I loved whenever I read something like a name and then it made sense with what the word means or it just felt cool. Loved it a lot.
And I loved just the general wisdom this book spouted, the wonderful quotes. I feel way better knowing that these "losers" got a good ending, or rather a good beginning after a long fight.
special shout out to that Kaz fighting scene and the Kaz and Inej on the docks scene at the end. I loved pretty much all the scenes, but those made me feel a certain kind of way.
and also lastly SPOILERY the fact that this nerd asked if his tie was straight when meeting her parents. You just reunited them with their daughter believe me love they already love you to pieces.
(sorry for the long thing that was all over the place it's late and I'm exhausted)