I finally found the time to read Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (Henry Holt & Co, 2016), the sequel to and conclusion of the story that began in Six of Crows (reviewed in Steves of Grass July 22, 2018). The story picks right up where the adventures in Six of Crows ended.
Each chapter is narrated from the point-of-view of a single character, a device Bardugo wisely chose to continue. However, this time the characters have already been introduced to the reader in Crows, so the author is able to add considerable depth of development to each of them. Since the reader cannot help but care about these characters, even the morally dubious anti-hero Kaz Brekker, this makes for some interesting reading--an entertaining study in and of itself.
The plot, which I will not spoil here, does not disappoint either. It is paced well with many intricate twists and surprises, narrow escapes, epic fights, a bit of romance of the homosexual variety (that I did not see coming), and even a sprinkling of humor.
One disappointment was that there was no further world-building. I would have liked to have learned more about some of the countries and cultures of Bardugo’s Grisha universe. Perhaps future books set in the same universe, such as the forthcoming King of Scars, will remedy this.
The YA rating of the duology notwithstanding, the faint of heart should beware! While the volume of outright graphic violence is much lower in Kingdom vs Crows, the threat of violence, including psychologically scarring imprisonment and torture of children, is part of the fabric of Kingdom. Without spoiling too much, the death of a beloved character also pushes this book into the adult realm.
Kingdom cannot stand-alone any more than The Two Towers could, so if you plan to read Kingdom, plan to read Crows first. There is no doubt that Kingdom is a must-read if you enjoyed Crows and are intrigued by Bardugo’s Grisha universe.
