Six of Crows (March 2022) Buddy Read Discussion - Aristi & Heather, Jess, Dine, Violet

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Welcome to the Six of Crows Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on March 1st and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each day we will be reading by chapters or page numbers. Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 03/01
March 01: Chapters 1-3
March 02: Chapters 4-6
March 03: Chapters 7-10
March 04: Chapters 11-14
March 05: Chapters 15-16
March 06: Chapters 17-20

Week of 03/07
March 07: Chapters 21-25
March 08: Chapters 26-30
March 09: Chapters 31-34
March 10: Chapters 35-39

PARTICIPANTS
~ Aristi
~ Heather
~ Jess
~ Dine

[Violet]

I've been a little MIA but I would like to join this one as well!

[Amanda]

I'm new, but I'd like to join this as well.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Amanda wrote: "I'm new, but I'd like to join this as well."

Welcome :D
Feel free to discuss the book, I'm sure the rest of the buddies will join shortly.

[Jess]

I’m liking it so far. I watched Shadow and Bone so I’m picturing them as the actors. Not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.

[Amanda]

So I'm a bit behind right now (only on chapter 6), but I'm really liking it so far. There is this depth to the world and characters that I feel is kind of hard to find together, and it makes reading it a great experience. With that said, I did struggle through the first chapter. It was just kind of a weird start in my opinion, but it didn't stop me from reading on and I'm glad I didn't. I'm really looking forward to what's to come.

I honestly really like Kaz; maybe it's that tendency to gravitate to morally gray male characters or something, but his character is probably the most complex in the book so far. There is a mystery about him that goes beyond the continued mention of Jordie or the vague comments on a past I've not yet written that makes him very compelling. He's my favorite character so far.

Jesper is also an interesting character simply because there isn't much known about him yet. Kaz clearly trusts him, he has a penchant for gambling and a talent for shooting, but not much else is really known about him yet. He's clearly important, so the continued mention of him but lack of much detail makes him interesting. I'm looking forward to learning more about him.

My hot take on the book so far:

I do have to say that I find the two female characters Inej and Nina a bit annoying right now. Both are clearly strong female characters, but they rely on relations/ties to male characters right now. They don't ruin the book for me and I can feel there is room for them to grow, but I feel like they lean into more emotional and feminine characteristics than I think they should. Inej has lived a terribly rough life, and while that is clear in the book so far, the thing I remember most about her character is that she is attracted to Kaz and believes her feelings are stupid. While that makes sense, I feel there could be more to her character and portrayal. Nina is single-mindedly focused on Matthias, and while that's fine it seems to be her entire character (other than her grudge for Kaz). Both female characters are (at least in part) characterized by men, what those men are to them/how they feel for them, and what they feel they owe them. I just feel like there could be more to them, but it is still very early in the book so there's that.

Am I just missing something with Inej and Nina? Am I reading into things too much?

Well, all in all, a good book so far. I'm looking forward to what comes next.

[Jess]

I wasn’t loving the first chapter either.

I think as the story progresses you get more backstory on the characters so I don’t mind Inej and Nina. But I still think watching the show is having an influence on how I’m reading the book.

Did anyone here read Shadow and Bone or King of Scars?

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I read both of those.. read everything in the Grishaverse, or at least the main books. Her books get better over time. S&B is the weakest but I would say it's pretty important for the whole universe. KoS is really good, I was impressed how her writing has evolved, and KoS is also a reason you should maybe read S&B since KoS is basically a spin off from S&b and SoC 😂

As for not loving the first chapter... That kinda became a Bardugo thing for SoC and KoS books, starting the story with a character that is not one of the MCs.

[Amanda]

mina wrote: "I read both of those.. read everything in the Grishaverse, or at least the main books. Her books get better over time. S&B is the weakest but I would say it's pretty important for the whole univers..."

I'll have to read S&B. I'm really getting into the universe as I get further into the book. I do have a bit of an issue with that first chapter thing though...

[Amanda]

So, I may have to take back what I said about Inej and Nina. I've read a bit ahead now (to chapter 20) and they've grown on me. The background is given to each of the characters as the book progresses definitely helps. There is clearly still room to grow for all of the characters, so I'm looking forward to learning more about them and seeing how they evolve over time.

As I read I've found that, while Kaz still stands as my favorite character so far, I really enjoy reading Jesper's chapters the most. There is a sort of wildness accompanied by insecurity (at least that is my interpretation) that makes them really interesting to read. His relationships with other characters seem more complex than when they are described in other characters' chapters. That's just my opinion so far.

I kind of wish I knew more about Wylan (which will obviously come with time, but I'm a little impatient). He seems like an interesting character, especially with his elite upbringing, stubborn innocence and moral compass (at least from what I've read so far and when compared with the other characters), and reluctance to share much about himself (although that could be that no other character will really let him speak; they've cut him off a couple of times where I think he was trying to say something). I'm a little disappointed that, when I flipped through the book looking at which characters have chapters, he didn't have his own. I would have liked to read about him and his perspective of the heist.

I'll wrap up this post by saying that I had a bit of an issue with chapter 18 (maybe a spoiler, but not too explicit?), (view spoiler)[ specifically the seemingly sudden intense emotions Kaz expresses about Inej. I did come into this book knowing that they were set up to be a pair, but it seemed very sudden on his part. I know his relationship with Inej was amicable and they relied on (and sort of trusted) each other, but chapter 18 seemed quite extreme when compared with how other Kaz chapters had portrayed his feelings toward Inej. It went from, like, "I need her skills, I can rely on/trust her" mentor-type feelings to confusion about a need for her to be okay, to know he's capable, etc. He didn't seem overly surprised by his feelings, but I was because I didn't feel there was much lead-up in previous chapters (at least not on his part). I get that events like what happened to Inej do bring up strong emotions, but it seemed a bit accelerated to me. (hide spoiler)]

These are all just opinions, but that's where I'm at right now and what I thought while I was reading.

[Jess]

I’ve read Shadow and Bone. But I figured I would read this then go onto King if Scars.

Kaz is definitely my favorite. I love intelligent morally gray characters.

I want to read what your talking about now. Emotionally stunted men finally realizing they have feelings is why I want to read about grumpy MMCs.

I checked and I’m only up to 15. I would of liked to have read more but I’m reading this, the group read, a ARC, and my regular TBR. Plus work was ridiculous this week (I even had to work this morning). Hopefully tomorrow I get to catch up on my reading.

[Amanda]

Jess wrote: "I’ve read Shadow and Bone. But I figured I would read this then go onto King if Scars.

Kaz is definitely my favorite. I love intelligent morally gray characters.

I want to read what your talkin..."

I love Kaz. I don't think chapter 18 ruined anything, I just feel it was kind of sudden and was played off as if he had already acknowledged his feelings in some capacity (more than I think was really expressed in previous chapters which is really what I took issue with). I hope you enjoy reading it! Good luck with your other reading!

[Jess]

So was anyone else not expecting Jespers reveal? Or was that just me?

[Amanda]

Jess wrote: "So was anyone else not expecting Jespers reveal? Or was that just me?"

There were some clues looking back now that I know, but it wasn't so obvious that I felt it was no surprise at all. I was more surprised when I first read about it, but then I thought back about everything he had said and how he reacted to certain things, and it just kind of made sense. I mean, going into it I didn't see it coming but I think there were clues (just not obvious ones).

That being said, it was still pretty surprising. I think Bardugo did a good job of hiding it without making it an illogical conclusion.

[Didoncho]

Jess wrote: "So was anyone else not expecting Jespers reveal? Or was that just me?"

For a start, Hey im new to this,

And I was surprised, I somehow thought that Nina could not be the only one but I didn't expect it to be Jesper - yes, something in him bothered me to the last, something still unsaid, but it never occurred to me that (view spoiler)[ he is a Durast. (hide spoiler)]

[Jess]

I guess from reading Shadow and Bone (view spoiler)[I'm just used to Grisha being from Ravka that I didn't even think about it. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

Aristi wrote: "Hi, I'm way too behind on the schedule. I think we're supposed to finish it by today and I'm on Chapter 4. :P

I'm not enjoying it as much as I thought I would, I also might be in a reading slump. ..."

It definitely picks up, but a reading slump makes reading difficult in general so I sympathize with that. I do hope you can enjoy it at least a little bit! Good luck. Happy reading!

[Amanda]

So... I finished the book yesterday and I honestly really loved it. Maybe it was just the right time to read this book for me (I'm sort of on a book binge/reading high), but I could barely put the book down which made getting through books I had to read for classes super difficult...

[Paula]

Aristi wrote: "Hi, I'm way too behind on the schedule. I think we're supposed to finish it by today and I'm on Chapter 4. :P

I'm not enjoying it as much as I thought I would, I also might be in a reading slump. ..."

I've found that for me the best thing during a reading slump is to just not read instead of forcing myself. Even if just for a couple of days until I miss the books again.

As Six of Crows, it does pick up once they are all reunited and working together, but it takes a handful of chapters for all the characters to be introduced.

I'm not participating in this buddy read but I hope it's okay for me to comment as this is one one my favorite books. =)

[Paula]

Amanda wrote: "So... I finished the book yesterday and I honestly really loved it. Maybe it was just the right time to read this book for me (I'm sort of on a book binge/reading high), but I could barely put the ..."

I had the same feeling when reading it for the first time, I think it was because of the multiple povs and everyone knowing/executing just one part of the plan. It makes you want to read more and more so you can get back to see how each character is doing their part.