Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo

There’s enough action and thrill in this book to fill two books, and another author might have decided to extend the series by an extra book.

One could not end 2016 any better than this…

Imagine Now You See Me 2 on a scale twice as big, then you begin to get an inkling of the magnitude of the heist pulled off by Kaz Brekker and his unique crew in Crooked Kingdom. It’s an even bigger heist than the one they managed to pull off in Six of Crows.

The sheer magnitude of the heist, coupled with how it plays out, occupies about 2/3 of the book, meaning there’s little or no buildup. What passes for the buildup is a whirlwind of events that set the stage for the final storm!

I greatly loved the pacing of the book. It moved along quickly from scene to scene with seamless ease. Most books aren’t written at this kind of pace. It’s not just fast; it adjusts its pace accordingly, switching speed, upping the pace, and then slowing down, all at exactly the right time. It’s incredible. There’s little or no buildup. No lengthy, ponderous stretch of writing that leads up to the main action.

Another amazing thing about the book is how the author manages to pack so much action in a few hundred pages. There’s enough action and thrill in this book to fill two books, and another author might have decided to extend the series by an extra book.

The characters are fantastic. Kaz displays the full extent of his unique scheming abilities. Inej, Nina, Matthias, Wylan, and Jesper are just as excellent in displaying their various talents.

It’s a great series, with everything done just right!