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Description
Finaflex | Creatine | 30 Servings5g straight up creatine monohydrate. No extras, no secrets. FinaFlex Creatine keeps it simple: one ingredient, a solid dose, and a clear goal. No fancy complexes, no hidden blends, no extras like electrolytes or aminos just to bulk up the label. You get 5,000mg of creatine monohydrate per scoop, which is the go to amount from research to boost muscle energy stores, help with quick energy recharge, and improve your high intensity workouts over time.
5g straight-up creatine monohydrate. No extras, no secrets.
FinaFlex Creatine keeps it simple: one ingredient, a solid dose, and a clear goal. No fancy complexes, no hidden blends, no extras like electrolytes or aminos just to bulk up the label. You get 5,000mg of creatine monohydrate per scoop, which is the go-to amount from research to boost muscle energy stores, help with quick energy recharge, and improve your high-intensity workouts over time.
Creatine monohydrate taps into your body's phosphagen system—that's the fast energy setup for short bursts like heavy lifts or sprints. Your muscles use phosphocreatine to quickly remake ATP, which is the fuel for contractions. Loading up on creatine means more of that in your muscles, so you keep power longer, bounce back faster between sets, and often crank out more solid work in a session. That adds up to better strength, power, and muscle gains as weeks go by.
The 5g dose is spot on. Studies back 3-5g a day for keeping levels up after you build them, and 5g is the easy everyday target for most active folks. It's enough to max out your stores without hassle. Some folks load with about 20g a day split up for 5-7 days, then drop to 3-5g, but you don't have to. One scoop a day with FinaFlex lines up with the research for long-term wins.
What you feel isn't a pre-workout kick. Day one might feel like nothing, and that's how good creatine should be. The value of creatine sho
Finaflex Creatine by Finaflex contains 5g Creatine Monohydrate, a clinical dose for strength and power output.
Key Highlights
- 5,000mg Creatine Monohydrate — that's the standard dose you see in real creatine routines. It matches the 3-5g range from studies that help build muscle creatine levels and boost strength, power, and intense workout performance.
- Just One Ingredient — no fillers, no fancy matrix, no hidden blends. You know exactly what's in it and how much, which is huge in a world where labels are more about selling than science.
- Taps into the Phosphagen System — creatine helps quickly remake ATP for short, explosive moves. That's the energy behind heavy lifts, quick starts, jumps, sprint repeats, and any workout where max effort beats steady pace.
- Made for Daily Build-Up — this isn't about a quick gym buzz. Taking it every day boosts muscle phosphocreatine over time, and that's what gives serious lifters and athletes the edge they notice in training.
- Solid Dose for Strength and Power — 5g a day is the practical amount to keep muscle creatine high. It's plenty to help with repeat efforts without weird dosing or overdoing it.
- Easy to Stack — with only creatine monohydrate, you can mix it into pre-workouts, intras, proteins, or recovery drinks without doubling up on stuff. Makes it simple to tweak your setup for your workouts.
- Good for More Than Just Lifting — creatine helps powerlifters, team sports players, CrossFitters, fighters, and active folks holding onto performance. Anyone doing repeated explosive stuff can use better energy recovery.
- No Stims, No Drop-Off — zero caffeine, no beta-alanine tingles, no fake hype. It's for ongoing performance, so you can take it anytime without messing with sleep like stim-heavy stuff does.
Finaflex Creatine by Finaflex contains 5g Creatine Monohydrate, a clinical dose for strength and power output.
Who Is This For?
- Powerlifters and strength guys in low-rep, max-effort zones. 5g creatine monohydrate daily boosts phosphocreatine for short bursts that keep the bar moving. Fits athletes who want real force repeats over pre-workout hype.
- Bodybuilders and physique folks grinding progressive overload for months. It's about better volume, holding performance in sets, and that fuller look from cell hydration as stores build. For muscle-building phases, it's the reliable supp you keep year-round.
- CrossFit and functional trainers doing high-intensity repeats with short rests. Creatine recharges ATP quicker between bursts, great for intervals, sleds, rows, carries, and mixed workouts where power drops with fatigue. 5g daily fits easy without messing pre-session eats.
- Team sports players in football, rugby, hockey, basketball, soccer needing sprint bursts and power. Phosphagen system's key for starts, jumps, direction changes, hits—creatine's a top pick for field performance. This delivers standard dose without junk.
- Fighters in skill and conditioning camps. Supports explosive combos, takedowns, scrambles, pad work, and holding output in tough blocks. Stim-free means daily use without crashing evening training or sleep like stim bombs do.
- Newbies starting with the most proven performance supp over trendy guesses. Single-ingredient 5g builds habits and shows what a solid aid does. Easy to get, track, and routine.
How to Use
One scoop a day for 5,000mg creatine monohydrate. Best time is whatever you remember, since it saturates muscles over time, not a tight pre-gym slot. Post-workout with a shake or meal is an easy habit, but anytime works.
Mix in 8-16 oz water, sports drink, or protein. Shaker beats spoon for blending, and warmer liquid helps if it clumps. Food's up to you; some like it with a meal for stomach ease, but it's not needed for results.
No half-dose start since it's stim-free. Some load 20g a day split for 5-7 days, then 5g, but optional. Stacks fine with pre, protein, carbs, electrolytes, recovery. No cycling; daily use is standard. Keep sealed in cool, dry spot, no moisture in the tub.
What to Expect
First 0-10 minutes: mix and drink without waiting for a stim feel, since there's none. No caffeine kick, no tingles, no quick rush.
Next 10-90 minutes: one scoop usually doesn't hit hard right away, and that's normal for creatine monohydrate. It's building stores, not jacking your nerves.
Days 1-7: if you're new, muscles might hold more water and weight could nudge up as stores start filling. Weeks 2-4: here's the real deal—better repeats, less fade in sets, stronger power hold, and often fuller muscles. After week 4, it just becomes your new normal as long as you keep at it daily.
Key Ingredients
- Creatine Monohydrate — 5000mg — Clinically dosed support for strength, power, and training output
Finaflex Creatine by Finaflex contains 5g Creatine Monohydrate, a clinical dose for strength and power output.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much creatine is in each serving of FinaFlex Creatine?
Each serving provides 5,000mg of creatine monohydrate. That is the standard full daily dose most athletes use to support muscle creatine saturation, strength, power, and high-intensity training performance.
Is 5g of creatine monohydrate a clinical dose?
Yes. Research and real-world sports nutrition practice consistently use 3-5g daily for maintenance once muscle creatine stores are elevated, and 5g is the most common practical target. It is a fully evidence-aligned daily serving.
Do I need to load FinaFlex Creatine?
No, loading is optional. You can take 5g daily and still reach saturation over time, typically within a few weeks. A loading phase of roughly 20g per day split into 4 doses for 5-7 days simply gets you there faster.
Will I feel FinaFlex Creatine right away?
Probably not in the way you feel a pre-workout. Creatine monohydrate does not create a caffeine-like rush or tingling sensation. Its benefits build as muscle creatine and phosphocreatine stores increase with consistent daily use.
Can I take FinaFlex Creatine with pre-workout?
Yes. Because this formula is just creatine monohydrate at 5g, it stacks easily with stimulant, pump, or nootropic pre-workouts without overlap. It is an easy way to guarantee your creatine dose even if your pre-workout underdoses or omits it.
Should I take it before or after training?
Either works. Timing matters less than consistency with creatine monohydrate, because the goal is daily saturation rather than an acute training-time effect. Most people simply choose the time they are least likely to forget.
Does FinaFlex Creatine contain caffeine or stimulants?
No. This is a stimulant-free creatine monohydrate formula. It is designed for chronic performance support, not acute energy or focus.
Can creatine cause water retention?
Yes, but primarily inside muscle cells, which is part of how creatine works. Many users experience a slightly fuller muscular look and a small increase in body weight as muscle creatine stores rise and intracellular water follows.
Is creatine monohydrate better than fancy creatine blends?
For evidence and reliability, monohydrate remains the benchmark. Many multi-form creatine blends look more advanced on a label but do not outperform plain creatine monohydrate when the monohydrate is dosed correctly, as it is here at 5g.
Do I need to cycle off FinaFlex Creatine?
No. Creatine monohydrate does not require cycling for effectiveness in the way stimulant-based products often do. Daily long-term use is the normal strategy for maintaining saturated muscle stores.
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4.6 ★★★★★
Based on 7 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 4
Great read with an interesting plot
It took me quite some time to get to this book, mostly because I never managed to read the original Grisha trilogy, I tried several times to get started with it, but there was something about it that didn’t quite suck me in. Eventually though, I gave up that series and decided to dig into Six of Crows even though I had not read the Grisha trilogy in advance. And I am happy that I did because Six of Crows was an easy read that pulled me in rather quickly.
In Six of Crows we follow a group of six criminals from a gang called the Dregs, and when their leader, Kaz, gets a job that would change their lives forever, he can’t say no, despite the job being as impossible as it gets. So, in this book, we get to come along on the quest as they set out to break into one of the most secure prisoners in Fjerda.
There’s a lot of things that I really enjoy in this book, but also a few things that slightly annoyed me. But for the most part this is a great read and the way the author has managed to keep the reader invested in all three characters and their separate POVs is impressive, not once did I feel like any of the characters were unnecessary or flat. Every character is well developed with interesting backstory and there’s also a lot going on in their relationships and thanks to the separate POV’s you get a very intimate connection to each an ever characters emotions and reasons to what they do. It’s, like I said, beautifully crafted and the writing too is beautiful and vivid.
The wordbuiling is great and Bardugo manages to incorporate details of the world and the scenery in the story without it feeling heavy with information. It all flows very well, and as I read it was easy to picture the scenes.
The plot was interesting, full of twists and turns and seeing the team’s job take shape from the eyes of multiple POVs made for a very interesting read and also gave the heist that sense of mystery and surprise that we’re used to seeing on tv and in movies.
As for the things that I didn’t quite like it was not bad enough to really make a difference in the overall rating, but it was still things that stuck out to me. The first being that I felt like the heist sometimes got overshadowed by massive bits of backstory. The backstory itself didn’t bother me because they were interesting and great, and they made me understand and connect with the character a lot more, but I didn’t feel like they were necessary for the story in that elaborated manor they had been written in, less information had been enough and kept the pacing of the main plot more consistent. So, even though I enjoyed learning about the characters pasts and the reasons they ended up in the gang, I would have preferred more focus on the heist itself.
The second thing is the beginning. It was unnecessary and pointless. Why make us invested in Joost and Anya just to basically never mention them again? I get the point of showing what the drug could do, but there must have been a better way to do it.
The third thing is related to the Fjerdans and primarily their language. The Fjerdan’s are, according to what I’ve read from interviews with Leigh Bardugo, heavily influenced by Scandinavia, and more specifically Sweden and Norway. As a swede, I can totally see that, and I knew that it is a fictional language and that my own language has been used as inspiration. But I couldn’t help feel a bit thrown off when there was suddenly words that I knew from my own language being used when there was so many other words used that didn’t fit at all with the way we’d use those words. It’s hard to explain, and truly it doesn’t really matter since it’s fiction and not real, but it was something that stood out to me, like a hiccup that broke the flow of my reading. I think it would have bothered me less if the Fjerdans had actually spoken any of the Scandinavian languages, or at least had a more reasonable structure to their sentences and words that would have fit well with the use of actual words from our language. And in this same line are the names of the Fjerdan Drüskelle. There were typical Scandinavian names at a lot of the times, but then there were these names that stood out and didn’t fit in with the rest we’d been told. But, I’m not going to let any of this affect the rating since this is just a personal thing that most likely wouldn’t bothered anyone else, and if does not in any way affect the intensity and greatness of the story.
So, overall, this book will get a solid 4/5 stars from me, and I can’t wait to dig into the sequel. I can also highly recommend this book to basically everyone, it’s a great read and the way Leigh Bardugo handled all six POVs is reason enough for every author to pick up this book.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2019
★★★★★ 5
SIX OF CROWS: My favorite book of 2015
Format: Hardcover
REVIEW: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Published September 29th, 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy Edition: Hardcover Source: Purchased Pages: 465 Rating: 5/5 stars
Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price–and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone…
A convict with a thirst for revenge.
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager.
A runaway with a privileged past.
A spy known as the Wraith.
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.
Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction–if they don’t kill each other first.
From the moment I heard the description of this book, I was intrigued. A band of thieves attempting to pull off a huge heist? Sign me up! I was counting down the days till it released. I had such high expectations for this book. And believe me, they were met. I couldn’t put this book down. I loved every minute of it. Now, it is one of my favorite books of all time, and I’ve read a lot of books. I titled this “review”. In a review, you usually find criticism of the book. But since I loved this book, it’ll mostly be me gushing about all my thoughts. I just want to run up to people, shove this book in their face, scream “READ IT”, and then go and reread it by myself.
the plot
It was so interesting! I loved the whole heist. Something was always happening, and it was always interesting. It kept me surprised: PLOT TWISTS!
the characters
The characters were probably my favorite part of this book. We meet six that, by the end of the book, I had come to love. They’re all so unique. I loved reading from each perspective, that way I got to know the characters a lot better.
“No mourners. No funerals. Among them, it passed for “good luck.”
Kaz- The leader.
“Greed is your god, Kaz.”
He almost laughed at that. “No, Inej. Greed bows to me. It is my servant and my lever.”
“A liar, a thief, and utterly without conscience. But he’ll keep to any deal you strike with him.”
Nina- She’s so brave, snarky, funny, and just an amazing strong female character. I loved that we had a Grisha in the group.
Inej-MY FAVORITE. She’s an ex-circus performer who now is a spy known as The Wraith. She struggled between her dedication to the gang and her desire to see her family again.
“Besides, she was the Wraith-the only law that applied to her was gravity, and some days she defied that, too.”
Jesper- the sharpshooter, who added so much to the story. The chapter told from his point of view are really great, because you see the other characters how he does, and I think he sees them how they truly are.
“Take good care of my babies,” Jesper said as he handed [his guns] over to Dirix.
“If I see a single scratch or nick on those, I’ll spell forgive me on your chest in bullet holes.”
Wylan- He was this adorable, innocent, little boy at first. But his character changed/revealed as the story went along, and I LOVED it. I wished we could have gotten chapters from his POV, but Leigh said there will be in the 2nd!
“Always hit where the mark isn’t looking.”
“Who’s Mark?” Asked Wylan.
Matthias- I loved how he struggled with loyalty to his country and his love for Nina, and I also loved seeing the backstory of how him and Nina met.
“And what did you do, Matthias? What did you do to me in your dreams?”
“Everything,” he said, as he turned to go. “Everything.”
the romance!
I loved how the story was not overpowered by the romances in this book. It was a side plot that made the story more interesting. It wasn’t as prominent as the action part, but it was there. And it was amazing. I won’t spoil anything, but let me just say, I have 3 new OTPs just from this book.
the setting
In Bardugo’s previous trilogy, which I loved, we get to know the world a little, but it’s mostly set in Ravka, one country. Six of Crows was in a different country in this world, Kerch, and the group travels to a new country, Fjerda. I loved getting to know this world better. Also, the characters are from different countries so we get to know their view on their country and the others.
the writing
Her writing, like always, was incredible. It flowed beautifully. Some people have said it starts out slow, but once you pass the first 100 pages, things start picking up and getting really interesting. (I was interested the whole time, of course. I loved it from the very beginning.) But if you’re not enjoying it as much, I’m begging you. Keep trying. It’s SO worth it. There’s so many amazing quotes! I literally have notes and notes full of them.
This book is funny! It made me laugh out loud a lot (and I was in public, so people stared at me.)
“Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. “Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I’m going to get Wylan’s ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute just so that I can annoy the hell out of your ghost.
Brekker’s lips quicker. “I’ll just hire Matthias’ ghost to kick your ghost’s ass.”
“My ghost won’t associate with your ghost,” Matthias said primly, and then wondered if the sea air was rotting his brain.”
This book is so gorgeous! The cover is beautiful, but my absolute FAVORITE thing about it has to be the black edged pages. And the maps!! There’s two beautiful maps. TWO!
what I didn’t like
I honestly can’t think of anything I didn’t like in this book. I tried to come up with something, but I loved it too much.
I highly, HIGHLY recommend you check this book out. It brings all the feels. I need the second book, Crooked Kingdom, NOW. Also, if you haven’t read Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy, you should. A lot of people have asked me, “Do I have to read the Grisha Trilogy before Six of Crows?” My answer has been: No, you don’t have to. Of course I would recommend that you do, as it is one of my favorite trilogies. If you don’t, you might be a little lost in the world, and there are some characters mentioned in here from that trilogy that you wouldn’t understand, but you could understand the story. There are minor spoilers of the end of Ruin and Rising in Six of Crows, but there is also some misleading. If you read the Grisha trilogy, you learn more about Ravka, where Nina is from, which helps you understand her better. Plus, it’s just an amazing trilogy. You SHOULD. But no, you do not have to.
Okay, I’ll just conclude my ramblings now. Go read this book, please. This review took so long to write, because I had so many good things to say, and I reread Six of Crows while writing it.
Ava
Bookishnessandtea.wordpress.com
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Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2016
★★★★★ 5
When you finish this book, be prepared to go through withdrawal.
Format: Hardcover
I finished Six of Crows and immediately found myself missing Kaz and his crew, which is a surefire sign that I just finished a book that I absolutely loved. Kaz Brekker, criminal, gang leader, outcast, has assembled a group of misfit criminals from The Barrel to pull off the crime of a lifetime, a crime that even the most capable and seasoned lawbreakers would find nearly impossible. But for a group of men and women who have nothing left to lose, the impossible could be the one thing that will bring them salvation and the wealth they need to start new lives. But before they can go about saving the world they must first get past the secrets they are hiding, the resentment they hold back, and the mistrust they feel towards one another, and focus on not getting killed by the odds stacked against them.
I had been looking forward to reading this book since it was released because there were so many tempting aspects to it: theft, magic, fantasy, so many things that I love in a good story. Six of Crows is set in the same world as Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy but in a different land, with different characters, and it is not necessary to read the other trilogy first. I felt like the story got off to a slow start but after the first part of the book (it is divided into several parts) it really picked up and I could not put it down. Once I was halfway through the book I caught myself thinking about it all the time and wondering what would happen next with each of the characters that I had grown to love so much.
To tell the story, Bardugo switches each chapter to be from a different main character’s point of view, but I felt she did it in a different and more engaging way than I have seen it done by other authors in the past. The trouble I fall into sometimes when reading a story that switches between characters is the breakup of the storyline, since each character usually jumps to a different time or location. Bardugo switches characters yet tells the story seamlessly so that each chapter starts exactly where the last left off, but with the point of view of someone new. So the story never breaks succession and there is never a lull in the action. This way we learn the emotions, motivations, and differing viewpoints of each character without the excitement of the story ever getting interrupted.
The character development in the story is incredible and you quickly begin to learn the talents and flaws of each character and feel as if you know them personally and love each of them for who they are. Bardugo uses the present, flashbacks, internal thoughts, etc. to teach you the history of each character and give you a glimpse into why they have each become the person they are. The storyline was very unique and often focused on special abilities that some characters possess (the Grisha) which are incredibly interesting and a different take on magic. Once you get about 100 pages into the book the story really picks up pace and it is basically nonstop action after that point, done in near flawless fashion. There were small things about the book that bothered me, but these are rather insignificant details like the ages of certain characters or odd interactions which took nothing away from the story at all and were just little things that I noticed occasionally. Overall Bardugo told a brilliant story and I loved every second of it.
I finished this book several days ago and I still find myself missing the characters, Ketterdam, and everything about the story. It has been a long time since I have read a book that tugged at my heart enough that it made me go through a slight withdrawal and left me feeling a little depressed that I was not still immersed in the world of the book and the lives of its characters. Six of Crows has done that to me and the more I think about the book the more I love it and I find myself already anticipating the next novel in the trilogy. The book ends with a cliffhanger but not one that leaves you screaming in rage at having to wait so long for the next book, but enough for you to feel eager with anticipation as you patiently await book two. I look forward to the day where I am back in The Barrel hanging out with Kaz and the rest of the crew as the next part of the incredible journey takes place.
“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.”
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Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2015
★★★★★ 5
A fun heist adventure with a lovable cast of characters!
Format: Kindle
Kaz Brekker is a young criminal mastermind with a knack for meticulously planning every step of a greater picture before making a single move. He's spent a lot of time gaining a reputation, gathering a small gang, and building a legend and mystique around himself. His ultimate goal is revenge, and every move he makes is just another step toward it. When he is hired to carry out an impossible heist, he needs to gather a crew and plan his moves even more carefully.
Where this book truly shines is with its characters. Kaz and his crew are all very different personalities, and their banter and relationships with each other are all wonderful. Each of the six main characters are given full, compelling backstories, motivations, skill sets, personality quirks, and personal demons to sort out. It was a joy getting to know these characters and seeing them bounce off of each other. Kaz is an excellent character, and feels like a teenage supervillain-in-training. He is human, and suffers from trauma, insecurities, getting emotionally attached, but does everything he can to come off cold and detached to keep up with the legacy he has built for himself - and when you get to see Kaz from other peoples' perspectives, you can see just how successful he's become at it.
I'll admit I was not a fan of Matthias, one of the POV characters, at first. He's well-written, but his worldview and way of thinking were difficult for me to wrap my head around or justify. As the story went on and Matthias got more fleshed out and complex, I came to love him. Although there are six main characters, only five of them get POV chapters -- the sixth is still a very interesting character, and I would love to see a bigger glimpse into his mindset. After finishing the book I can understand why he was not given his own chapters, and I'm VERY excited to learn more about him in the sequel.
The worldbuilding is also very impressive. I understand that there are other books and trilogies and such set in this same world. I've yet to read the others at the time of writing this review, but I am intrigued by the world these characters live in, the customs and cultures of its people, the history that is alluded to, etc. This world feels real and fleshed out, and it's very clear that a lot of thought and care were put into it.
Six of Crows is an extremely fun book, I'm pumped to read its sequel and the other stories set in this world, and to check out the Netflix series based on one of them! I highly recommend this book!!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2025
★★★★★ 4
4-stars: 'Six of Crows' by Leigh Bardugo
Format: Hardcover, Format: Hardcover
This is going to be a very long review. I’m sorry ahead of time, but I knew it wouldn’t be a short review after I finished the book. Lots needed to be typed, but I promise no spoilers.
Six of Crows is set in Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse, but this time readers will get to follow six different characters on a mission to pull off a very dangerous heist together. This book will pull you in different directions because all six characters get to tell the story from their point of view before, during, and after the heist. It’s crazy how Leigh Bardugo managed to keep up with all six points of view while building the storyline to this new epic adventure in the Grishaverse.
Storyline/My Thoughts: First, if you read the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, then I will let you know now that Six of Crows doesn’t take place simultaneously as the trilogy. It’s set further in the years after the war has happened. Unfortunately, the Grisha are still treated horribly, and most are hidden or at Ravka helping the King rebuild, but this book is not focusing on that storyline. Instead, it’s focusing on six different characters, which each have a different personality and background. They are all supposed to be in their teens but come off as maturer in age. If you lived the way they did, then you would be much wiser in years to deal with the issues they have had to succumb. Readers will get to read some of their backstories when they tell their points of view in Six of Crows. (It’s amazing how authors can keep up with everything. I can’t even remember yesterday sometimes due to memory issues.)
I’m going to try to break down what I liked about each character without going overboard. I loved how Leigh Bardugo wrote each character differently. This is one reason why I was interested in the book.
Kaz Brekker has a heartbreaking back story, but he has managed to fight through everything thrown at him. He has a disability that requires him to have a cane, but he’s stronger than ever. He’s one scary character, even to his team, because he plans things that will put himself and everyone at risk. I enjoyed his character, especially after finding out what happened to him. He’s on a mission for revenge for what happened to him, and he will do anything to get that revenge. One thing that drove me crazy about him is his feelings for a particular character that he would rather deny than tell the truth. Just tell her!!!!
Inej Ghafa is by far my favorite character of the six. She’s been through a lot too, and Kaz saved her from the life she had at the Menagerie. She became known as the Wraith since she’s able to sneak up on people. She’s a fighter. She puts Kaz in his place a couple of times, and only she can do it to him. I could go on and on about her character. I loved getting to read her point of view.
Jesper Fahey has a secret that he’s unwilling to share with anyone on the team until he has to on the heist. He has a gambling issue, but he’s an excellent sharpshooter. I loved how even he questioned Kaz, but he also became friendly with another person on the heist.
Nina Zenit is a Grisha Heartrender who uses her magic to survive the slums. Her abilities include controlling someone’s breathing, heart, and cells in their bodies. She’s one Grisha you don’t want to mess with, and in this book, she ends up putting herself at risk for everyone else to survive.
Matthias Helva is a former druskelle and a Fjerdan witch hunter. Both Nina and he are dangerous together because he can’t stand what she is, and Nina is trying to make it right by Matthias. They have a complicated past and relationship that could put the others at risk. Matthias is one person you either could trust or not, and there were times I didn’t feel I could trust him with the group during the heist.
Wylan Van Eck is someone that Kaz brings to the crew for leverage since the person who requested Kaz’s help happens to be Wylan’s father. Wylan, though, has his own tricks up his sleeve, and I hope I get to know him more in the next book. He fit right into the crew during the heist.
All six are on a dangerous heist to break out a scientist from an impenetrable prison and put themselves at risk of being put in jail or, worst, being killed. (It’s all Kaz’s fault, but it was a deal that no one could turn down.) The heist reminded me of the movie Ocean’s Eleven, but much more risk to it, and instead of stealing money and gold, they have to steal a person. This person is someone everyone wants for themselves since they have created something that will change the odds.
The thing that drove me bonkers about this book was how slow it started for me. It took me a while to gain my interest in the story. I’m used to reading multiple POVs, so that was not an issue. It was the issue of getting to the heist, going through everything, and then how it ended. It took a while to get through it all. I also was bothered by how Kaz did not get the revenge he wanted in this book. He had a chance but didn’t take it. He deserves revenge for what happened to him. He also didn’t share his feelings with a specific character that he should have in this book. I hope he starts sharing them in the next book. I know Kaz will be out for revenge even further in the next book, but for something else entirely. Overall, this book receives four stars from me. I think if the book would’ve grasped me from the beginning and not been slow to start, then I would have given it five stars. There was a lot to take in the beginning.
Leigh Bardugo is a master at storytelling, though, and I can’t wait to see the Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows books be brought to life in the Netflix series. I already love the actors/actresses they chose to play the book characters.
Now I need to make time to read the Crooked Kingdom because this book left me with a cliffhanger.
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Six of Crows Duology. It’s also part of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse. (If you read the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, then you will read about certain characters in this book from the current characters. There will be a moment of clarity of who Nina is and where she came from, and why she ended up with the crew. I don’t think you have to read the Shadow and Bone Trilogy to read this book, but I feel readers will miss out on some connections between the books.)
Cliffhanger: Yes.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you are a fan of YA Fantasy involving a dangerous heist with six different characters, you will enjoy this book. I also would recommend the audiobook if you enjoy listening to books. The narrators were fantastic at having the characters come to life when I listened to the book instead of reading it.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2021