Six Companion Reads for “Six of Crows”

We’re thrilled that MuggleNet is part of the international Magic and Mayhem Tour celebrating the countdown to Six of Crows! Everyone who has read the fantastic Grishaverse trilogy from Shadow and Bone to Ruin and Rising will know that Leigh Bardugo is a queen of incredible fantasy, beautiful world building (and sizzling star-crossed love!) with a good dose of dark and dangerous characters for whom you can’t help but fall head over heels. She’s back with a brand new story set in the same world, with six new characters who will steal your heart and pick your pockets! It’s a fast-paced, thrill-seeking heist story with a gang of misfits who all have their own hang-ups and history.

I’d like to introduce you to Six of Crows with some suggestions of books that I think would suit each of the characters and hopefully help you get a glimpse of their personalities and the fun you have in store! September 24-29, bloggers in the US and UK have been paired up to share their own Six of Crows-inspired lists, such as six tips for surviving the Grishaverse, six signs you do/don’t have what it takes to join Kaz’s crew, and more. PLUS, we have a fantastic competition to win a swag pack across all 12 blogs taking part. Details of how to enter below.

But first A NOTE FROM LEIGH BARDUGO:

Thanks for being a part of the blog tour! I’m so curious to see what you pick for companion reads because reading mood is such a tricky thing, right? I always feel like a very finicky Goldilocks when I’m trying to pick a book to commit to. I’m a big Gillian Flynn fan, and Dark Places is my favourite of her books, but when I started reading it, I had to put it down after the first forty pages. It was too dark, too intense, and I’d just come off of a lot of incredibly bleak historical research. I needed a cheerful palette cleanser. Annie Proulx’s The Shipping News is one of my favourite books of all time. I think it changed the way I think about story, language, and myself. But I started it three times before I really dug in. And then there are books that just have to wait their turn. Where Did You Go, Bernadette? sat on my shelf for months until one day I glanced over at the cover and thought, ‘You are exactly what I want right now.’ I don’t know if Six of Crows will send you looking for more fantasies and heists, or if you’ll want to follow it with a light contemporary romp, but whatever you choose to pick up next, I hope the porridge is just right. And that, y’know, three angry bears don’t bust you for home invasion.

So here we go, and introducing each of the Crows with SIX COMPANION READS:

Kaz – Presiding over his gang of misfit thieves and grifters, Kaz is dapper, suave, manipulative, and brilliant. I dare you not to swoon for this dashing guy, though guard your hearts well since he’s a master of lies and misdirection. Kaz is the ultimate antihero with a back story that will make your jaw drop. From his gloves, cane, and quick hands, he gives even the Artful Dodger a run for his money. Therefore, what better companion read than the original trickster himself in Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist. After all, the prince of thieves has to pay his respect to the classic origin of the charming pickpocket, doing his best to survive in a cruel world. And Kaz’s tragic family history could make orphan Oliver feel a little better about himself.

Inej – Fearless, acrobatic cat thief Inej is the most loyal of friends and slipperiest of enemies. She will slip her way into your favourites (taking the tricky route over the roof!). There are two books that I think would suit nimble and fleet-footed Inej. First of all is Pirates by Celia Rees, a brilliant historical young adult book that has one eye on the horizon and the other on fierce will to survive and be free. Cutthroat and full of big dreams, the girls in this story don’t take nonsense and will do what they have to do to save their skin. The other is A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab because I would selfishly read ALL the Lila Bard/Inej crossover fan fic. Daydreaming pirate girls are the best girls. Now, bring me that horizon.

Nina – Seductive and powerful Nina knows her own worth and has a fierce will to survive. Proud of her heritage and her magic, and not afraid to stand up to the brutes who would see her killed, for lovely Grisha Nina I would have to recommend she read the original Grishaverse trilogy. Here she can learn all about the Darkling, Aleksander Morozova, Mal, and of course Alina, who knows a thing or two about the price and perils of power. I think she would find comfort in the history of her people, the strength and struggles of others like her, and the knowledge that great obstacles can be overcome.

Matthias – For serious witch hunter Matthias I would prescribe a healthy dose of Patrick Ness’s fantastic new novel The Rest of Us Just Live Here. With his trained sense of morality, I think he could do with seeing how we are all just people at the end of the day, trying to live, love, and embrace life on a day-to-day basis, no matter what is happening around us that can’t quite be explained. Encountering the indie kids and the contemporary problems of normal teens will be quite the eye-opener to someone so steeped in tradition and suppression of magic. Plus, he could do with a few laughs, and The Rest of Us Just Live Here is laugh-out-loud funny, especially if you’ve ever encountered a wayward chosen one.

Jesper – For the jovial, strong, and secretive Jesper, I’d have to lend a copy of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. Here he can see the fallout of gambling with life in a fantasy setting that is diverse, dangerous, and full of risk-taking against a court of cruel dictators and old magic. I think he’d fall hard for Laia, Helene, and Elias – though I wouldn’t know whom to place my bet on in a fight. They’d all come out strong with some trick up their sleeve.

Wylan – For young runaway/kidnapped Wylan, I would of course have to recommend our very own Harry Potter. After all, who else knows all about disappointing relatives, betrayal, expectations, and the pressure of living under the shadow of your parents. I think Wylan would be fascinated by the dynamics of the wizarding world, and he’d be sure to revolutionize the Ministry of Magic with his fresh eyes, level head, and willingness to take risks.

I hope that gives you a bit of an idea of the wonderful new story that Leigh has crafted in Six of Crows. I truly believe it’s her best book yet and can’t wait for everyone to read it. Believe me, once you’ve met the Crows, you’ll never forget them, and you’ll be hanging on with bated breath until the very last page.

But wait. There’s more! Enter to win a Six of Crows prize pack full of US AND UK swag by commenting on all 12 blog posts by 11:59 p.m. EDT Friday, October 2. Simply follow #MagicandMayhemTour to find all 12 magical lists!

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