50 Must-Read 50 Beta
← The Must-Read 50
Cover of Six of Crows by Leigh BardugoSix of Crows
Modern · Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult

Six of Crows

by Leigh Bardugo
2015 · 480 pages · Fiction
Lifetime bestseller · Buzzing now
≈ 12 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

In the gritty port city of Ketterdam, criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a fortune for an impossible job: break into the Ice Court, a military fortress no one has ever escaped, and extract a scientist who could upend the world's balance of power. He'll need a crew of outcasts: a spy, a sharpshooter with a gambling problem, a runaway with a secret, a magical Heartrender and a prisoner bent on revenge. If they don't kill each other first.

Why it's worth reading

It's a heist thriller in a fantasy world, with six unforgettable characters, sharp banter, clever twists and a found-family heart. Readers who don't usually read fantasy love it.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's set in the Grishaverse, but you don't need to read Shadow and Bone first. It's the first of two books and ends on a cliffhanger, so have Crooked Kingdom ready.

By the numbers

87.4Must-Read Score
  • Readers98 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller80 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz32 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
209 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2015

Reads as

Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Leigh Bardugo

Cover of Ninth House by Leigh BardugoNinth House
Ninth HouseLeigh Bardugo
Cover of Shadow and Bone by Leigh BardugoShadow and Bone
Shadow and BoneLeigh Bardugo

If you like this, read next

Cover of A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce CameronA Dog's Purpose
A Dog's PurposeW. Bruce Cameron
Cover of Legendborn by Tracy DeonnLegendborn
LegendbornTracy Deonn
Cover of Throne of Glass by Sarah J. MaasThrone of Glass
Throne of GlassSarah J. Maas
Cover of Spinning Silver by Naomi NovikSpinning Silver
Spinning SilverNaomi Novik
Cover of The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. HarrowThe Ten Thousand Doors of January
The Ten Thousand Doors of JanuaryAlix E. Harrow
Cover of Carry On by Rainbow RowellCarry On
Carry OnRainbow Rowell

Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →

Quick answers

Is Six of Crows worth reading?

Yes. It's a heist thriller in a fantasy world, with six unforgettable characters, sharp banter, clever twists and a found-family heart. It ranks #75 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 87.4 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Six of Crows about?

In the gritty port city of Ketterdam, criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker is offered a fortune for an impossible job: break into the Ice Court, a military fortress no one has ever escaped, and extract a scientist who could upend the world's balance of power. He'll need a crew of outcasts: a spy, a sharpshooter with a gambling problem, a runaway with a secret, a magical Heartrender and a prisoner bent on revenge. If they don't kill each other first.

How long does it take to read Six of Crows?

About 12 hours (480 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Six of Crows?

If you liked it, try A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, Red Rising by Pierce Brown or Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.