Review: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Part of me wants to enumerate all of the parts I found fantastic. But I don’t think that would be useful because I’m sure they are the parts you found fantastic. And the same with all of the parts I found heartbreaking, earth-shattering, or just too intense for words. This book had intense everything. The schemes just kept becoming higher stakes. Our criminals kept digging themselves deeper into hero territory. Until their actions would become delightfully criminal and again. There was a greater good and there was deep personal vengeance. The absolute genius of this book is that every time it becomes bigger it also becomes more personal. And that is why so many people care so deeply about these books. And why I am kicking myself for taking such a long time to actually begin to read them. 

This book was a straight up roller coaster. That is an overused metaphor but oh my god it is true here. In a span of fifty pages near the end of the novel I single teared, sobbed, 2 pages later laughed hysterically, was overcome with adorable romance, then sobbed again. The whole book is full of very high highs and low lows, you feel all the emotions and are absolutely compelled to turn the next page. 

I love every character. I will riot if I never get to see any of them again. But I also feel like these two books so perfectly work together that I also kind of would be happy if they never got more play. But if rumors of a potential book three end up being actualized I will, of course, take off work and spend all day reading it and crying. And I can hope at least some people pop into King of Scars.

I gave this book five stars and finished reading it on February 28th, 2019.