2018
WISE Score
Amazon
A high-stakes heist where the 'heroes' are all criminals, the world is out to get them, and the found-family vibes are top-tier.
4.6
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This is a rare sequel that actually improves on the original. It’s smart, sharp, and avoids the 'brain rot' of lazier YA tropes like the dreaded love triangle or the 'chosen one' who wins by accident.
It’s definitely on the darker side of the shelf—people die, and the world of Ketterdam is pretty cruel—but the bond between the six main characters makes it worth the read. If your teen is into complex magic systems and characters who aren't perfect, this is a must-read.
Best for ages 13 or 14 and up. The emotional complexity and darker subplots (like human trafficking and drug addiction) require a level of maturity that younger middle-schoolers might not have yet.
The heart of the book is 'found family' and fierce loyalty, but the tone is unapologetically gritty, cynical, and focused on survival in a criminal underworld.
The Grishaverse is a masterclass in world-building. Bardugo avoids standard medieval tropes for a Dutch-inspired, industrial-era setting with a unique 'Small Science' magic system.
It's safe for the intended teen audience, but parents should know it deals with heavy themes like sex trafficking (backstory), drug addiction, and fairly graphic violence.
Deeply explores disability, PTSD, systemic corruption, and the ethics of power. It challenges readers to think about morality in shades of gray rather than black and white.
While most YA sequels suffer from a sophomore slump, Leigh Bardugo managed to stick the landing with Crooked Kingdom. If Six of Crows was the high-energy setup, this is the payoff. It’s less of a "save the world" story and more of a "save each other" story, which is exactly why it resonates so deeply with teenagers. The stakes are massive, but they remain personal.
The protagonist, Kaz Brekker, is a masterclass in the anti-hero archetype. He isn't a "chosen one" with a prophecy on his side; he’s a kid with a cane and a grudge who outthinks everyone in the room. In a genre often filled with characters who stumble into victory through luck or raw power, Kaz’s reliance on strategy is refreshing. He treats the city of Ketterdam like a chessboard, and watching his plans—and his backup plans—unfold is the primary engine of the book.
For readers who find traditional fantasy leads a bit too "perfect" or "wholesome," Kaz is the antidote. He’s messy, traumatized, and often unlikeable, yet you can't stop rooting for him.
The "Grishaverse" might have magic, but the problems in this book are grounded in very real, very heavy human experiences. The jurda parem plotline isn't just a fantasy MacGuffin; it’s a brutal look at addiction and the way power can corrupt both the user and the dealer.
The book also doesn't shy away from the reality of its setting. Ketterdam is a city built on exploitation. Bardugo handles themes of human trafficking and systemic corruption with a level of gravity that respects the reader's intelligence. It’s dark, yes, but it’s never dark just for the sake of being edgy. Every scar these characters carry serves a narrative purpose.
If your teen came to this via the Shadow and Bone series on Netflix, they’ll find a much more layered experience here. While the show mashed several book series together, the duology allows these characters to breathe. The "found family" dynamic—the idea that you can choose your people even when the world rejects you—is the heart of the book.
If they’ve already finished this and are looking for a similar "crew on a mission" vibe, they might enjoy the Ocean’s Eleven films for the heist mechanics, or the John Wick franchise if they’re old enough for the stylized "one man against the underworld" energy. On the shelf, it sits comfortably next to anything by V.E. Schwab.
Without spoiling the specifics, be prepared for some emotional fallout. Unlike many YA series that wrap everything up in a neat bow, Crooked Kingdom understands that victory usually comes with a cost. It’s an ending that sticks with you, and it’s the kind of book that usually prompts a "we need to talk about what happened" text from a teen the moment they close the back cover. You can check out more detailed breakdowns of the content over at Common Sense Media if you want to prep for those conversations.
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