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Teen Book Review – Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Written by Katie Chen
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“When everyone knows you’re a monster, you needn’t waste time doing every monstrous thing.” – Kaz Brekker

The fantasy novel Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo (author of the Grisha series), follows the story of Kaz Brekker and his crew of dangerous outcasts as they attempt to commit the one heist that could get them out of the streets and make them millionaires. The catch? The very likely chance of death for all those involved before the quest can even begin.

Six of Crows is one of my favourite books of all time. Its original, well-mapped setting (there is literally a map at the beginning of the book), unique cast of bold, dynamic characters, and intricate, steady plot all work together to create a story that plays out effortlessly in one’s imagination.Read More

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Teen SRC 2017 – The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid

Written by Katie Chen
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“Without her, there was no reason for me to exist. Death would be a mercy compared to that.” – Nemesis

The Diabolic, by S. J. Kincaid, is a science-fiction novel that takes place in a world where humans, and all of their artificially-created humanoid creatures, inhabit the infinite and daunting frontier that is space. Nemesis, the protagonist, is a young female Diabolic: a ruthless killer designed to protect one specific person to the death. The story is told from Nemesis’s point-of-view as she lies, deceives, and kills in order to defend her beloved one from just one foe: the emperor of the galaxy.

The Diabolic is a page-turner with a fast-moving plot. In this book, there are very few scenes in which the characters sit, ponder, and plan. True to the characteristic restlessness of a Diabolic, the plot moves at a pace that gives the reader little time to rest. The concise, to-the-point dialogue and the protagonist’s feisty behaviour and indomitable strength help to keep the story moving.

However, there are a few cons to the speedy plot. I felt that there were a few scenes that could have had longer descriptions and were not as developed because of the lack of said descriptions. Another point of improvement could be a clearer explanation of the titles and ranks of the nobility, which caused some confusion, as they are entirely original to this book and not found in real life.

Overall, The Diabolic is a well-conceived book that immerses the reader into Nemesis’s story and could very easily be given a sequel.

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