Crooked Kingdom was published by Henry Holt and Company in 2016, completing the Six of Crows duology. Where the first book was a heist novel (getting in), the sequel is a revenge novel (getting even) — Kaz Brekker and his crew have been double-crossed by the merchant Jan Van Eck, who has taken their payment and kidnapped Inej. Kaz’s response is to dismantle Van Eck’s entire empire.
The novel operates as an intricate con: multiple schemes running simultaneously, each dependent on precise timing, on the crew’s complementary abilities, and on Kaz’s ability to predict how his enemies will respond to each provocation. The plotting is extraordinary — Bardugo juggles a dozen moving pieces without losing clarity, and the reveals (when the reader discovers what was really happening behind the apparent action) are genuinely surprising while remaining fair.
But the novel’s emotional core is the crew’s struggle with their own damage. Kaz must decide whether revenge is worth more than the people he claims not to care about. Inej must choose between Kaz and her own freedom. Nina must grieve Matthias while channeling her fury into action. Jesper must confront the secret he’s been hiding from his father. Wylan must face the father who tried to destroy him. Each resolution is earned through pages of careful character work.
The ending satisfies: the crew wins, but not without cost. The victory is achieved through intelligence and solidarity rather than violence, and the final pages offer each character a future that honors who they’ve become rather than who they were.
Collecting Crooked Kingdom
First edition (Henry Holt and Company, New York, 2016): Cloth binding, dust jacket.
Market values:
- First edition in dust jacket: $25–$60
- Signed first edition: $50–$120
- Complete Six of Crows duology (firsts): $60–$200