lulu's Reviews > Crooked Kingdom

”When you can’t beat the odds, change the game.”

to say this book wrecked me is an understatement. i have changed the entire ending in my head in order to sleep better at night. these characters have touched me in a way that goes beyond what i could have imagined going into this. this book blew my mind in the best and worst ways and i will forever hold it near and dear to my heart for this.

”We can endure all kinds of pain. It’s shame that eats men whole.”

writing this review and thinking about this book without getting emotional is really hard for me. these characters just feel so real to me, this story feels like so much more.
and even though the ending is really hard for me to come to terms with, i do have a lot of appreciation for it in the sense that it feels very realistic. it’s hard because you expect everything to be tied together in this neat bow but that just isn’t how things work and having it end that way is devastating but also brings the story to another level for me. it makes this so much more memorable and meaningful.

characters

i’ve fallen in love with each and every character in the first book, and i’ve only been sucked in more by this book. they each have so much depth to them and each stand out from one another. there is so much to admire and learn from each character. i wasn’t going to go in depth but i couldn’t help myself:

kaz

”My mother is Ketterdam. She birthed me in the harbor. And my father is profit. I honor him daily.”

he somehow manages to outdo himself and everyone else in every situation by acting in the most ruthless way, yet still carries an element of charm and intrigue. i can’t fault him for any of the things he does. his character can be difficult to understand and accept but there is something so inspiring in the way that he doesn’t give up. when everyone else is ready to, his his promises to himself are what keep him moving. there’s no rest for the wicked and there is no one more wicked than kaz brekker but he will forever be loved.

inej

”What about the nobodies and the nothings, the invisible girls? We learn to hold our heads as if we wear crowns. We learn to wring magic from the ordinary. That was how you survived when you weren’t chosen, when there was no royal blood in your veins. When the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway.”

she has to be one of the strongest characters i’ve ever read about. whatever she puts her mind to, she excels at. her strength comes from her determination, her faith, her family, her people, her past. the way she spoke about her fears is something i’ll always carry with me. she uses her pain and her fears to grow and persevere. despite what she has gone through in the past, she fought hard and used it to become the person she is.

nina

”It’s good to feel foolish sometimes.”

thinking about nina always gives me this overwhelming sense of warmth. she’s such a comfort character for me. she manages to lighten every situation and her personality is unmatched. when it comes to the people she loves, she will always show up and do anything she can to save them. her love and loyalty for her country and her people never wavered and it made me respect and adore her so much more.

matthias

”Do not be afraid. Fear is how they control you. There's so much in the world you don't have to be afraid of, if you would only open your eyes.”

his character development was one of the greatest parts about this duology. he shifted his entire mindset and outlook on the world which must be one of the most challenging feats. he still always stayed true to who he was as a person and it was rewarding to see him be accepted in their group and for him to accept them. his journey was really one for the books.

jesper

“Jesper!”
“Don’t worry, Da. People point guns at each other all the time in Ketterdam. It’s basically a handshake.”

oh jesper, i’ll always have the softest spot for him. his heart is so pure. his impulsive nature gets him into a lot of sticky situations but his heart is always in a good place. his relationship with his father and his history had such a huge impact on him, and exploring this gave us more insight into his character which only made me appreciate him more.

wylan

”They were his first friends, his only friends, and Wylan knew that even if he'd had his pick of a thousand companions, these would have been the people he chose.”

i am so happy we got his povs and delved more into his character. one thing i love about wylan is that he was never afraid to speak his mind. when everyone would tell him to learn to be more fearful, his courage came through. he went through some very difficult family situations and despite being told he was worthless, it was beautiful to see him find a place he belonged.

relationships

kanej (kaz + inej):

“I would have come for you. And if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl to you, and no matter how broken we were, we'd fight our way out together—knives drawn, pistols blazing. Because that's what we do. We never stop fighting.”

they broke me and healed me all at once. the depth of their relationship knows no bounds. they are so intertwined. they both have traumatic pasts that can’t be ignored, but they understand each other in ways others don’t. they’ve really taken us on an emotional journey.

helnik (matthias + nina):

"You're better than waffles, Matthias Helvar."
"Let's not say things we don't mean, my love.”

the passion, the love, the protectiveness between them is everything you would want in a relationship and more. they really are twin flames and there’s no doubt about it.

wesper (jesper + wylan):

“You’re stupid about a lot of things, Wylan, but you are not stupid. And if I ever hear you call yourself a moron again, I’m going to tell Matthias you tried to kiss Nina. With tongue.”
Wylan wiped his nose on his sleeve. “He’ll never believe it.”
“Then I’ll tell Nina you tried to kiss Matthias. With tongue.”

they’re so adorable. i love how they were both there for each other throughout everything, and how they were the first to come to each other’s defence. they needed each other and it makes me so happy they found each other.

“You’re weak because you’re afraid of people seeing your weakness. You’re letting shame decide who you are.”

i can go on and on about how much i love these characters, their dynamics, the writing, the plot, the action, the scheming, etc. but you just need to go read these books for yourself to understand the hype. i am so grateful to everyone that pushed me to finally read these books because they’ve definitely become so special to me too.

“Why do you guys say that, anyway? No mourners, no funerals? Why not just say good luck or be safe?”
“We like to keep our expectations low.”