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Shadow and Bone #3
Ruin and Rising
鈻�
Alternative Cover Edition #1
The capital has fallen.
The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction鈥攁nd claiming it could cost Alina the very future she鈥檚 fighting for.
The capital has fallen.
The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction鈥攁nd claiming it could cost Alina the very future she鈥檚 fighting for.
350 pages, Hardcover
First published June 17, 2014
14.2k people are currently reading
286k people want to read
About the author
Leigh Bardugo
81听books179k听followersLeigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology鈥攁nd much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University. For information on new releases and appearances, sign up for her .
She would be delighted if you visited her at and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on .
She would be delighted if you visited her at and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58,017 reviews
January 27, 2019
2 Stars
Overview:
^My face right now.
Let me preface this roast by stating-- my problem isn鈥檛 the love triangle. (If you can even call it that.) I鈥檓 not upset things didn鈥檛 turn out like I wanted, I鈥檓 frustrated the conclusion was a hot mess of nonexistent plot and unwinding character development. (Though I do obviously hate one of the love interests with all of my soul)
In my review of Siege and Storm, I theorized there were two possible outcomes for this trilogy鈥擮ne where Alina embraces the Grisha society and uses her powers, and another where she rejects them and reverts to a 鈥榮imple鈥� girl. I was kinda right?Mostly wrong
My main problem is how weak a character Alina becomes. She had a fantastic amount of development in the first book, when she discovered her powers and started to believe in herself. The second book introduced a theme of greed, and hinted the way she used her powers would inevitably corrupt her. It鈥檚 probably the driving conflict of this whole book.
But it just flip-flopped back and forth before reaching a cop-out solution? It all works out spectacularly and everything is great, we can forget the past three books even happened????
Seriously, there was even the introduction of a third love interest so everything is even more complicated, and Alina has to choose between three entirely different lives. But somehow she hardly makes any decisions the whole book.
Pros:
Genya and David were beautiful. Baghara as Alina鈥檚 quasi-yoda was also a nice touch.
Nikolia鈥檚 humor and bravado was fantastic as always, and he was truly a bright-spot in this depressing book.
Bardugo鈥檚 writing is still very enjoyable. I flew through this, as the narrative flows easily and seems much improved from the first book.
The Darkling is super fascinating. Learning more about his backstory was one of the absolute highlights of this book, and his commanding presence made the pages he appeared 20x more interesting. He鈥檚 incredibly manipulative and cunning and there鈥檚 something so striking about his confidence in his actions.
I鈥檓 not discrediting his awful and abusive nature (and I do NOT support that romance) but he works brilliantly as an antagonist.
Cons
Mal was better, I guess?I still hate him with the passion of a thousand suns. He鈥檚 still outrageously 鈥榩erfect鈥� and always says something mushy or has a completely selfless reaction to everything. He just doesn鈥檛 feel real to me. Even though he never noticed Alina before, he鈥檚 going to act like he鈥檚 always loved her and that his every action revolves around keeping her safe.
There鈥檚 something really icky about the fact that he can鈥檛 accept her with her powers. Why did Alina keep making herself smaller for this guy?? It was like we were supposed to swoon over all the 鈥榮acrifices鈥� Mal made for her, though he spent the past three books whining about how much stronger she was than him?
What even was Nikolai the second half of this book, and was it necessary?
The pacing here was just鈥� off. So much of this was filler or the characters standing in a circle talking about their course of action. I enjoyed the team-dynamic to an extent, but it cut a lot of tension out of things, in my opinion. Everything barely moved along, interlaced with a few dramatic scenes, before reaching a very rushed ending.
A very rushed ending that magically solves almost everything, undoes almost all the character development and was just鈥� really lackluster?
In Conclusion
At least I can finally read now!
Overview:
Then he cupped my cheek, his thumb tracing my lip."You are all I've ever wanted," he said. "You are the whole of my heart.鈥�
^My face right now.
Let me preface this roast by stating-- my problem isn鈥檛 the love triangle. (If you can even call it that.) I鈥檓 not upset things didn鈥檛 turn out like I wanted, I鈥檓 frustrated the conclusion was a hot mess of nonexistent plot and unwinding character development. (Though I do obviously hate one of the love interests with all of my soul)
In my review of Siege and Storm, I theorized there were two possible outcomes for this trilogy鈥擮ne where Alina embraces the Grisha society and uses her powers, and another where she rejects them and reverts to a 鈥榮imple鈥� girl. I was kinda right?
My main problem is how weak a character Alina becomes. She had a fantastic amount of development in the first book, when she discovered her powers and started to believe in herself. The second book introduced a theme of greed, and hinted the way she used her powers would inevitably corrupt her. It鈥檚 probably the driving conflict of this whole book.
But it just flip-flopped back and forth before reaching a cop-out solution? It all works out spectacularly and everything is great, we can forget the past three books even happened????
Seriously, there was even the introduction of a third love interest so everything is even more complicated, and Alina has to choose between three entirely different lives. But somehow she hardly makes any decisions the whole book.
Pros:
Genya and David were beautiful. Baghara as Alina鈥檚 quasi-yoda was also a nice touch.
Nikolia鈥檚 humor and bravado was fantastic as always, and he was truly a bright-spot in this depressing book.
Bardugo鈥檚 writing is still very enjoyable. I flew through this, as the narrative flows easily and seems much improved from the first book.
The Darkling is super fascinating. Learning more about his backstory was one of the absolute highlights of this book, and his commanding presence made the pages he appeared 20x more interesting. He鈥檚 incredibly manipulative and cunning and there鈥檚 something so striking about his confidence in his actions.
I鈥檓 not discrediting his awful and abusive nature (and I do NOT support that romance) but he works brilliantly as an antagonist.
Cons
Mal was better, I guess?
There鈥檚 something really icky about the fact that he can鈥檛 accept her with her powers. Why did Alina keep making herself smaller for this guy?? It was like we were supposed to swoon over all the 鈥榮acrifices鈥� Mal made for her, though he spent the past three books whining about how much stronger she was than him?
What even was Nikolai the second half of this book, and was it necessary?
The pacing here was just鈥� off. So much of this was filler or the characters standing in a circle talking about their course of action. I enjoyed the team-dynamic to an extent, but it cut a lot of tension out of things, in my opinion. Everything barely moved along, interlaced with a few dramatic scenes, before reaching a very rushed ending.
A very rushed ending that magically solves almost everything, undoes almost all the character development and was just鈥� really lackluster?
In Conclusion
At least I can finally read now!
July 19, 2014
I AM SO PISSED. I AM SO PISSED.
Please allow me the indulgence of using an extended metaphor to describe this series.
The first book is the first stages of love. It's not true love, but infatuation. You are ensnared by his looks, enamored by everything he does. His quirks are adorable. His faults are overlooked because it's a part of who he is. It's part of what makes him special. So what if he has a habit of scratching his ass in public? It's cute.
The second book is the "settling in" stage of the relationship. You now see his faults, and they're pretty annoying. His habits of eating like a Neanderthal is now more annoying, less endearing. You really wish that he'd stop checking out other girls. You want to change him, but you are still in love, these are faults you can deal with because you're in this for the long run. The disappointments are inevitable in every long term relationship, aren't they? Over time, surely things will take a turn for the better.
Or so you think. Until he dumps you without explanation.
And so we come to the third book. It's 5 years since you guys broke up. He crushed your heart, left it in little pieces. You still love him anyway, despite what happened to end your relationship previously because there's just something about him. Some inimitable quality that attracts you and keeps you hanging on no matter what.
And now he wants to meet again. You're excited. It's been too long. You've desperate with anticipation. This might be it. You guys might still have a chance.
You wait in a cafe, in your best outfit, breathless with anticipation.
And then he shows up. Time has not been kind. His hairline has receded by 2 inches. He has a paunch, and a double chin. He's grown a mustache that could only be described as a "douche-stache." You had anticipated this, but it still comes as a shock.
Still, you can't bring yourself to hate him. You remember all the good times. You feel the sense of familiarity that you get with no one else, however much your physical attraction to him has changed. There's history between the two of you...and for now, that's the only good that came out of this meeting. You wish you had just left it there, where hopes and dreams and the flights of your imagination could have brought you more than this encounter ever could.
That is my feeling towards this book. Grievously let down.
I'll be happy to discuss the book. Please put spoilers in spoiler tags if you want to discuss in the comments =)
Please allow me the indulgence of using an extended metaphor to describe this series.
The first book is the first stages of love. It's not true love, but infatuation. You are ensnared by his looks, enamored by everything he does. His quirks are adorable. His faults are overlooked because it's a part of who he is. It's part of what makes him special. So what if he has a habit of scratching his ass in public? It's cute.
The second book is the "settling in" stage of the relationship. You now see his faults, and they're pretty annoying. His habits of eating like a Neanderthal is now more annoying, less endearing. You really wish that he'd stop checking out other girls. You want to change him, but you are still in love, these are faults you can deal with because you're in this for the long run. The disappointments are inevitable in every long term relationship, aren't they? Over time, surely things will take a turn for the better.
Or so you think. Until he dumps you without explanation.
And so we come to the third book. It's 5 years since you guys broke up. He crushed your heart, left it in little pieces. You still love him anyway, despite what happened to end your relationship previously because there's just something about him. Some inimitable quality that attracts you and keeps you hanging on no matter what.
And now he wants to meet again. You're excited. It's been too long. You've desperate with anticipation. This might be it. You guys might still have a chance.
You wait in a cafe, in your best outfit, breathless with anticipation.
And then he shows up. Time has not been kind. His hairline has receded by 2 inches. He has a paunch, and a double chin. He's grown a mustache that could only be described as a "douche-stache." You had anticipated this, but it still comes as a shock.
Still, you can't bring yourself to hate him. You remember all the good times. You feel the sense of familiarity that you get with no one else, however much your physical attraction to him has changed. There's history between the two of you...and for now, that's the only good that came out of this meeting. You wish you had just left it there, where hopes and dreams and the flights of your imagination could have brought you more than this encounter ever could.
That is my feeling towards this book. Grievously let down.
I'll be happy to discuss the book. Please put spoilers in spoiler tags if you want to discuss in the comments =)
October 17, 2015
That was an interesting conclusion to the trilogy. I can't say I'm super satisfied with how things came together, but it was still enjoyable! My main gripe with this series is it's lack of plot. I wanted more from the story, all three books feel like this build up to the ending, but nothing happens during those build up moments. (obviously this is just my opinion, you don't have to agree with me!)
February 10, 2015
They had an ordinary life, full of ordinary things--if love can ever be called that.
<3
4.5 stars
Oh, and Leigh Bardugo talked to me about the glorious, glorious food of the Grisha trilogy here during this fairy tale lunch:
<3
4.5 stars
Oh, and Leigh Bardugo talked to me about the glorious, glorious food of the Grisha trilogy here during this fairy tale lunch:
April 23, 2021
i finally know the context behind "i am become a blade" and ive never wanted to unalive myself more. however, i am become a whore for Nikolai Lantsov, Major of the Twenty-Second Regiment, Soldier of the King鈥檚 Army, Grand Duke of Udova, and second son to His Most Royal Majesty, King Alexander the Third, Ruler of the Double Eagle Throne. aka Privateer Sturmhond ;)
February 13, 2018
la la la la la tis impossible for me to say anything coherent about the Grisha trilogy because I love it so much. What a wonderful conclusion. I'm so happy I finally continued with this series this year.
April 9, 2023
Alina really doesn't know how to play fuck, marry, kill.
March 16, 2023
1.) Shadow and Bone 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽�
2.) Siege and Storm 鈽呪槄鈽�
March 18, 2024
I would say this is overall a 4 star series for me. I think the biggest thing holding this series back from being 5 stars for me is that I just don't care that much about Alina and Mal. I love Genya & Nikolai tho! I did really enjoy the plot in this one. The last third had lots of surprising info reveals and plot points! I always LOVE when a book surprises me.
And I'm excited to hopefully start Six of Crows soon (even tho I do NOT need to start more book series馃槶)
And I'm excited to hopefully start Six of Crows soon (even tho I do NOT need to start more book series馃槶)
January 28, 2019
鈥漈hey will starve for you, lay down their lives and their children鈥檚 lives for you. They will make war without fear and die rejoicing. There is no greater power than faith, and there will be no greater army than one driven by it.鈥�
Three books and I still hate the Apparat! *lol* Guess that says enough about him and his despicable character. XD Despite everything he unfortunately has a point though. Now that Alina has become Sankta Alina for so many people they think that she鈥檚 the answer to all their prayers and hopes and to say this is quite a burden for a girl that considers herself to be ordinary isn鈥檛 even getting close to the truth. There鈥檚 a lot of pressure on our young heroine and even though she鈥檚 coping with it way better than she did in the past, this still doesn鈥檛 mean that she鈥檚 ready to do what is necessary.
Mainly to destroy the fold and to dethrone the Darkling. To be entirely honest I can鈥檛 even blame her for it. The Darkling and her have some special connection and no matter how misguided he鈥檚 become, our favourite villain still has a good heart. It鈥檚 hidden more than just well in this final and last instalment but that doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean that it isn鈥檛 there. *sighs deeply*
Also, am I crazy for still loving all those boys? *lol* Because no matter how much I think about it, I still like Mal, I still adore Nikolai and I still want more of the Darkling. XD And this after reading all three books! ARGH! Leigh why do you have to write such good characters? *lol* It鈥檚 just not fair! Well, anyway I鈥檒l head to my characters section now because there is a lot I need to get off my chest and I don鈥檛 want to spoil you already! ;-P
The Characters:
鈥漀one of them were easy or soft or simple. They were like me, nursing hurts and hidden wounds, all broken in different ways. We didn鈥檛 quite fit together. We had edges so jagged we cut each other sometimes, but as I curled up on my side, the warmth of the fire at my back, I felt a rush of gratitude so sweet it made my throat ache.鈥�
You are entering the Fold! If you don鈥檛 want to be spoiled or eaten by the volcra (which truth be told might be pretty likely) you better leave now. Don鈥檛 say I didn鈥檛 warn you! You鈥檙e entering at your own risk! *volcra howls in the distance* ;-P
Alina:
鈥漎ou are on your knees,鈥� I said. 鈥淲e are not negotiating.鈥�
His lips thinned, but after a moment, he dipped his chin in assent.
Okay, I admit it. Alina was pretty cool in this book! *lol* I loved how she decided to take her fate into her own hands and no longer aimed for compromises. It was all or nothing for her and I really, really liked this! For once she was no longer a chess piece in the game but turned into one of the leaders instead. AND I enjoyed it! XD It was about time she got her own voice and I鈥檓 glad she finally realized that it鈥檚 up to her to change things. Plus, if we鈥檙e entirely honest to run away never really worked out for her anyway! The Darkling would have never left her alone and it was about time she fought back. ;-)
鈥滿aybe love was superstition, a prayer we said to keep the truth of loneliness at bay.鈥�
鈥漈his was what Ravka did. It made orphans. It made misery. No land, no life, just a uniform and a gun. Nikolai had believed in something better.鈥�
Mal:
鈥滷or all my talk of vows and honor, what I really want is to put you up against that wall and kiss you until you forget you ever knew another man鈥檚 name. So tell me to go, Alina. Because I can鈥檛 give you a title or an army or any of the things you need.鈥�
Three books and I still don鈥檛 get all the Mal hate!!! I mean seriously, why do so many people hate him so much? I think he鈥檚 a really nice and down-to-earth guy and I could understand each and every single one of his actions. Yes he turned Alina away; he only did it because he knew she needed more than just a soldier who had nothing to offer though. In my opinion he was only realistic and let鈥檚 face it, if Alina wouldn鈥檛 have lost all her powers in the end she would have never been happy and content in a relationship with him. AND Mal was ready to sacrifice himself in order to save their world so I really, really don鈥檛 get why anyone wouldn鈥檛 like him!? I never had the feeling that he鈥檚 annoying, quite the contrary so yeah: #滨厂迟颈濒濒尝颈办别惭补濒础苍诲滨鈥檓狈辞迟厂辞谤谤测
Nikolai:
鈥漇aints, Alina. I hope you weren鈥檛 looking to me to be the voice of reason. I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret.鈥�
OMG!!! If that is even possible I actually loved him even more than I loved him in book 2! Nikolai is the BEST and he deserves the world and so much more!!! <333 I just admire and adore him and I really don鈥檛 get how Alina was able to resist his charms! I would have accepted his proposal in a heartbeat! *lol* But then again I鈥檓 not Alina who is obviously besotted with Mal. XD It made me kind of sad that we didn鈥檛 get all too much of him in this final book, but I see the logic behind it. AND I鈥檒l never forgive the Darkling for what he did to my precious baby!!! I didn鈥檛 expect him to turn him into a monster and when it happened I was gripping my book so hard and yelling at the pages that I was very thankful I read it at home. *lol* (Just imagine I would have read it in the train鈥� XD) I can鈥檛 wait to hold 鈥淜ing of Scars鈥� in my greedy and grabby hands and I NEED to know what happens next! >_<
鈥漀ikolai had made a fool of the Darkling, and now the Darkling had taken my polished, brilliant, noble prince and made him into a monster. Death would have been too kind.鈥�
鈥滺e鈥檇 mobilized all the remaining units of the army to secure the borders, sent messages to the coast to rally Sturmhond鈥檚 fleet, and had apparently managed it all on no sleep and two fractured ribs. No one else would have had the ability, let alone the nerve 鈥� certainly not a younger son and rumoured bastard. But Nikolai had been training for this his entire life, and I knew he had a gift for the impossible.鈥�
The Darkling:
鈥滻 have lived a long life, rich in grief. My tears are long since spent. If I still felt as you do, if I ached as you do, I could not have borne this eternity.鈥�
I might never forgive him for what he did to Nikolai but I still love him?! *lol* The Darkling is just one of those amazing villains I love to hate and despite everything he鈥檚 done there is still something good in him. His power and age made him ruthless and caused him to be detached from the world around him, but deep down in his heart he isn鈥檛 really bad. I guess you might say he is doing the wrong things for the right reasons. All he ever wanted was a united Ravka in which Grisha could live peacefully and together as one and for a while he even managed to give his country some sort of stability. He had a wonderful dream but he never realized that he became the one thing that stood in its way. The Darkling was a very complex villain and I鈥檓 so glad I read this series because villains like that are so rare to find. XD For that alone I鈥檒l always cherish him. But that moment when he asked Alina to say his true name!? T_T I am deceased!
鈥漁nce more,鈥� he said. 鈥淪peak my name once more.鈥�
He was ancient, I knew that. But in this moment he was just a boy 鈥� brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.
鈥淎濒别办蝉补苍诲别谤.鈥�
Genya:
鈥漀a razrusha鈥檡a. E鈥檡a razrushost.鈥� I am not ruined. I am ruination.
Boy, did I adore Genya for her guts!! <333 She stood up for herself and faced the king head-on and she didn鈥檛 just give him a piece of her mind but also accepted the consequences the truth might entail! THAT WAS SO DAMN BRAVE for so many different reasons!! I always knew why Genya is my Queen! XD I love that despite her scars she鈥檚 comfortable in her own skin and I鈥檓 so happy that she finally got the love she deserves! <33 After everything she went through she deserves a man who treats her right and David seems to be the perfect man to give her everything she needs! ;-)
鈥滲eauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what鈥檚 inside you? That鈥檚 steel. It鈥檚 brave and unbreakable. And it doesn鈥檛 need fixing.鈥� He drew in a deep breath then awkwardly stepped forward. He took her face in his hands and kissed her.
The relationships & ships:
Alina & Mal:
鈥漌e鈥檙e going to be travelling together for who knows how long. Eventually, you鈥檙e going to have to talk to me.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 talking to you right now.鈥�
鈥淪ee? Is this so terrible?鈥�
鈥淚t wouldn鈥檛 be,鈥� he said, gazing at me steadily, 鈥渋f all I wanted to do was talk.鈥�
I know at least 50% of the people who read this series will be all like 鈥淣OOOO!!!鈥� now but: I SHIP IT!!! Yes, you read right! I鈥檓 happy with the ending and them being together! I mean Leigh made it pretty clear that Mal is Alina鈥檚 one true love and I鈥檓 so on board of the 鈥淭he childhood friend gets the girl鈥� train! *lol* Because this NEVER EVER happens in YA!!! And I鈥檓 grateful Leigh actually made it happen for once! XD It might sound ridiculous but this is something new and I鈥檓 always there for new things in a genre I already know so well. Plus Mal and Alina had a great chemistry and I loved that they were always able to joke about their situation. They knew each other inside out and for me it was logical that they could be together! I mean it鈥檚 basically like in real life. I know so many couples that started out as friends (some even best friends) and then became a couple because they realized they love each other. So there鈥檚 that! I ship it and I鈥檓 content with the ending! Enough said! ;-P
鈥滱ll at once, the pain in my chest was so bad it nearly bent me double. Because this was what Mal had been coming to show me. Because that look 鈥� that open, eager, happy look 鈥� had been for me. Because I would always be the first person he turned to when he saw something lovely, and I would do the same. Whether I was a Saint or a queen or the most powerful Grisha who ever lived, I would always turn to him.鈥�
鈥滺e watches her the way Harshaw watches fire. Like he鈥檒l never have enough of her. Like he鈥檚 trying to capture what he can before she鈥檚 gone.鈥�
鈥滻 wanted more for you,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 white veil in your hair. Vows we could keep.鈥�
鈥淎 proper wedding night? Just tell me this isn鈥檛 goodbye. That鈥檚 the only vow I need.鈥�
鈥漈hey had an ordinary life, full of ordinary things 鈥� if love can ever be called that.鈥�
Alina & Nikolai:
鈥滷irst vomit, then tears,鈥� Nikolai said, coming up beside me. 鈥淒on鈥檛 tell me I鈥檝e lost my touch.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 just happy you鈥檙e alive,鈥� I said, hastily blinking my eyes clear. 鈥淭hough I鈥檓 sure you can talk me out of it.鈥�
Their friendship was so amazing!!! I always knew they wouldn鈥檛 end up together but I loved that they developed such a great friendship in the end. They are proof that a friendship between a man and a woman can work just fine and their easy banter was so entertaining to read. If they would have married it would have merely been an alliance though and they both deserved better than that. I鈥檓 glad Alina can be with Mal now because I know Nikolai鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 over yet and I鈥檓 sooo curious to find out who鈥檚 going to be his love interest. XD A lot of people think it might be Zoya but I never saw chemistry between those two so there would have to be a lot of build-up in order to make that happen. Maybe Nikolai will even have a coming-out as being bi?! (I swear it could be possible!) Well, that certainly would be something I鈥檇 love to read. *lol* Whatever happens and no matter if it will turn out to be a straight romance or a gay one, I鈥檓 so ready for 鈥淜ing of Scars鈥�!!! <333
鈥滻 owe you, Alina. Ravka owes you. This and more. Do good works or commission an opera house or just take it out and gaze at it longingly when you think of the handsome prince you might have made your own. For the record I favour the latter option, preferably paired with copious tears and the recitation of bad poetry.鈥�
I laughed.
He took my hand and pressed the ring into it. 鈥淭ake it and build something new.鈥�
Alina & The Darkling:
鈥滻f only I鈥檇 known you鈥檇 prove such an apt pupil.鈥� His voice was genuinely admiring, almost surprised.
Ohhh I lived and breathed for their scenes! Their cat and mouse game was just too intriguing to read! They gave each other a run for their money and none of them yielded an inch! *lol* ARGH! Their relationship was so twisted and dark but damn was it awesome to witness! XD I think in a perverted way they both loved each other, but it just wasn鈥檛 enough to save the Darkling. It broke my heart that he had to die but the way Leigh wrote it I was okay with it. (Not like in 鈥淲ar Storm鈥� when I was so damn disappointed about how it all ended 鈥�) The Darkling died with dignity and he died being loved by his opponent鈥� It was a coherent ending and it was the ending he deserved. <3
鈥滻t鈥檚 true,鈥� I said softly. 鈥淵ou are stronger, wiser, infinite in experience.鈥� I leaned forward and whispered, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. 鈥淏ut I am an apt pupil.鈥�
His eyes flew open. I caught the briefest glimpse of rage in his gray gaze before I severed the connection.
鈥漈here will be nothing left,鈥� I whispered.
鈥淣o,鈥� he said gently as he folded me in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of my hair. 鈥淚 will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but me.鈥�
Conclusion:
鈥淩uin and Rising鈥� was a good and solid ending for a rather unconventional YA series! It kept me entertained and always caused me to wish for more. By the end of this book I got really attached to some of the characters and considering how many YA books I already read, that鈥檚 certainly no easy feat. ;-) So if you鈥檙e looking for a typical YA series that鈥檚 still able to surprise you every once in a while, 鈥淭he Grisha Trilogy鈥� is what you鈥檙e looking for. XD Happy Reading!
Three books and I still hate the Apparat! *lol* Guess that says enough about him and his despicable character. XD Despite everything he unfortunately has a point though. Now that Alina has become Sankta Alina for so many people they think that she鈥檚 the answer to all their prayers and hopes and to say this is quite a burden for a girl that considers herself to be ordinary isn鈥檛 even getting close to the truth. There鈥檚 a lot of pressure on our young heroine and even though she鈥檚 coping with it way better than she did in the past, this still doesn鈥檛 mean that she鈥檚 ready to do what is necessary.
Mainly to destroy the fold and to dethrone the Darkling. To be entirely honest I can鈥檛 even blame her for it. The Darkling and her have some special connection and no matter how misguided he鈥檚 become, our favourite villain still has a good heart. It鈥檚 hidden more than just well in this final and last instalment but that doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean that it isn鈥檛 there. *sighs deeply*
Also, am I crazy for still loving all those boys? *lol* Because no matter how much I think about it, I still like Mal, I still adore Nikolai and I still want more of the Darkling. XD And this after reading all three books! ARGH! Leigh why do you have to write such good characters? *lol* It鈥檚 just not fair! Well, anyway I鈥檒l head to my characters section now because there is a lot I need to get off my chest and I don鈥檛 want to spoil you already! ;-P
The Characters:
鈥漀one of them were easy or soft or simple. They were like me, nursing hurts and hidden wounds, all broken in different ways. We didn鈥檛 quite fit together. We had edges so jagged we cut each other sometimes, but as I curled up on my side, the warmth of the fire at my back, I felt a rush of gratitude so sweet it made my throat ache.鈥�
You are entering the Fold! If you don鈥檛 want to be spoiled or eaten by the volcra (which truth be told might be pretty likely) you better leave now. Don鈥檛 say I didn鈥檛 warn you! You鈥檙e entering at your own risk! *volcra howls in the distance* ;-P
Alina:
鈥漎ou are on your knees,鈥� I said. 鈥淲e are not negotiating.鈥�
His lips thinned, but after a moment, he dipped his chin in assent.
Okay, I admit it. Alina was pretty cool in this book! *lol* I loved how she decided to take her fate into her own hands and no longer aimed for compromises. It was all or nothing for her and I really, really liked this! For once she was no longer a chess piece in the game but turned into one of the leaders instead. AND I enjoyed it! XD It was about time she got her own voice and I鈥檓 glad she finally realized that it鈥檚 up to her to change things. Plus, if we鈥檙e entirely honest to run away never really worked out for her anyway! The Darkling would have never left her alone and it was about time she fought back. ;-)
鈥滿aybe love was superstition, a prayer we said to keep the truth of loneliness at bay.鈥�
鈥漈his was what Ravka did. It made orphans. It made misery. No land, no life, just a uniform and a gun. Nikolai had believed in something better.鈥�
Mal:
鈥滷or all my talk of vows and honor, what I really want is to put you up against that wall and kiss you until you forget you ever knew another man鈥檚 name. So tell me to go, Alina. Because I can鈥檛 give you a title or an army or any of the things you need.鈥�
Three books and I still don鈥檛 get all the Mal hate!!! I mean seriously, why do so many people hate him so much? I think he鈥檚 a really nice and down-to-earth guy and I could understand each and every single one of his actions. Yes he turned Alina away; he only did it because he knew she needed more than just a soldier who had nothing to offer though. In my opinion he was only realistic and let鈥檚 face it, if Alina wouldn鈥檛 have lost all her powers in the end she would have never been happy and content in a relationship with him. AND Mal was ready to sacrifice himself in order to save their world so I really, really don鈥檛 get why anyone wouldn鈥檛 like him!? I never had the feeling that he鈥檚 annoying, quite the contrary so yeah: #滨厂迟颈濒濒尝颈办别惭补濒础苍诲滨鈥檓狈辞迟厂辞谤谤测
Nikolai:
鈥漇aints, Alina. I hope you weren鈥檛 looking to me to be the voice of reason. I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret.鈥�
OMG!!! If that is even possible I actually loved him even more than I loved him in book 2! Nikolai is the BEST and he deserves the world and so much more!!! <333 I just admire and adore him and I really don鈥檛 get how Alina was able to resist his charms! I would have accepted his proposal in a heartbeat! *lol* But then again I鈥檓 not Alina who is obviously besotted with Mal. XD It made me kind of sad that we didn鈥檛 get all too much of him in this final book, but I see the logic behind it. AND I鈥檒l never forgive the Darkling for what he did to my precious baby!!! I didn鈥檛 expect him to turn him into a monster and when it happened I was gripping my book so hard and yelling at the pages that I was very thankful I read it at home. *lol* (Just imagine I would have read it in the train鈥� XD) I can鈥檛 wait to hold 鈥淜ing of Scars鈥� in my greedy and grabby hands and I NEED to know what happens next! >_<
鈥漀ikolai had made a fool of the Darkling, and now the Darkling had taken my polished, brilliant, noble prince and made him into a monster. Death would have been too kind.鈥�
鈥滺e鈥檇 mobilized all the remaining units of the army to secure the borders, sent messages to the coast to rally Sturmhond鈥檚 fleet, and had apparently managed it all on no sleep and two fractured ribs. No one else would have had the ability, let alone the nerve 鈥� certainly not a younger son and rumoured bastard. But Nikolai had been training for this his entire life, and I knew he had a gift for the impossible.鈥�
The Darkling:
鈥滻 have lived a long life, rich in grief. My tears are long since spent. If I still felt as you do, if I ached as you do, I could not have borne this eternity.鈥�
I might never forgive him for what he did to Nikolai but I still love him?! *lol* The Darkling is just one of those amazing villains I love to hate and despite everything he鈥檚 done there is still something good in him. His power and age made him ruthless and caused him to be detached from the world around him, but deep down in his heart he isn鈥檛 really bad. I guess you might say he is doing the wrong things for the right reasons. All he ever wanted was a united Ravka in which Grisha could live peacefully and together as one and for a while he even managed to give his country some sort of stability. He had a wonderful dream but he never realized that he became the one thing that stood in its way. The Darkling was a very complex villain and I鈥檓 so glad I read this series because villains like that are so rare to find. XD For that alone I鈥檒l always cherish him. But that moment when he asked Alina to say his true name!? T_T I am deceased!
鈥漁nce more,鈥� he said. 鈥淪peak my name once more.鈥�
He was ancient, I knew that. But in this moment he was just a boy 鈥� brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.
鈥淎濒别办蝉补苍诲别谤.鈥�
Genya:
鈥漀a razrusha鈥檡a. E鈥檡a razrushost.鈥� I am not ruined. I am ruination.
Boy, did I adore Genya for her guts!! <333 She stood up for herself and faced the king head-on and she didn鈥檛 just give him a piece of her mind but also accepted the consequences the truth might entail! THAT WAS SO DAMN BRAVE for so many different reasons!! I always knew why Genya is my Queen! XD I love that despite her scars she鈥檚 comfortable in her own skin and I鈥檓 so happy that she finally got the love she deserves! <33 After everything she went through she deserves a man who treats her right and David seems to be the perfect man to give her everything she needs! ;-)
鈥滲eauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what鈥檚 inside you? That鈥檚 steel. It鈥檚 brave and unbreakable. And it doesn鈥檛 need fixing.鈥� He drew in a deep breath then awkwardly stepped forward. He took her face in his hands and kissed her.
The relationships & ships:
Alina & Mal:
鈥漌e鈥檙e going to be travelling together for who knows how long. Eventually, you鈥檙e going to have to talk to me.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 talking to you right now.鈥�
鈥淪ee? Is this so terrible?鈥�
鈥淚t wouldn鈥檛 be,鈥� he said, gazing at me steadily, 鈥渋f all I wanted to do was talk.鈥�
I know at least 50% of the people who read this series will be all like 鈥淣OOOO!!!鈥� now but: I SHIP IT!!! Yes, you read right! I鈥檓 happy with the ending and them being together! I mean Leigh made it pretty clear that Mal is Alina鈥檚 one true love and I鈥檓 so on board of the 鈥淭he childhood friend gets the girl鈥� train! *lol* Because this NEVER EVER happens in YA!!! And I鈥檓 grateful Leigh actually made it happen for once! XD It might sound ridiculous but this is something new and I鈥檓 always there for new things in a genre I already know so well. Plus Mal and Alina had a great chemistry and I loved that they were always able to joke about their situation. They knew each other inside out and for me it was logical that they could be together! I mean it鈥檚 basically like in real life. I know so many couples that started out as friends (some even best friends) and then became a couple because they realized they love each other. So there鈥檚 that! I ship it and I鈥檓 content with the ending! Enough said! ;-P
鈥滱ll at once, the pain in my chest was so bad it nearly bent me double. Because this was what Mal had been coming to show me. Because that look 鈥� that open, eager, happy look 鈥� had been for me. Because I would always be the first person he turned to when he saw something lovely, and I would do the same. Whether I was a Saint or a queen or the most powerful Grisha who ever lived, I would always turn to him.鈥�
鈥滺e watches her the way Harshaw watches fire. Like he鈥檒l never have enough of her. Like he鈥檚 trying to capture what he can before she鈥檚 gone.鈥�
鈥滻 wanted more for you,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 white veil in your hair. Vows we could keep.鈥�
鈥淎 proper wedding night? Just tell me this isn鈥檛 goodbye. That鈥檚 the only vow I need.鈥�
鈥漈hey had an ordinary life, full of ordinary things 鈥� if love can ever be called that.鈥�
Alina & Nikolai:
鈥滷irst vomit, then tears,鈥� Nikolai said, coming up beside me. 鈥淒on鈥檛 tell me I鈥檝e lost my touch.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 just happy you鈥檙e alive,鈥� I said, hastily blinking my eyes clear. 鈥淭hough I鈥檓 sure you can talk me out of it.鈥�
Their friendship was so amazing!!! I always knew they wouldn鈥檛 end up together but I loved that they developed such a great friendship in the end. They are proof that a friendship between a man and a woman can work just fine and their easy banter was so entertaining to read. If they would have married it would have merely been an alliance though and they both deserved better than that. I鈥檓 glad Alina can be with Mal now because I know Nikolai鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 over yet and I鈥檓 sooo curious to find out who鈥檚 going to be his love interest. XD A lot of people think it might be Zoya but I never saw chemistry between those two so there would have to be a lot of build-up in order to make that happen. Maybe Nikolai will even have a coming-out as being bi?! (I swear it could be possible!) Well, that certainly would be something I鈥檇 love to read. *lol* Whatever happens and no matter if it will turn out to be a straight romance or a gay one, I鈥檓 so ready for 鈥淜ing of Scars鈥�!!! <333
鈥滻 owe you, Alina. Ravka owes you. This and more. Do good works or commission an opera house or just take it out and gaze at it longingly when you think of the handsome prince you might have made your own. For the record I favour the latter option, preferably paired with copious tears and the recitation of bad poetry.鈥�
I laughed.
He took my hand and pressed the ring into it. 鈥淭ake it and build something new.鈥�
Alina & The Darkling:
鈥滻f only I鈥檇 known you鈥檇 prove such an apt pupil.鈥� His voice was genuinely admiring, almost surprised.
Ohhh I lived and breathed for their scenes! Their cat and mouse game was just too intriguing to read! They gave each other a run for their money and none of them yielded an inch! *lol* ARGH! Their relationship was so twisted and dark but damn was it awesome to witness! XD I think in a perverted way they both loved each other, but it just wasn鈥檛 enough to save the Darkling. It broke my heart that he had to die but the way Leigh wrote it I was okay with it. (Not like in 鈥淲ar Storm鈥� when I was so damn disappointed about how it all ended 鈥�) The Darkling died with dignity and he died being loved by his opponent鈥� It was a coherent ending and it was the ending he deserved. <3
鈥滻t鈥檚 true,鈥� I said softly. 鈥淵ou are stronger, wiser, infinite in experience.鈥� I leaned forward and whispered, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. 鈥淏ut I am an apt pupil.鈥�
His eyes flew open. I caught the briefest glimpse of rage in his gray gaze before I severed the connection.
鈥漈here will be nothing left,鈥� I whispered.
鈥淣o,鈥� he said gently as he folded me in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of my hair. 鈥淚 will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but me.鈥�
Conclusion:
鈥淩uin and Rising鈥� was a good and solid ending for a rather unconventional YA series! It kept me entertained and always caused me to wish for more. By the end of this book I got really attached to some of the characters and considering how many YA books I already read, that鈥檚 certainly no easy feat. ;-) So if you鈥檙e looking for a typical YA series that鈥檚 still able to surprise you every once in a while, 鈥淭he Grisha Trilogy鈥� is what you鈥檙e looking for. XD Happy Reading!
January 3, 2021
There鈥檚 a repeated problem within this novel where the time skips. The first book ends with the leads off to a new adventure. That new adventure is compromised and they are in the same old situation as before the finale less than twenty pages in. The second book ends with the lead characters in a bad situation. They are out of that bad situation less than forty pages into this book. It鈥檚 a really weird element and makes this story feel really unpolished.
Now, you might be thinking, Elise, I love you, but what the fuck does this have to do with anything? Because it鈥檚 emblematic of a larger problem in the book: this book doesn鈥檛 know where it鈥檚 going.
This is a deeply weird book because it does not have a consistent tone or consistent character development or even, really, a consistent plot. It is a book with many interesting points and interesting characters and so many interesting themes and then the narrative doesn鈥檛 want to actually deal with that shit.
鉃解灲First of all, let鈥檚 talk about Alina fucking Starkov. Because Alina is鈥� such a complicated character and I don鈥檛 think that nuanced nature is being written very well. She鈥檚 so interesting because inwardly, she considers herself weak, but she鈥檚 playing with fire and desperately trying to avoid her own antiheroine nature. There are ways the nuance of her character can make sense, but the narrative isn鈥檛 very clear about her motivations and her struggles... until it鈥檚 convenient for the narrative to give her character depth.
鉃解灲Perhaps more importantly, the narrative is trying to force a conflict out of her Being About To Go Bad. Which鈥� we know isn鈥檛 happening. What antiheroine things does Alina do and think? Like, she complains a couple of times and鈥� is sad, and then a couple of times per book, she threatens a guy with murder and it鈥檚 the most compelling she ever gets. Her narration doesn鈥檛 show us much at all of her desiring vengeance or Being A Power Hungry Antiheroine Badass; her primary motivation is usually a) being left alone or b) nonexistent. So we, as the audience, aren鈥檛 really afraid of her becoming a villain or turning bad. What鈥檚 the conflict here, then?
鉃解灲Forced conflict is kind of a general problem within book two between Alina and Mal, and though it lessens a bit here, there鈥檚 still this underlying feeling throughout the books that鈥� the obstacles between Alina and Mal really aren鈥檛 that big? Yes, they鈥檙e in vastly different walks of life and that鈥檚 causing resentment on his part, but it really gets boring seeing them play out the same patterns over and over again.
鉃解灲 Nothing character-wise really grows or changes throughout the entire fucking series. I mean, think about Mal and Alina. Book one: Alina thinks Mal doesn鈥檛 like her back. Book two: Alina thinks Mal doesn鈥檛 like her back. Book three: Alina still thinks Mal doesn鈥檛 like her back, but also they can鈥檛 be together because... she thinks he doesn鈥檛 like her power back. But perhaps more importantly, think about Alina herself. Book one: Alina feels weak and not pretty enough, but also maybe she鈥檚 turning evil. Book two: Alina feels weak and not pretty enough, but also maybe she鈥檚 turning evil. Book three: Alina feels鈥� maybe she鈥檚 turning evil. [But again, even if this weren鈥檛 repetitive, we as the audience don鈥檛 believe she鈥檚 turning evil!!]
鉃解灲I said it in my review of book two, but as a general thought on this series: Leigh just will not let this get dark enough. Alina makes for such a compelling antihero, but the only real motivation we see for her most of the time is a desire to be left alone. And that鈥檚 just not as compelling or interesting as her need for vengeance, her darker side.
鉃解灲What was the plot? Where did it go? All they did was travel more and then I think the ending happened at one point maybe.
鉁斺湐I think the thing that really clearly improved in this book was the side character development. Tolya? Iconic. Nadia? Iconic bi. Tamar? Lesbian and iconic. Genya? So iconic. David? A good and totally iconic man. Zoya? Absolutely one of the most iconic characters in modern literature. Nikolai? I鈥檇 fucking give my life for Nikolai. I think this series gets that really good banter and those great character dynamics that I loved so much in Six of Crows, but watered down and we don't get enough of them because we're in Alina's head all the time. I really think Leigh Bardugo is meant to write multipov.
So鈥� let鈥檚 talk about the ending. Because it鈥檚 what everyone fights about. SPOILERS, obviously.
鉁斺湐Alina ending up with the Darkling would have been kind of fucked up. That did not occur.
鉃解灲Did we ever resolve Alina's antiheroine shit? I don't think we did.
鉁斺湐I guess she murdered someone and that was cool.
鉃解灲How the fuck did we resolve the Nikolai thing?
鉁斺湐The epilogue was nice. It was. I really don't hate the ending.
鉃解灲I mean, it would have been cool if we resolved like, anything other than Alina's character?
鉁斺湐y'all are going to kick me off 欧宝娱乐 for this but I don't hate who she ended up with, he's kind of a bland character to me but like. i think from a character standpoint for her it makes sense
鉃解灲But all that being said, Alina's character doesn't get the development needed for the ending to really make any sense or feel like a reasonable payoff for the character.
Yeah, whatever. I'm giving this two and a half stars because it was somewhere between okay and I-liked-it. But I'm out here reading this review and realizing I didn't really like this all that much. It has a lot of narrative and structural flaws and the series as a whole has just been very consistently disappointing. Honestly recommend just skipping these for Six of Crows, the inventor of modern literature.
| | |
Now, you might be thinking, Elise, I love you, but what the fuck does this have to do with anything? Because it鈥檚 emblematic of a larger problem in the book: this book doesn鈥檛 know where it鈥檚 going.
This is a deeply weird book because it does not have a consistent tone or consistent character development or even, really, a consistent plot. It is a book with many interesting points and interesting characters and so many interesting themes and then the narrative doesn鈥檛 want to actually deal with that shit.
鉃解灲First of all, let鈥檚 talk about Alina fucking Starkov. Because Alina is鈥� such a complicated character and I don鈥檛 think that nuanced nature is being written very well. She鈥檚 so interesting because inwardly, she considers herself weak, but she鈥檚 playing with fire and desperately trying to avoid her own antiheroine nature. There are ways the nuance of her character can make sense, but the narrative isn鈥檛 very clear about her motivations and her struggles... until it鈥檚 convenient for the narrative to give her character depth.
鉃解灲Perhaps more importantly, the narrative is trying to force a conflict out of her Being About To Go Bad. Which鈥� we know isn鈥檛 happening. What antiheroine things does Alina do and think? Like, she complains a couple of times and鈥� is sad, and then a couple of times per book, she threatens a guy with murder and it鈥檚 the most compelling she ever gets. Her narration doesn鈥檛 show us much at all of her desiring vengeance or Being A Power Hungry Antiheroine Badass; her primary motivation is usually a) being left alone or b) nonexistent. So we, as the audience, aren鈥檛 really afraid of her becoming a villain or turning bad. What鈥檚 the conflict here, then?
鉃解灲Forced conflict is kind of a general problem within book two between Alina and Mal, and though it lessens a bit here, there鈥檚 still this underlying feeling throughout the books that鈥� the obstacles between Alina and Mal really aren鈥檛 that big? Yes, they鈥檙e in vastly different walks of life and that鈥檚 causing resentment on his part, but it really gets boring seeing them play out the same patterns over and over again.
鉃解灲 Nothing character-wise really grows or changes throughout the entire fucking series. I mean, think about Mal and Alina. Book one: Alina thinks Mal doesn鈥檛 like her back. Book two: Alina thinks Mal doesn鈥檛 like her back. Book three: Alina still thinks Mal doesn鈥檛 like her back, but also they can鈥檛 be together because... she thinks he doesn鈥檛 like her power back. But perhaps more importantly, think about Alina herself. Book one: Alina feels weak and not pretty enough, but also maybe she鈥檚 turning evil. Book two: Alina feels weak and not pretty enough, but also maybe she鈥檚 turning evil. Book three: Alina feels鈥� maybe she鈥檚 turning evil. [But again, even if this weren鈥檛 repetitive, we as the audience don鈥檛 believe she鈥檚 turning evil!!]
鉃解灲I said it in my review of book two, but as a general thought on this series: Leigh just will not let this get dark enough. Alina makes for such a compelling antihero, but the only real motivation we see for her most of the time is a desire to be left alone. And that鈥檚 just not as compelling or interesting as her need for vengeance, her darker side.
鉃解灲What was the plot? Where did it go? All they did was travel more and then I think the ending happened at one point maybe.
鉁斺湐I think the thing that really clearly improved in this book was the side character development. Tolya? Iconic. Nadia? Iconic bi. Tamar? Lesbian and iconic. Genya? So iconic. David? A good and totally iconic man. Zoya? Absolutely one of the most iconic characters in modern literature. Nikolai? I鈥檇 fucking give my life for Nikolai. I think this series gets that really good banter and those great character dynamics that I loved so much in Six of Crows, but watered down and we don't get enough of them because we're in Alina's head all the time. I really think Leigh Bardugo is meant to write multipov.
So鈥� let鈥檚 talk about the ending. Because it鈥檚 what everyone fights about. SPOILERS, obviously.
鉁斺湐Alina ending up with the Darkling would have been kind of fucked up. That did not occur.
鉃解灲Did we ever resolve Alina's antiheroine shit? I don't think we did.
鉁斺湐I guess she murdered someone and that was cool.
鉃解灲How the fuck did we resolve the Nikolai thing?
鉁斺湐The epilogue was nice. It was. I really don't hate the ending.
鉃解灲I mean, it would have been cool if we resolved like, anything other than Alina's character?
鉁斺湐y'all are going to kick me off 欧宝娱乐 for this but I don't hate who she ended up with, he's kind of a bland character to me but like. i think from a character standpoint for her it makes sense
鉃解灲But all that being said, Alina's character doesn't get the development needed for the ending to really make any sense or feel like a reasonable payoff for the character.
Yeah, whatever. I'm giving this two and a half stars because it was somewhere between okay and I-liked-it. But I'm out here reading this review and realizing I didn't really like this all that much. It has a lot of narrative and structural flaws and the series as a whole has just been very consistently disappointing. Honestly recommend just skipping these for Six of Crows, the inventor of modern literature.
| | |
April 29, 2021
"You learn more by losing."
This is how a series is supposed to end! Ruin & Rising made up for any and all complaints I had on the series so far. Whatever I felt was lacking when it came to the depth of characters, or plot in first two books isn't even noticeable anymore: This one is by far my favorite of the trilogy. I've given each of the trilogy a 4-star rating, but the first two felt like 3.5-stars whereas this was like 4.5-stars. Everything's improved beautifully, and ends the trilogy much better than I had hoped for!
"We're the side that's hopelessly outnumbered."
Starting with the plot - it is way more thrilling, and full of suspense. I loved all the twists, which were spectacular and completely unexpected. Even with a complicated plot, Siege and Storm was a lot predictable and felt less eventful. But this one elevates the entire series to a better level. We start underground where we left things off with Apparat (Bardugo never gave him a chance, even down to that terrible name). Finding the third amplifier - Firebird - plays a major role in plot, but there are many other interesting parts to keep the interest in check, and help move towards the final battle. I had expected Nikolai to play a major role here, but he'll have to wait till King of Scars.
"Courting death is an integral part of my beauty regimen."
Though there aren't any new key characters here, the original team undergo significant development. I wasn't a big fan of the romance part of this series before, but here things took a turn for the better at last. The somewhat nonsensical love triangle (or square, it's hard to keep track of) was still there, but it wasn't as annoying as it was with the first two books. Since Bardugo's world building was great from the first book, it also means that these developed characters have contributed a lot toward making this book a great one. It was nice to see the characters still contained a good amount of humor, even during hardest parts of the journey. Zoya's status has gone from one-of-the-hated to one-of-the-awesome, and Genya-David duo helps things further.
"I always get mean when I'm hungry."
Considering how things turned out at the of Siege & Storm, the ending was much better than I had hoped for. One wouldn't expect the events to turnout very happily, making the ending unrealistic. But even with some disappointments, the ending was plenty satisfying in my opinion, giving the series a great ending. The only minor complaint I have is about the final battle with Darkling being a little too shorter than I would've liked. Bardugo did an amazing job with this villain, and I would've preferred to see a little more action there.
"Beauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what's inside you? That's steel. It's brave and unbreakable. And it doesn't need fixing."
While I was reading the first two books, I was under the impression that I did the right thing by reading SoC first. Ruin & Rising kind of changed that a little. I think this is the book that made the majority of the readers fall in love with this series.
"Like calls to like."
This is how a series is supposed to end! Ruin & Rising made up for any and all complaints I had on the series so far. Whatever I felt was lacking when it came to the depth of characters, or plot in first two books isn't even noticeable anymore: This one is by far my favorite of the trilogy. I've given each of the trilogy a 4-star rating, but the first two felt like 3.5-stars whereas this was like 4.5-stars. Everything's improved beautifully, and ends the trilogy much better than I had hoped for!
"We're the side that's hopelessly outnumbered."
Starting with the plot - it is way more thrilling, and full of suspense. I loved all the twists, which were spectacular and completely unexpected. Even with a complicated plot, Siege and Storm was a lot predictable and felt less eventful. But this one elevates the entire series to a better level. We start underground where we left things off with Apparat (Bardugo never gave him a chance, even down to that terrible name). Finding the third amplifier - Firebird - plays a major role in plot, but there are many other interesting parts to keep the interest in check, and help move towards the final battle. I had expected Nikolai to play a major role here, but he'll have to wait till King of Scars.
"Courting death is an integral part of my beauty regimen."
Though there aren't any new key characters here, the original team undergo significant development. I wasn't a big fan of the romance part of this series before, but here things took a turn for the better at last. The somewhat nonsensical love triangle (or square, it's hard to keep track of) was still there, but it wasn't as annoying as it was with the first two books. Since Bardugo's world building was great from the first book, it also means that these developed characters have contributed a lot toward making this book a great one. It was nice to see the characters still contained a good amount of humor, even during hardest parts of the journey. Zoya's status has gone from one-of-the-hated to one-of-the-awesome, and Genya-David duo helps things further.
"I always get mean when I'm hungry."
Considering how things turned out at the of Siege & Storm, the ending was much better than I had hoped for. One wouldn't expect the events to turnout very happily, making the ending unrealistic. But even with some disappointments, the ending was plenty satisfying in my opinion, giving the series a great ending. The only minor complaint I have is about the final battle with Darkling being a little too shorter than I would've liked. Bardugo did an amazing job with this villain, and I would've preferred to see a little more action there.
"Beauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what's inside you? That's steel. It's brave and unbreakable. And it doesn't need fixing."
While I was reading the first two books, I was under the impression that I did the right thing by reading SoC first. Ruin & Rising kind of changed that a little. I think this is the book that made the majority of the readers fall in love with this series.
"Like calls to like."
May 4, 2021
may 2021 update
i still haven鈥檛 finished the show yet but i鈥檓 writing darklina/alarkling fic hi:
february 2021 update
anyway the shadow & bone trailer kinda slaps why lie 馃槶 all my besties make some mfing noise 馃寴鉁�about to get baited and clowned again but oh well
january 2021 update
i caved & am now anticipating the s&b show for no other reason except annoying nostalgia and my love for darklina... (also i love the casting for the darkling & alina? 馃槶)
anyhow, i鈥檓 writing a darklina/alarkling fic if anyone is interested.
_____________________________
december 2020 hell year update
um hi is everyone looking forward to the show in april?i鈥檓 not since we鈥檙e gonna lose again but anyhow pls don鈥檛 read this review it鈥檚 so damn embarassing
_____________________________
putting this under a spoiler tag because its so cringe
i still haven鈥檛 finished the show yet but i鈥檓 writing darklina/alarkling fic hi:
february 2021 update
anyway the shadow & bone trailer kinda slaps why lie 馃槶 all my besties make some mfing noise 馃寴鉁�
january 2021 update
i caved & am now anticipating the s&b show for no other reason except annoying nostalgia and my love for darklina... (also i love the casting for the darkling & alina? 馃槶)
anyhow, i鈥檓 writing a darklina/alarkling fic if anyone is interested.
_____________________________
december 2020 hell year update
um hi is everyone looking forward to the show in april?
_____________________________
putting this under a spoiler tag because its so cringe
October 8, 2016
*5 鈥測ou might make me a better man鈥� stars*
Agony. Pain. Tears. Heartbreak. Acceptance. This is the way the Grisha trilogy ends.
A masterpiece. A gem. gave everything she had in this grand finale. I'm numb and empty inside. I want to sit in silence and contemplate what happened and figure out the reasons why. I came to the conclusion that things were meant to end this way from the start. A battle of wills, a battle between Light and Darkness, self-preservation and sacrifice, greed and kindness, brain and heart.
After I finished , I faced the question how do I want to remember the Darkling . He was a twisted, brutal tyrant, I could not possibly deny it and he proved it time and time again, each crime worst than the previous. But he was more. I choose to remember the brilliant dark haired boy, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity, feared by his own kind, facing the entire world alone and wishing to change things, to create a place for the Grisha and himself. He was misguided, controlled by his greed and desires but this boy still existed, buried under layers of darkness. I forgive him.
There are so many other characters I want to talk about, but first I have to (grudgingly) admit that Malfinally won my respect, even though he's still my least favorite character. He understood his mistakes and what was at stake and it gave him a new perspective. I loved Zoya so so much, and David and Genya and Harshaw, and I'm so proud of Nikolai, the arrogant, all-too-clever fox who brought hope and laughter even in the most desperate times.
It was a fitting ending. Suitable I dare say, even though I hoped that some things would turn out differently. So many plot twists and deaths that created a knot in your chest, desparation that threatened to drown you, mythical creatures, fanatic monks, flying ships, Saints and Demons, and in the center of the world-changing events, two orphans from Keramzin. Who said that 辞迟办补锄补迟鈥檚测补 aren't important?
鈥淚 will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but mine.鈥�
Agony. Pain. Tears. Heartbreak. Acceptance. This is the way the Grisha trilogy ends.
A masterpiece. A gem. gave everything she had in this grand finale. I'm numb and empty inside. I want to sit in silence and contemplate what happened and figure out the reasons why. I came to the conclusion that things were meant to end this way from the start. A battle of wills, a battle between Light and Darkness, self-preservation and sacrifice, greed and kindness, brain and heart.
鈥淚 wanted to believe anything so that I wouldn鈥檛 have to face the future alone. The problem with wanting is that it makes us weak.鈥�
After I finished , I faced the question how do I want to remember the Darkling . He was a twisted, brutal tyrant, I could not possibly deny it and he proved it time and time again, each crime worst than the previous. But he was more. I choose to remember the brilliant dark haired boy, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity, feared by his own kind, facing the entire world alone and wishing to change things, to create a place for the Grisha and himself. He was misguided, controlled by his greed and desires but this boy still existed, buried under layers of darkness. I forgive him.
鈥淚n the end, maybe love just meant longing for something impossibly bright and forever out of reach.鈥�
There are so many other characters I want to talk about, but first I have to (grudgingly) admit that Mal
鈥淣a razrusha'ya.锘� I am not ruined. 锘縀'ya razrushost锘�. I am ruination.鈥�
It was a fitting ending. Suitable I dare say, even though I hoped that some things would turn out differently. So many plot twists and deaths that created a knot in your chest, desparation that threatened to drown you, mythical creatures, fanatic monks, flying ships, Saints and Demons, and in the center of the world-changing events, two orphans from Keramzin. Who said that 辞迟办补锄补迟鈥檚测补 aren't important?
January 11, 2016
Moral of the story: A woman should never show more strength and power than her boyfriend. Ladies, you must give up everything so you can be with your man.
The end.
....
Also, fuck any defense for this ending. The fucking title is "Ruin and Rising", and by naming the book this, Leigh Bardugo completely misled everyone into believing this book would be something its not.
Read this if you like heavily contrived romance that the actual plot suffers for.
The end.
....
Also, fuck any defense for this ending. The fucking title is "Ruin and Rising", and by naming the book this, Leigh Bardugo completely misled everyone into believing this book would be something its not.
Read this if you like heavily contrived romance that the actual plot suffers for.
March 18, 2023
~ 3.5 stars ~
Writing is not that easy. But, Grammarly can help. This sentence is grammatically correct, but it's wordy, and hard to read.
This book was the best in the series. At least it was the one I enjoyed the most. It was easy to follow and enjoyable for the most part. But the ending felt underwhelming.
"I am become a blade"
Writing is not that easy. But, Grammarly can help. This sentence is grammatically correct, but it's wordy, and hard to read.
This book was the best in the series. At least it was the one I enjoyed the most. It was easy to follow and enjoyable for the most part. But the ending felt underwhelming.
May 7, 2021
Nikolai single-handedly saved this book from going down the gutter. And Oh my poor Darkling, didn't you find anyone else to obsess over than ALINA? I could've been your princess all along because I would've never rejected you for a guy with a questionable cranial capacity, just saying.
*Excuse me while I go sulk like a lovestruck teenager*
*Excuse me while I go sulk like a lovestruck teenager*
June 10, 2019
4.4/5 Stars 猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍猸愶笍
Look, I ain't gonna lie, I finished this book two weeks ago but hadn't had the time to write a good review about it (fuck you work) so I left it till this moment. And since then, because I'm a fucking goldfish, I don't remember shit. I delve into so many new stories each week, whether they may be tv shows, movies and books (obvs) that my mind is at its full capacity. My mind is 1tb and the fucking info is 587838tbs. Fuck off, mind, you're not a fucking hard drive, have more space! Anyway, let's start with the summary of the plot first, I hope I can remember something reading it.
The capital has fallen.
The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction鈥攁nd claiming it could cost Alina the very future she鈥檚 fighting for.
I remember myself being satisfied with this book, hence the rating. I didn't give the rating right now, I just remember, after having finished the book, this was the rating that was stuck in my mind. Not quite a 5 star, but more than the previous ones. Which seems to me like something positive.
I remember (yes, I'm gonna start every fucking paragraph with a shitty I remember now, such a good reviewer I am) that the first part of the book and the middle were my least favorite. All the extreme and fanatic religious shit from the beginning left me wanting to leave the book down, for a moment. I was also confused about the whole situation, cause it seemed so different from the previous books. Thank God, it changed after that.
I remember that I quite enjoyed the character development in this book. Alina, Nikolai, Mal and the Darkling got major points for me after this book. Even Mal. Yes, Mal. I think Mal kind of redeemed himself in this book, corrected his mistakes and was less arrogant and selfish. He's still my least favorite character, but I saw growth in him that I didn't think I would. Good on you, Mal. Also, the Darkling (I first wrote the Darling, oh my God) made me forgive him in this book. After everything, he's just a lost boy who was mislead and took the wrong path. Alexander, I forgive you.
I need to talk about Nikolai, BECAUSE I LOVE HIM EVEN MORE! There was so much less of him in this book, I WANTED MORE. When that thing happened to him... my soul was aching for him. I'm so happy for how everything turned out for his character, if I remember everything correctly. And I'm so glad it's not the end for this character, just the beginning.
I will tell you the truth, I don't really remember why I saw character development in Alina. But I did, and that's important. I hated the fact though, that at the end Mal got what he wanted. Alina with no powers and him in a position of power. I wanted Alina to keep her powers, no matter who she would be with. I would prefer Alina having her powers and ending up alone. That's the 100% fucking amazing ending for me. But I guess this is an old book, shit was like this back then.
Oh Leigh, your world is still fantastic and so unique. I'm so happy I get to explore this world again in many different more books, that for it to have stayed within this trilogy. I so can't wait to delve into the duology. And then the duology. And the fucking NETFLIX SHOW. Oh, Leigh, such a gem you have created.
I have one major complain about this book... it still didn't make me truly care about the secondary characters. There were so many of them, and they weren't as developed as much as I would have wanted them to. I think the story would be much richer, with a few more lovable and memorable characters. Just my humble, little opinion.
Overall, this was a more than adequate and fulfilling finale. My review wasn't as detailed as it should have been, I remember I wanted to say so many more things, but everything in my mind is fuzzy now and I wouldn't want to write something incorrect. I also, read most of this book on the train, while I was going to visit a friend, and it was soooo busy and noisy that many things flew over my head. Anyway, till the next one K BYE!!!
鈥淣a razrusha'ya.锘� I am not ruined. 锘縀'ya razrushost锘�. I am ruination.鈥�
Look, I ain't gonna lie, I finished this book two weeks ago but hadn't had the time to write a good review about it (fuck you work) so I left it till this moment. And since then, because I'm a fucking goldfish, I don't remember shit. I delve into so many new stories each week, whether they may be tv shows, movies and books (obvs) that my mind is at its full capacity. My mind is 1tb and the fucking info is 587838tbs. Fuck off, mind, you're not a fucking hard drive, have more space! Anyway, let's start with the summary of the plot first, I hope I can remember something reading it.
The capital has fallen.
The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction鈥攁nd claiming it could cost Alina the very future she鈥檚 fighting for.
I remember myself being satisfied with this book, hence the rating. I didn't give the rating right now, I just remember, after having finished the book, this was the rating that was stuck in my mind. Not quite a 5 star, but more than the previous ones. Which seems to me like something positive.
I remember (yes, I'm gonna start every fucking paragraph with a shitty I remember now, such a good reviewer I am) that the first part of the book and the middle were my least favorite. All the extreme and fanatic religious shit from the beginning left me wanting to leave the book down, for a moment. I was also confused about the whole situation, cause it seemed so different from the previous books. Thank God, it changed after that.
I remember that I quite enjoyed the character development in this book. Alina, Nikolai, Mal and the Darkling got major points for me after this book. Even Mal. Yes, Mal. I think Mal kind of redeemed himself in this book, corrected his mistakes and was less arrogant and selfish. He's still my least favorite character, but I saw growth in him that I didn't think I would. Good on you, Mal. Also, the Darkling (I first wrote the Darling, oh my God) made me forgive him in this book. After everything, he's just a lost boy who was mislead and took the wrong path. Alexander, I forgive you.
I need to talk about Nikolai, BECAUSE I LOVE HIM EVEN MORE! There was so much less of him in this book, I WANTED MORE. When that thing happened to him... my soul was aching for him. I'm so happy for how everything turned out for his character, if I remember everything correctly. And I'm so glad it's not the end for this character, just the beginning.
I will tell you the truth, I don't really remember why I saw character development in Alina. But I did, and that's important. I hated the fact though, that at the end Mal got what he wanted. Alina with no powers and him in a position of power. I wanted Alina to keep her powers, no matter who she would be with. I would prefer Alina having her powers and ending up alone. That's the 100% fucking amazing ending for me. But I guess this is an old book, shit was like this back then.
Oh Leigh, your world is still fantastic and so unique. I'm so happy I get to explore this world again in many different more books, that for it to have stayed within this trilogy. I so can't wait to delve into the duology. And then the duology. And the fucking NETFLIX SHOW. Oh, Leigh, such a gem you have created.
I have one major complain about this book... it still didn't make me truly care about the secondary characters. There were so many of them, and they weren't as developed as much as I would have wanted them to. I think the story would be much richer, with a few more lovable and memorable characters. Just my humble, little opinion.
Overall, this was a more than adequate and fulfilling finale. My review wasn't as detailed as it should have been, I remember I wanted to say so many more things, but everything in my mind is fuzzy now and I wouldn't want to write something incorrect. I also, read most of this book on the train, while I was going to visit a friend, and it was soooo busy and noisy that many things flew over my head. Anyway, till the next one K BYE!!!
May 4, 2020
my original review wasnt much of a review, but more like an expression of awe. and gratefully, i still felt those feelings with this reread. so yes, my rating is very much based in nostalgia and personal bias. but man, this book (and series) is something else.
i understand why reviews for this are mixed. where people saw filler, i read character development. and where others felt an imbalance of plot, i noticed the groundwork laid for character conclusions. so i guess what i am saying is the characters are what make this final installment shine for me. none of it would be worth anything if i didnt have such an attachment to them.
so while i can acknowledge this isnt the most expertly written book/series out there, its one i adore and i know those feelings will remain for a long time to come.
__________________________________
i havent been this OBSESSED with a series (or author) in soooo long. you guys, i cant stop thinking about these books. how have i been able to live my life these past few years without knowing they existed?! i am truly blessed.
鈫� 5 stars
i understand why reviews for this are mixed. where people saw filler, i read character development. and where others felt an imbalance of plot, i noticed the groundwork laid for character conclusions. so i guess what i am saying is the characters are what make this final installment shine for me. none of it would be worth anything if i didnt have such an attachment to them.
so while i can acknowledge this isnt the most expertly written book/series out there, its one i adore and i know those feelings will remain for a long time to come.
__________________________________
i havent been this OBSESSED with a series (or author) in soooo long. you guys, i cant stop thinking about these books. how have i been able to live my life these past few years without knowing they existed?! i am truly blessed.
鈫� 5 stars
May 28, 2019
Guys, I had completely forgotten how much this final installment means to me. I feel like I somehow appreciated it even more by listening as a reread; I wasn't worried about what was going to happen and was able to soak up every detail. Ruin and Rising will remain one of the most cherished books I've ever read, and I'm looking forward to finding out if the SoC duology works out as well to reread as audiobooks.
***
This book was everything. 馃挃馃枻馃挃馃枻馃挃馃枻 I'm so emotional right now *SOBS UNCONTROLLABLY*
I'll try to review this tomorrow when I can see out of my puffy, blurry, traitorous eyes. 馃槶馃槶馃槶
***
This book was everything. 馃挃馃枻馃挃馃枻馃挃馃枻 I'm so emotional right now *SOBS UNCONTROLLABLY*
I'll try to review this tomorrow when I can see out of my puffy, blurry, traitorous eyes. 馃槶馃槶馃槶
October 9, 2019
If good high fantasy is a living body - blood pumping, juices flowing, joints moving, a hundred thousand tiny synapses and capillaries and white blood cells rushing and sparking and knitting together to form a natural machine - then this series is an empty ribcage, browned with age and disrepair. There are no lungs inside it; it doesn't creak and sigh with every nonchalant breath. It's just a pile of bones haunted by the ghosts of what it might have been.
Look, I knew this series would not go out with the sort of bang I enjoy (teehee) but I sort of expected more. What started as sort of a semi-cool concept devolved into another limp quest for magic objects that obviously is solved by the power of love or whatever. Yeah, I know this is high fantasy, but what makes high fantasy relatable and enjoyable is the realism in it. We're dealing with wars and revolutions and tyrants and our world, our real world, has had its fair share of wars and revolutions and tyrants. Those things aren't fantastical, so I expect them to be handled with a little more finesse.
I give this book two stars because of Zoya, and the writing, which was okay. It's not Austen, but it'll do. It's better than The Young Elites which literally made me want to sleep for a year. It was so dead, it felt like ashes. It was so dead, it tried to suck me into the underworld.
Alas, this book was a lacklustre ending to a series that I have already mostly forgotten about. It was kind of fun in the beginning, but grew more and more limp and tasteless, like lettuce that's been sitting out for too long. Actually, that's a good metaphor. Wilted lettuce. It once was crisp and juicy, but now it's a bad taste waiting to happen.
Fin.
Look, I knew this series would not go out with the sort of bang I enjoy (teehee) but I sort of expected more. What started as sort of a semi-cool concept devolved into another limp quest for magic objects that obviously is solved by the power of love or whatever. Yeah, I know this is high fantasy, but what makes high fantasy relatable and enjoyable is the realism in it. We're dealing with wars and revolutions and tyrants and our world, our real world, has had its fair share of wars and revolutions and tyrants. Those things aren't fantastical, so I expect them to be handled with a little more finesse.
I give this book two stars because of Zoya, and the writing, which was okay. It's not Austen, but it'll do. It's better than The Young Elites which literally made me want to sleep for a year. It was so dead, it felt like ashes. It was so dead, it tried to suck me into the underworld.
Alas, this book was a lacklustre ending to a series that I have already mostly forgotten about. It was kind of fun in the beginning, but grew more and more limp and tasteless, like lettuce that's been sitting out for too long. Actually, that's a good metaphor. Wilted lettuce. It once was crisp and juicy, but now it's a bad taste waiting to happen.
Fin.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2021
my heart: MORE NIKOLAI MORE NIKOLAI MORE NIKOLAI
my brain: and the rest of them too, you need to know what happens
my heart: MORE NIKOLAI!!
my brain:
RTC!
my brain: and the rest of them too, you need to know what happens
my heart: MORE NIKOLAI!!
my brain:
RTC!
October 31, 2024
I鈥檓 furious! When I get angry, I turn into the worst version of Daenerys Targaryen. They call me the Mad Queen, a.k.a. DDDL: Despicable Drunk Dragon Lady!
First of all, I haven鈥檛 been this disappointed in ages after finishing the final words of this trilogy! I hated the conclusion with every fiber of my being. To me, the trilogy delivers a depressing message: Girls, don鈥檛 be too powerful鈥攂e ordinary to win your guy鈥檚 true love. Behave, and you鈥檙e guaranteed a sunset ending together!
We got the same repetitive storyline across three books:
In the first book, Alina has rock-bottom self-esteem. She sees herself as weak and unattractive, and she believes her feelings for Mal are hopelessly unrequited. In the last two books, she thinks she鈥檚 鈥渢oo powerful鈥� and that Mal can鈥檛 accept her true self. Therefore, they鈥檙e doomed never to be together.
Oh, poor girl! Open your eyes! Accept who you are, what you鈥檙e capable of, and don鈥檛 ever think about changing for anyone! Are you listening, Alina? No? She鈥檚 staying willfully deaf.
Honestly, if she鈥檇 chosen the dark side, embracing the anti-heroine role, I would鈥檝e found her more genuine鈥攅ven badass! I鈥檇 have respected her more for it.
I wish she鈥檇 chosen to be with the Darkling or Nikolai. The Darkling might just be one of the best fantasy characters ever created. Just for my respect for him, I鈥檓 not giving this book two stars, even though I鈥檓 still breathing fire! (Maybe I鈥檒l add half a point for Nikolai鈥檚 clever banter, but I鈥檓 still not a fan of the main characters.)
Another thing that bothered me was the lack of a clear plot in this book. The big dilemma at the end of the second book was resolved in just a few chapters at the beginning of this one, and then the story seemed to lose its direction. It reminded me of a fantasy version of Seinfeld鈥攊n both, nothing happens! But you connect with certain characters so deeply that you stick around, hoping for something exciting to make it worthwhile.
The only thing that brought me any joy was the promising Netflix adaptation. (I鈥檝e only watched three episodes, but I鈥檓 already in love with the production design and the perfect casting, which brings the characters to life.)
If anyone decides to write fanfiction centering on the Darkling and Nikolai, kills off Mal, and turns Alina into a full-on villain, count me in! That would be my dream version of the trilogy.
First of all, I haven鈥檛 been this disappointed in ages after finishing the final words of this trilogy! I hated the conclusion with every fiber of my being. To me, the trilogy delivers a depressing message: Girls, don鈥檛 be too powerful鈥攂e ordinary to win your guy鈥檚 true love. Behave, and you鈥檙e guaranteed a sunset ending together!
We got the same repetitive storyline across three books:
In the first book, Alina has rock-bottom self-esteem. She sees herself as weak and unattractive, and she believes her feelings for Mal are hopelessly unrequited. In the last two books, she thinks she鈥檚 鈥渢oo powerful鈥� and that Mal can鈥檛 accept her true self. Therefore, they鈥檙e doomed never to be together.
Oh, poor girl! Open your eyes! Accept who you are, what you鈥檙e capable of, and don鈥檛 ever think about changing for anyone! Are you listening, Alina? No? She鈥檚 staying willfully deaf.
Honestly, if she鈥檇 chosen the dark side, embracing the anti-heroine role, I would鈥檝e found her more genuine鈥攅ven badass! I鈥檇 have respected her more for it.
I wish she鈥檇 chosen to be with the Darkling or Nikolai. The Darkling might just be one of the best fantasy characters ever created. Just for my respect for him, I鈥檓 not giving this book two stars, even though I鈥檓 still breathing fire! (Maybe I鈥檒l add half a point for Nikolai鈥檚 clever banter, but I鈥檓 still not a fan of the main characters.)
Another thing that bothered me was the lack of a clear plot in this book. The big dilemma at the end of the second book was resolved in just a few chapters at the beginning of this one, and then the story seemed to lose its direction. It reminded me of a fantasy version of Seinfeld鈥攊n both, nothing happens! But you connect with certain characters so deeply that you stick around, hoping for something exciting to make it worthwhile.
The only thing that brought me any joy was the promising Netflix adaptation. (I鈥檝e only watched three episodes, but I鈥檓 already in love with the production design and the perfect casting, which brings the characters to life.)
If anyone decides to write fanfiction centering on the Darkling and Nikolai, kills off Mal, and turns Alina into a full-on villain, count me in! That would be my dream version of the trilogy.
December 9, 2020
FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY PAGES? ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME???
UPDATE
whelp, it went about as good as I expected.
One very snarky review to come
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
March 7, 2015
REVIEW:
Actual rating: 3.5 Stars
So. I am conflicted. I initially gave Ruin And Rising 4 stars. After like half an hour of deliberating and second-guessing my rating, I switched it to 3 stars. If you'll ask me in a week, I'll probably say it was a 4 star read. So to be honest, I think it's a 3.5 from me. There are several reasons why I did this to the last book of one of my favorite series EVER and I'm gonna complain about every one of them, so if I start writing in CAPS, please understand that I'm about to combust from overwhelming feelings.
鈥淚 will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but me.鈥�
I don't know why I gave it 4 stars in the beginning. I guess I'm loyal that way and I couldn't stand dishonoring this beloved series of mine, one I relentlessly recommended over and over. But I had to be honest with myself and admit there were things that bugged the hell out of me. Alina's missed big destiny she could've truly had. The lack of Darkling scenes. Mal's predictable role. And then there were things that balanced it out a bit. Baghra's and the Darkling's backstory -- finally!! The side characters, all awesome and, honestly, the only ones that developed in this installment. And, of course, Nikolai Lantsov, the prince of sass and strategy.
Alina sparked in Ruin & Rising and showed me that she could be kick-ass, strong, manipulative and the no-bullshit-type. But this side of her vanished quickly and fizzled out altogether in the end. I expected her to be powerful, to have the destiny she deserved -- no, that she earned-- not just a happy-ending in the white-fence picket style. She could've been one of the major heroines in fantasy, but she settled for plain and ordinary and I know that for her it's enough. I understand her choices. I even somewhat respect them. But that doesn't mean I like them.
鈥淚t鈥檚 true,鈥� I said softly. 鈥淵ou are stronger, wiser, infinite in experience.鈥� I leaned forward and whispered, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. 鈥淏ut I am an apt pupil.鈥�
I want to gush over Baghra. I loved that woman! And I loved how she truly loved her son. There was a gut-wrenching scene that brought me to tears in which you could see the dynamic between her and The Darkling, how like calls to like and how you have to start taking action for making the changes you wish to obtain. Baghra also spilled out her secrets and I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't 100% what we (Grisha hardcore fans) previously guessed. And her story only increased my love for her, because she could be cruel, frustrating, sarcastic to no end, but she never tried to hide her flaws and mistakes. Just imagining living in such regret for hundreds of years, no one to share the burden with, made me question my own happiness and how... vain I felt in that moment.
鈥淵ou want a love story too? There's none to be had.鈥�
Now onto the complicated things. The guys. The Darkling was definitely my favorite character from The Grisha Trilogy. He's so multi-layered and complex, compelling and brilliant, dedicated and conflicting. His allure is always shocking, because his ruthlessness should make me scream "The hell with him!". But no. The fact that he manages to make me teary eyed, although he's basically a killer spokes volumes of Bardugo's writing mojo. He's the best antagonist I've ever had the pleasure to encounter. You want to love him, to protect him, to hate him, to find out his every thought and secret and cheer him up once in a while. Yet the most gut-wrenching thing about him is how utterly alone he is. How he craves an equal. How he needs assurance that the world won't be just an empty vessel. And this whole revelation, along with his unraveled backstory, makes him so lovable in my eyes.
鈥淗e was ancient, I knew that. But in this moment he was just a boy -brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.鈥�
I liked Mal in this book far more than I did in the first two installments. You see, if I were to describe him in a few words, it would probably be determined, easygoing and a huge ungrateful ass. But my opinion about Mal changed quite a bit in this last book. For once, he finally realized how Alina's power is a part of her and that she doesn't need changing. She's special for who she really is and her talents bring out exactly that. He definitely became the main brick of support for Alina. And his stubborn determination and selflessness to help her in her war against The Darkling truly amazed me. Yeah, he might be a bit boring and a stuck-up prick whenever he wants to be, but he's also that cute, loyal and funny best friend that knows exactly what you want, need or fear.
Nikolai was awesome and won major points in my overall appreciation for this book. His quick wit, his arrogance and love for clothes, his clever mind -- the Prince was a stand-up guy, not judgemental, always thinking about what's best for everyone. But guys, he had to endure some pretty sick stuff in this book and it made me proud to see him rise again afterwards, because if there's anyone who deserves to rule Ravka, it's him. There's also a scene in the first half of the book where he basically tells the King to go shove something up his ass and shut the eff up, or otherwise he'll charge him with rape. I don't think I've ever wanted to cheer and clap and yell "hell yes" so hard.
鈥淧lease tell me you plan to dress up as a volcra and jump out of a cake.鈥�
The secondary characters were incredible! Genya, oh how much I loved her! She is awesome and she is fully appreciated in R&R. I liked how strong she managed to remain through her tragic life story, with the same "I rock" demeanor, but the best thing of all? Her relationship with David. To see him finally stand up for Genya was simply clap-worthy. You're the man, David.
鈥淏eauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what's inside you? That's steel. It's brave and unbreakable. And it doesn't need fixing.鈥�
Is it impossible to believe I really liked Zoya? She's such a strong, sassy and unpredictable character! I think the biggest surprise was how much I constantly awaited the scenes with her. Plus, her one-liners were bazinga.
鈥淢aybe you鈥檙e hungry,鈥� said Zoya. 鈥淚 always get mean when I鈥檓 hungry.鈥�
鈥淎re you hungry all the time?鈥� asked Harshaw.鈥�
In addition to them, the twins were badass and compelling. They offered some funny release while staying loyal to Alina and being a very important asset to their goal. Harshaw was an okay character, but I felt we barely scratched the surface of his personality. Nadia and Adrik were interesting enough and Adrik's crush on Zoya was so sweet!
You know my biggest regret about R&R? No, sorry, make it the second. No, the third. Errr, maybe the fifth. Anyway -- The Apparat's ass wasn't handed over to him. Really, someone needed to show him who the real boss was so he'd lose the whole diva attitude.
About the ending... It broke my heart. I might've even shed a few tears. I refused to believe it was happening. Some will say it was perfect. Some will hate it with every fiber of their being. For me? It was bittersweet. Good things happened, bad things happened, but that's life so I don't have the right to complain.
The romance might prove tricky to explain. Since we have quite a love, um, square, there was never a solid chance that we'll know who Alina would end up with. But I also wanted a different love story. One enchanting, complicated, defying and different. But I guess I have to look somewhere else for something that isn't prone to the same style of happy-endings. Le sigh. I don't want to spoil anyone, but I'm sure you can see I'm not quite happy about the endgame pair. And don't get me wrong -- I don't hate who Alina ends up with, I just thought that she'd be at her best with someone else.
鈥淚t was something no other Grisha understood, and in the end, it was what bound the Darkling and me most closely鈥攏ot our powers, not the strangeness of them, not that we were both aberrations, if not abominations. It was our knowledge of the forbidden, our desire for more.鈥�
Anyway, I appreciate and respect that Alina finally got the happy-ending she wanted. She's content, she has friends that she can call family and she's surrounded by everything she's ever loved. *squishes her in a hug*
鈥淎 lesser Saint,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut perhaps a better queen.鈥�
This book was good, but I expected it to be grand. I don't know -- maybe I was way too involved and my expectations were way above the clouds, but there's no way I can be objective when it comes to the ending of one of my favorite series. Yeah, it gave closure and it tied loose ends narratively speaking, but after reading R&R I felt disappointed, sad and, to be honest, bitter. Because the fans' theories were better than the path Bardugo chose. Because this had so much potential for awesomeness and while it was still well written and interesting, it sort of failed to deliver the shock and amazement I've expected. Because R&R ended up being quite a cliche-ish finale. Because it was somewhat predictable (good guesses, Grisha fans).
Maybe I could've overlooked how it ended and maybe I wouldn't be willing to pay someone to re-write it to my peculiar tastes (joking... I think) if it weren't for a slight issue. I was bored. Seriously. I found myself taking breaks from reading so I can avoid continuing it. But the need to know how it all clicked together won and I caved in to my greedy heart.
I'll still read anything Leigh Bardugo writes. She's awesome like that and has killer writing skills, although I don't particularly agree with some of her decisions in this story. I can't wait for the other series entitled The Dregs and set in the Grishaverse! I loved this world and I can't sulk and pout about Ruin And Rising forever 'cause I'd miss all the awesomesauce that those books would surely prove to be!
For now, I'm gonna cry and rock back and forth in a corner to express my temporary unpleasure and disappointment. I'll throw a bookish tantrum. I'll drown myself in Grisha fanfics. I'll forget that this was the actual ending. I'll delete everythinggg from my brain -- except maybe the Darkling scenes that were the best, I'm telling you. I'm sad this journey is over and a bit wowed about how it all went down, but The Grisha Trilogy will forever hold a piece of my heart, no matter that it crushed it a bit in the end. So please go read it, because it鈥檚 still one of the best YA Fantasy stories out there.
ENJOY!<3
You can also find this review here:
BEFORE READING:
Um. No. Simply NO.
A WHOLE BLOODY YEAR??? 2014?!?! Leigh Bardugo has got to be kidding me!
Why the hell did I read the first two books before the finale is published? #stupid #stupid #stupid
After S&S I鈥檓 dying. That ending? She would rise?? You seriously cannot end it like that.
Oh. And Team Darkling. Always. <3 I need him with Alina! Also, I hope he doesn't end up dead.
P.S. The author said she had started to call book 3 Ruin and Racy. Hot moments ahead? Please God, let it be so. Alarkling ones.
Actual rating: 3.5 Stars
So. I am conflicted. I initially gave Ruin And Rising 4 stars. After like half an hour of deliberating and second-guessing my rating, I switched it to 3 stars. If you'll ask me in a week, I'll probably say it was a 4 star read. So to be honest, I think it's a 3.5 from me. There are several reasons why I did this to the last book of one of my favorite series EVER and I'm gonna complain about every one of them, so if I start writing in CAPS, please understand that I'm about to combust from overwhelming feelings.
鈥淚 will strip away all that you know, all that you love, until you have no shelter but me.鈥�
I don't know why I gave it 4 stars in the beginning. I guess I'm loyal that way and I couldn't stand dishonoring this beloved series of mine, one I relentlessly recommended over and over. But I had to be honest with myself and admit there were things that bugged the hell out of me. Alina's missed big destiny she could've truly had. The lack of Darkling scenes. Mal's predictable role. And then there were things that balanced it out a bit. Baghra's and the Darkling's backstory -- finally!! The side characters, all awesome and, honestly, the only ones that developed in this installment. And, of course, Nikolai Lantsov, the prince of sass and strategy.
Alina sparked in Ruin & Rising and showed me that she could be kick-ass, strong, manipulative and the no-bullshit-type. But this side of her vanished quickly and fizzled out altogether in the end. I expected her to be powerful, to have the destiny she deserved -- no, that she earned-- not just a happy-ending in the white-fence picket style. She could've been one of the major heroines in fantasy, but she settled for plain and ordinary and I know that for her it's enough. I understand her choices. I even somewhat respect them. But that doesn't mean I like them.
鈥淚t鈥檚 true,鈥� I said softly. 鈥淵ou are stronger, wiser, infinite in experience.鈥� I leaned forward and whispered, my lips brushing the shell of his ear. 鈥淏ut I am an apt pupil.鈥�
I want to gush over Baghra. I loved that woman! And I loved how she truly loved her son. There was a gut-wrenching scene that brought me to tears in which you could see the dynamic between her and The Darkling, how like calls to like and how you have to start taking action for making the changes you wish to obtain. Baghra also spilled out her secrets and I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't 100% what we (Grisha hardcore fans) previously guessed. And her story only increased my love for her, because she could be cruel, frustrating, sarcastic to no end, but she never tried to hide her flaws and mistakes. Just imagining living in such regret for hundreds of years, no one to share the burden with, made me question my own happiness and how... vain I felt in that moment.
鈥淵ou want a love story too? There's none to be had.鈥�
Now onto the complicated things. The guys. The Darkling was definitely my favorite character from The Grisha Trilogy. He's so multi-layered and complex, compelling and brilliant, dedicated and conflicting. His allure is always shocking, because his ruthlessness should make me scream "The hell with him!". But no. The fact that he manages to make me teary eyed, although he's basically a killer spokes volumes of Bardugo's writing mojo. He's the best antagonist I've ever had the pleasure to encounter. You want to love him, to protect him, to hate him, to find out his every thought and secret and cheer him up once in a while. Yet the most gut-wrenching thing about him is how utterly alone he is. How he craves an equal. How he needs assurance that the world won't be just an empty vessel. And this whole revelation, along with his unraveled backstory, makes him so lovable in my eyes.
鈥淗e was ancient, I knew that. But in this moment he was just a boy -brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.鈥�
I liked Mal in this book far more than I did in the first two installments. You see, if I were to describe him in a few words, it would probably be determined, easygoing and a huge ungrateful ass. But my opinion about Mal changed quite a bit in this last book. For once, he finally realized how Alina's power is a part of her and that she doesn't need changing. She's special for who she really is and her talents bring out exactly that. He definitely became the main brick of support for Alina. And his stubborn determination and selflessness to help her in her war against The Darkling truly amazed me. Yeah, he might be a bit boring and a stuck-up prick whenever he wants to be, but he's also that cute, loyal and funny best friend that knows exactly what you want, need or fear.
Nikolai was awesome and won major points in my overall appreciation for this book. His quick wit, his arrogance and love for clothes, his clever mind -- the Prince was a stand-up guy, not judgemental, always thinking about what's best for everyone. But guys, he had to endure some pretty sick stuff in this book and it made me proud to see him rise again afterwards, because if there's anyone who deserves to rule Ravka, it's him. There's also a scene in the first half of the book where he basically tells the King to go shove something up his ass and shut the eff up, or otherwise he'll charge him with rape. I don't think I've ever wanted to cheer and clap and yell "hell yes" so hard.
鈥淧lease tell me you plan to dress up as a volcra and jump out of a cake.鈥�
The secondary characters were incredible! Genya, oh how much I loved her! She is awesome and she is fully appreciated in R&R. I liked how strong she managed to remain through her tragic life story, with the same "I rock" demeanor, but the best thing of all? Her relationship with David. To see him finally stand up for Genya was simply clap-worthy. You're the man, David.
鈥淏eauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what's inside you? That's steel. It's brave and unbreakable. And it doesn't need fixing.鈥�
Is it impossible to believe I really liked Zoya? She's such a strong, sassy and unpredictable character! I think the biggest surprise was how much I constantly awaited the scenes with her. Plus, her one-liners were bazinga.
鈥淢aybe you鈥檙e hungry,鈥� said Zoya. 鈥淚 always get mean when I鈥檓 hungry.鈥�
鈥淎re you hungry all the time?鈥� asked Harshaw.鈥�
In addition to them, the twins were badass and compelling. They offered some funny release while staying loyal to Alina and being a very important asset to their goal. Harshaw was an okay character, but I felt we barely scratched the surface of his personality. Nadia and Adrik were interesting enough and Adrik's crush on Zoya was so sweet!
You know my biggest regret about R&R? No, sorry, make it the second. No, the third. Errr, maybe the fifth. Anyway -- The Apparat's ass wasn't handed over to him. Really, someone needed to show him who the real boss was so he'd lose the whole diva attitude.
About the ending... It broke my heart. I might've even shed a few tears. I refused to believe it was happening. Some will say it was perfect. Some will hate it with every fiber of their being. For me? It was bittersweet. Good things happened, bad things happened, but that's life so I don't have the right to complain.
The romance might prove tricky to explain. Since we have quite a love, um, square, there was never a solid chance that we'll know who Alina would end up with. But I also wanted a different love story. One enchanting, complicated, defying and different. But I guess I have to look somewhere else for something that isn't prone to the same style of happy-endings. Le sigh. I don't want to spoil anyone, but I'm sure you can see I'm not quite happy about the endgame pair. And don't get me wrong -- I don't hate who Alina ends up with, I just thought that she'd be at her best with someone else.
鈥淚t was something no other Grisha understood, and in the end, it was what bound the Darkling and me most closely鈥攏ot our powers, not the strangeness of them, not that we were both aberrations, if not abominations. It was our knowledge of the forbidden, our desire for more.鈥�
Anyway, I appreciate and respect that Alina finally got the happy-ending she wanted. She's content, she has friends that she can call family and she's surrounded by everything she's ever loved. *squishes her in a hug*
鈥淎 lesser Saint,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut perhaps a better queen.鈥�
This book was good, but I expected it to be grand. I don't know -- maybe I was way too involved and my expectations were way above the clouds, but there's no way I can be objective when it comes to the ending of one of my favorite series. Yeah, it gave closure and it tied loose ends narratively speaking, but after reading R&R I felt disappointed, sad and, to be honest, bitter. Because the fans' theories were better than the path Bardugo chose. Because this had so much potential for awesomeness and while it was still well written and interesting, it sort of failed to deliver the shock and amazement I've expected. Because R&R ended up being quite a cliche-ish finale. Because it was somewhat predictable (good guesses, Grisha fans).
Maybe I could've overlooked how it ended and maybe I wouldn't be willing to pay someone to re-write it to my peculiar tastes (joking... I think) if it weren't for a slight issue. I was bored. Seriously. I found myself taking breaks from reading so I can avoid continuing it. But the need to know how it all clicked together won and I caved in to my greedy heart.
I'll still read anything Leigh Bardugo writes. She's awesome like that and has killer writing skills, although I don't particularly agree with some of her decisions in this story. I can't wait for the other series entitled The Dregs and set in the Grishaverse! I loved this world and I can't sulk and pout about Ruin And Rising forever 'cause I'd miss all the awesomesauce that those books would surely prove to be!
For now, I'm gonna cry and rock back and forth in a corner to express my temporary unpleasure and disappointment. I'll throw a bookish tantrum. I'll drown myself in Grisha fanfics. I'll forget that this was the actual ending. I'll delete everythinggg from my brain -- except maybe the Darkling scenes that were the best, I'm telling you. I'm sad this journey is over and a bit wowed about how it all went down, but The Grisha Trilogy will forever hold a piece of my heart, no matter that it crushed it a bit in the end. So please go read it, because it鈥檚 still one of the best YA Fantasy stories out there.
ENJOY!<3
You can also find this review here:
BEFORE READING:
Um. No. Simply NO.
A WHOLE BLOODY YEAR??? 2014?!?! Leigh Bardugo has got to be kidding me!
Why the hell did I read the first two books before the finale is published? #stupid #stupid #stupid
After S&S I鈥檓 dying. That ending? She would rise?? You seriously cannot end it like that.
Oh. And Team Darkling. Always. <3 I need him with Alina! Also, I hope he doesn't end up dead.
P.S. The author said she had started to call book 3 Ruin and Racy. Hot moments ahead? Please God, let it be so. Alarkling ones.
April 22, 2017
This review is mostly gifs bc I just cannot write proper English words and the only English word that I am able to write is the word "fuck" and there is enough of that if you scroll down.
Mal
Alina
The Plot
The Darkling
The Ending
If you don't want a whole fuck migraine, don't scroll down. :))
*eye twitches*
*closes book and stares off into the distance*
*takes a deep breath*
*implodes*
Literally trying not to fucking throw my fucking Ipad across the room. FUCK THIS BULL FUCKING SHIT.
FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK
:) :) :)
---
If there isn't enough The Darkling in this I'm going to shit bricks.
Also if ,, I'm going to cut a bitch.
Dear book, pls help me get up of this slump ty very much.
and to make matters worse I've heard this has a shitty ending.
great.
Mal
Alina
The Plot
The Darkling
The Ending
If you don't want a whole fuck migraine, don't scroll down. :))
*eye twitches*
*closes book and stares off into the distance*
*takes a deep breath*
*implodes*
Literally trying not to fucking throw my fucking Ipad across the room. FUCK THIS BULL FUCKING SHIT.
FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK 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:) :) :)
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If there isn't enough The Darkling in this I'm going to shit bricks.
Also if ,, I'm going to cut a bitch.
Dear book, pls help me get up of this slump ty very much.
and to make matters worse I've heard this has a shitty ending.
great.
June 26, 2014
This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a whimper.
T.S. Eliot
What a perfect encapsulation of this miserable conclusion.
I thought I had prepared myself mentally for the worst of scenarios. Even as I prayed desperately for a satisfying ending to my favorite YA series of all time, I readied myself for every possible emotion: For devastation. For despair. For my soul to be raked over the coals until it became a shriveled, blackened thing so that I could never feel happiness again.
I was definitely not ready to feel like this:
Because that ending was BAD. It wasn't simply controversial, or polarizing, or provocative. It was just plain bad. It was half-cooked, it was predictable, it was unoriginal, it was poorly-plotted, it was the epitome of YA gone tame and lame.
To reverse all of the protagonist's hardwon character development, and to lazily discard the best pairing (and most captivating individual) in one fell swoop...what a complete and utter disappointment. The takeaway message here? It's okay for a woman to repress her potential for the sake of her man. After all, ordinary love triumphs over all, so girls! Keep your talents on the down-low, otherwise you might make your boyfriend feel "inferior!"
I expected so much more out of the author. This was my favorite trilogy, this was my adored OTP, and it was all blown to smithereens in a whimper of an ending.
I'm so angry. Given the lack of strong female protagonists in YA, and the dearth of supportive love interests, why on Earth would an author doom her character to this circular end?
T.S. Eliot
What a perfect encapsulation of this miserable conclusion.
I thought I had prepared myself mentally for the worst of scenarios. Even as I prayed desperately for a satisfying ending to my favorite YA series of all time, I readied myself for every possible emotion: For devastation. For despair. For my soul to be raked over the coals until it became a shriveled, blackened thing so that I could never feel happiness again.
I was definitely not ready to feel like this:
Because that ending was BAD. It wasn't simply controversial, or polarizing, or provocative. It was just plain bad. It was half-cooked, it was predictable, it was unoriginal, it was poorly-plotted, it was the epitome of YA gone tame and lame.
To reverse all of the protagonist's hardwon character development, and to lazily discard the best pairing (and most captivating individual) in one fell swoop...what a complete and utter disappointment. The takeaway message here? It's okay for a woman to repress her potential for the sake of her man. After all, ordinary love triumphs over all, so girls! Keep your talents on the down-low, otherwise you might make your boyfriend feel "inferior!"
I expected so much more out of the author. This was my favorite trilogy, this was my adored OTP, and it was all blown to smithereens in a whimper of an ending.
I'm so angry. Given the lack of strong female protagonists in YA, and the dearth of supportive love interests, why on Earth would an author doom her character to this circular end?
May 14, 2020
can you believe I had the NERVE to actually enjoy this book when I didn鈥檛 like the first two books I鈥檓 so disappointed in myself
April 21, 2023
鈥� 3 stars 鉁�
"i'm the sun summoner. it gets dark when i say it does"
okay i must say that i'm glad it's over, oops. again, it wasn't bad but it sure as hell wasn't a masterpiece. there were some really good chapters, same with some really boring ones. the beginning was kinda slow & the apparat got on my nerves badly but the middle part was enjoyable. after that it went slow again & the excitement only picked up near the end of the book
alina sure is a hard nut to crack because if nikolai would've hinted multiple times that he wanted to marry me??? i would be on my way to make little princes and princesses immediately 馃
overall i can say that the characters are what makes these books good. zoya 馃挒馃挆馃挄馃挊 is my beloved, she is my queen, she is my everything. mother is mothering.. 馃馃徎鈥嶁檧锔廼 can't wait to see her with nikolai, the bickering will be top tier 馃槍馃馃徏 i'm still very much in love with genya, she deserves the world and more!!! nikolai, well you guys know my thoughts about him 馃槷鈥嶐煉煡� he is the ultimate book boyfriend, no more explanations needed. can't forget the darkling because let's be real.. he is hot, really fucking hot. when alina visited him as a vision?? chemistry was unmatched ngl
鈥� alina and mal鈥� can't say i'll miss them but i'm glad they finally got their happy ending. i did not like the ending of the book at all, if you've read it, then you know why, to explain my reaction: 馃 (me when i read chapter 17). anyways, enough screen time of malina, i'm ready for the crows & zoyalai 馃き
"i'm the sun summoner. it gets dark when i say it does"
okay i must say that i'm glad it's over, oops. again, it wasn't bad but it sure as hell wasn't a masterpiece. there were some really good chapters, same with some really boring ones. the beginning was kinda slow & the apparat got on my nerves badly but the middle part was enjoyable. after that it went slow again & the excitement only picked up near the end of the book
alina sure is a hard nut to crack because if nikolai would've hinted multiple times that he wanted to marry me??? i would be on my way to make little princes and princesses immediately 馃
overall i can say that the characters are what makes these books good. zoya 馃挒馃挆馃挄馃挊 is my beloved, she is my queen, she is my everything. mother is mothering.. 馃馃徎鈥嶁檧锔廼 can't wait to see her with nikolai, the bickering will be top tier 馃槍馃馃徏 i'm still very much in love with genya, she deserves the world and more!!! nikolai, well you guys know my thoughts about him 馃槷鈥嶐煉煡� he is the ultimate book boyfriend, no more explanations needed. can't forget the darkling because let's be real.. he is hot, really fucking hot. when alina visited him as a vision?? chemistry was unmatched ngl
鈥� alina and mal鈥� can't say i'll miss them but i'm glad they finally got their happy ending. i did not like the ending of the book at all, if you've read it, then you know why, to explain my reaction: 馃 (me when i read chapter 17). anyways, enough screen time of malina, i'm ready for the crows & zoyalai 馃き
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