Ritika Bhattacharjee

"In the end, maybe love just meant longing for something impossibly bright and forever out of reach.”

rating- 4/5

overall series rating- 3.5/5

(skipping to my thoughts instead of my usual review format because i just need to get them out of my head.)

The book caught me off guard, not going to lie. I DID NOT expect the plot twist or the turn of events at the end of the book. The first few hours after I finished the book, was just me marvelling at the ending because,

a) not a lot of books surprise me with plot twists, since i think of probable ways it could end in my head. So if a book does have an ending I haven't thought about, I get really excited. (more on that in a bit)

b) i was expecting something predictable, like Alina destroying the fold, being the saviour of Ravka and the likes of that.

I did think of a possible ending that involved her leaving things behind and living a normal life with Mal, but i didn't know how that would work out with her powers being a factor.

(like i said, not sticking to a review format, so might as well include this)

So, coming back to me being excited, the first thing i did, was call my best friend (who has read six of crows, but not the grisha trilogy) and told her how the ending wasn't something i expected and i loved it.

The first thing she said was, "wait aren't you upset that Alina died?" and i was like "OH."

This is what made it cooler in my opinion. I remember how I'd read that six of crows contains spoilers for the grisha trilogy, however i didn't think they'd be given the narrative the rest of the people were given. It kind of makes me feel like I'm a part of this small group of people who actually know what happened in the battle. it makes me feel special okay? shush.

So i found out, on Leigh Bardugo's Instagram highlights where she says it's not necessary to read S&B before SoC, but preferrable because you'll be "spoiled (or deliberately misled by a wicked author)" HAHA

and this whole thing fascinates me so much, i don't even know why. and i've already started ranting so, there's no going back

there's tons of people i know who haven't read the Grisha trilogy but only the Six of Crows duology and they won't know this. (I'm aware they probably don't care, but just let me feel special okay.)

it's just so smart. the fact that, what people think is a spoiler isn't actually one and

also how, if people read SoC first and then move on to these books, they'll still be surprised. Leigh Bardugo is one smart author.

THE ENDING

now, when the initial surprise wore off, i actually began thinking about whether i liked the ending and if this was what i wanted for Alina.

“They had an ordinary life, full of ordinary things—if love can ever be called that.”

The thing with this is, people either absolutely love the ending or hate it.

i have mixed feelings about the ending. The romantic in me who loves happy endings is happy, she's thinking of the love Mal and Alina share, despite everything they've had to face. however there is also a cynic in me and while she's happy that Mal (who's suddenly a new person who wants the best for Alina. A starking contrast to Siege and Storm Mal, whom i did not like at all) and Alina get their happy ending, she's not sure if Alina wanted this for herself.

I'm sure nobody likes risking their lives constantly and the fact that she was considered a living saint, did not help with the-wanting to live a normal life part.

But we all know that Alina grows to like her powers, understands that they're a part of her and using them makes her feel content. She has immense character development in the first two books and starts believing in herself. So does this ending negate all that character development? yes.

In a way the full circle ending: Alina going back to keramzin, just a normal girl, an orphan makes it feel complete. However, the ending makes me happy, not content. I can't help but think about everything Alina could've been and everything she could've done (even WITH Mal by her side, since that's what she's so vocal about * sigh *)

I feel let down that, what could've been a really strong female protagonist in upcoming books, is now just living idly with no powers, (again there's nothing wrong with a domestic life, I'm just a little disappointed that she had to give up her powers.)

To me, it felt like Mal finally got what he wanted. Alina losing her powers, living a normal life with him.

In Siege and Storm, when Mal and Alina are on the run, hiding her powers makes her miserable. In my opinion, Alina's powers going to all the otkazats'ya because of Morozova was not some elaborate noble plotline to give powers to the common folk but a way for making Alina powerless and live her life with Mal without worrying about hiding it.

"Morozova was a strange man. He was a bit like you, drawn to the ordinary and the weak."

An indication of Alina not wanting this for herself is definitely how she describes herself as hollow, empty and not quite like herself without her powers.

"nothing left", i said softly feeling the emptiness inside me, the emptiness everywhere.

CHARACTER ARCS

Mal- still don't like him I'm sorry, but i guess love is love so, I'm trying to be happy for Alina and Mal, believe me i really am.

It's a little hard for me to believe that Mal is suddenly everything we've wanted him to be. I like him in this book, he's trying, acknowledging Alina's feelings and all in all, just not being a d!ck. But what didn't work for me is the transition. i was still seething over Siege and Storm Mal when i went into this book, only to find a whole new person there. it just didn't seem realistic to me.

“It’s a vow that if I can’t be anything else to you, at least I can be a weapon in your hand.”

“You were meant for more than me, and I'll die fighting to give it to you. But please don't ask me to pretend it's easy.”

The darkling- yeah. I'm not going to lie, I'm a little devastated. one of the best written antagonists in my opinion. Leigh Bardugo does a great job at humanising him throughout the books, and especially at the end. the death scene upset me more than Mal's and that's saying something. His backstory is so well developed and the fact that this book gave us most of his backstory, is another reason for me to like it.

“In this moment he was just a boy - brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.”

Nikolai- Absolutely still love him. still my favourite character. his humour is unmatched and brightens up the book when required. the whole darkness plot, in the second half of the book seemed unnecessary to me, but i agree it makes him more interesting in the upcoming books and I'm excited to read King of Scars

“I hope you weren’t looking to me to be the voice of reason. I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret.”

"You are no Lantsov" snarled the king. NIkolai merely bowed. "I find i can live with that fact"

Genya- love her. although i disliked the whole nichevo'ya bite fate, i love how she embraced it; considering vanity was something that was very important to her. I wanted this to be remedied somehow, but i no longer want that. scars are reminders but they don't have to be terrible.

“Na razrusha'ya. E'ya razrushost."

translation: I am not ruined. I am ruination.

her relationship with David is also something that stands out. they both are beautiful together.

"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.”

I'm excited to see Genya in the upcoming books (i think she's there?) since she'll be leading the second army and i want to see her in a role of authority.

Setbacks

one thing that I've found to be a problem in both shadow and bone, as well as siege and storm is the pace inconsistency. this book fared better in that aspect and did have better transition from slow scenes to fast paced scenes, however towards the end of the book, there was just too much happening. The final battle was very short and didn't seem to have the depth that was required.

And of course, the damned ending.

What I loved

1. the amplifier plot twist.

2. Nikolai Lantsov.

3. also the ending (i can't decide if i like it or not, leave me alone.)

Overall

pros- unpredictable plot twists

cons- bittersweet ending?

Both Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm surprised me, but Ruin and Rising, topped them both. Leigh Bardugo's books just get progressively better and better as the trilogy continues. Her writing has always stood out to me and the story's narrative flows extremely well, which makes them so much easier to read. I couldn't put the books down for too long, and I'm happy i finished the trilogy.

The world of the grisha is captivating and interesting. it's very unique and I'm glad the author decided to expand this world and continue writing more books in this universe.

i can't wait to read more of the grisha world in Six of Crows, I'm super excited for this one:)

“There is no safe place for the Grisha. There is no haven. Not for us.” ​There will be, he promised in the darkness, new words written upon his heart. I will make one.

This short story gives us an insight into the old Ravka, where the Grisha were unwelcome, through the eyes of a young darkling. It depicts what he had to go through as a child and the isolation and loneliness he feels due to his powers. The darkling is an extremely well developed character and this small point of view from a young darkling helps us understand his motives better, builds his character and makes him more interesting

The only complaint i have is that it's only 40 pages long :') i NEED more from the darkling's pov.

“And there's nothing wrong with being a lizard either. Unless you were born to be a hawk.”

rating- 3.5/5

okay I'm not going to lie, i didn't intend to read these books. i almost picked up six of crows and only later decided I'm going to read the grisha trilogy first. (solely because I've heard the grishaverse is a tad bit complicated to understand at first, + i just like reading things chronologically, it's just one of those things, don't ask)—and honestly? I'm glad i did—most of my friends have read six of crows and have absolutely loved it, but they don't really like the grisha trilogy or don't even plan on reading it? this made me a little sceptical at first and i even considered skipping these books and moving on to six of crows, as I'm aware most people have done. Naturally, my expectations weren't very high going into it. But, to it's credit it did take me by surprise and i liked the book a lot.

PREMISE

(i don't understand why this is a thing since it's literally in the synopsis thing of the book and also people who read detailed reviews are people who've already read the book, right?)

it follows Alina Starkov - an orphan who is a cartographer in the first army, in a world where the common people- who work in the armies and people with powers - the grisha, live together. She discovers dormant powers that are the only way to save Ravka from its downfall due to the dark barrier called the shadow fold dividing it into two. we follow her journey and development as she discovers lies and secrets that change everything.

my views on the book

Shadow and Bone is a very straightforward and uncomplicated book with few plot twists. (to the point where most readers find it plain and boring), but in my opinion this makes it a fast, enjoyable read. If you want a light, breezy read after a complicated book, then this might be for you. Leigh Bardugo's writing is simple, engaging and flows really well, that makes you want to keep reading. The first half of the book was comparatively slower, while the second half distinctively fast, that put me off a little bit, but not enough to stop reading. The plot had a few drawbacks and was a little tropey. but if you can look past the cliches, then it's definitely something you should pick up.

WORLD BUILDING

The world building is something that stood out to me and although, it does feel like we're thrown into the world. (In most fantasy books, the character whose point-of-view we read the book from, is also as clueless as the readers; either because they were unaware or less informed about the workings of the world. In that case, both the characters and the readers learn about this new fantasy world together. In shadow and bone however, that was not the case. Alina already knew about the grisha and their orders, how everything works, etcetera. So there was little explanation of the world for somebody who knows nothing about it. It did feel a tad bit abrupt, but it wasn't something that bothered me.)

Apart from the straight-off nature, the world building was pretty commendable. it was gradual and not rushed. i really liked the concept of the Russian inspired - Ravka. (I'm aware of the numerous linguistic mistakes in the Russian that was incorporated, as many reviews have pointed out. However, as somebody who doesn't know Russian, this is not something i found out until after i read other reviews and therefore it did not influence my views)

CHARACTERS

Alina Starkov is a strong female lead and definitely stood out to me. Most people don't like her (mostly because of the 'not like other girls' trope) and find her to be whiny and self deprecating. but then again, I'm someone with low self esteem and that's how our thought processes work. it doesn't necessarily mean she was ugly or skinny, that's how SHE views herself, which is completely okay. And I think this makes her character more real and endearing.

“The thought filled me with grief, grief for the dreams we'd shared, for the love I'd felt, for the hopeful girl I would never be again.”

Malyen Orestev (mal) is also one of my favourite characters and although his absence in the first half of the book is very noticeable, he almost makes up for it in the second half. the reviews about Mal did shock to me, to say the least. i honestly don't understand why everybody hates him so much. I'm not sure if we read the same thing? because i remember him being a little rude to Alina only once and he also apologizes for this later. Again, like Alina he has his flaws, but to me was different from the typical love interest which again helped him to stand out.

"I love you, Alina, even the part of you that loved him.”

The darkling's character is extremely well developed. I'm sure he has a backstory and motivations that set him apart. I'm yet to read The Demon in the Wood, and he already intrigues me. In the first half, i almost thought there was going to be a redemption arc but after the stag bit— i almost cried. animals dying is just:(— i knew there was no going back. I'm curious to see how the author develops the darkling's character- throughout the next two books in the series.

“The Darkling slumped back in his chair. “Fine,” he said with a weary shrug. “Make me your villain.”

A few setbacks:

first off, something that bothered me was the way Alina's powers were said to have been dormant for many years. she clearly remembers feeling her powers when she got tested by the grisha examiners and yet she's constantly surprised she has them. also, i think that her powers suddenly appearing in the fold was a little far-fetched. In my opinion, it would have been nicer to have a few displays of her power throughout the years. for example, a little sun-ray or a sudden burst of light when she's very angry or something along those lines.

Moreover, instead of making her completely oblivious to those powers, the book should have portrayed her to having some idea that she had powers but being afraid to embrace them. This would have been easier to believe. Alina being a little confused as to what those rays of lights were, that only got more and more frequent with the years, would have given us more time to get accustomed to the change from the cartographer Alina in the first army to grisha Alina, THE sun summoner- who's the only one who can save Ravka. This would've made the transition smoother (although i do understand that the point of the sudden display of her powers was to bring an element of surprise, i believe an easier to digest plot is more important than the occasional surprise plot twist.)

secondly, i thought maybe a few Mal or the Darkling point-of-view chapters would have made it a more interesting read. Despite liking Alina, the single point of view does get a little plain.

what i loved:

definitely the plot twist. it wasn't something i was expecting. the book like i said, is very simple and most issues resolve easily. The plot twist involving the darkling definitely saved the book. it's not something most readers would expect considering the first half of the book was quite predictable. It makes the darkling so much more interesting and your whole view and whatever you have gathered so far, suddenly changes.

The ending also stood out to me. After the morozova's collar was put on Alina, i wasn't sure the book would have anything else to offer and i thought the plot would continue in Siege and Storm. what happened in the fold in the end, again, wasn't something i was expecting and took me by surprise.

"I had spared a life. The power of that life belonged to me as surely as it belonged to the man who had taken it."

“They are orphans again, with no true home but each other and whatever life they can make together on the other side of the sea.”

Overall, Shadow and Bone is a decent read. there are quite a few tropes at play, but as long as you don't let this divert you from the world and plot, you'll be fine. the writing is way better than i expected and more importantly, extremely good for a debut novel. it flows very well and nothing feels forced. The magic system is unique, well thought out and i loved the science point of view being involved instead of making it seem like pure witchcraft/magic as most fantasy books do.

The characters are definitely flawed, but this is what makes them seem real and easier to connect with.

You should definitely give this book a chance, if you haven't already :)

"The ox feels the yoke, but does the bird feel the weight of it's wings?"

rating- 3.5/5

The first book definitely surprised me, and although I had a few complaints, I loved it. Siege and Storm on the other hand, is harder for me to review.

The book was very, very slow towards the beginning and at certain points, to the point where i was so sure, i wouldn't like it. The pace was inconsistent and a few parts were incredibly slow, while a few had me struggling to keep up with everything that was happening. This is something that bothered me in shadow and bone as well, and I'm hoping will be resolved in the third book. (I understand a few scenes have to be fast paced, but the transition should be smoother so the reader is eased into the fast paced scenes instead of feeling like they were abruptly thrown in into an action sequence.)

However as soon as Nikolai was introduced, the rating of the book in my head significantly increased (i was thinking around 3 haha). Nikolai is definitely my favorite love interest with mal and the darkling as the other options, I'm pretty sure everybody thinks the same way, if not my favorite character (scratch that. he's my favorite character)

Also, was I the only one who wasn't surprised by the Sturmhond plot twist? I mean he's described as a young boy with green eyes, there's no way he's not a love interest. there's also so much foreshadowing for it, considering he never talks about where he's from (any doubts i had were later confirmed when I googled sturmhond fanart- i strongly advise against googling fanart until you're done with the book. google images are the dark web, for, every book spoiler to ever exist is on there.)

PREMISE

Alina and mal are trying to run away from their lives at Ravka but can Alina really hide her powers for too long? On the other hand, the darkling has new powers that further threaten Ravka's future. With the help of a funny, charming privateer she returns to the country she abandoned only to find it worse off. Alina finds herself slipping deeper into the darkling's magic and discovering a different side to herself, while trying to lead the second army, hoping to cope with the hopes of the common people who believe she's a living saint and also dealing with relationship problems (mal. why. just why)

CHARACTERS

ALINA

unlike a lot of people, i liked Alina in the first book. I understood her self deprecating nature and constant self destruction, it was what made her more real to me. Siege and Storm Alina, on the other hand has completely blown me away. I absolutely love her. She's embracing herself and understanding that she has a dark side under all that light. Her hunger for the third amplifier, calling to the darkness, feeling like the fold was a part of her, understanding the volcra, every single thing intrigued me. the character development is immersing and I'm looking forward to witness Ruin and Rising Alina. I'm curious as to how Leigh Bardugo will transition her from being extremely weak and unable to call her power to ultimately what I'm guessing will be the saviour of Ravka and the destroyer of the fold.

"So many men had tried to make her a queen, now she understood that she was meant for something more"

MAL

no. just no, I'm sorry. shadow and bone mal was okay in my opinion, but book 2 mal is just not it. he loves alina, there's no doubt about that. he protects her, and even abandons his post as a tracker, something that is very dear to him, for her. But he loves the Alina who was his childhood bestfriend, who was at the sidelines, not the grisha Alina. he's constantly insecure about the fact that he's an otkazats'ya, while Alina is powerful. I now understand why so many people disliked him in the first book, they saw what was coming and the behaviour that indicated the same. the fact that he is oblivious that Alina isn't doing her best and continues to push his insecurities at her just infuriates me. the darkling('s vision? I'm still a little confused) that made Alina flinch while mal was stupid enough to think that it was about him (I know I'm being harsh but he just can't look past himself.) was the last straw. I don't see Alina with mal and will be very disappointed if that's what happens in the end.

"i don't need to think about it", Mal shouted "and neither does she"

This is him talking about going back to Os Alta when Nikolai, Alina and Mal arrive at Kribirsk. ugh. just, ugh

"At least she didn't flinch when i touched her" he spat

this was when alina had WAY too much on her plate already, i just dislike him so much, i can't, i'm sorry. i don't know if mal can redeem himself after this.

NIKOLAI

I am absolutely and completely in love with Nikolai Lantsov. He is everything. i repeat, everything, mal is not. he understands Alina, while also NOT being extremely morally grey like the darkling. he's humorous, sarcastic and extremely endearing. The birthday dinner scene with Vasily and the political intrigue in it, was one of my favourite scenes in the book.

"When people say impossible, they usually mean improbable.”

"i like mongrels", i said. "they have cute floppy ears." "my ears are very dignified"

“I took a breath. “Your highness—”

“Nikolai,” he corrected. “But I’ve also been known to answer to ‘sweetheart’ or ‘handsome.”

THE DARKLING

I cannot stop hoping for a redemption arc * sigh *, but then again, this is for the darkling's personality and not as a love interest. I don't see the darkling as a love interest anymore and in my honest opinion, his personality and character wouldn't be suitable for the same. his motivations and backstory are just way too strong to be deterred by something as trivial as feelings. he's still one of the best written and extremely well developed characters. And although he was absent throughout most of this book, the few appearances, use of the nichevo'ya and the visions/appearances Alina could see, left me wanting more.

"we are alike", he said, "as no one else will ever be", the truth of it rang through me. like calls to like.

Things i loved:

1. NIKOLAI. NIKOLAI LANTSOV. ABSOLUTELY.

2. The character development of Alina

3. The ending. i have to admit, the ending is definitely not something i expected. it saved the book for me.

"For the living and the dead, she would make herself a reckoning. She would rise. "

4. Did i mention, nikolai lantsov. yes. him.

Setbacks:

1. as mentioned earlier, the pace inconsistency

2. mal's character development

3. genya. (this was dropped out of nowhere, and goes long lengths to tell us how far the darkling's willing to go, to assert authority and fullfill his motives. it really upset me, considering Alina couldn't even tell her apart from Baghra. i hope this is remedied in Ruin and Rising, because Genya did nothing wrong and does not deserve this. It breaks my heart that she had to choose between helping Alina and her loyalty to the darkling since he gave her status, something that she has never had and has forever wanted.

Overall, despite the issues, i couldn't stop reading and just had to know what was going to happen, which according to me, is a good sign. The world building is immersing and the world of the grisha is growing on me and I absolutely cannot wait to read Ruin and Rising to see what happens to Alina and Nikolai and what's in store in terms of plot:)

rating- 3.5/5We're in Earth-616. This isn't an alternate universe.” I clutch the phone tighter, tears falling. “We're going to have our happy ending. It's just going to take us a little while to get there.”
I LOVE these characters and the way the author writes these books sm <3 lilo has my entire heart.
Kiss the sky and Hothouse flower did an incredible job at making me love rose-connor and Daisy-ryke but somehow lilo's story felt disjointed and incomplete. We were given a paragraph entailing a big event; and we're somehow supposed to pretend it's important, with no context whatsoever about how the characters feel.

(considering ryke isn't the most emotionally perceptive person i had no idea as to what lo could've been thinking)
Hothouse flower opens with lo having relapsed and the media accusations about his dad but we don't see the connection or the hows until now. this is so important because it fills in the blanks and gives us a complete picture. SO happy i didn't skip this book honestly.
Was it repetitive? yes a 100%. There were around 2-4 scenes that were almost word for word with the dialogue. but there were also things that really made me appreciate the alternate pov.

getting to see what lo thought of daisy and ryke was so important because from ryke's pov, he just seems downright hostile.

It goes beyond them together. It's that he can't be honest with me. He asks me for his complete trust, but it's becoming harder and harder when he builds walls between us.

rating - 4/5

honestly idek what kind of crack the author put in these. like I'm genuinely so so attached to these characters and it's been like that from the first freaking book. like? it doesn't even make sense. There was literally no I'm-beginning-to-like-these-characters phase. i went straight to: i want to absolutely protect lilo with my entire heart.And even if there's phases in the books where nothing's really happening and it's honestly not even that great I'm still reading like my life depends on it. i don't even know what it is about the whole series; it's very weird.Eitherway, this book was honestly such a great way to tie up lilo's story/pov, i guess. I could see how much character growth/development there was, and it was genuinely so so rewarding to see them finally get their ‘happy ending' in Earth 616:)Overall, the subplots weren't too crazy or eventful with the ceo meetings and teenagers (okay sliiiightly eventful). BUT the kids! changed everything honestly. i was so much more invested to see them as parents. It was like introducing layers to the characters, that i haven't seen before and added to the whole experience Introducing garrison and willow was also a fun addition although I'm not really super interested in their story or anything. my favourite part about this book was loren hale! the growth and maturity with handling everything thrown at him was impeccable and made me really really happy. And the wedding? crying, brb.

BAH! HUMBUG!

haha. I really, really liked this book. It's definitely the only classic i've read in one sitting It's only about a 100 pages long, so you should definitely check this off your tbr, as soon as you can. Every book I've read with a Christmas theme, talks about a Christmas carol by Charles dickens and now i can finally say i've read it. It's a heartwarming story that reminds us to be grateful and happy and spreads the message of compassion & humility. I listened to the audiobook simultaneously here:

https://youtu.be/ZmOioOyFMRk

and the voice modulations were my favourite thing ever. The narrator does a great job at Scrooge's voice and had me laughing at his dialogue in the beginning. The message conveyed is as beautiful as the story itself, and as you travel with the spirits of the Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas yet to come, smile and be grateful for everything you have:)

“Isn't this the part where our love overcomes our addictions? Where our problems magically solve from a kiss and a promise?” rating- 4/5

I'm bawling my eyes. THAT is not what i expected.
Did I pick this up because i thought it would be a light hearted romance series? yes. Am I disappointed that it is exactly the opposite of light hearted? honestly..not? This was something i didn't know I needed T_T
But then again I probably wouldn't have picked this up if somebody had given me the brief beforehand:

‘A book about two addicts being dependent on each other, pretending to have a healthy life and dating. While in reality, they're infact not okay; absolutely spiralling, going off the deep end and enabling each other.'

the lack of plot

character-driven

somebody.

could've been shorter

repetitive

recurring, unchanging nature was a more realistic portrayal of their problems

Wait for me.” The words come out choked and pained. “I need you to wait for me.”

The half brother thing was pretty evident. The only thing i didn't anticipate was Ryke being Jonathan and Sara's son. idk.

Final thoughts:

BAH! HUMBUG!

haha. I really, really liked this book. It's definitely the only classic i've read in one sitting It's only about a 100 pages long, so you should definitely check this off your tbr, as soon as you can. Every book I've read with a Christmas theme, talks about a Christmas carol by Charles dickens and now i can finally say i've read it. It's a heartwarming story that reminds us to be grateful and happy and spreads the message of compassion & humility. I listened to the audiobook simultaneously here:

https://youtu.be/ZmOioOyFMRk

and the voice modulations were my favourite thing ever. The narrator does a great job at Scrooge's voice and had me laughing at his dialogue in the beginning. The message conveyed is as beautiful as the story itself, and as you travel with the spirits of the Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas yet to come, smile and be grateful for everything you have:)