Siege and Storm

Siege and Storm is the second installment in The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo and it is every bit as shocking and magnificent as its predecessor. The narration never slows down, and it becomes a whirlwind of emotions, a rollercoaster of events. Iin the rare instances when the story calms itself to let us into the thoughts of Alina, we find ourselves in a harrowing place, as she fights between what she has to do, and where she really wishes to be.

Our heroine comes to terms with her destiny, and we learn more about the Grishas and the dangers Ravka faces, through her eyes. The Darkling's presence is lingering throughout the pages, offering us some trully haunting nightly scenes. (Can you tell I am a totally fangirl for him? Because I am.) In my opinion, the character that draws much of the attention in the second volume is Nikolai. He is brave and sassy, and develops much better than Mal. He has many leadership qualities and stands as the protector of his land. Mal continues to be Mal, as in ‘‘Mal is annoying to no end.'‘

According to my experience with trilogies, the second book tends to be the most action-packed, andSiege and Storm is no exception. The end was bombastic, and I am so eager to see the culmination of this wonderful, epic story.