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A review by yas_sezer
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
3.75
3.75 stars
this was a major improvement to the last 2 books that i can only wonder where miss bardugo was hiding this before. the found family between the remaining army (particularly genya and david, zoya, nadia, tamar and tolya, and of course nikolai, mal and alina) was actually heartwarming this time and i liked seeing more interactions between them all and seeing the way their relationships were adapting and flourishing. i can’t help but feel that this would have been more impactful had it been built on in the previous two books. there was a lot of potential, but still i enjoyed what i got.
the layers added to characters in this book was probably one of my favourite parts. the darkling (i still love him sorry), nikolai, and MAL. finally mal has received SOMETHING, something to make him worth keeping around. i’m sorry but i could not feel a connection to him, and even now that connection is limited. i’m going to keep repeating that i wish that love for him was established in the first book, not the third. seeing his love, his determination, his strength, and selflessness grow in this book was great, both in relation to the war and his relationship with alina. him being the amplifier was a twist i didn’t see coming (my theory was that he was grisha in some way, maybe the darklings son, but this didn’t even cross my mind). the realisation at the cliffs edge broke my heart. also, him soaking in the world around him and telling alina he always wanted something better for her got a few tears out of me. i cried for a few minutes (if this was built on previously, i msg have sobbed for hours).
the darkling. he is really just a soft boy really. a man who wanted to create a safer, better world for the grisha where they did not have to live in fear and suffering. he just grew ruthless along the way towards life. his seductive, sexual energy remained and intensified which is always a treat, but seeing the major shift in his character during the final battle scene hurt my heart. he became this boy afraid of being alone. at his core, thats really what it was. he lost his mother (baghra mvp btw, she really just suicided with the nothings) and now he lost the only other person who was LIKE him (but also so different). his dying wish for him not to be alone made him feel so human (‘:
nikolai… look i’m not going to lie him becoming essentially possessed by a volcra was annoying because i wanted more of his character in this book and was really looking forward to seeing his character grow, so i feel like i was robbed of that. however i can understand the layers this added to the story. nikolai, a bundle of sunshine tbh, pure energy, pure LIGHT, becoming consumed by darkness from within, and seeing that battle between both energies was interesting. i’m happy he came back, but miss bardugo pls make a book just about him thank you.
in terms of the setting, this book was majorly improved. there was MORE happening during their travels, character interactions, more inner dialogue, interesting atmospheres. i wasn’t bored (for most of it, some parts still fell a little flat), and the snowy base of nikolai was fun, i really liked the picture i made up in my head for it.
and of course, morozovas story was interesting. i always love history and magical folklore so i ate it up. morozova resurrecting his human daughter and thus creating the third amplifier which travelled down to mal was so fun. BUT, i will say mal and alina losing their powers ahhhhh. i understand, it comes full circle, it is the message of the amplifiers magic (one human should not be greedy to the point of wanting all that power for themselves, but rather have it divided amongst many). BUT THEIR MAGIC WAS SO FUN my heart actually sank to the floor.
i wish i could’ve felt more connected to these characters throughout the entire series and had been completely captivated the entire time, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. i’d still recommend this series, but really would urge people to push through the first 2. this final book is the one that made the series feel worthwhile.
i look forward to reading six of crows and coming back to this world.
this was a major improvement to the last 2 books that i can only wonder where miss bardugo was hiding this before. the found family between the remaining army (particularly genya and david, zoya, nadia, tamar and tolya, and of course nikolai, mal and alina) was actually heartwarming this time and i liked seeing more interactions between them all and seeing the way their relationships were adapting and flourishing. i can’t help but feel that this would have been more impactful had it been built on in the previous two books. there was a lot of potential, but still i enjoyed what i got.
the layers added to characters in this book was probably one of my favourite parts. the darkling (i still love him sorry), nikolai, and MAL. finally mal has received SOMETHING, something to make him worth keeping around. i’m sorry but i could not feel a connection to him, and even now that connection is limited. i’m going to keep repeating that i wish that love for him was established in the first book, not the third. seeing his love, his determination, his strength, and selflessness grow in this book was great, both in relation to the war and his relationship with alina. him being the amplifier was a twist i didn’t see coming (my theory was that he was grisha in some way, maybe the darklings son, but this didn’t even cross my mind). the realisation at the cliffs edge broke my heart. also, him soaking in the world around him and telling alina he always wanted something better for her got a few tears out of me. i cried for a few minutes (if this was built on previously, i msg have sobbed for hours).
the darkling. he is really just a soft boy really. a man who wanted to create a safer, better world for the grisha where they did not have to live in fear and suffering. he just grew ruthless along the way towards life. his seductive, sexual energy remained and intensified which is always a treat, but seeing the major shift in his character during the final battle scene hurt my heart. he became this boy afraid of being alone. at his core, thats really what it was. he lost his mother (baghra mvp btw, she really just suicided with the nothings) and now he lost the only other person who was LIKE him (but also so different). his dying wish for him not to be alone made him feel so human (‘:
nikolai… look i’m not going to lie him becoming essentially possessed by a volcra was annoying because i wanted more of his character in this book and was really looking forward to seeing his character grow, so i feel like i was robbed of that. however i can understand the layers this added to the story. nikolai, a bundle of sunshine tbh, pure energy, pure LIGHT, becoming consumed by darkness from within, and seeing that battle between both energies was interesting. i’m happy he came back, but miss bardugo pls make a book just about him thank you.
in terms of the setting, this book was majorly improved. there was MORE happening during their travels, character interactions, more inner dialogue, interesting atmospheres. i wasn’t bored (for most of it, some parts still fell a little flat), and the snowy base of nikolai was fun, i really liked the picture i made up in my head for it.
and of course, morozovas story was interesting. i always love history and magical folklore so i ate it up. morozova resurrecting his human daughter and thus creating the third amplifier which travelled down to mal was so fun. BUT, i will say mal and alina losing their powers ahhhhh. i understand, it comes full circle, it is the message of the amplifiers magic (one human should not be greedy to the point of wanting all that power for themselves, but rather have it divided amongst many). BUT THEIR MAGIC WAS SO FUN my heart actually sank to the floor.
i wish i could’ve felt more connected to these characters throughout the entire series and had been completely captivated the entire time, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. i’d still recommend this series, but really would urge people to push through the first 2. this final book is the one that made the series feel worthwhile.
i look forward to reading six of crows and coming back to this world.