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A review by novellie
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
5.0
This rating really doesn't come as a surprise to me, I knew I was going to love this book. Miss Bardugo really has done it again.
This book was EXCELLENT. I wasn't really the biggest fan of Nina in Soc/CK (not that I didn't like her but Jesper and Kaz were always my favs) but she really was incredible in this book. At first I thought her plot seemed kind of irrelevant to what was going on with Nikolai but it really wasn't. Her relationships with Adrik and Leoni are so sweet and not to mention her and Hanne?!? Amazing! Tender! 10/10!
Plus I really enjoyed seeing as such a large antagonist for her - though I will say that I wish a little less of her plot focused on her mourning [tagged as spoiler bc while I assume everyone reading this has read Six of Crows I don't want to ruin anything for them, but it's not a spoiler for King of Scars]
But honestly the main standout here was Nikolai. Once again an incredibly fun character and his arc just smashed it out of the park for me. Zoya came in as an unexpected heavy hitter too - though I did always love her in the Shadow and Bone series. And don't even get me started on Nikolai x Zoya. I very much do not like how we left that and if Miss Bardugo doesn't resolve it and see them both happy at the end of the next book she WILL be hearing from my lawyers.
And honestly the entire plot of
With all the perfect nods back to both Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows, Miss Bardugo has done it again and I'm on the edge of my seat for the conclusion to this duology.
(I have to mention it clearly at least once: I love Nikolai so much. He is the best Grishaverse character and NO I will not be taking any criticism at this time.)
This book was EXCELLENT. I wasn't really the biggest fan of Nina in Soc/CK (not that I didn't like her but Jesper and Kaz were always my favs) but she really was incredible in this book. At first I thought her plot seemed kind of irrelevant to what was going on with Nikolai but it really wasn't. Her relationships with Adrik and Leoni are so sweet and not to mention her and Hanne?!? Amazing! Tender! 10/10!
Plus I really enjoyed seeing
Spoiler
Jarl BrumSpoiler
Matthias. That said it is totally understandable that she's grieving the love of her life, but I can say with confidence that he was my least favorite of the Crows and I didn't really care when he died (please don't come for me I'm aware this is probably one of the most unpopular opinions that I possess )But honestly the main standout here was Nikolai. Once again an incredibly fun character and his arc just smashed it out of the park for me. Zoya came in as an unexpected heavy hitter too - though I did always love her in the Shadow and Bone series. And don't even get me started on Nikolai x Zoya. I very much do not like how we left that and if Miss Bardugo doesn't resolve it and see them both happy at the end of the next book she WILL be hearing from my lawyers.
And honestly the entire plot of
Spoiler
the Darkling coming back from the dead? *chefs kiss* plus the fact that he actually DID manage it at the end? You're telling me the next book is going to feature my fav AND my problematic fav? Be still my beating heart. If you can't tell I'm very excited to see where this goes and honestly... I could rave about this plot forever. The Saints become real? Zoya getting the amplifier of one of the LITERAL SAINTS?????? Poor baby Isaak dying in Nikolai's stead? Words cannot describe how messed up I was finishing this book.With all the perfect nods back to both Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows, Miss Bardugo has done it again and I'm on the edge of my seat for the conclusion to this duology.
(I have to mention it clearly at least once: I love Nikolai so much. He is the best Grishaverse character and NO I will not be taking any criticism at this time.)