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A review by thebookishmel
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
4.0
Reread 2/7/2019: HAHA - reading my review for my first read is so funny to see how my opinions have changed and what has stayed the same. I love rereading man. OKAY, things that have stayed the same: Love Alina's character growth and her interaction with other characters in the story. Some parts definitely felt drawn out, but it helps with understanding the immense amount of grief that Alina and the crew go through. Still don't like the Apparat, he makes me inexplicably uncomfortable, with good reason. I stay loving Nikolai, although I do think that even while he's a charmer, he's still very political and if you ship Alina/Nikolai, that would be my only like mmm no.
Things that have changed: From book 1-3, I understand Mal's character a lot more. He reacts the way any man would, and is just as changed as Alina at the end of the novel. Leigh does a FANTASTIC job of playing with your heart strings, and ESPECIALLY does it with Mal and Alina's story. I don't mind shipping them, or not shipping them; regardless, my heart hurts.
A TOTALLY UNDERRATED CHARACTER - GENYA, UH HELLO?? SHE'S LITERALLY FANTASTIC.
Overall though, a gutting finale to the trilogy that started my love for it all.
--
hello, my name is emotional, how are ya?
will update with a proper review once i sleep on my thoughts —
Alright, it's the next morning, I think I'm pretty solid on my thoughts.
So the initial start of the book was SO great because it tied in the previous book and created the premise for book 3 so well. I still DO NOT like the Apparat, he's easily my least favorite character.
I think because it's such a character driven series, my feelings for the characters have changed throughout each of the books.
Book 1, I hated Mal, loved the Darkling. Book 2, really didn't like Mal, and still LOVED the Darkling. Book 3, I can actually handle Mal, and my heart hurt for the Darkling. And those are just the two main male characters that played the most importance in Alina's life and decisions.
But my favorite male character is Nikolai and he needs to be protected at all costs. I love him.
Like most others that have read the series, I think the ending was a little underwhelming, but it was easily my favorite of the 3 in the Grisha Verse. Alina's character arc really grew with her strength growing, but she still had that same innocence in her that she had in book 1, so I really enjoyed that fact. I also loved that the Darkling's words haunted her throughout every move she made, and it took so much out of her to really get through and understand what she had to do.
Speaking of the Darkling - I think he could've had some redemption or some other end to his own story. It was very he's the bad guy so we're just gonna end it now. I think him and Alina would've grown really well together (and yes I know he was manipulative but hear me out). I think by the end, the Darkling lost so much hope and my heart really did hurt for him (PHENOMENAL JOB ON BARDUGO'S SIDE FOR THAT WOW). I wanted him to have some happier ending or some improvement in his character, but I guess that's the importance of his ending in the novel.
Overall, my favorite book of the trilogy. Really, really pleased with it.
Things that have changed: From book 1-3, I understand Mal's character a lot more. He reacts the way any man would, and is just as changed as Alina at the end of the novel. Leigh does a FANTASTIC job of playing with your heart strings, and ESPECIALLY does it with Mal and Alina's story. I don't mind shipping them, or not shipping them; regardless, my heart hurts.
A TOTALLY UNDERRATED CHARACTER - GENYA, UH HELLO?? SHE'S LITERALLY FANTASTIC.
Overall though, a gutting finale to the trilogy that started my love for it all.
--
hello, my name is emotional, how are ya?
will update with a proper review once i sleep on my thoughts —
Alright, it's the next morning, I think I'm pretty solid on my thoughts.
So the initial start of the book was SO great because it tied in the previous book and created the premise for book 3 so well. I still DO NOT like the Apparat, he's easily my least favorite character.
I think because it's such a character driven series, my feelings for the characters have changed throughout each of the books.
Book 1, I hated Mal, loved the Darkling. Book 2, really didn't like Mal, and still LOVED the Darkling. Book 3, I can actually handle Mal, and my heart hurt for the Darkling. And those are just the two main male characters that played the most importance in Alina's life and decisions.
But my favorite male character is Nikolai and he needs to be protected at all costs. I love him.
Like most others that have read the series, I think the ending was a little underwhelming, but it was easily my favorite of the 3 in the Grisha Verse. Alina's character arc really grew with her strength growing, but she still had that same innocence in her that she had in book 1, so I really enjoyed that fact. I also loved that the Darkling's words haunted her throughout every move she made, and it took so much out of her to really get through and understand what she had to do.
Speaking of the Darkling - I think he could've had some redemption or some other end to his own story. It was very he's the bad guy so we're just gonna end it now. I think him and Alina would've grown really well together (and yes I know he was manipulative but hear me out). I think by the end, the Darkling lost so much hope and my heart really did hurt for him (PHENOMENAL JOB ON BARDUGO'S SIDE FOR THAT WOW). I wanted him to have some happier ending or some improvement in his character, but I guess that's the importance of his ending in the novel.
Overall, my favorite book of the trilogy. Really, really pleased with it.