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A review by yas_sezer
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
3.25
3.25 stars - i preferred this over the first book but i do have some criticisms
the overall story was a lot more interesting as the stakes have gotten higher, characters have been fleshed out some more, we have NEW characters, and we are understanding the world a little better. but in saying this, everything felt like it was missing the OOMF.
the world building was easier in this book, as it is the sequel, and leigh bardugo is great at letting us SEE the world we are in and the atmosphere surrounding us. the magical surroundings were beautiful and easy to get accustomed to and imagine.
the character development.. this is where it falls a little flat. and by a little i mean a lot. since the first book i have been waiting and waiting for mal to give me something - ANYTHING to make me root for him as a character and as the love interest. i have nothing. he had a tiny bit of growth around 85% through the second book, but even that was not enough. the angst, sexual/romantic tension, LOVE, banter, overall personality - everything just felt like it was underdeveloped with him. i appreciated the acknowledgement of this during the book where mal himself even questions why he’s still there, what is his purpose. as much as i can understand his necessity to the plot, i wish there was more. this is alina’s childhood best friend, her only safe place for years, her first love, and the stakes are so so high right now. mal should be burning with complex powerful emotions because alina is his girl who is at such a huge risk and of such importance to the nation. i couldn’t feel it. honestly if she kept them as friends, it would’ve been more impactful for me. all i can feel is their differences getting stronger and deeper, the power imbalance, his pettiness that he is losing her to other people who may be better suited. i know this makes sense because they are supposed to have the distance with each other, but there was so much potential for mal as an individual. and i know leigh bardugo could do it because she did it with nikolai.
nikolai gives me major buck vibes and i loved him. he isn’t my favourite character isn’t he world but him and the darkling are definitely carrying this series and i am sad he’s gone now. he better come back early in the 3rd book. his charm, flirty nature, banter, confidence, attitude, i loved it all (if alina ended up with him or the darkling i wouldn’t be mad tbh, but alina kinda gets on my nerves)
the darkling, give me more!!!! he felt like he lost some of his powerful demeanour in this, but i think it’s just because he was so distant since it’s alina’s pov. i wish i could’ve seen his growth in power, and just so much more about him. i waited for her hallucinations just to have him back. i enjoyed the concept that him and alina are not different and really just the same person different fonts
this started off super fun, lots going on and loved the setting of the true sea with the ships (pirate vibes always fun), but hit a major standstill towards the middle when they arrived at the palace. found it slow, a little boring, and very “telling” not “showing”. felt like there could’ve been a lot more character development from everyone but didn’t get it enough.
let’s see how the third one goes
side note: genya ):
general synopsis for me:
alina and mal are on nikolai’s ship and meet the whole crew, defeat the ice dragon and get the second amplifier for alina. need to join forces to make everyone regain faith in her and the second prince to instil hope that the darkling can be defeated. at the palace they do heaps of war prep, amongst some character beef between alina and mal, concerns for spies, nikolai flirtations, third amplifier mystery, and darkling hallucinations. nikolai’s idiot brother allowed the fjerdans to unblock a certain road allowing the darkling to access the palace and take over ravka while everyone (who survived) flees. alina and mal have major beef and breakup vibes (he also kissed zoya kinda rude, but she also wanted nikolai to kiss her so even?), but they all go to the priest guy and team up. she had done this big dramatic summoning of the nothings to drain the darklings powers after she controlled him, but in turn drained herself and now she is missing her power
the overall story was a lot more interesting as the stakes have gotten higher, characters have been fleshed out some more, we have NEW characters, and we are understanding the world a little better. but in saying this, everything felt like it was missing the OOMF.
the world building was easier in this book, as it is the sequel, and leigh bardugo is great at letting us SEE the world we are in and the atmosphere surrounding us. the magical surroundings were beautiful and easy to get accustomed to and imagine.
the character development.. this is where it falls a little flat. and by a little i mean a lot. since the first book i have been waiting and waiting for mal to give me something - ANYTHING to make me root for him as a character and as the love interest. i have nothing. he had a tiny bit of growth around 85% through the second book, but even that was not enough. the angst, sexual/romantic tension, LOVE, banter, overall personality - everything just felt like it was underdeveloped with him. i appreciated the acknowledgement of this during the book where mal himself even questions why he’s still there, what is his purpose. as much as i can understand his necessity to the plot, i wish there was more. this is alina’s childhood best friend, her only safe place for years, her first love, and the stakes are so so high right now. mal should be burning with complex powerful emotions because alina is his girl who is at such a huge risk and of such importance to the nation. i couldn’t feel it. honestly if she kept them as friends, it would’ve been more impactful for me. all i can feel is their differences getting stronger and deeper, the power imbalance, his pettiness that he is losing her to other people who may be better suited. i know this makes sense because they are supposed to have the distance with each other, but there was so much potential for mal as an individual. and i know leigh bardugo could do it because she did it with nikolai.
nikolai gives me major buck vibes and i loved him. he isn’t my favourite character isn’t he world but him and the darkling are definitely carrying this series and i am sad he’s gone now. he better come back early in the 3rd book. his charm, flirty nature, banter, confidence, attitude, i loved it all (if alina ended up with him or the darkling i wouldn’t be mad tbh, but alina kinda gets on my nerves)
the darkling, give me more!!!! he felt like he lost some of his powerful demeanour in this, but i think it’s just because he was so distant since it’s alina’s pov. i wish i could’ve seen his growth in power, and just so much more about him. i waited for her hallucinations just to have him back. i enjoyed the concept that him and alina are not different and really just the same person different fonts
this started off super fun, lots going on and loved the setting of the true sea with the ships (pirate vibes always fun), but hit a major standstill towards the middle when they arrived at the palace. found it slow, a little boring, and very “telling” not “showing”. felt like there could’ve been a lot more character development from everyone but didn’t get it enough.
let’s see how the third one goes
side note: genya ):
general synopsis for me:
alina and mal are on nikolai’s ship and meet the whole crew, defeat the ice dragon and get the second amplifier for alina. need to join forces to make everyone regain faith in her and the second prince to instil hope that the darkling can be defeated. at the palace they do heaps of war prep, amongst some character beef between alina and mal, concerns for spies, nikolai flirtations, third amplifier mystery, and darkling hallucinations. nikolai’s idiot brother allowed the fjerdans to unblock a certain road allowing the darkling to access the palace and take over ravka while everyone (who survived) flees. alina and mal have major beef and breakup vibes (he also kissed zoya kinda rude, but she also wanted nikolai to kiss her so even?), but they all go to the priest guy and team up. she had done this big dramatic summoning of the nothings to drain the darklings powers after she controlled him, but in turn drained herself and now she is missing her power