Monday, August 4, 2014

Book Review: Ruin and Rising


Notes before we start:

Only a few times have I loved characters so much, I've cried even when things weren't sad. There is something about Alina, Mal, Nikolai, and all the others that I've grown so attached to. I cry with their pain, rejoice when they are happy, and savor every moment with them. As I started this book I was constantly reminding myself to slow it down, enjoy the moment, don't race to the end. Still, the end came much too soon. There were unexpected and glorious lines like, "I am ruination" and events that made me cringe. There were silly lines I repeated aloud and times I slammed the book closed in anger only to flip it open and quickly find my spot back.

I picked up Shadow and Bone off of the new book table at the library on a whim one day and I'm so glad I did. This series is one of the best I've read. The action is interesting, the details are visible, and the characters are so well formed I want to go and stay with Alina for awhile because I think we could be friends. 

Please, please, someone hear my plea, don't make this a movie. I love it too much. It will break my heart and be terrible. I love the Grisha series too much to see it ruined.

Why Did I Pick It Up:

After reading the first two books in the Grisha Triology (Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm) I couldn't wait to get my hands on the third, and sadly final, book. Just a quick recap, Shadow and Bone I read in 24 hours and I said that "not since Catching Fire have I loved a sequel as much as Siege and Storm." This series is quickly ranking at the top of my favorites ever.

Why? I guess because the characters are so intriguing, but more on that later. 



The Good:

Alina, Mal, and Nikolai are back with the other Grisha to fight the Darkling. Pretty much nothing goes as planned for them and adventure ensues. I love how Alina is so torn between who everyone expects her to be and who she wants to be. Alina feels so real on the pages of this book that I keep hoping I meet her so we can be friends. Although there were times I was slamming the book closed in frustration and possibly even yelling at Ms. Bardugo, I don't think I would have wanted the story to take any different turns. 

The Bad:

I can't say because it gives away the ending, but I will say that there is one character who I would have liked to know more about what happened to. Maybe they will be a character in the next series? Wouldn't that be delightful. 

The Ugly: 

I cried at the end. These were not happy tears for a happy ending. These were not sad tears for a sad ending. These were tears because it was the end. They were quite unexpected, but I went to bed with a heavy heart and missing friends I'd made. (Seriously, I both cried and can't believe I cried.) The saying "don't be sad because it's over, be happy because it happened" doesn't apply here (although, I'm quite happy it happened). 

Who will love this book? 

If you loved the first two, if you loved other adventure books with strong female characters (think The Lunar Chronicles or The Girl of Fire and Thorns), if you want to pick up a GREAT read ... you'll love this book. 

How much did I like it? 9/10 

Will I read more?

I think that Leigh Bardugo is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Although this series has ended, I can't wait to read what else she comes up with. 

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