If you missed our last TGON Reads article on Siege and Storm, book two in the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, you can find it here.
Hi guys and gals, I am back with the third and final book in the trilogy: Ruin and Rising. I felt so much relief reading the last of this book. Not because it was a bad book or trilogy, but because I had so many feelings through the trilogy, I was relieved to know that the story found an end even though there is more to the Grishaverse. I don’t know if that makes sense to you, but it works for me.
The book picked up as Alina, Mal, and company were licking their wounds from their defeat against the Darkling in the White Cathedral and they found themselves in a different kind of pickle. The Apparat wanted his saint and martyr, one way or the other and he was willing to allow Alina to waste away until she died to get it, The Apparat kept Alina secluded away from everyone and since Alina was underground, away from people, no one could figure out what was wrong with her, why her power wasn’t refilling. She has a different look though. Her hair went from being brown to all white. Plus she looks more like she did when she was discovered as the sun summoner, sickly.
Being in the underground cathedral was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they had “safety” to heal, but as I said, the Apparat was just waiting for Alina to die. He restricted where she could go, for how long, and with whom she could be with and speak to. He did that to everyone loyal to Alina and was trying to figure out a way to sever their ties while keeping Alina under his control. Thankfully, Mal, Tamar, Tolya, and the others didn’t leave it alone and when Alina felt the sun, her strength started to refill.
Alina and her court of sorts, finally left so they could finish the fight. They want to find the firebird so Alina can have the last amplifier. As the group looks for the firebird, Alina thinks about and hopes that Nikolai survived. Mal is convinced that he needs to let Alina and Nikolai be together and Alina allows him to convince her of it too, though it is the last thing she wants.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Ms. Bardugo excels at stuffing the book with action without making it feel over-crowded. There are the “down times” in the book but it keeps moving forward without feeling too hurried. I am jealous of that skill. Midway through the book though, I was sick of Mal and Alina saying goodbye to each other constantly. Not in the see you later way of it, the I love you but we can’t be together way. Both of them kept going back and forth on the issue, but I must say, Mal stayed on the idea better than Alina did. I just wanted them to be together. As endearing as Nikolai is, I didn’t want him with Alina. The Darkling still wants Alina too, both for her power and because I truly think he was lonely and wanted someone like him to stay with him, and saw a companion in Alina.
The twist of the last amplifier made me so sad and pissed off. How could Leigh do this?! The end of the conflict was a bit disappointing. All that for it to end as quietly as it did. I was thrilled with the last chapter though. That made the ending worth it. The relief I spoke of earlier came when I read the last chapter. I am happy the story is done and Alina and her people can rest, sort of.
I am curious as to what happens in more of the Grishaverse. I think my sister-in-law and I will be reading Six of Crows next, which is set in there, but don’t quote me on that. We haven’t set it in stone. Have you read the Shadow and Bone trilogy or anything else by Leigh Bardugo? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below. Remember, you can find the trilogy on KU and watch the show on Netflix. Until next time, have fun storming the castle!
