Scan barcode
marshwallow's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bonus star for the sexy privateer who also happened to be a prince
seryaa's review against another edition
3.0
it just fell sooooo flat for me… like I lowkey forgot everything I just read. but it’s still better than the first book LOL it was like TENSION!! HIGH STAKES!!! but then nothing rlly happens. also political talk, or too much of it, BORES ME when not done right
kaila2464's review against another edition
2.0
This book was enjoyable and fun to read but it wasn’t as good as shadow and bone
banazmagdid's review against another edition
2.0
Honestly this second book was very boring except the last 2 chapters which I guess made up for it. Ngl it wasn't cliche but at some point I found myself just pushing myself to just finish it.
hvwren's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kate4ez's review against another edition
3.0
Not as engaging as the first book, but I suppose that is typical of sequels. There was too much political intrigue and too much teen romance drama. Alina was a mopey brat, and Mal was bigger mopey brat. I hate the way all the female characters are portrayed as vapid, selfish, and untrustworthy. Would it have killed the author to give us female characters that don't suck? In the plus column, the addition of Nikolai and the drama with the Darkling saved this from being unreadable. The fantastic ending alone was enough to make me buy the next book.
Oh, and also, I have to know what is really behind Mal's great tracking ability. There were some really broad hints that there is more to his ability than meets the eye. Whatever it is, I hope it makes him fun and dependable Mal again, instead of mopey and bratty Mal.
Oh, and also, I have to know what is really behind Mal's great tracking ability. There were some really broad hints that there is more to his ability than meets the eye. Whatever it is, I hope it makes him fun and dependable Mal again, instead of mopey and bratty Mal.
blurrypetals's review against another edition
5.0
March 17, 2021
[reread in anticipation of the release of Rule of Wolves as well as the Netflix adaptation, Shadow and Bone]
It's difficult to say for absolute certain, but I would be comfortable saying Siege and Storm is one of the greatest second books ever written for a series, outdone only by the likes of Catching Fire and Clockwork Prince.
I think I had a hard time appreciating this book for what it was the first time I read it and, even though I loved it just as much in 2018 as I do now in 2021, I think it's nice to be able to take a step backward and really enjoy its slow, simmering pace and the intricate, delicate webs of trust and deceit strung between each character.
Because of that, I enjoyed this a lot more the second time around than the first go around because I was a lot less focused on expectations and what could be instead of what is as what made me love it so much in the first place. I'll be shocked if I don't feel similarly upon rereading Ruin and Rising.
This entire book is just such a strong, full effort, though. The beginning is a bombastic, swashbuckling adventure with everyone's favorite pirate―ahem, privateer―with extremely high stakes, the hunt for a sea serpent, and the threat of being stuck on a whaler with the Darkling and it really is Bardugo at her best here.
The middle deals with things much less immediately threatening and exciting yet it's all about things that are extremely important to Alina's character, her deciding to be a leader, a symbol for the people of Ravka when they need hope most, and the tension it all causes between Alina, Mal, Nikolai, and the rest of the cast is delicious. And speaking of delicious, the mind games the Darkling plays on Alina throughout this part of the novel are fantastically creepy, a seduction from the dark side worthy of the sith.
And finally, that utterly breathtaking finale wherein everything comes crashing together in Os Alta due to Vasily's hubris and stupidity and all hell breaks completely fucking loose. It's
incredible.
I'm just as eager to move on to Ruin and Rising as I was to read this book, so again, I press onward and will catch you in the next one!
February 6, 2018
[read for my book club, My Idea of Therapy]
Holy. FUCKING. SHIT.
This book is fucking insane and so is Leigh Bardugo. I read a few non-spoiler reviews of this before I started it and a few of them were bothered by the pacing, especially the second act of the book. After reading it, I can see what those reviewers were talking about, but I disagree with the fact that the pacing is a problem. Instead, I think it's an asset.
The book does slow down during act two, after a frankly amazingly explosive act one that raises the stakes, but for me it felt like I was being lulled into a false sense of security. I kept wondering what was going to happen, what was going to burst this comfortable (well, comfortable enough) bubble Alina and friends had constructed. So when it does burst for act three...well, I think I put it rather eloquently in the first three words of this review: Holy. FUCKING. SHIT.
I'll admit, there were a few moments during that second act, which, admittedly, is a bit weak in certain areas. I actually missed The Darkling quite a lot and I thought the drama between Alina and Mal was a little petty, but their relationship's issues were natural, considering the shitstorm they've so recently gone through. I missed Genya, too, but I loved the twins (whose names I can't confidently spell, since I've only heard their names spoken, without Googling them and risking spoiling myself) and I loved Nikolai even more. Hashtag NikoLina, if that's even their ship name? Also, they met on a ship so, I mean, it's basically meant to be. Not only do I just prefer Nikolai to Mal in general, but I also think the message that you can't always keep your childhood friends and the love you feel when you're younger with you as you both grow and change would be nice to see in a YA series. I'm realizing as I type this that this is what happened in The Hunger Games with Katniss, Gale, and Peeta, but it worked really well there and I think it would work just as well here.
Um that ending basically had me screaming, but I was at work so I was forced to make it [INTERNAL SCREAMING] instead because I love my job (not just because I can listen to audiobooks here) and I didn't want to get fired for screeching like a banshee when or whooping like a fan at a sports game when or gasping like an old lady clutching at her pearls when it was revealed that .
This book was amazing I can't wait to finish the series. My god I am positively shaking I love these books so much.
To the finale!
[reread in anticipation of the release of Rule of Wolves as well as the Netflix adaptation, Shadow and Bone]
"I've waged the war you forced me to, Alina," said the Darkling. "If you hadn't run from me, the Second Army would still be intact. All those Grisha would still be alive. Your tracker would be safe and happy with his regiment. When will it be enough? When will you let me stop?"
It's difficult to say for absolute certain, but I would be comfortable saying Siege and Storm is one of the greatest second books ever written for a series, outdone only by the likes of Catching Fire and Clockwork Prince.
I think I had a hard time appreciating this book for what it was the first time I read it and, even though I loved it just as much in 2018 as I do now in 2021, I think it's nice to be able to take a step backward and really enjoy its slow, simmering pace and the intricate, delicate webs of trust and deceit strung between each character.
Because of that, I enjoyed this a lot more the second time around than the first go around because I was a lot less focused on expectations and what could be instead of what is as what made me love it so much in the first place. I'll be shocked if I don't feel similarly upon rereading Ruin and Rising.
This entire book is just such a strong, full effort, though. The beginning is a bombastic, swashbuckling adventure with everyone's favorite pirate―ahem, privateer―with extremely high stakes, the hunt for a sea serpent, and the threat of being stuck on a whaler with the Darkling and it really is Bardugo at her best here.
The middle deals with things much less immediately threatening and exciting yet it's all about things that are extremely important to Alina's character, her deciding to be a leader, a symbol for the people of Ravka when they need hope most, and the tension it all causes between Alina, Mal, Nikolai, and the rest of the cast is delicious. And speaking of delicious, the mind games the Darkling plays on Alina throughout this part of the novel are fantastically creepy, a seduction from the dark side worthy of the sith.
And finally, that utterly breathtaking finale wherein everything comes crashing together in Os Alta due to Vasily's hubris and stupidity and all hell breaks completely fucking loose. It's
incredible.
I'm just as eager to move on to Ruin and Rising as I was to read this book, so again, I press onward and will catch you in the next one!
February 6, 2018
[read for my book club, My Idea of Therapy]
Holy. FUCKING. SHIT.
This book is fucking insane and so is Leigh Bardugo. I read a few non-spoiler reviews of this before I started it and a few of them were bothered by the pacing, especially the second act of the book. After reading it, I can see what those reviewers were talking about, but I disagree with the fact that the pacing is a problem. Instead, I think it's an asset.
The book does slow down during act two, after a frankly amazingly explosive act one that raises the stakes, but for me it felt like I was being lulled into a false sense of security. I kept wondering what was going to happen, what was going to burst this comfortable (well, comfortable enough) bubble Alina and friends had constructed. So when it does burst for act three...well, I think I put it rather eloquently in the first three words of this review: Holy. FUCKING. SHIT.
I'll admit, there were a few moments during that second act, which, admittedly, is a bit weak in certain areas. I actually missed The Darkling quite a lot
Spoiler
even though he was actually there the entire fucking time ACKUm that ending basically had me screaming, but I was at work so I was forced to make it [INTERNAL SCREAMING] instead because I love my job (not just because I can listen to audiobooks here) and I didn't want to get fired for screeching like a banshee when
Spoiler
Alina went to The Darkling's embrace HOLY FUCKSpoiler
SURPRISE BITCH Alina used The Darkling's own power against him aaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHSpoiler
the twins were working for the priest dude whose name/title I will also not even attempt THE WHOLE TIME FUCKING WHAT BITCHThis book was amazing I can't wait to finish the series. My god I am positively shaking I love these books so much.
To the finale!