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thebookaddict's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
In the beginning I thought this book was a bit boring just like the second book. But I take it back! Later on this book caught my full attention! And the ending is AMAZING it is worth the hype!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Gun violence, Physical abuse, War, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Grief, Gore, and Violence
prettynerdy3's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Blood, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Murder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, and War
lqne's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and War
Moderate: Confinement, Self harm, Violence, Religious bigotry, Rape, and Child death
Minor: Death of parent, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
infjkiki's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and War
Minor: Sexual assault, Vomit, Rape, and Classism
rose_88's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed the book, and think it was a good ending to the trilogy. I liked how some of the plot twists seemed like they had been festering for some time like the Darkling’s relation to Morozova or some seems to come out of nowhere like Mal being the third and final amplifier . Once again, I think the book was very much a ‘we did this, and then we did this’. It felt like we were just being told what was happening in some parts, like when they were in the run and hunting the Firebird. One thing I liked was how Nikolai was portrayed. This book showed how he was willing to step up, even though he shouldn’t have never to. I absolutely adored how the King’s actions against Genya were handelnd and how Nikolai was ready to persecute him for them. I thought his fate of becoming one of the Darkling’s monsters was so sad, and wished there was more of him in the later parts of the book. I liked how he addressed the fact that he is actually a bastard, and in turn has no real claim to the throne, I’m really excited to see how that is handled and what he does in his own series, Rule of Wolves, especially because I know we get to see more of Zoya, who was just an absolute mood and girlboss during the whole series. I thought it was a bit fast and could have been drawn out more, like their time at the Spinning Wheel, and then them running from the Darkling. I felt that Baghra was severely underused, as was Nikolai and Genya. I really didn’t see as much of them as i would have liked, and am still really curious about Baghra, her life, and The Darkling’s life before he created the Fold, and even before he met Alina. I will say, I loved Mal and Alina’s relationship in this book, definitely more so than in the last one. They actually talked to each other, granted it took them a very long time to get their heads out of their asses, and they were able to confess their love and u der stand how much they felt for each other. I loved how after the battle they were able to just leave and go back to where they grew up with Micha and the cat and live a simple life. And j was SO HAPPY that Nikolai, Genya, David and Zoya still came to visit them. Not a bad ending to the trilogy, and I cant wait to read Six of Crows, or the Rule of Wolves series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War, Body horror, Classism, Confinement, Animal death, and Blood
Moderate: Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Rape, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, and Genocide
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
onefineelephant's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
6/10. I am only rating this book this high because I like the premise and some of the side characters but I could hardly stand the actual plot and main characters. I am going to go through the small bits I liked and the big bits I disliked.
Likes:
I liked the part when they break out of the underground cathedral. The scene in the kitchen especially is one of the best scenes in all of the books, imo. The journey to the surface was well done and I like most of the times that everyone is together, almost as a family. The scene where they are being cornered in the field and then Nikolai comes and saves them also was very good.
The Spinning Wheel is really cool and I liked that part of the book. I liked how Baghra sacrificed herself so that Alina and them could escape, it seemed badass and fitting. [After they escaped the Spinning Wheel, I liked the book significantly less.] I also liked the epilogue, it seemed very fitting for Alina and Mal and it was good to read that they and the orphans were able to have some joy.
Dislikes:
I can't stand Alina's power-craving sentiments or Mal's self-sacrificing bs. We barely got Nikolai in this book and then he was turned into a monster. Sergei's death really rubs me the wrong way because it makes it seem like people with mental health conditions are better off dead. The Darkling crashing the Spinning Wheel was super jarring to me and it felt like the author didn't know how to move the plot along so she decided to make him attack (even though it doesn't make any logical sense as to how he got all the way to the Spinning Wheel without being noticed). Nikolai becoming a monster doesn't seem logical either, it felt like a device for the author to just get him out of the picture for a while. Also, the big plot twist of how Mal is the third amplifier is honestly nauseating to me, especially how Alina "knew" the firebird wasn't the third amplifier because of how he "told" her. Then Alina freaking stabs Mal and murders him only to have her immediately lose all of her powers and have them transferred to all the non-Grisha in the area. None of the ending battle scene is logical and all of it makes me mad. Mal is somehow resurrected even though it is not explained at all. And then Alina doesn't even need to have any powers let alone all three amplifiers to stab and murder the Darkling simply because they "lost their connection so he didn't see it coming." It was extremely anti-clamactic and Alina showed too much pity and grace toward him. She stayed with him as he died, humored his request of saying his name, and then allowed him to be honored in death with a proper ceremony and no grave. It honestly makes me sick to think that this man who needlessly murdered and maimed hundreds of people because he "loved his country" was comforted during his final moments. He deserved no mercy.
Likes:
I liked the part when they break out of the underground cathedral. The scene in the kitchen especially is one of the best scenes in all of the books, imo. The journey to the surface was well done and I like most of the times that everyone is together, almost as a family. The scene where they are being cornered in the field and then Nikolai comes and saves them also was very good.
The Spinning Wheel is really cool and I liked that part of the book. I liked how Baghra sacrificed herself so that Alina and them could escape, it seemed badass and fitting. [After they escaped the Spinning Wheel, I liked the book significantly less.] I also liked the epilogue, it seemed very fitting for Alina and Mal and it was good to read that they and the orphans were able to have some joy.
Dislikes:
I can't stand Alina's power-craving sentiments or Mal's self-sacrificing bs. We barely got Nikolai in this book and then he was turned into a monster. Sergei's death really rubs me the wrong way because it makes it seem like people with mental health conditions are better off dead. The Darkling crashing the Spinning Wheel was super jarring to me and it felt like the author didn't know how to move the plot along so she decided to make him attack (even though it doesn't make any logical sense as to how he got all the way to the Spinning Wheel without being noticed). Nikolai becoming a monster doesn't seem logical either, it felt like a device for the author to just get him out of the picture for a while. Also, the big plot twist of how Mal is the third amplifier is honestly nauseating to me, especially how Alina "knew" the firebird wasn't the third amplifier because of how he "told" her. Then Alina freaking stabs Mal and murders him only to have her immediately lose all of her powers and have them transferred to all the non-Grisha in the area. None of the ending battle scene is logical and all of it makes me mad. Mal is somehow resurrected even though it is not explained at all. And then Alina doesn't even need to have any powers let alone all three amplifiers to stab and murder the Darkling simply because they "lost their connection so he didn't see it coming." It was extremely anti-clamactic and Alina showed too much pity and grace toward him. She stayed with him as he died, humored his request of saying his name, and then allowed him to be honored in death with a proper ceremony and no grave. It honestly makes me sick to think that this man who needlessly murdered and maimed hundreds of people because he "loved his country" was comforted during his final moments. He deserved no mercy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Confinement, Death, Gore, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, War, and Body horror
kirstenf's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Minor: Death of parent, War, Fire/Fire injury, and Kidnapping
soph22's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death, War, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Confinement, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury
aliyachaudhry's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Drug use, Genocide, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Classism, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Rape, and War
anielabooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Overall, this was a great series. I felt very attached to the characters, and I am excited to read the other books inside the grishaverse. Normally, I would get bored with talk of war plans but I think Bardugo did a good job at keeping it interesting. I also loved the ending she gave Alina; It was very heartwarming to see. The plot twists were well done and I hadn’t seen many of them coming.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, War, Murder, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Rape, Suicide, Death of parent, Grief, and Body shaming
Minor: Infidelity, Incest, and Bullying