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bookishfads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
A short story telling us about a crucial moment in the Darkling's childhood, putting him on a path to become the evil baddie we all know and have mixed feelings about. Definitely worth a read if you enjoyed the main villain of The Grisha Trilogy or just want to know what's his deal.
Perfect backstory. Took off 0.25 just because the story tells some parts it could have shown. It also would have been much cooler if we got more about the Darkling as he grew up, maybe flashes of events as time passed, see him become shaped into a monster trough the years of loneliness. But the story is simple and to the point, which is a virtue few have these days.
Now for the spoiler part
Annika WHY
I loved how the story opens and the audience suspects some kind of attack, probably by the Otskazat'ya and it somehow being Aleksander's fault. It makes the ending much more haunting.
Once again Leigh Bardugo shows her worldbuilding - the culture and the language of Grisha living along the border, what it's like being a weak Grisha in such a dangerous world, the horses druskelle have and so on.
Annika and her sister Sylvi had so many sweet interactions with Aleksander, I almost had my guard down. Almost. The Language of Thorns prepared me for this. Who knows what happened with Sylvi, so many years ago...
We had a great insight into just how lonely our Shadow boy was and how quickly people turn on him once they discover what he could give them. Couldn't even touch a fellow Grisha without being in danger of possibly being turned into a good luck charm. It doesn't matter who - weak people like Annika who think the need for his power justifies killing or strong ones like Lev who simply want more - he can never relax, never settle. It made him cunning, it made him someone who can read people and someone who can set up an entire village by cutting his own leg.
The chill that passed trough me at realizing what Annika was doing...
I just wish we got... more? That might be greedy, but a few flashes of time passing by, of him gaining more and more power and changing into who he is in the trilogy... it would just be so much better? I loved the simplicity of this backstory, leaving so much more to imagination, but I'm also sad that I didn't get to see Leigh's writing in action when it comes to just how long Aleksander's life was. Missed opportunity, if you ask me. I also think that "they're afraid of my powers" moments young Aleks had in his mind would be better shown, rather than having him tell us and then turning out to be wrong. Few other "oh I'm so lonely" moments could have been shown as well. This is why I expected something more like flashes of moments from his life (like a death montage even), to show us his growth as a person. But don't think I diminish how short and simple the story is, where most writers today make books worth of backstory. This one gets to the point and cuts right where it needs to (pun not intended).
So many great connections to be drawn to the Trilogy.
I saw this painful parallel of Annika and Aleksander on the lake versus Alina and Malyen skating the ice of Trivka's pond. It tells you everything you need to know, why the Darkling can't understand Alina's perspective, he simply didn't have her experiences.
Now we also know why it was important for him not to be buried, not to have his body desecrated, to die in one piece. Now we know how secure he felt in his power in the original story, since he can so freely tell Alina he's an amplifier.
Despite the cult-y tendencies of The Little Palace, it was still a safe place for the Grisha.
Just like Alina, Aleksander too had his first moment of using the Cut.
We know what's behind his cold attitude towards Baghra. We know where they started. You could see how he had both nature and nurture for his ambition.
How he internalized what she told him about names. How he said it to someone he thought would live as long as him.
How young he was when he had blood of an entire village on his hands.
Being afraid of the dark. Loving all colors of the rainbow. Wanting to see tigers. So many adorable moments that add this sad touch of childhood innocence and humanity that make this an amazing villain backstory.
Perfect backstory. Took off 0.25 just because the story tells some parts it could have shown. It also would have been much cooler if we got more about the Darkling as he grew up, maybe flashes of events as time passed, see him become shaped into a monster trough the years of loneliness. But the story is simple and to the point, which is a virtue few have these days.
Now for the spoiler part
Annika WHY
I loved how the story opens and the audience suspects some kind of attack, probably by the Otskazat'ya and it somehow being Aleksander's fault. It makes the ending much more haunting.
Once again Leigh Bardugo shows her worldbuilding - the culture and the language of Grisha living along the border, what it's like being a weak Grisha in such a dangerous world, the horses druskelle have and so on.
Annika and her sister Sylvi had so many sweet interactions with Aleksander, I almost had my guard down. Almost. The Language of Thorns prepared me for this. Who knows what happened with Sylvi, so many years ago...
We had a great insight into just how lonely our Shadow boy was and how quickly people turn on him once they discover what he could give them. Couldn't even touch a fellow Grisha without being in danger of possibly being turned into a good luck charm. It doesn't matter who - weak people like Annika who think the need for his power justifies killing or strong ones like Lev who simply want more - he can never relax, never settle. It made him cunning, it made him someone who can read people and someone who can set up an entire village by cutting his own leg.
The chill that passed trough me at realizing what Annika was doing...
I just wish we got... more? That might be greedy, but a few flashes of time passing by, of him gaining more and more power and changing into who he is in the trilogy... it would just be so much better? I loved the simplicity of this backstory, leaving so much more to imagination, but I'm also sad that I didn't get to see Leigh's writing in action when it comes to just how long Aleksander's life was. Missed opportunity, if you ask me. I also think that "they're afraid of my powers" moments young Aleks had in his mind would be better shown, rather than having him tell us and then turning out to be wrong. Few other "oh I'm so lonely" moments could have been shown as well. This is why I expected something more like flashes of moments from his life (like a death montage even), to show us his growth as a person. But don't think I diminish how short and simple the story is, where most writers today make books worth of backstory. This one gets to the point and cuts right where it needs to (pun not intended).
So many great connections to be drawn to the Trilogy.
I saw this painful parallel of Annika and Aleksander on the lake versus Alina and Malyen skating the ice of Trivka's pond. It tells you everything you need to know, why the Darkling can't understand Alina's perspective, he simply didn't have her experiences.
Now we also know why it was important for him not to be buried, not to have his body desecrated, to die in one piece. Now we know how secure he felt in his power in the original story, since he can so freely tell Alina he's an amplifier.
Despite the cult-y tendencies of The Little Palace, it was still a safe place for the Grisha.
Just like Alina, Aleksander too had his first moment of using the Cut.
We know what's behind his cold attitude towards Baghra. We know where they started. You could see how he had both nature and nurture for his ambition.
How he internalized what she told him about names. How he said it to someone he thought would live as long as him.
How young he was when he had blood of an entire village on his hands.
Being afraid of the dark. Loving all colors of the rainbow. Wanting to see tigers. So many adorable moments that add this sad touch of childhood innocence and humanity that make this an amazing villain backstory.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Child death
Moderate: Violence
lish_aa's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ineslts's review against another edition
5.0
I always love these small little stories of characters that, by now, I already think I know and this one was really good! A young Darkling BEFORE he was the Darkling, his mother... I really liked the read!
uruseibaka's review against another edition
5.0
“The Grisha lived as shadows did, passing over the surface of the world,touching nothing, forced to change their shapes and hide in corners, driven by fear as shadows were driven by the sun. No safe place. No haven.
There will be, he promised in the darkness, new words written upon his heart. I will make one.”
Arkady. Eryk.
This short story, which is #0.1 in The Grisha trilogy, is included in the collector’s edition of Ruin and Rising (but you can also read it here) tells the story of a boy who grew up to be the Darkling.
I absolutely love this one because it’s about the Darkling and it tells us the reasons behind his actions. He didn’t trust anyone because he was never safe and he did what he did to Ravka because he loved it. It’s quite hard to explain but the quote I put in the beginning proves that.
I really recommend for you to read this if you love the Darkling or hate or don’t understand him at all. This will make you see a piece of him, his sad past that made him the ruthless leader he was.
My review can also be seen here.
There will be, he promised in the darkness, new words written upon his heart. I will make one.”
Arkady. Eryk.
This short story, which is #0.1 in The Grisha trilogy, is included in the collector’s edition of Ruin and Rising (but you can also read it here) tells the story of a boy who grew up to be the Darkling.
I absolutely love this one because it’s about the Darkling and it tells us the reasons behind his actions. He didn’t trust anyone because he was never safe and he did what he did to Ravka because he loved it. It’s quite hard to explain but the quote I put in the beginning proves that.
I really recommend for you to read this if you love the Darkling or hate or don’t understand him at all. This will make you see a piece of him, his sad past that made him the ruthless leader he was.
My review can also be seen here.
sofia_santana's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
fishykaja's review against another edition
5.0
it's a little different from the graphic novel.. great nonetheless
roxxie's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
a_reader_obsessed's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars
This little prequel regarding the Darkling’s background embodied what I wanted (and didn’t get) for [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325]. It was intense, it had action, and it contained a burst of emotions and consequences all shaping the Grisha and how they became revered, almost to the point of being worshiped. Here’s hoping [b:Siege and Storm|14061955|Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #2)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1362166252l/14061955._SX50_.jpg|19699752] embodies more of the same!
This little prequel regarding the Darkling’s background embodied what I wanted (and didn’t get) for [b:Shadow and Bone|10194157|Shadow and Bone (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339533695l/10194157._SX50_.jpg|15093325]. It was intense, it had action, and it contained a burst of emotions and consequences all shaping the Grisha and how they became revered, almost to the point of being worshiped. Here’s hoping [b:Siege and Storm|14061955|Siege and Storm (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #2)|Leigh Bardugo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1362166252l/14061955._SX50_.jpg|19699752] embodies more of the same!
kamohelom___'s review against another edition
3.0
"I am Grisha. The shadows do my bidding"
Definitely loved this. My first time going into Grishaverse and I was welcomed with open arms.
Definitely loved this. My first time going into Grishaverse and I was welcomed with open arms.