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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
ellipalmer's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What an end to this trilogy! I read this whole book in just over 2 days and full on wept as I read the last page. Wow, I LOVED this book. The character growth across the series is great, especially in Mal. The tension and suspense of knowing (or believing) that by the end of the book this intense and violent war will be over but not knowing how really kept me going. I love all the characters. Ugh, I just loved ALL OF IT.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, War, Death, Blood, Mental illness, Violence, and Grief
ghostofthegallows's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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
A down gread from s&s but still very good. Mal is finsoy useful and has a personality!!. The plot did drag a bit. But with all said and done, a unsatisfying but logical ending, everything was tied up nicely but it will leave you a little unsatisfied. Very much enjoyed though
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Grief, Mental illness, Religious bigotry, and Stalking
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think this one might be my favorite of the trilogy. Even if the ending was a bit too convenient. The pacing felt better to me than the second one (which dragged quite a bit for me). The twists in the plot helped to keep the plot moving at a good pace and some of the side characters grew on me. Alina still isn't my favorite narrator, but I loved her little group of rebels. They were great.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Suicide, and Gore
Moderate: Rape, Toxic relationship, and Body horror
Minor: Body shaming and Mental illness
valyn_grebe's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
I loved the ending. It just seemed so right and well written. However, I was expecting more characters to die, so it’s not a completely realistic ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Gun violence, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Vomit
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