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A review by vermidian
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
4.0
Disclaimer: I read these books out of order a bit. I started with Six of Crows and kept reading, so if you haven't read previous books and are interested in getting into this series, here are my thoughts as someone who hasn't read the first three books in this particular world.
I picked this book up purely and completely because I was reading Six of Crows and enjoying it. It was on sale at Target and I thought, "Oh, I like her writing. I'll buy this one too." Goodreads said it was part of the Nikolai Duology, so I figured it was a stand alone book. I didn't even read the book description, I just bought it. (That should tell you how much I loved Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. Apparently I have a thing for medieval heist books.) Plus, who doesn't love a hardcover? I realized when I told my friend Olivia that I was starting it that it had Nina in it, who had been in Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. I then realized that this was book six of a 6 book series and that I was woefully out of place in my reading. But I wanted to read it. So that's precisely what I did.
I do have to say that I feel like I was missing the backstory - because I was - but I thought the book did a good enough job of skimming over events that I could get away with it. It's like any new fantasy world, really, where you learn to fill in the blanks as you go - much as you might do with Game of Thrones or something similar. It was a bit like playing the Dragon Age games out of order - definitely enjoyable, but you probably understand more of what's going on when you play them in the right order. I pretty much had a handle on Nina, of course, having seen her through the previous two books, but Zoya and Nikolai and the slew of side characters that were added in were definitely more enigmatic for me. I still enjoyed them, of course, but I definitely missed some things in the original trilogy (which I have since purchased).
I definitely had more of an emotional connection to Nina. I knew more of her journey, of course, but I also felt that she had the most purpose to her character. Nikolai and Zoya were great, but they were fighting the whole book to preserve the monarchy. While a great plot device, it pales next to Nina slowly laying the groundwork for a spiritual coup in Fjerda. Because holy shit Nina. I am so looking forward to more of her and Hanne fucking shit up in Fjerda, no holds barred. I love that at the end of the book, she's poised in the best possible place to do the most possible damage to her enemies and I LOVE IT. (You can't see it, but I'm doing claw hands like a super villain.) More than anyone in the book, I was rooting for her above all else.
Nikolai's an interesting character. I don't know that I really feel that I know him as well as I'd hoped - but again, I haven't read prior books that contain stories of his life. I enjoy his wit, of course, but he seems to kind of roll with every punch without really swinging back. Part of that is being a ruler, but part of that was just me wishing he took more initiative in his own life in a way. His character arc in this book is very introspective. He's a bit of a damsel-in-distress in this book.
Which, of course, would make Zoya his hero. And she is. Oh god, she is. I enjoyed Zoya more than Nikolai. Her story arc over the course of the book is more of an emotional one, mostly learning to let herself be honest with her own feelings that she's constantly shoving down. I love her frankness and her intolerance to any kind of bullshit. I definitely liked her, but I'm not sure I loved her. I'm pretty sure she's the kind of woman everyone wants to be, especially with her particular power at the end of the book. Because really. (No spoilers, but it's the dream.) Zoya really is something to be admired. Beauty and brutality in one form. It's no wonder the Darkling was drawn to her because even the reader can admire that power, albeit from a different angle than wanting to use it to conquer the world.
I'd definitely recommend this book to others, though I might recommend reading the series in order before you read this one.
Second Read:
Yeah, so after having read the original trilogy, I definitely understand more about the characters from those books. I had little context going into it blind, though I did enjoy the characters the first time through. Knowing Nikolai's full story was definitely the most helpful thing, as he's much more lighthearted when you meet him in Siege and Storm. That being said, I definitely have not changed my opinion much from the first time I read the book. It's a solid read and a solid story.
And also I now know who the Darkling is. I really wish the bastard had stayed dead.
I picked this book up purely and completely because I was reading Six of Crows and enjoying it. It was on sale at Target and I thought, "Oh, I like her writing. I'll buy this one too." Goodreads said it was part of the Nikolai Duology, so I figured it was a stand alone book. I didn't even read the book description, I just bought it. (That should tell you how much I loved Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. Apparently I have a thing for medieval heist books.) Plus, who doesn't love a hardcover? I realized when I told my friend Olivia that I was starting it that it had Nina in it, who had been in Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. I then realized that this was book six of a 6 book series and that I was woefully out of place in my reading. But I wanted to read it. So that's precisely what I did.
I do have to say that I feel like I was missing the backstory - because I was - but I thought the book did a good enough job of skimming over events that I could get away with it. It's like any new fantasy world, really, where you learn to fill in the blanks as you go - much as you might do with Game of Thrones or something similar. It was a bit like playing the Dragon Age games out of order - definitely enjoyable, but you probably understand more of what's going on when you play them in the right order. I pretty much had a handle on Nina, of course, having seen her through the previous two books, but Zoya and Nikolai and the slew of side characters that were added in were definitely more enigmatic for me. I still enjoyed them, of course, but I definitely missed some things in the original trilogy (which I have since purchased).
I definitely had more of an emotional connection to Nina. I knew more of her journey, of course, but I also felt that she had the most purpose to her character. Nikolai and Zoya were great, but they were fighting the whole book to preserve the monarchy. While a great plot device, it pales next to Nina slowly laying the groundwork for a spiritual coup in Fjerda. Because holy shit Nina. I am so looking forward to more of her and Hanne fucking shit up in Fjerda, no holds barred. I love that at the end of the book, she's poised in the best possible place to do the most possible damage to her enemies and I LOVE IT. (You can't see it, but I'm doing claw hands like a super villain.) More than anyone in the book, I was rooting for her above all else.
Nikolai's an interesting character. I don't know that I really feel that I know him as well as I'd hoped - but again, I haven't read prior books that contain stories of his life. I enjoy his wit, of course, but he seems to kind of roll with every punch without really swinging back. Part of that is being a ruler, but part of that was just me wishing he took more initiative in his own life in a way. His character arc in this book is very introspective. He's a bit of a damsel-in-distress in this book.
Which, of course, would make Zoya his hero. And she is. Oh god, she is. I enjoyed Zoya more than Nikolai. Her story arc over the course of the book is more of an emotional one, mostly learning to let herself be honest with her own feelings that she's constantly shoving down. I love her frankness and her intolerance to any kind of bullshit. I definitely liked her, but I'm not sure I loved her. I'm pretty sure she's the kind of woman everyone wants to be, especially with her particular power at the end of the book. Because really. (No spoilers, but it's the dream.) Zoya really is something to be admired. Beauty and brutality in one form. It's no wonder the Darkling was drawn to her because even the reader can admire that power, albeit from a different angle than wanting to use it to conquer the world.
I'd definitely recommend this book to others, though I might recommend reading the series in order before you read this one.
Second Read:
Yeah, so after having read the original trilogy, I definitely understand more about the characters from those books. I had little context going into it blind, though I did enjoy the characters the first time through. Knowing Nikolai's full story was definitely the most helpful thing, as he's much more lighthearted when you meet him in Siege and Storm. That being said, I definitely have not changed my opinion much from the first time I read the book. It's a solid read and a solid story.
And also I now know who the Darkling is. I really wish the bastard had stayed dead.