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A review by maida
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
2.0
“I was a living star. I was combustion. I was a new sun born to shatter air and eat the earth.
I am ruination.”
1.5 stars
I usually don’t go into heavy spoilers in my goodreads reviews because not many people can read them, but it’s been about 24 hours since I finished this book and I still have the need to rant. So there’s your warning.
Let’s start with the characters.
• Nikolai was barely in the book which was Leigh Bardugo’s biggest mistake because whenever he wasn’t there it was so boring I couldn’t even force myself to read. His storyline was such a cop out also. And I know that King of Scars is a thing now, but we didn’t get any closure on his arc… like at all.
• Mal got a bit better, I guess? But not really? He only “loves” Alina now because he’s a jealous fuck who couldn’t accept her being more powerful than him but I guess that doesn’t matter anymore right?
• There’s finally some character development on the side characters which was nice… Tamar and Nadia are my ride or die now tbh.
• And then there’s freaking Alina Starkov. I don’t know how Leigh Bardugo did it, but she basically tore apart everything she had built and regressed Alina’s character all the way back to book one. Not only is Alina powerless (for no other reason than to make Malina a thing which is so annoying), but she’s also back to her insecure and lonely self. I hate it. I was really hoping Alina would turn into an anti-hero or even a full on villain in this book, because of how many times Leigh hinted her power was corrupting her… but it didn’t happen. I’m so annoyed.
Well, there’s almost none, but let’s talk about the plot points that I liked next:
• Alina being able to speak to the Darkling whenever she pleased. It really showed how powerful she actually was. Besides, it helped to build (the unexisting) tension.
• The first couple of chapters when we saw how Alina played the Aparath and also the scene where she gets her powers back.
• Every time Nikolai was on the page because I love my boy.
Some of the plot points that I absolutely despised were:
• Alina ending up with someone. She literally didn’t fit with any of the (three) dudes… but she could’ve at least chosen someone like Nikolai who didn’t spend 3 books bringing her down and treating her like shit because she happened to be more powerful than him. anyway
• Mal being the third amplifier. I actually started dying laughing when it was revealed… because it made 0 sense. I also hated that he didn’t actually die even when he was the amplifier. Why! did! we! have! to! bring! this! boring! piece! of! cardboard! back!
• Alina losing her powers. What was even the point of reading this trilogy? Why didn’t the Darkling also lose his powers? Or every other Grisha? That would’ve been so interesting but nope! She had to take away everything that made Alina slightly less bland.
• I was under the impression that destroying the Fold was our number one priority and then we would kill the Darkling but I guess the Fold wasn’t actually that bad?
• The fact that the book is LITERALLY called Ruin and Rising but there’s next to cero ruining and Alina definitely doesn’t rise to power bECAUSE SHE’S SO FUCKING BLAND.
• Since I thought Alina might go to the “dark side”, I was really hoping for her and the Darkling to go down together but instead she kills him just by… sticking a knife into his heart? I thought he was way more powerful than that? Did no one ever try to do that before?
With all that said, and though I’m bitter, I still really loved Leigh’s writing, but we all have to admit that the pacing was waaaaay off. Again, love the fact that we finally got some characterization on most of the side characters, but the only thing I will remember from this book is this:
If you want to get the boy, just make yourself smaller for him, because dudes don’t like powerful women. Yeah.
7. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #1
I’m aware this review doesn’t make any sense but I can’t seem to properly write words when I’m angry.
I am ruination.”
1.5 stars
I usually don’t go into heavy spoilers in my goodreads reviews because not many people can read them, but it’s been about 24 hours since I finished this book and I still have the need to rant. So there’s your warning.
Let’s start with the characters.
• Nikolai was barely in the book which was Leigh Bardugo’s biggest mistake because whenever he wasn’t there it was so boring I couldn’t even force myself to read. His storyline was such a cop out also. And I know that King of Scars is a thing now, but we didn’t get any closure on his arc… like at all.
• Mal got a bit better, I guess? But not really? He only “loves” Alina now because he’s a jealous fuck who couldn’t accept her being more powerful than him but I guess that doesn’t matter anymore right?
• There’s finally some character development on the side characters which was nice… Tamar and Nadia are my ride or die now tbh.
• And then there’s freaking Alina Starkov. I don’t know how Leigh Bardugo did it, but she basically tore apart everything she had built and regressed Alina’s character all the way back to book one. Not only is Alina powerless (for no other reason than to make Malina a thing which is so annoying), but she’s also back to her insecure and lonely self. I hate it. I was really hoping Alina would turn into an anti-hero or even a full on villain in this book, because of how many times Leigh hinted her power was corrupting her… but it didn’t happen. I’m so annoyed.
Well, there’s almost none, but let’s talk about the plot points that I liked next:
• Alina being able to speak to the Darkling whenever she pleased. It really showed how powerful she actually was. Besides, it helped to build (the unexisting) tension.
• The first couple of chapters when we saw how Alina played the Aparath and also the scene where she gets her powers back.
• Every time Nikolai was on the page because I love my boy.
Some of the plot points that I absolutely despised were:
• Alina ending up with someone. She literally didn’t fit with any of the (three) dudes… but she could’ve at least chosen someone like Nikolai who didn’t spend 3 books bringing her down and treating her like shit because she happened to be more powerful than him. anyway
• Mal being the third amplifier. I actually started dying laughing when it was revealed… because it made 0 sense. I also hated that he didn’t actually die even when he was the amplifier. Why! did! we! have! to! bring! this! boring! piece! of! cardboard! back!
• Alina losing her powers. What was even the point of reading this trilogy? Why didn’t the Darkling also lose his powers? Or every other Grisha? That would’ve been so interesting but nope! She had to take away everything that made Alina slightly less bland.
• I was under the impression that destroying the Fold was our number one priority and then we would kill the Darkling but I guess the Fold wasn’t actually that bad?
• The fact that the book is LITERALLY called Ruin and Rising but there’s next to cero ruining and Alina definitely doesn’t rise to power bECAUSE SHE’S SO FUCKING BLAND.
• Since I thought Alina might go to the “dark side”, I was really hoping for her and the Darkling to go down together but instead she kills him just by… sticking a knife into his heart? I thought he was way more powerful than that? Did no one ever try to do that before?
With all that said, and though I’m bitter, I still really loved Leigh’s writing, but we all have to admit that the pacing was waaaaay off. Again, love the fact that we finally got some characterization on most of the side characters, but the only thing I will remember from this book is this:
If you want to get the boy, just make yourself smaller for him, because dudes don’t like powerful women. Yeah.
7. 2 books related to the same topic, genre, or theme: Book #1
I’m aware this review doesn’t make any sense but I can’t seem to properly write words when I’m angry.