A review by punktilious
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Siege and Storm is the sequel to Shadow and Bone, of which it delivers nothing less or more. While I still recommend it, do not expect anything particularly special.

The trend of romance being a huge factor continues even though there is no romance label. Alina is now involved in a "love square", that is, she has 3 suitors… While I do not mind romance, it is a major motivation for Alina. And, again, it was not what was advertised. With Genya no longer by her side, she also has few friends. It seems her love interests are the main characters she interacts with, which limits the way she can develop. In the first book, it took getting over Mal to awaken her powers. What sort of development would occur if Alina had different people by her side?

I wonder. There is an unfortunate lack of character development for all characters, not just Alina. It seems the characters wrestle with the same issues over and over again. Some characters, such as Mal, seem to have no purpose behind their actions and feelings. Why was he so proud of his position in the First Army? What made him fall in love with Alina, when he had paid her no mind?

Alina is dependent, despite her strength. Mal is insecure. Nikolai is concerned with only Ravka. The Darkling wants power. Everyone else is either ignorant, scared or too concerned with tradition. They are all stuck in their ways and therefore do not promote the development of the story. The only thing keeping the book moving is the goal: finding the Firebird and taking down the Darkling.

It is the development of one of the goals that was handled in an… interesting way. The climax WAS the end of the book, it happened abruptly and was quite unsatisfying. I look forward to how Leigh Bardugo wraps this story up in the third book.

With this seemingly negative review, why did I say that I still recommend the book? While the characters are a bit of a drawback, the world is wonderful. Throughout Siege and Storm, we get to learn more about the setting and the "magic" system. The book, despite not being the best thing I have ever read, still kept me on the edge of my seat. It was fun. While Siege and Storm is certainly not a must-read, it is still worth it if you are…
  • an enjoyer of "trashy" (said with affection) romances
  • looking for an easy read
  • a fan of Leigh Bardugo
  • interested in the Grishaverse
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