A review by marleywrites
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-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

5.0

In my humble opinion, this was Zoya’s Book. I love Nikolai and Nina as much as the next Grishaverse fan, but Zoya absolutely stole the show in this story. This is a reread for me— I first read in March 2022, and I’ve been daydreaming about Zoya’s story until now, in January 2023.

I loved her strength, her anger, her fear, her sorrow. I loved seeing every range of emotion from her and watching her grow. Learning Zoya’s backstory is one of my favorite things to come from the Grishaverse, even more than Nikolai Lantsov (the best book boyfriend of all time). That’s saying something. 

I will also say that I love Hanne and wish she got more love because she’s a really interesting character. Give me more stubborn, headstrong characters. I love the blossoming romance between Zoya & Nikolai as well as Hanne and Nina. 

Zoya of the garden. Zoya of the lost city. She is strong enough to survive the fall. 

I just love how badass she is—
especially how she summons other elements and fabrikates her own new amplifier.
. I need more love for Zoya. Especially after this book where she works hard and pours herself into her power. 

This is possibly my favorite book of all time, and I can’t wait to reread Rule of Wolves next so I can get more of their stories. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings