outsidestar's profile picture

outsidestar 's review for:

Ruina y ascenso by Leigh Bardugo
4.0
adventurous dark 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
So I kinda read this entire trilogy in a week.

Some random thoughts about it:

  • Book 1 has everything I love in a book. It was unputdownable. That didn't happen so much with the other two books. Don't get me wrong, they were great but they dragged at certain points or I don't know exactly what it is, but book 1 has something the other two don't have.

  • I need a Nikolai in my life. ASAP.

  • Loved all the characters, maybe Alina and Mal are the ones I like the least (from book 2 onward). I just want to shake them at some points or just slap them in the face.

  • Appropriate ending.

  • I cried with the epilogue because well the blue kefta and everything.

  • I kinda want to know more about the Darkling. He has done all these terrible things and he shows all the red flags of an abusive relationship, but there's a story there about a little boy who was made to believe certain things growing up and has believed them for centuries. He's just a boy who wants to be loved but has no idea how to do that. A little boy who doesn't want to be left alone. I'm going to see if I can find The Demon in the Wood somewhere.

  • The Darkling and Alina remind me of Kylo Ren and Rey from Star Wars. I know these books came first but I can't stop picturing Kylo Ren as the Darkling.