For me, this books just kind of fell flat. Maybe it’s because I was reading a translation, so it would be better in the original German? The characters were pretty hard to like. Honestly, I felt annoyed by the two main characters for the majority of the book. I could kind of get behind the premise. It wasn’t a bad book. But it wasn’t what I had hoped it would be.

If you want to casually sob every few pages just read the second book in the Shadow & Bone trilogy. This world of magic, love, loss, & redefining everything is well made, well written, & easy to get lost in. I have no clue how this story will end, which ultimately makes it an infuriatingly wonderful fantasy series. I am here for Alina’s growth and journey of self discovery plus this wicked confusing love triangle (square?)