I would have preferred a focus on character back stories, dialogue, and development. The descriptions of setting and attention to detail seem less all-consuming, though still a bit much though competently written. There are some characters (won’t name names) who end up dying and it doesn’t matter in the least since we know almost nothing about them.Īs for Alina, she is a character that struggled to be compelling and likable for so long during Siege and Storm and I was finally at peace with her pretty early into this installment. They are developed so thinly as to not matter. I’m thinking of Harshaw, Sergei, Nadia, etc. Most other side characters pale in comparison when it comes to conversation.Ī major drawback is the emptiness of the other side characters that ought to have more going on. Even though he’s not given much time in the spotlight, Nikolai showcases some of the best this author has to offer in terms of character dialogue and banter in the Grisha trilogy. I came to like Mal again despite being irritated with him in the second book. Baghra, Genya, and Zoya are particular standouts. Side characters (coincidentally, the ones I was most interested in) are given either expanded back stories or just worthwhile developments and resolutions. Some of my problems from the first and second book are semi-solved here. This final volume ended up being a welcome change. A lot happens and the pace is a far cry from Siege and Storm’s slowness. This final volume is rushed and crowded and I don’t mean that in a necessarily bad way. Spoiler-free, sans a marked and italicized portion toward the end of this review.

Grisha ruin and rising