Ruin and Rising is Part #3 in Leigh Bardugo Shadow & Bone trilogy and the Grishaverse and an overall satisfying end to the trilogy.
Ratings: 4/5⭐
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 406
Format: Paperback
Originally published: June 17th, 2014
Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
Previous Book: Siege and Storm
Ruin and Rising
“Suffering is cheap as clay and twice as common. What matters is what each man makes of it.”
Summary
Following the battle with the Darkling in the Siege and Storm, Alina, Mal, and the rest of the Grisha take shelter in the White Cathedral in the age-old underground caves of Ravka, under the supervision of the Apparat. They are aware that they can’t hide forever so they soon come out to the surface to find Prince Nikolai.
Prince Nikolai and the crew meet dramatically and arrive at The Spinning Wheel where Baghra trains Alina and new secrets are revealed. The hunt for the Firebird, supposedly the third amplifier begins. A series of events and revelations occur. Will Alina realize her true potential and save Ravka or will it leave Ravka in ruins?
Personal Reviews on Ruin and Rising
Ruin and Rising is brilliant- I am not going to be swayed by negative reviews or comments. I have loved this as much as the first two parts. The conclusion of the story is super entertaining and full of suspense.
There’s drama, there’s the build-up and the climax totally justifies it all. The plot takes unexpected turns in the second half of the book, which makes you turn the pages as quickly as possible. Trust me, I finished it in 3 hours.
Talking of the characters, I hate the Apparat more than anyone else. I might be hating the old man for no reason, but it is what it is. I looooove Prince Nikolai, I wish I could ask him to marry me right now!
Alina is more powerful, more confident, and resolved in Ruin and Rising, and I like that about her. She is the savior of Ravka but in her heart, she’s still that little orphan girl who is in love with her best friend, Mal.
Mal’s character developed a lot more in this part and has my sincere respect for that. I always knew there was something special about him, even though he might not have been a Grisha. And I was right- read the book to know more. ?
“It’s a vow that if I can’t be anything else to you, at least I can be a weapon in your hand.”
Prince Nikolai. OH MY GOD! I need more books on him and luckily there are so I will go ahead and devour them after I finish the Six of Crows duology. His entry in this book is super fun as usual and our prince charming has yet again not failed to amuse us with his amazing skills and wit.
“I hope you weren’t looking to me to be the voice of reason. I keep to a strict diet of ill-advised enthusiasm and heartfelt regret.”
There are so many quotes I want to add here but I won’t but basically- I love Nikolai.
Darkling- as it seems has died and I know he was a mass murderer and a cruel man but I’d still mourn his death.
We have a peaceful and happy ending and I’m satisfied with it. If you’re not, you might be a sadist!
About the Author
Leigh Bardugo- Author of Ruin and Rising
Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, the King of Scars Duology, and The Language of Thorns—with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including the Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Ninth House (Goodreads Choice Winner for Best Fantasy 2019) which are being developed for television by Amazon Studios. She lives in Los Angeles. For information on new releases and appearances, sign up for her newsletter.
She would be delighted if you visited her at LeighBardugo.com and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.
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