A Book Review: Ruin and Rising
Title of the book: Ruin and Rising
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Square Fish
Publication Date: 17th of June 2014
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Why I picked up this book:
I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be diving into the third instalment of the Grishaverse and if you’ve read my reviews of Shadow and Bone and Siege and Storm, you’ll know why.
There were only two things that kept propelling me forward. Firstly, the fact that I had set myself this challenge and I am not one to quit. Trust me – ask my partner. We were once doing a rock climbing lesson and I nearly slipped off the wall. The coach was about to move forward and help but my partner simply told him: ‘Don’t worry, she’ll break her own fingers before she lets go.” Which may or may not be accurate.
Secondly, because I hate leaving a book or a book series unfinished. If a series isn’t great, or even if it is down-right terrible I cannot force myself to put it down. So I just grit my teeth and bear it.
Oh well, there’s always a chance that this one will be better, right?
About the author:
Leigh Bardugo is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the Grishaverse (coming to Netflix in April) which spans the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, The Language of Thorns, and King of Scars—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 is being developed for television by Amazon Studios
Leigh was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Southern California, and graduated from Yale University. These days she lives and writes in Los Angeles
Synopsis:
Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.
Review of the book:
Ok, fair is fair, this book is better. That’s not to say it is amazing and I will be singing its praises. To use a phrase that is quite common in our household: ‘It’s the shiniest of turds.’ Where the other 2 books are 2-stars each, this one gets 2.5 because I am feeling a little bit generous.
As with the other two books, the writing style is perhaps one of the most positive aspects of the story. Bardugo’s narrative comes and flows easily. There hardly any moments where you feel torn away from the adventure. You become engrossed and immersed in spite of yourself.
Some of the side characters also truly came into their own in this instalment. Genya, oh darling I want a book that has her as the protagonist. To see this fierce woman go from vain, abused servant, to a broken shell of a human being to finally being a force of nature that knows no equal. Zoya, the queen of snark who is obsessed with nothing more than appearances and getting on the darkling’s good graces. Who ends up being fiercely protective of the rag-tag motley band of fighters. Giving up everything she ever had in search of a forever home, where they’ll be safe, where they won’t be hunted.
Baghra who shatters our collective hearts as she finally lets go of the secret that has been weighing on her mind for centuries. Imparting us with a newfound sense of respect and let’s be honest even more intimidation. Nikolai, the clever, charming, witty Nikolai. Who has never had to face more than rumours and a very real, human foe. Now consumed by a darkness that should not exist.
The point is, the supporting characters are fantastic and drastically outshine our supposed ‘heroes’. The contrast is so stark that it left me annoyed with Alina on more than one occasion. She is dead weight in constant need of lifting up by her Grisha, her Soldat Sol.
Speaking on the issue of dead weight, how about a ‘dead plot’. The Apparat. The ending of Shadow and Bone tells us that maybe, just maybe Alina should have trusted him all along. Maybe all of this could have been prevented if she wasn’t just so stuck up and stopped whining about his supposed mildewy smell. She knows this. So when he makes a reappearance in Siege and Storm, she can do the smart thing. Does she? No of course no because: ‘Ewww he still smells like Mildew.’ Woman please. The twins finally manage to get her to the Aparats stronghold and this is where Ruin and Rising starts and guess what? 40 pages in she is running away from him again, and we don’t hear from him again until page 400 and something. What is the point!? Oh I know, he’s a convenient plot device that solely exists so the ending of Siege and Storm can happen. Ugh.
Finally the supposed ‘plot twists and endings. No, they weren’t clever, no they weren’t inspiring and no they certainly weren’t bittersweet. Over the course of 2.5 books we are desperately searching for the 3 amplifiers, only to find out the third one was the greatest power of all, friendship. Excuse me, am I watching an episode of Dora the Explorer? Just because a book is written for young adults, doesn’t mean you should write like a 14-year-old.
All of the work across the last 900 plus pages is completely nullified by the conclusion. Any stakes that might have been there, that might have made us fear for the characters are lowered. Sure some people are lost, but they are so inconsequential to the story it’s very hard to care. Our main heroes are safe, and they all get their fairy-tale ending. All wrapped up in a pretty pink bow. Once again it fits all the beats of a young-adult fantasy in a neat, perfectly groomed way. It’s over-used, tired and lazy.
I’d be perfectly happy never re-reading this book series, to slowly forget about it as time wore on. In fact, that might just be the best course of action.
What are your thoughts? Have you been in love with Alina, Mal and the Darkling since we first met them in East Ravka? Will you defend this series with your dying breath, or are you like me and can you not understand what the hype is about? Please let me know in the comment section below and, until then - just one more page!