“Soldier. Summoner. Saint. For Alina Starkov, time is running out. The Darkling rules from his shadow throne while she, broken by their previous battle, is under the dubious protection of the zealots who worship her as a Saint. And as Alina convalesces she must also battle her conflicted feelings for the Darkling and her beloved Mal. Her last hopes lie with the magic of a long-vanished ancient creature and the chance that an outlaw prince still survives. As her allies and enemies race toward War, only Alina stands between her country and a rising tide of darkness that could destroy the world.”
What is the book about?
Alina is still recovering from her fight with the Darkling at the Little Palace and yet she has no time to rest. The Darkling has taken control of Ravka and is ruling over it from his own shadow throne while he waits for her to find him so he can take her back and finally have all the power he needs to take full control. Now she must use the protection of those who believe she is a Saint and hold on to the hope that there are more people out there willing to help her finally defeat the Darkling. Alina must find the outlaw prince that she hopes is still alive and get her hands on the ancient, mythical creature that may be the third and final amplifier or else there is no way that they will ever stop the Darkling. Alina is the only one who can save her country from the darkness that could destroy it, but the way she can achieve that may mean sacrificing everything she ever loved and losing the one person who she cares about most in the world.
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
As soon as I finished Siege and Storm (the second book in the trilogy), I was desperate to get my hands on Ruin and Rising (the third and final book in the series). Siege and Storm had ended on what I felt was a massive cliff-hanger and I was in great need for answers. I needed to know what had happened to the characters and whether or not the Darkling had survived (although I was pretty sure he had or else the third book wouldn’t be as chunky as it was). I had ridiculously high expectations for Ruin and Rising, due to how impressive the first two books had been, but, as it was the last book of a great series, I a bit concerned that it wouldn’t be as good as I hoped and that the ending would ruin the whole series. This is a doubt that I always have with a book series because different people want different things for the main characters and ship different couples so there are always some disappointed people, and I always worry it may be me. When I finally had the courage to start reading, I was surprised to find that the book started off really well and I immediately was taken back to the world Leigh Bardugo created. It only took a few pages to trap me in the book and I soon felt like I belonged in the story and didn’t want to leave ever again. However, soon I was reaching the end, which I had been worrying about from the very start.
Who was your favourite character and why?
As soon as she reappeared at the end of Siege and Storm I had no doubt in my mind that my favourite character in Ruin and Rising would be Genya, and I was correct. The main reason I liked her more than any other character was because of her attitude. Despite everything she went through with the Darkling, she didn’t let that stop her from making a difference and helping to destroy him. I really admired how, despite losing the thing she most valued and had used to her advantage all her life, she didn’t just sit and grieve and let that change her resilient, luminous personality. Instead, she continued being the brave, beautiful friend that Alina had known at the Little Palace and she still held her head high and had the strength to face all her previous enemies wearing her new face. I was so glad at the end of the book when her help and strength was finally rewarded and given something that would allow her to keep being brave and unbreakable.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
Once I finished the book I knew exactly what I was going to write about to answer this question. My favourite part in this book was definitely the ending. I know that a lot of the people who read the book probably weren’t exactly pleased with how it ended and it certainly wasn’t what I expected; however it is what I needed to feel satisfied. I obviously can’t explain much without ruining it (which I definitely don’t want to do); however I will try to show why I loved it so much. Mainly I loved this part because it just left me in tears. The characters had lost so much and, although this book ended in even more loss and pain, the characters also got something they never thought was possible. Lots of people probably wanted Alina to end up with someone else, or didn’t want her to lose what she lost, however honestly I think that she got the ending she deserved. Even though what she lost she will always feel like the ghost of a lost limb and I could feel her grief and pain through the pages, she got back something that she never thought she was going to be able to get and all I know is that she is probably happy with how her life ended, no matter how much grief, pain and loss she went through. I am also glad that, just because Alina was the hero of the story, she wasn’t let off the hook for what she tried to do with the three amplifiers. Overall the ending was amazing and I loved it more than most other endings.
What was your overall impression of the book?
As a whole, Ruin and Rising was an incredible book and I think it was the perfect conclusion to the trilogy. One thing that I loved was the incredible world building and plot. I know that I have mentioned this in every book review of the series, however it is impossible to communicate how amazing the world Leigh Bardugo created actually is. I honestly envy the skill this author has and how incredible her imagination must be to be able to create an entire world full of magical characters and creatures and to transform my own bedroom into this vast land that she was able to form using only a pen and paper. If I didn’t know any better I would think that Ravka was real and that everything I went through with the characters actually happened. I loved being able to feel like I was truly a part of the story and I have never enjoyed a book so much. Another thing that I really liked was the thrilling plot twists that I could never have seen coming. I always enjoy being surprised by an author and love a good plot twist but this discovery was one that caught me completely off guard. One last thing that I would like to mention was how much I enjoyed the ending of the book. Although it most certainly wasn’t anything like what we all expected, I think it was exactly what I needed. It may have left me thinking about what would’ve happened if Alina had made a different choice, however I think she made the right choice and she definitely good what she deserved after everything she went through. She may have lost something that she will always grieve but she gained a life that could never have been possible if she didn’t lose it.
Which is your favourite book in the Shadow and Bone series? (1, 2, or 3)
Although all three books in the series were incredible, I personally think that Ruin and Rising was my favourite book in the whole trilogy. The first (Shadow and Bone) and second (Siege and Storm) books were so good and had an incredible plot, however the ending of Ruin and Rising just left me feeling so shocked and made me cry from happy and sad tears. All the books in the trilogy were so similar, however Ruin and Rising just hit differently. Reading felt different, maybe because of the fact that it was the last book or maybe because of something else, I truly have no idea. I loved the amount of plot twists that this book had and everything that the characters went through was definitely unexpected, yet it added something that the other books were missing. Ruin and Rising was just so incredible and I loved reading it. I can’t believe that I actually finished the whole trilogy after the amount of time it spent gathering dust on my bookshelf. Now I just can’t wait to read more books by Leigh Bardugo and continue my adventures in the Grishaverse.
Would you recommend this book?
I would 10000000% recommend you read this book (obviously after the first two books in the series). It is the perfect book full action, fantasy and adventure and is perfect for anyone over 15 who is ready to dive deep into the most magical world ever created.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
The most shocking, heart-breaking and magical conclusion to one of the most incredible trilogies ever written.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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