Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Good reads rating: 4.07/5 Stars

Cover description: “The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

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.”

Short Version:

An end to the trilogy that finally packs some surprises and breaks away from some clichés.  This book was still struggling with pacing issues, and the strong writing that made the narrative flow couldn’t stop the fact that we lost some definition between the major scenes.  Though I will say a major benefit of this book was finally getting backstory for the Darkling and his mother.  My biggest complaint is that we spent two books working on major character development for our two protagonists which was… lost in this work.  Overall I still enjoyed the work, when you travel with characters through 1,000 pages, its hard not to feel as sense of catharsis when the story comes to a conclusion, and Badrugo resolved this one nicely.

Long Version:

I guess I set up a pretty good framework in my short version, so let’s follow that, and be ready for spoilers right off the bat.  The book finally managed to surprise me by actually stripping both Mal and Alina of their powers.  I anticipated that Alina would take one of two paths at the end of this book, managing to dethrone the Darkling and taking up his mantle, either with the corrupt inclinations to match, or she would cave to Mal’s insistence that she be the simple girl he fell in love with.  In neither of my anticipated endings did both of them lose what made them special (though I had guess very early on that Mal was Alina’s third amplifier, I thought perhaps he would be a living amplifier).  It was the first time I had a major surprise in this series, and it saved this book in the last swing of the novel.  Now, this book also cleared up its love quadrangle and though Alina never made a truly conscious decision, she opts for Mal. Not my first choice, given his inability to accept her when she was more powerful than him and his constant need to make her the small girl she was before she discovered her power.

Now, onto the pacing.  This book’s narrative flowed smoothly thanks to some tactful and smart writing, but the pacing was kind of a mess.  Between the major actions the group bumbled around “planning” what needed to come next without actually advancing the plot, and occasionally imparting crucial knowledge to the reader.  This was made more enjoyable by the dynamics of the characters.  David and Genya growing together, and Zoya kindling affection for the prince we all love.  Even Adrik and Misha finding their way, but that isn’t enough for the actual plot stutters and starts to be ignored.  Then there was the rushed ending, from the moment the crew discovered Mal was the last amplifier it was a mad dash toward the end, the scene becoming a bit choppier, and the transitions less smooth, and less of the rich detail in the scenes that make them really interesting.  It got the job done and finished the story, but it was only in the “After” section that the juicy details came back.

Now, next benefit of this book, as it was the conclusion of the series, we finally got to see the whole picture come together for the history of the Darkling and his mother, and Morozova. The pieces of the story coming together from the Darkling and Baghra over the course of the book was so well done and allowed for the reader to be both moved and scandalized at the appropriate moments.  It allowed us to see how Alina could still feel for the Darkling at the end of the work, and could mourn for him and refuse the people the opportunity to tear his body apart or turn his grave into a sight for ridicule.  She mourned for the boy who wanted more and by the end of the story, I did too, despite the fact that I never wanted Alina to rekindle her early flame with the Darkling.  It is a testament to the skill of the writer on this topic.

The last topic I have, however, makes me want to throw this book across a room.  We spend two and three-quarters books watching Alina learn to embrace this amazing power that she has and gain all this leadership potential, undergoing this amazing character development, so much so that she is willing to kill her best friend in order to save the world, even though it might drive her insane.  Then she throws it all away, all that character development to run away to her little country home with the power who couldn’t handle her having power to begin with.  All that character development and she walks away from it all, to become Mal’s girl and nothing more.  As the protagonist, this fourth quarter reversion voids almost everything we’ve seen in the book.  It is extremely frustrating that we resurrected a dead Mal to give Alina that future.  But I digress. 

As always, I end with my favorite moments:

• “Please tell me you plan to dress as a volcra and jump out of a cake.”
• Nikolai trying to get Alina to heal him.
• Zoya breaking Nikolai’s fall on the fold
• Alina and Mal reopening the orphanage where they grew up.
• Mal’s disappointment at not getting to show Alina the meteor shower.
• Baghra revealing her parentage.
• Nikolai rescuing Alina and Mal from the looters in the forest.
• David’s romantic speak for Genya.
• Tolya calling Alina his sister.
• Mal and Alina realizing he’s the last amplifier.
• Baghra’s sacrifice.
• Alina letting the darkling be burned on a pyre and mourning him