Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.
Genre: YA Fantasy
This series is just...it’s wonderful and I am so glad I opened this world up. Though I am currently drowning in my TBR pile I am eager to finish! This second installment didn’t disappoint either. It has a little bit of everything and still just enough mystery to keep you wondering how this whole thing is gonna play out….All that being said I DID have some negatives to this book, sooooooooo LET'S BREAK IT DOWN IN A LIST SHALL WE? (I LOVE lists!)
- We pick up right where book one Shadow and Bone (Book One, review here!) left off and I LOVED that. Time jumps after cliffys always bums me out.
- We meet Sturmhond, who I LOVE. He is by far one of the best characters in the series. He is all sarcastic wit and confidence and a man with many faces but the best is the Privateer extraordinaire. I love every scene I get with him! Also he created The Hummingbird-a steampunk-esque flying ship that is nothing short of AWESOME! I mean it FLIES! He just MADE this book for me.
- Battley-battles with bloodshed and lives lost! I LOVE a good epic battle. Especially conflicting ones, where you want one side to WIN but not by horribly maiming the other side...does this make sense? I like The Darkling...what can I say.
- THE DARKLING. Even though he’s not in physically in the forefront of this story he is still a heavy presence. I like that we get to still see pieces of him throughout and those scenes do a superb job of twisting your guts up even more.-- I like how Alina is struggling with the choices she’s made. I think she knows what is RIGHT but she's conflicted and I LIKE THAT. She should be….
- Tolya and Tamar- the strong arm siblings. I like them. A lot.
- Sea Monsters. GIVE ME MORE OF THIS.
- I LOVE all the Grisha Russian inspired words! I have no idea if they are real or made up but I LOVE them!!! They are so fun to say.
- We dive further into the Grishaverse and learn more about the layout of the world and the dynamics of power.
- I like the changes in Alina. We know she’s GOOD but she’s struggling with her power. i like when the good start to tarnish a bit. MUAH-HA-HA!
- I like all the descriptions of food. I would try pickled herring.
- All this Amplifier business is FASCINATING!
- Also a SIDE LIKE for this entire series...these COVERS!! They are gorgeous and have these awesome little Easter eggs in them...just...AHH! Wonderfully beautiful!
- LAGGYYYY. This book lagged for me compared to the first one. I may be alone in this feeling but GAH! I got a little board….There is a lot of internalizing with Alina and a lot of marching….(I think it all helped illustrate a point of where the story was heading and how much things have changed for our Sun Summoner)....in reality it probably wasn’t THAT much and I was just dragging the pages out but either way. It felt like a lot of slow preparation for something bigger. I GET IT. I just didn't care for it.
- MAL…..JUST...MAL. Love triangles always through me...cause I’m back here like…. “can’t we be polyamorous and just ALL be together?” I know it doesn’t work that way and one must ALWAYS CHOOSE!.....So with that being said-I LIKE MAL. I really do. It took an awful lot for him to see what was right in front of him but I have no doubt his affections for Alina are real or the things he would do to see her safe. But along the way these two just get lost...lost in the arc of what they are both destined for I guess? Not fitting into each other's new roles? Or lack of roles?--I think this all has a greater purpose for the future of the story and I get that but man it just bummed me out. It was SAD and maddening. I wanted to smack them both upside the head and say STOP IT! Just stop it and kiss now. Be happy kissing friends…..now.
- The Apparat. WHAT'S YOUR DEAL GUY? He freaks me out. I feel like he is a bad bad guy man. I dunno. He’s just creepy and I don’t like him. I picture him being/looking like the Swede on Hell on Wheels...any watchers? Blechhhh right? SPOT ON RIGHT?!?
Over all this book was GOOD. I loved it. I cannot wait to continue. I want to devour it ALL! I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING!!!
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