BOOKS | Review: Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

 Name: Ruin and Rising

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Square Fish

Date published: June 2017

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, adventure

Pages: 417

Rating: 4/5

This review contains major spoilers.

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. 

- From Goodreads.

The continued worldbuilding in Ruin and Rising was inventive and I was always fascinated to learn more about the world. The descriptions of setting and places and the technology and architecture was always interesting to read. I thought the author was very creative when inventing new parts of her world.

I loved the power struggle between Alina and the Darkling, how their interactions played out and built up in tension. Their relationship was written so well and was so engaging to read. The build up over the three books of the war between them really came to a point in this book and was very satisfying to read.

Something else I liked was that Alina made firm friends and made herself a sort of found family within her allies. It was something more light within the darker moments of the book, and I enjoyed reading about it.

However, I still did not really enjoy Alina's relationship with Mal, although he had improved from the last book, I still did not feel the desire for them to be together and thought they might have been better as friends. I did not like that Mal often seemed to make decisions for her, Alina should have been able to make more decisions for herself. Often it felt like she was pulled and pushed around when she should have had more opportunities to make her own choices. The emphasis on their relationship made it feel like Alina deciding what she would do after everything was over depended on who she would end up with, which cheapened the grander story and themes slightly, and I think it would have been better if the decision was more about what she wanted to be after the war and what kind of life she might make for herself. I would not have minded if she did end up with someone romantically, but with Mal it just felt a little forced. 

I also did not like that Alina was still made to feel like her power was bad, even when it meant so much to her. I liked that she had great power, and although I knew it was important that she did not go too far with it, I did not like the black and white nature of the implication that she would either become a villain like the Darkling or become powerless, there did not seem to be much chance for her to find a place somewhere in between.

It did not make sense to me that Mal was the third amplifier. The other amplifiers were great mythical creatures, so the fact that a person was one just felt strange and out of place. Although it was explained, it still felt like a circle had not been completed properly. Perhaps he could have had the ability to amplify, like how one of the Darkling's skills was to amplify other people's power, but it just did not fit for me that Mal was supposed to be an amplifier like the other creatures. Maybe I am biased because I am not fond of Mal as a character or love interest, but it still just seemed like it should have been the firebird to me. I did not really enjoy the way the story focused on the amplifiers generally in the book, as I found the other aspects of the story more interesting. Aspects like the dynamic between Alina and the Darkling, Alina developing as a character, resisting the pull towards the dark and learning to use her power, coming into her own, learning from people like the Darkling and Nikolai, but learning to make the most of her own strengths too, to become a wise, powerful and good person on her own, and I wish Leigh Bardugo had focused more on those. The story should have been about Alina, and I felt like towards the end it focused too much on Mal when it did not feel like it was meant to be his story.

While I did not like everything that happened and was not satisfied with every part of the ending, it was still enjoyable to read, the writing style was exciting, the plot made for a very addictive story, and I would probably happily read the book and series as a whole again. The ending was well-plotted and while I was not completely happy with how everything wrapped up, did not like everything that happened and would have liked some things to be done differently, it was clearly planned out well and well written. 

BOOKS | Review: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Name: Siege and Storm

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Square Fish

Date published: June 2017

Genre: Fiction, young adult, romance, fantasy, adventure

Pages: 435

Rating: 4/5

This review contains mild spoilers.

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.

- From Goodreads.

Siege and Storm was a great continuation of the story started in Shadow and Bone. The worldbuilding continued to be fascinating to read, the world felt very real and it was easy to become immersed in it. I think Leigh Bardugo has done a great job of creating a world that I will continue to be excited to read stories about.

One thing I did not enjoy about the story was Alina and Mal's relationship. Alina often felt inadequate when she was with Mal, and seemed to believe she was not good enough for him. I could not really understand or root for their relationship when I felt like Alina always felt worse about herself when she was with him, and when he often slipped into bad behaviour and got angry with her for things that were not her fault, or were out of her control. He did have some good qualities and of course he was not a truly evil person, but I just could not enjoy their relationship when it seemed like she would be happier by herself or with someone else. 

It also did not sit right with me that Mal did not like Alina's power. While it was good he did not want her to lose control or to become too greedy, it seemed like her power was just as much a part of her as any other part, and if he did not like it then he did not really love her. Using her power made her healthier and happier, and when he acted like it was a bad thing that she used it and enjoyed using it, it just made him seem envious and unsupportive and it did not help me like him. It made Alina physically unwell to deny that part of her, her powers, and when she accepted that part of herself and loved it, all Mal wanted was for it to be gone. He wanted her to go back to being the girl she was at the start, but she was not happy back then. She was good at being a leader and using her powers, but he wanted to take that away from her. I understood that he was struggling to find his place, but he could not seem to feel happy for her when she was happy, and it just made him seem too selfish. Alina often felt bad for how Mal felt at the palace, but she had gone to the palace to try and fix things and do good by leading the Grisha, and it seemed like he had never felt bad whenever she had felt out of place or like she did not belong. It just never seemed like their relationship was balanced or equal.

It just kept feeling like Mal and Alina were meant to go on different paths in life and like they were not meant to end up together. They argued so much and never seemed to come to an understanding. Ultimately, all this meant that I just could not love Mal like Alina apparently did, so I could not root for their relationship, and that was really the one thing in the book that fell flat for me. 

However, I did enjoy reading Alina's relationships with other characters, the interactions and dialogue were written well, and I especially enjoyed the moments between her and Genya, her and Sturmhond, and her dynamic with the Darkling continued to be engaging and thrilling.

I enjoyed the way Alina's struggle with the dark was written, how she was sometimes overcome by her powers, how it was shown that she was affected by what had happened between her and the Darkling and what had happened on the Fold. I think it felt very real that she was not completely fine after everything that had happened to her so far and Leigh Bardugo wrote that in a very compelling way that made Alina feel very relatable and strong to get through everything that she did. I really think the author played well with the idea of Alina struggling with a slippery slope into darkness, how she could easily go the same way as the Darkling, descending slowly into the desire for power. But her struggle with that and her determination to fight against it was what showed her strength and good heart.

I really enjoyed the middle of the book, the political manoeuvres, Alina learning how to lead and work with people, and her discussions with Nikolai. I thought it was all very intriguing and very enjoyable to read. The ending was also very thrilling, incredible and epic, and left me eager to read Ruin and Rising. 

BOOKS | Review: The Missing of Clairdelune by Christelle Dabos

 Name: The Missing of Clairdelune

Author: Christelle Dabos (translated from French to English by Hildegarde Serle)

Publisher: Europa Editions

Date published: 2020

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, steampunk

Pages: 512

Rating: 5/5

When Ophelia is promoted to Vice-storyteller by Farouk, the ancestral Spirit of Pole, she finds herself unexpectedly thrust into the public spotlight. Her gift - the ability to read the secret history of objects - is now known by all, and there can be no greater threat to the nefarious denizens of her icy adopted home than this.

Beneath the golden rafters of Pole's capitol, she discovers that the only person she may be able to trust is Thorn, her enigmatic and emotionally distant fiancé. As one influential courtier after another disappears, Ophelia again finds herself unintentionally implicated in an investigation that will lead her to see beyond Pole's many illusions to the heart of a formidable truth.

- From Goodreads.

I enjoyed how The Missing of Clairdelune continued to build on the world that had been introduced in A Winter's Promise, the first book in The Mirror Visitor series. It added detail to what we already knew whilst also introducing us to new places and people.

The plot was once again exciting and intriguing, with a fascinating mystery to solve that had a satisfying resolution while also leaving open some plot lines for the next book. 

I loved how this book continued to develop the relationship between Ophelia and Thorn, how they slowly began to know and understand each other a little better, especially towards the end when Ophelia began to show how she was starting to know Thorn better than anyone else did, recognising his mannerisms, understanding his habits, and realising his motives, even if she did not always realise how well she was beginning to know him.

I also enjoyed how Ophelia's relationships with other people continued to develop, how she strengthened her friendships and even some familial relationships. She also continued to develop as a character, becoming more sure of herself and bring out the best parts of herself. She is a very loveable, kind-hearted character and I was glad she began to not let herself be underestimated.

The book had a thrilling climax and ending, which was completely unpredictable and had me invested with every moment. It has me really excited to read the next book to see what happens after that ending and how the story continues for Ophelia and Thorn.

BOOKS | Review: A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos

 Name: A Winter's Promise

Author: Christelle Dabos (translated from French to English by Hildegard Serle)

Publisher: Europa Editions

Date published: 2019

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, romance, steampunk

Pages: 492

Rating: 5/5

Long ago, following a cataclysm called “The Rupture,” the world was shattered into many floating celestial islands. Known now as Arks, each has developed in distinct ways; each seems to possess its own unique relationship to time, such that nowadays vastly different worlds exist, together but apart. And over all of the Arks the spirit of an omnipotent ancestor abides.

Ophelia lives on Anima, an ark where objects have souls. Beneath her worn scarf and thick glasses, the young girl hides the ability to read and communicate with the souls of objects, and the power to travel through mirrors. Her peaceful existence on the Ark of Anima is disrupted when she is promised in marriage to Thorn, from the powerful Dragon clan. Ophelia must leave her family and follow her fiancée to the floating capital on the distant Ark of the Pole. Why has she been chosen? Why must she hide her true identity? Though she doesn’t know it yet, she has become a pawn in a deadly plot.

- From Goodreads.

A Winter's Promise was a wonderfully unique story with so much to be intrigued and delighted by. The world was so expansive and well developed and I am already excited to discover more about it in the next books in the series. The arks were so interesting to learn about and the cultural differences between them were fascinating.

The characters were also wonderful, each of them distinct in their personalities, some of them absolutely awful people while still being thrilling to read about, some of them immediately loveable and I adored every moment with them on the page.

The dynamic between Ophelia and Thorn was so interesting and I am really curious to see how their relationship develops over the series. I had no idea what to expect from each interaction between them but I enjoyed every one and enjoyed seeing them learn more about each other. Ophelia was such an endearing character who I really adored, even when she was making mistakes or doing something I would not do. Thorn was unpredictable and mysterious, and while a lot of characters hated him, and Ophelia was confused by her feelings towards him, I liked him a lot and I am excited to see more of him in the rest of the series.

Overall, this was a really delightful book. Very funny at some moments, very emotional at others, with an exciting plot and intriguing characters. If you like the Studio Ghibli movies, you will definitely like this as it has the same beautiful worldbuilding and immersive atmosphere. It is also a great book for anyone who enjoys political drama and court intrigues. 

BOOKS | Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

 Name: The Night Circus

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Publisher: Vintage

Date published: May 2012

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, historical

Pages: 502

Rating: 5/5

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breath-taking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

- From Goodreads.

The Night Circus was definitely a unique book, different to anything else I have ever read. It was a very marvellous reading experience and the story was incredibly compelling.

The writing style was so whimsical and flowed wonderfully. Both the descriptions and dialogue were enjoyable to read and really helped create a delightful atmosphere.

The romance between Celia and Marco was so beautiful and they were both such endearing and fascinating characters. The other characters and relationships were also so well written and intriguing. I especially loved Bailey and Poppet's relationship, and the friendship between the two of them and Widget, it was so lovely and heart-warming how the siblings took Bailey in and stopped him from feeling like an outsider. Friedrick Thiessen was also such a loveable character.

The circus was such a brilliant setting, so inventive, a whole world of its own. It was so fun to read about such a magical and captivating place. 

I enjoyed the slow moving plot and how all the small events gradually built up to the climax, the different timelines eventually all catching up and reaching the same point in time. It really allowed you the time to become immersed in the world and feel a part of it all.

Overall, this was an fantastically enchanting book and I was thoroughly impressed by the author's ability to create such a magical story. I would definitely recommend it if you love romance in an imaginative setting that feels cosy but has dark undertones.