The capital has fallen. 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 … 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.
Ruin and Rising is the thrilling final installment in Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha Trilogy. This title has Common Core connections.
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Leigh Bardugo is one of my favorites, and the Grisha trilogy is hands down one of the best fantasy trilogies out there. RUIN AND RISING has such an incredible conclusion. It’s masterful how she has pulled the story together, pulled all the characters together, and kept true to the characters and setting. It’s just a magnificent body of work.
I loved this book so much, I couldn’t put it down and it made me cry several times. It didn’t end how I wanted it to but it was a phenomal book.
Even though I’ve read it a few times now, this is still one of my favorite endings to a trilogy – the story can be a bit slow in parts, the pace not quite there as it was in the first book, but last few pages alone are so wonderfully done. It’s a lovely, fitting end to Alina and Mal’s journey.
3.5
The third and final book in this trilogy. So with that we know I can’t say all too much or it would be spoiled. One thing I can say, is that I LOVED the Grishavverse , from this series and the Six of Crows that I read previously and I totally get the hype.
That being said…… overall I enjoyed this book.
Plot wise a lot more happened this book than the last and some of it just sort of happened fast, way too fast in some parts. Some things we worked up to for three books and boom and a bang within a half a chapter it happens and before you know it, it’s over. Resolved! So some pacing and development could have been different.
We do get a couple plot surprises and others I saw somewhat coming.
The Darkling… for me it changed every book… I loved him, than ughhhhhh and then I could have cared less about him.
Mal I never liked and that didn’t change this book, the same goes for Alina.
Really, I cared most about was Nikolai, Genya, and Baghra but also Zoya this book. So really everyone else but the three main people.
The ending was okay, that’s it. Not great or bad, just okay. And really the only sensible ending it could have had….
Overall I loved the Grisha world and the story for the most part. I also loved everyone but Alina, Mal and the Darkling.
I’m looking forward to see some of my favorite people in The King of Scars that I now finally can read.
3.5 for the last book but 4 for the trilogy as a whole.
i actually really liked this, it was a bit slow at first, but it did end up picking up. i really liked nikolais plot throughout the book, and it was definitely him that kept me reading when other characters were becoming quite boring. i also really enjoyed the ending i think it was really fitting for the story. very curious to see how this world continues when i read six of crows.
I finally finished the Shadow and Bone trilogy! I still have to read the Six of Crows duology before I watch the show, of course. If some of you are living in a cave or, like me, have not gotten around to Shadow and Bone yet, I hope this review and summary can help!
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo and published by ORION Children’s Books is the third and final book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy. Alina, the Sun Summoner and declared living saint, must rally a broken army of Grisha and laypeople to finally face off with The Darkling and destroy the Shadow Fold once and for all. The first half of the book seems to be more about rallying forces and hunting for the third amplifier in the firebird. The second half takes off at a much faster pace as Alina and her friends square off in final battle.
I found Ruin and Rising to be the most well-written of the trilogy. If you’ve read my other reviews, you know I haven’t been a big fan of this series. I found it slowly paced and, worse, the main characters–Alina and Mal–to be plain annoying. Yet in this third book there was definitely growth and redemption. I loved seeing depth to the side characters more, too. We learn more about those who stayed with Alina–Zoya, Genya, Harshaw, Nadia, the twins, etc. Most of them we really get to know and bond with, while a couple others disappear halfway through with a flimsy explanation. I find I can forgive that though for the other character depth.
I also love the sacrifices that have to be made and curses that strike in this book. For once, it felt like this fight was more real and each character was struggling with their own darkness whether it be something internal or a literal shadow from the Darkling. Also, I love Nikolai in this book and the price he pays and yet still is his handsome, optimistic self.
There are definitely details that were missed, and the beginning of the book is very slow paced. I still find I don’t like Alina. It seems to me that she continues to project her own anger and judgment then plays the victim. However, the other characters make up for her in this book.
So, if I had to rate Ruin and Rising, I would give it four stars. I thought it was actually an excellent, balanced ending. This trilogy is good for YA fantasy readers, but not the best series out there in the genre.
wow I really did not remember much of anything on this reread. It’s so good though!! I was surprised by how much was packed into this one. My ship hasn’t changed though but I did really enjoy this series!
Finally, a book that I actually enjoyed of this trilogy! I did like the first one but this one was so much better.
It’s crazy how much the writing, the story development, and the romance improved. Or maybe it’s just me that had really low expectations after Seige and Storm. Either way, it was a great book.
The story had some amazing plot twists that keep you engaged throughout the book. And, I have to say, it had a beautiful round ending. Something not all authors accomplish at the end of a series. But Leigh Bardugo did it wonderfully.
Also, I’m really happy because I’ve finally connected with the story AND the love story. So, in the first two books, the romance was just meh. Bland, dull, unexciting. But here it improved a lot. It wasn’t that exciting either but a lot better. And even though Mal’s not my favourite character I don’t hate him. I kinda did in book 2 but here he won me a little.
Now, I’m really excited for Six of Crows. Everyone says it’s much better than this trilogy. So, I’m so looking forward to that.
I seriously cried at the ending of this series.
Overall, I really liked this book. The ending just didn’t work for me. I didn’t like the ending at all. The whole thing was kind of anticlimactic in my option.
— It’s going to have spoilers after this. —
I have really enjoyed Alina’s character development throughout the books. But I think it would have been even better without Mal there to hold her back. The ending was awful. Having her lose her powers sucked. They were a part of her and after everything she lost them.
I don’t like Mal. I really tried to but I just don’t. He wasn’t good for Alina. I felt like he wanted her to be week. He couldn’t love all of her- only the parts he wanted. In the end he got what he wanted though. Alina without her powers and once again needing him. I think it would have been better if he had stayed dead. The resurrection wasn’t explained. It was pointless. The whole last part was revolved around the conflict of Alina having to kill him and then he just happened to come back? I didn’t like it. But I also don’t like Mal so…
I don’t like the Darkling, but he was an amazing villain. Leigh wrote him in a way that at times I would have to remind myself that I didn’t like him and he was not good. I didn’t want him and Alina to end up together so I was glad that didn’t happen. He was just too toxic and used her too much for me to ship that. He literally was fine with taking away her free will. Another problem I had was that the Darkling was killed with a knife. Really? There was so much talk about how hard it would be to kill him and how only Alina could do it. Then she killed him with a knife.
Nikolai very quickly became my favorite character. His personality was top tier. I also feel like there’s so much to be explored with him. His first appearance in this book made me have the close the book. I immediately knew it was him. But he did not diverse that Leigh Bardugo. The entire time I was trying to convince myself that he’d be ok. I can’t wait to see how he develops further in King of Scars.
I always loved Genya. The scene with the king was awful but she was so amazing. David is adorable. I love him, and I love them together.
I finally got the Zoya content I wanted this entire time. She was finally an actually character instead of just something to come between Mal and Alina. I like her a lot. I hope she appears a lot in King of Scars.
Ruin and Rising is the third book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. This book put me through the wringer due to what happened in it. I was not expecting it to end the way it did, and I was kind of disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy reading this book but was expecting something else to happen at the end. After reading Leigh Bardugo’s interview at the end of this book, I know why she ended the way it did, but I still can be disappointed. I still love you, Leigh Bardugo, and look forward to reading the Six of Crows books next.
Storyline/My Thoughts: First, if you have not read these books, then I would recommend not reading this review. I’m going to try not to write spoilers, but I may end up mentioning something from the previous books.
This book picks up where the last book left off. I could have dealt without the Apparat, who drove me crazy on how he treated Alina and her team at the beginning of this book. Apparat was someone who could double-cross you at any moment, and if he did it to the King and the Darkling, he could’ve done it to Alina.
I’ve stated it above, but I was disappointed with how this book ended. I was also disappointed that the Darkling only got a few moments in this book, just like the previous book. Yes, I’m one of those readers who loves a villain, and I was hoping he would get reformed somehow. He will always be one of my favorite villains. (I highly recommend reading his prequel when he was a kid and finding out what happened to him.)
I also was disappointed with what happened to Alina at the end of everything. I know she gets a HEA with the one she truly loves, though, and who is there for her along the way, but I still was hoping for a different HEA. I felt the person she ended up with was not the right character. There was also a twist in this story that I was not expecting when Alina and her team looked for the third amplifier. Be prepared if you do read this to be in shock. I was in shock and had to read a few times to understand what was happening. Leigh Bardugo knows how to keep the reader on the edge of her seat with anticipation and shock.
What did I like about this book? The constant knowing what Alina, Mal, Nikolai, Tamar, etc., were going to come in contact with next when it came to battle. They went through a lot in this book. Leigh Bardugo did not make it easy. There are going to be deaths in this book that will be hard to get through. I know a couple that bothered me. I loved the constant banter in this book, too, between Alina and Nikolai. These two were great friends.
I grew to love other characters in this book, and I can’t wait to read more about them in King of Scars and Rules of Wolves. Yes, it’s dealing with Prince Nikolai. He’s one I fell hard for, too, in the book. I didn’t like what happened to him either, but I know Leigh Bardugo will give a HEA (eventually). He deserves it.
Although I was disappointed with this book, I still can find myself wanting to re-read it again in the future. I’m looking forward more than ever to read other books in the Grishaverse. I know Leigh Bardugo will be one author; I will continue to buy her books, no matter what she writes, because her stories are addicting.
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy and I highly recommend reading in order. It’s also part of the Grishaverse series by Leigh Bardugo, too.
Cliffhanger: No.
HEA: Yes. Somewhat of a HEA for Alina. (Not the kind of HEA I was looking for though.)
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you are a fan of Young Adult Fantasy, then I recommend this trilogy to you. I’m so glad I read these books before the Shadow and Bone series releases on April 23rd. Now, I can’t wait for the show. (Although I need to read the Six of Crows Duology before then, too.)
Please, keep an open mind when reading this trilogy because if you fall for a particular character like I did, you’ll be upset about what happens in the ending.
I only didn’t enjoy this book because I was disappointed about the outcome. Great writing and world-building. Spoiler: I wanted Alina to end up with the Darkling, not Mal because personally I don’t really like Mal. I am really excited about the TV show though!
/5
I read this book in one sitting. And it made me sob. Once again, Leigh Bardugo’s writing was absolutely phenomenal.
This book was amazing from the start. I physically could not put this book down. In the final installment of the Shadow and Bone series, Leigh perfectly finishes what the first book started, in an amazing (yet tear-jerking) conclusion. Not only was the writing beautiful, but it was also incredibly moving with amazing quotes. While Ruin and Rising didn’t end the way I expected it to, I was still incredibly satisfied with the ending.
*SLIGHT SIEGE AND STORM SPOILER*
Picking up from where Siege and Storm left off, Alina and Mal race to find Morozova’s last amplifier in one final attempt to save Ravka, but along the way, secrets are revealed that make Alina question power and her past. In the last book of the series, the stakes are high, and Alina has to decide how far she is willing to go to save Ravka and what she is willing to sacrifice for the good of her country.
• •
: Ruin and Rising
: The Shadow and Bone Trilogy #3 & Grishaverse #3
: Leigh Bardugo
: 4/5
Let me start out with what I personally had troubles with… I just didn’t feel that undying I will go to the ends of the world for you kind of love between Mal and Alina. And maybe that is just what I was missing since I am a romance lover at heart. Mal definitely had some good character development, but I feel like others like the Darkling and Nikolai had just so much more layers to them. This is just one of those books where I am not totally feeling the relationship in the end. That said, there were loads of things that I did love: Alina’s character development, the side characters and the banter between them, the world building and (at least in my opinion) some unexpected plot twists. Overall, it is a good series, but if you are looking for a lot of romance in books, I feel like this isn’t it. This story focusses more on the world and the adventure, which I absolutely loved. If you can overlook that I feel this is a good series for you. I also still think I would’ve loved this series better if I would’ve read it in my teens. I am really glad that I read this series and I am looking forward to the Netflix adaption.
Most of my reviews are also available with photo at my Bookstagram: @justmyfantasyworld
This is the best series I read so far this year. I got lost between the pages.
The characters are amazing, I was drawn to them. Even The Darkling took a piece of my heart.
I loved Alina and her growth as the books progressed was amazing. She came into herself. She’s not perfect but has drive and hope. The weight of loss and how she fights to overcome every obstacle thrown her way.
Mal I liked a lot, was he my favorite? No, but I’m deeply satisfied with how it all ended. A full beautiful circle of life, loss, fear and happiness. That’s life for everyone even in books.
My favorite character was Nicolai he is amazing, witty, strong, fierce and loyal. A man after my heart. He fights for what he believes in, for the good of his country, his people and the few close to his heart.
Zoya, Misha, Tamar, Tolya, Genya, David. I could name all the characters in this series and find unique qualities to them all.
The world building was fantastic, the cities, the culture, tradition and faith it all plays an integral part of the story.
I ugly cried more than a few times reading this books.
This is a series that breaks your heart and puts it back together. But like with every good book the scars remain.
Aleksander I mourned for you too.
Leigh Bardugo’s “Ruin and Rising” had some epic, sweeping settings that gave the book most of its colour. There were definite improvements over the second book, primarily in Mal. It was an easy read that kept me engrossed throughout. Sadly, I was able to predict the end during book two. On the other hand, this did not stop me from enjoying the ride. I look forward to reading more by Leigh Bardugo soon.
I loved this series and I just fell in love with the characters. Some of the time I felt frustrated with their decisions but I mean you can’t love everything that they do. The ending kinda had me down I wish there was a little more, maybe a different ending, but overall a fantastic book had me hooked and in love the entire time.
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Fabulous conclusion to a whirlwind series. I will read this series again soon, in preparation for the Shadow and Bone Netflix series. #TeamDarkling
This was so beautifully written! My mind feels tired trying to figure out why people don’t absolutely love this trilogy. It has my heart. My favorite character is Mal. His devotion to Alina was touching and pure. He knew what had to happen and made it so. The words he spoke to Alina and they way in which he loved and treasured her make my own heart overflow with joy. Alina was a surprising character in that she was pretty much a what you see is what you get type. The Darkling was very intriguing. I wanted to like him, to understand him and I feel like I did. I felt so much sorrow for him. This was such an extraordinary tale and I honestly can’t wait to experience it all again. I totally understand why people have named Leigh Bardugo a queen, because she truly is. This series about a boy and a girl is truly something special.