Siege and Storm
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Grisha (#2)
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
How Received: publisher ARC
Release Date: 4 June 2013
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, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But 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.
Alina, let me love you.
Here's the thing: if there were flaws in this book, I was far too caught up in the story to realize it. I loved it, the entire story, the way the narrative was crafted. Even though there's a giant war going on, Bardugo doesn't try to encompass the entire thing -- everything is focused on Alina, and how her decisions affect the world, and how her emotions are completely bonkers, and how she's changing from the young mapmaker we met at the beginning of Shadow and Bone.
And I loved it.
Alina's character arc is totally what I'm here for and why I loved it so much. (To be fair, the setting, the side characters, the plot itself were all beautifully well handled; it's not a small book, but it moved at a fast pace -- the story never dragged.) But Alina's development is fascinating to watch. Her struggle with power - her hunger for power - her refusal to be a warrior - her need to be a warrior - I just - ladies. Power hungry warrior ladies make me happy.
Definitely as good as book one, if not better.
I'll be writing some meta on it on my personal Tumblr at some point - I'm in love with all of the uses of religious imagery, even if it wasn't Bardugo's intentions, and until I write something about it my brain won't turn off. And if I started talking about my feelings about Mal and all of the other characters, this wouldn't be a review - it would be a rambling fangirl mess of feels.
Are you guys excited for this one?