REVIEW : Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Ruin and Rising - Leigh Bardugo
Publisher : Henry Holt and Co.
Release Date : June 17th 2014
Genres : YA, Fantasy
Pages : 422
Rating : ★★★☆☆

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 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. 

 I was excited to pick this book up and to finally read the end of the Grisha Trilogy, I had a lot of excpectations and a lot of wishes, I didn't get everything I wanted out of this book but it was nontheless a good read.

I had a hard time getting into it, the beginning bored me with its slowness but I kept reading and before I knew it I was halfway through and completely invested in the story. I found the same easiness turning the pages I had with Shadow and Bone.
Leigh Bardugo took my heart, put it out, twist it a little and crushed it. Yeah, that was intense.

First let's talk about the Darkling. I still have mixed feelings about him, even after the end I don't know if I'm supposed to condemn him or pity him. Maybe a little of both. Leigh Bardugo shows us that not everything is black or white and the Darkling is definitely gray.
In the review I've made of Siege and Storm, I pointed out that he was dehumanized but the author brought a little bit of his humanity back in Ruin and Rising. He's a fascinating character but I wished I knew more about him. Did he ever love anyone ? What did he have to sacrifice to be what he is ?

Unfortunately, I found the lack of backstory in other characters too.
Then there is the long-awaited war. I'm glad Leigh Bardugo isn't one of these authors who write about wars where all of the characters come out perfectly immaculate. I wanted more from this war; maybe more emotions, I don't know but something was missing.

I'm satisfied with how things came together but I wish I knew more about what happens to the characters after all of this.

And I don't know if I'm the only one but I ship Zoya/Tolya all the way. I think they'd be very cute together.