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3.5/5
Non-Fiction
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Re-read in the aftermath of S&B s2
Rating: 4/5
Pages: 528
Started: 23 March 2023
Finished: 28 March 2023
Summary:
The Darkling may be dead, but his power lives on. Each night, Nikolai Lantsov, tsar of Ravka, is chained to his bed each night so that the shred of darkness the Darkling gave him will not take hold and transform him into a monster. He knows he needs a cure, something to burn the darkness from him so he does not remain a liability to his country. But he also knows he needs a wife, a political alliance, more money, to win the war against Fjerda. It's Ravka, after all. There are always more problems. But when the monster speaks one night in the Darkling's voice, Nikola and the grisha triumvirate know something needs to be done. Taking advantage of a monk who wants to see the Darkling sainted, Nikolai, Zoya, and Tolya travel to the empty sands that used to be the Shadow Fold in search of a remedy.
Nina has brought Matthias's body back to Fjerda, but she can't bring herself to bury him. She's been tailored beyond recognition and is traveling with two other soldiers from the second army, liberating hidden grisha and sending them back to her home country. When she stumbles upon a horrifying Fjerdan scheme, she must use all her power and cleverness to continue Matthias's mission---to help save Fjerda.
Thoughts:
Gorgeous, as always. The thing that stands out to me most in this book is the utter competence of the characters. Zoya is so powerful. She feels no guilt for the people she hurt, for how she defended herself, and I really need that sometimes. She remains one of my favorite fictional characters ever. And Nikolai is so competent in so many directions. He just makes decisions, knows what to do with every problem. It's so comforting to read a book with complex situations and a person who I know can tackle it every time. I also really like the settings and imagery of the book. Lizveta and the thorns, Zoya and the dragon, everything at the little palace. This is just generally a very pretty book and I'm so glad I reread it.