Siege and Storm is the second book in the Grisha Verse trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been thinking about reading these books for months, and I finally got around to it.
Since this is the second book in a trilogy, there may be spoilers for the first book in this review.
Alina and Mal are on the run from the Darkling. Even though this isn’t exactly the perfect life, they seem to be content. But this temporary respite is not to last. Because they get caught.
The Darkling’s forces now want another amplifier for Alina: Rusalye, a sea creature that inhabits the north. It’s a good thing that Mal happens to be the best tracker out there, because it keeps The Darkling from killing him (that, and the fact that he can use him against Alina). They end up tracking down the sea creature, but then things take an unexpected turn.
Siege and Storm forces Alina to think about who she is and what she wants. She’s the most powerful Grisha ever, and perhaps she is the only person that can stop the Darkling. Unfortunately, as she gains power, Alina wants more of it. Will this thirst for power push her away from Mal? The ambitious prince of Ravka, who is a new character in this book, thinks that because she is so powerful, Alina should be with him. Neither Alina nor Mal want that, do they? It feels as if forces are pushing him away and they are destined to be apart. It made me so sad.
“I have loved you all my life, Mal,” I whispered through my tears. “There is no end to our story.”
p. 416
I did not know the ending to this trilogy prior to reading this book. Quotes like this made me so sad, because I wanted these lifelong friends to end up together and… it didn’t seem like they were meant to be.
I loved this book and read it in two days. I loved these characters, I loved the setting. Funny, there is a minor character named Privyet in the book. Privyet (привет) means “hello” in Russian, so when they called the character that for the first time, I thought they were saying hello instead of saying the character’s name. The plot kept me wanting more, and the book ended with a bang.
Siege and Storm was a great book, and I absolutely love Leigh Bardugo’s writing. I recommend this series to people that like to read fantasy books, especially if you enjoy the whole Russian vibe like I do. I’ve already finished the rest of this series, listened to Six of Crows on audiobook, plan to read the rest of her books, and have pre-ordered her new book (out on October 1st like Rebel and The End and Other Beginnings), Ninth House. Even though I waited far too long to start reading her books, I’m definitely going to keep on reading them as long as she keeps writing.