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Ruin and Rising (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #3)

Leigh Bardugo

Start date: July 13, 2015

Finish date: July 19, 2015

Discussion: Ruin and Rising

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Ruin and Rising

Sun 7/19 | Pg. 364-END (Ch. 17-After)
By Shannon · 2 posts · 9 views

last updated Jul 19, 2015 12:54AM

Sat 7/18 | Pg. 297-363 (Ch. 14-16)
By Shannon · 2 posts · 8 views

last updated Jul 18, 2015 10:28AM

What Members Thought

Jun 08, 2015 Justine Wach rated it really liked it · review of another edition

'Ana Kuya used to tell me that hope is tricky like water. Somehow it always found a way in.'

'He was ancient, I knew that. But in this moment he was just a boy - brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.'

'Sankta, they cried. Sankta Alina.

My eyes burned with the smoke. The smell was sickly sweet.

No one know his name to curse or extol, so I spoke it softly, beneath my breath.

"Aleksander.," I whispered. A boy's name, given up. Almost forgotten.'

Full review coming soon. ...more

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Jan 27, 2017 Chelsea rated it liked it · review of another edition

Rating- 2.5

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Sep 21, 2015 Emily Russo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

*4.5 stars*

Okay, I need to write a review for this before my emotions subside.

Woah. What a ride this series was. I truly did not expect to become so attached to these characters or so invested in this series, but here I am, just sitting in my room, ruminating over the fact that I'm not a Grisha living in Ravka, but a lowly teenage who should probably be doing her assignments. Although I can admit that Ruin and Rising wasn't my favourite book in this trilogy (obviously Siege and Storm is), I can *4.5 stars*

Okay, I need to write a review for this before my emotions subside.

Woah. What a ride this series was. I truly did not expect to become so attached to these characters or so invested in this series, but here I am, just sitting in my room, ruminating over the fact that I'm not a Grisha living in Ravka, but a lowly teenage who should probably be doing her assignments. Although I can admit that Ruin and Rising wasn't my favourite book in this trilogy (obviously Siege and Storm is), I can whole-heartedly say that I still enjoyed every single aspect of this book. Sure, there were parts in the middle that had to be dragged through to get the more meaty, action parts, but every single line on every page held relevance to the overall conclusion of this trilogy, and I commend Leigh Bardugo for that. I've noticed too that with every book in this trilogy, her writing style has developed beyond belief. There were so many times whilst reading R&R where I'd have to backtrack and re-read certain lines over and over again because I hadn't got the full effect the first time around. And can we just talk about those last 5 pages? That's some of the most beautiful writing I've ever read before, and I'm going to be thinking about that last line in particular for a very long time, let me just tell you that right now. I turned the last page in this book feeling so satisfied with how it all wrapped up (even though it didn't end exactly how I'd wanted it to, I can completely support and understand why Leigh Bardugo wrote it that way. It's logical, and makes complete sense to me).

I know a lot of people out there were devastated with the ending of this book, and I could see it coming from a long way away, but I wasn't as heart-broken or as disappointed as I thought I'd be. In fact, I was almost brought to tears (multiple times that is).

In just 3 books, Leigh Bardugo's managed to do what so little authors are able to accomplish. She's built and developed an equally strong cast of characters, alongside a captivating and magical universe. She's given her character's life and personality, treated every single one of them as though they deserve their own ending. I didn't finish R&R panicked at the thought that one of my beloved new characters was left stranded or had a story arc unresolved. Leigh Bardugo wrapped it all up seamlessly, and combined with her writing style, it didn't feel like I was saying goodbye to any of them. I was just seeing them off on another journey, on the next part of their grand adventures in life. And I love that feeling. There's nothing more that an author can do than to leave you at the end of a story feeling like the characters you've grown to love have moulded a solid path. You know where they're headed and what they're up against next, and although there might not be anything in novel form to let you know how everything happens, you're comforted by the fact that now you trust these characters, and trust their ability, to overcome it. Anything that happens beyond that last page is their next great adventure.

I can now say that this trilogy has made it to my Favourite Series list. I'll never forget the orphaned boy and girl, abandoned by everyone but found by each other, who have given me so much faith in the world. I won't forget the too-clever fox, who's charming personality could flatter the wind, or the raven-haired Squaller who's feiry temper and gracious looks made her one of the best secondary characters I've read in a long time. I won't forget the ever-working, engineering man and the scarred woman, the level-headed yet dedicated twins, the loving little boys we became attached to, the losses and the gains, or the young, beautiful boy who's lust for power and knowledge started it all.

What is infinite? The universe, and the greed of men.

emilyp0tter
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