Romantasy Goddesses discussion
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Shadow and bone - mak and Cristina
message 51:
by
Julia
(new)
Jan 09, 2025 12:30PM
I also totally agree with y’all about Alina’s emotions and her relationships and stuff. Like I almost feel like we’re not getting the whole story? Alina also was so anti social so like how do you expect friends… Like oh there’s this new prophesied sun summoner and look she doesn’t talk to anyone but the darkling and the queens “pet” (not saying i don’t love genya but like, to the other people point of view) I am definitely going to read the tailor now.
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Now that you let me think about it it’s so true! I focused on Mal because he is supposed to be the main male interest, but none of her relationships are really explored. Genya is indeed the only relationship she has that I understand. Regarding Marie and Nadia she says once that she doesn’t really trust them because she thinks that they gossip behind her back, but that’s honestly pretty much it. And she spends MONTHS with them everyday. And the first kiss with the Darkling was so sad. Where did it even come from? Come on. Anyway, I was talking about Saturday because Makayla said she could not read a lot in the next days, but as you have all finished the book I’ll finish it by tomorrow! It’s almost 23:00 here now, so I’ll read it as soon as I go back home from work, and in case I fall asleep I’ll finish it tomorrow morning!
I’m definitely up for reading the second book together anyway! Also, I’m not sure whether the spoiler contained in “The tailor” is actually revealed at the end of shadow and bone or in the first chapters of the second book. I knew it from the show, so I’ll suggest that Julia you wait a little bit more to read that. As soon as I finish this book I’ll tell you if you already know about it or not!
Hey, I finished the book! So, what are your thoughts?
I really liked the book, I think I was expecting more from it though. It felt as if a younger inexperienced writer wrote it which was a little upsetting because I think the show lead me to experience more or somehow put it on high standards. Overall I didn’t hate it tho, definitely not my favorite book and as much as I hate to say this I think I am liking the show more than the book right now but that could still change. I think the book as a good base but could have been worked on a little more. When were you guys planning on starting the next book?
Yes, I totally agree. I’m not a fan of long, super-detailed and useless descriptions, but here I felt that everything was so fast-paced that it left us with some missing pieces. I actually appreciated that the events moved on quite fast, it kept me entertained, but at the same time I feel like it didn’t leave space for the emotional sphere of the characters. As you said, it seems like a good base for a book, but I think it needed a little bit more development. I’m going to start the next book during the weekend, as I started reading something else and I would like to finish that first!
This weekend is perfect timing for me, I started reading quicksilver and would like to finish that first as well. I also highly recommend quicksilver it’s soooo freaking good!!!
I want to read quicksilver so badly, but I have a long queue of books to read already 😂 I have just bought the Cruel Prince trilogy and also the 5 books of Red Queen. And obviously I also have Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows to finish. I should buy the 2 books of Six of Crows anyway, I haven’t bought them yet, but we are almost there!
I’m sorry, I need to share this. I started reading the first chapter of Siege and Storm. 9 pages into the book and Alina is already thinking and complaining about how scrawny she is, how she can not compare to Mal, how she understands that other girls must think she is not beautiful enough…. 9 pages into the book. Just 9. Oh Alina, I really hope you’ll grow some confidence. Please. 🙏🏻
Anyway, how much of the book do you want to read by Sunday night?
9 pages is actually so insane, I really hope she stops complaining like that in this book. I might actually throw the book 😭
Ok for the chapters! I read some reviews though, and some say that they hated Alina in the first book but here she gets better. I’m looking forward to starting to like her 😅
Just finished chapter 4! Getting into chapter 5, but I’ll go to sleep in a few minutes. I have to say, I still don’t love Alina, but I may be starting not to dislike her completely. She hasn’t complained, she hasn’t felt inferior, she tried to stay strong, I saw her emotions towards Mal and felt her fear, she fought back when she could… I mean, good job, Alina. Not bad. I won’t be convinced in just a few pages, but it’s a starting point. It only took an entire book 😂
What’s our next checkpoint? Chapter 10? I should be able to do it by Wednesday evening. What do you say?
Chapter 10 by Wednesday is perfect!! And I agree, Alina is starting to be less annoying and I’m hope it stays that way!! I’m hope more of the strong FMC she is in the show comes out more now.
Ok, I might have got a little bit ahead of myself and finished chapter 10 today. I’ll wait for you before going on, but I have to say I’m very happy that I’m finally starting to be involved in the story so much that I find it difficult to put the book down! Alina is finally accepting her role, even if understandably struggling with some aspects of it, she is becoming stronger, and I’m not only referring to her powers, but to her personality, too. FINALLY, I should add. I’m LOVING that. And I find Sturmhond super interesting as a character. Can’t wait to find out more! Also, I’m enjoying a lot these new dynamics of Alina and Mal’s relationship, I’m finally starting to see and feel their affection, even if I would still be interested in knowing more about their past. Let me know what you think and when you finished chapter 10!
Ok, I kinda finished the book… I’m sorry! I really wanted to wait for you, but I couldn’t put the book down! I was so invested in the story! I will wait for you to start the last book, though. I’m starting Red Queen in the meantime, so that I’ll keep myself busy and won’t be tempted to start it before you 😂 I have A LOT of things to say anyway, so let me know when you’ll finish it!
Your good, I get it 😂 I’ll try to hammer it out as fast as I can. I can probably have it done by this weekend.
I’ll wait for your thoughts then! I’m really curious to hear your opinion on Mal when you finish, as you mentioned before that you like him… I have A LOT to say about him and Alina 🫣
Ok so I finished the book, I literally binged all day and I understand why you couldn’t put it down. I have so many mixed feelings with this books it’s actually not even funny. I HATE THIS BOOKS! Let me clarify I think this book was written and executed well, I have no critics about the author. In the writing alone I think it was much much better than the first book, much more engaging, and has an amazing hook that literally makes it impossible to put down. Now for the reason I hate this book: 1.) Alina: she actually had a backbone for all of like 5 minutes. I even highlighted a quote that made me so proud of her, “Stop it, I chastised myself. You’re not some scared little girl anymore, shaking in her army-issue boots. You’re a Grisha, the Sun Summoner. They need you. And you could bring this whole palace down around them if you wanted to.” But the minute they get back to ravka it literally all goes down hill except this time self-confidence that is lacking but rather a firm moral standing. She is morally fighting herself the whole time, to add onto that she stopped confidential in mal and completely isolated herself which only lead to more of that internal struggle. I did not like who she became when she came to power, she ruled like the darling and I expected better from her. She also still occasionally talked about the darkling like she still was mesmerized by him, like ewwwww!
2.) mal: he need to shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down in this book. I get that he was meant for the army and he gave up on his dreams for Alina and yadayadayada. BUT HE CHOSE TO DO THAT! she didn’t ask him nor did she force him and he knows her and knew that she wouldn’t stop until she was able to tear down the fold and stop the darkling and yet he is continually bitching about how he was want to go back to being commoner and just live a commoner life with Alina. I’m not going to lie, how can he blame her for him not being able to serve with his regiment anymore but then also want to turn his back on his country and take their only saving grace with him. That’s a little self not going to lie. And not very patriotic of him! The proposal scene, dramatic af, mal really pissed me off that entire scene. I prefer the way it was handled in the show. And don’t even get me started on his behavior at the end ignoring her, kissing zoya, walking away from her and constantly being drunk, like come on do better.
As for the other characters nothing really changed, the darkling was relentless as always; Nikolai (I think he might be my new favorite) was amazing, he is compassionate, empathetic, tuff, stubborn, playful, witty, and always know the right thing to say (sometimes hehehe), bagrah (hope I spelt that right) needs to get off her high horse and too sulking in her cabin, and Nikolai’s brother can kiss my ass.
YES, I totally agree, I hated it and loved it at the same time. Dear Leigh knows what she is doing here 😂 Let’s go in order. Characters first. Finally I see some development here!
ALINA
She got stronger, that’s undeniable. Do I like her more? Well, yes, definitely more than in the first book. She is finally accepting the responsibility of her power. She is finally accepting her power itself. She is still not my favorite, but I’m actually intrigued by her new dark side, I think the message here is loud and clear, Bagrha said it quite explicitly at a certain point: power is dangerous and it changes you. I can see that, it’s definitely taking a toll on her. As you said, she is kinda going towards the direction of ruling as the Darkling. BUT I can finally see and feel her inner battle here: the power is pushing her towards the darker side, but she is still trying to be true to herself. I loved the scene in which she almost killed Sergei and then redirected the Cut at the last moment. She is struggling and I’m loving that.
MAL
At this point he is just being a jerk, come on. I loved how we could see his relationship with Alina better. They actually talk and have entire conversations in this book, amazing 😂 BUT YES, he knew he wouldn’t have liked it, yet he accepted to go with her to the Little Palace. At this point it was his decision, he can not be insufferable about it this much. Not with Alina. I understand the reasons why he is feeling out of place, caged and so on, I really do, but he made his own decision, nobody forced him, and I don’t understand why he has to lash out on Alina. It was not her fault! Also, let’s talk about the fact that the downfall of it all was because she stiffened during a kiss. I mean, that’s for sure number 1 reason for divorce in the world. 🤦🏻♀️ And he didn’t even let her explain! On the other hand, I want to say that Alina could have told him about the Darkling sooner, but I actually get her reasons not to. She knew that she was changing, she was afraid of that, she knew that Mal didn’t like it and she didn’t feel comfortable in telling him that she was even more different than before than he thought. I can understand that. And I also think it’s such a terrible thing in a relationship! Finally accepting yourself and who you are but thinking that your partner doesn’t do the same. I mean… ouch. Mal wants a commoner, but Alina is not a commoner. It’s as simple as that. Hopefully Mal realized that towards the end of the book and understood that he loved her anyway, which is why he saved her in the end. Let’s see how it goes on from here!
NIKOLAI
I’m literally in love with him. He carried this entire book on his shoulders. I love him. Nothing more to say 😂
DARKLING
Same old, same old. He didn’t get a lot of screen time in this book, so he really didn’t give me anything new. I would really like to explore his relationship with Alina though. I honestly don’t understand why Alina is still so pulled towards him. I get that in the first book she was fascinated by his power, his promises and his lies (and let’s be real, also by him being hot af). But why on earth is she still attracted to him? No, wait. “Attracted” is the wrong word I think. She is just pulled towards him. Is it because of their complementary powers? Is it because he infected her through the bite of the shadow monsters? How can she see him?? I need to know more!!
TOLYA AND TAMAR
I like them a lot. Can’t wait to see what they will do next!
VASILY
He is just so stupid and arrogant. I’ve never felt more in sync with Alina than when she said she wanted to punch him. I smiled when he was torn apart. Does that make me a bad person? Probably. Do I regret that? Not at all, I’m still smiling just thinking about it 😂
Let me talk about the plot now. Again, I loved it and I hated it. Soooo many things happened! At a certain point I was literally hooked, I couldn’t put the book down. BUT at the same time I feel like we just went around in circles: the book ended exactly at the same point where it started. Alina running away from the Darkling with Mal. And she is still as week as she was when the book started, probably even more without her powers. I don’t know. Did I love it? Did I hate it? I’m confused. I think it’s crystal clear that this book is the second one of a trilogy: everything happens and nothing happens at the same time. All the pieces were moved in the right place for the grand finale. There is no need to say that now I have high hopes for the last book!
When would you like to start Ruin and Rising anyway? I know that you are reading Kingdom of the Feared right now and yesterday I started Red Queen, so I would be fine both with starting it straight away and starting it during the weekend. You tell me!
I entirely forgot to comment on toyla and Tamar but I agree with you, I love them although they surprised me. I was not expecting them to come with the army the apparat put together. I would say let’s start this weekend, since we are both reading another book and we can start rise and ruin this weekend.
Hey, I’m almost finished with Red Queen, I think I’m going to start Ruin and Rising tomorrow. Let me know where you are at and I’ll catch up with you!
I am starting tn, I will let you know where I stop.
I read to chapter 4 before I feel asleep last night.
Heyyyy, just wondering where your at? I haven’t read past chapter 4 yet I have been engrossed in another book. But let me know if I need to catch up to you!
Hey, I got to chapter 3 yesterday before falling asleep! Almost there! Today I will catch up with you!
Hey, I’m moving forward to chapter 10 I think today. But let’s talk about the first four chapters first. I’m a bit confused. 3 months have passed, right? So why does Alina suddenly seem like a different person to me? I don’t know, maybe it’s because she spent a lot of time alone and had time to think, but now we find entire paragraphs about what she is thinking? Don’t get me wrong, I love that, I’ve been waiting for it since book 1, it just seems so sudden to me, like she got years of growth and experience in just 3 months. But hey, I’m all for character development, so let’s see if she is actually all grown up and more mature! What do you think?
What I mean is that, for example, her move on the Darkling was smart. For once she seems like the one hunting him, the one who has the power. She finally understood, as she said, that “my isolation had nearly destroyed me… I had hungered for the sense of belonging I’d been chasing my whole life. I had buried that need… now I would think of who and what would make me strong enough for this fight”. Like, where did she get all this resolve? I don’t recall her being like this at the end of the last book. But again, I’m happy that these 3 months in the White Chapel did this to her: she is finally in the right state of mind to win the war!
Ok, I have to catch up a bit. I plan to be at chapter 15 tomorrow does that sound good?
Perfect! Also, let me know if I just came up with these “3 months” I was talking about but in reality it was actually more time, because at a certain point Nikolai mentions the fact that he has spent 2 years stockpiling coal, so now I am confused and I can’t find the point where I thought 3 months had passed 😂 maybe it only means that he started accumulating it when he was Sturmhond, so before the events of Siege and Storm 🤔
Ok, I’m sorry, I know you like Mal, I know that they will probably end up together, but I kind of want Nikolai and Alina to be together 🫣 He is just so… refreshing (I’m about to start chapter 11)
Of course I start cheering for Alina and Nikolai and literally 2 pages later THAT happens 🤦🏻♀️😂
Ok I truly apologize, I had a bit of a family emergency and haven’t been able to read. I am at chapter 7 right now, let me know where you’re at. Pertaining to the first 4 chapters, I agree that Alina seems to have more resolve and at first I was also confused. I think I even highlighted something and added a note that said ‘who is this?!?’ lol. I am assuming that the end of the second book was supposed to be the “climax” of her character development where she realized that their bond is a two way street, so if he can control her through the bond then she can do the same to him. I also think we get to see a little bit of that by the way she went to him through the bond how he had been going to her.
I also didn’t come across any reference of 3 months lol
Hey, no worries! Hope your family is fine now! I’m still reading chapter 11, I can’t get over what happened. You’ll see 😂 tomorrow I have a busy day, I think I’ll be able to finish chapter 15 by Wednesday evening if that’s fine by you!
Chapter 15 by Wednesday will work, and I usually don’t comment mid chapter but I was actually further behind than I thought so I just read chapter 6 and I’m like halfway through chapter 7 and like actually wtf. 1.) THE KING AND HIS AUDACITY!!! and it lowkey broke my heart that Nikolai is still going to make her go to trial after the war (even if he didn’t mean it or it never happens) like ooohhhh that whole situation pisses me off cause she put the poison on HER body, for him to stop being poisoned all he had to do was stop touching her. 2.) I love Nikolai so much aside from the genya situation, I love him so much and I think I might be more team Nikolai at this point after mal’s downfall in book two but then mal and Alina have like little moments that make me hopeful and then she just shuts him down even tho she knows she loves him which pisses me off. Sorry I really needed to rant.
Ok just started chapter 11 and wtf how the hell did the darkling find them AGAIN!?!?!? Like actually wtf
Oh my god I spoke wayyyyyy too soon. I’m actually crying a little bit. I don’t think I can forgive the author for doing that to Nikolai, I don’t even know if I want or can finish the book after that, I really really wanted endgame to be Alina and Nikolai. The darkling never deserved her and mal (tho I like him and I know her cares a lot for Alina) he holds her back and try’s to contain her, he doesn’t appreciate what she is fighting for and the author has given no reason for me to think otherwise. He doesn’t share the sentiment of wanting to help and save ravka he just wants to live a common life with Alina but she is meant for bigger greater things and mal only sticks around and fights for ravka and the cause because of her for her. It’s not the same. Nikolai shared her belief in the cause to help and save ravka, and he was such a likable character he was witty and funny and strong, dependable, patient, and just an overall amazing character. If they don’t figure out a way to change him back I will be rating this book a one cause that was just disrespectful lmfao 😂
YES FINALLY!! I was dying here waiting for you to be at that point!! 😂 Do you get now why I have been on a reading break since Saturday night when I read that part?? I was just so upset!! I still am! I just can’t wrap my head around that!! What the hell?? They almost kissed and then THAT happened? Way to break my heart!! I know that there’s a duology on Nikolai set 9 years after the events of Ruin and Rising, so I suppose he somehow gets back to normal, but that doesn’t make it better!! 😭
I have to start working now, I’ll tell you what I think about Mal later. Also, I’m mentally ready to start reading again, I’ll be finished with chapter 15 by tomorrow!
9 years later is sooooo long omg, but yes I 100% understand. Idk how the author can just toy with our feelings like that. I’m reading chapter 13 rn so I will probably be to chapter 15 today but I will way till tomorrow or the next day to go any farther.
Heyy, just checking to see where you’re at in the book.
Hey, I’m so sorry!! I’ve had a bit of a problem with my university’s payment and I have spent the last days going around to different departments to try and solve the issue. Now it’s finally fixed though 🎉🙏🏻 I suppose you have finished the book by now, I have a couple of chapters left, but I’ll catch up by Wednesday evening, so that we can discuss it!! Also, I have bought six of crows and the crooked kingdom because I definitely want to read those, too! However, I was unsure whether to start them immediately after this book or to take a break from the grishaverse and reading something else first -I still have the “Red Queen” saga to finish -… what are your thoughts?
I actually have not read the book at all since Feb 4 😭😭, I as well have had a hard time picking it back up again after the Nikolai things. But I have read 4 books since then so I think I am ready to pick it back up again. I’m probably not going to be able to finish it tn but I will def have it done by tomorrow night so Thursday we can discuss. As for the six of crows and the crooked kingdom, I have both books as well. I would love to buddy read them with you if you would like but maybe after a little bit. You finish the red queen and I will probably try to finish the 3 other series I am in the middle of lmfao.
