I was unsure of how I intended to rate this after finishing the story, but I settled for 4/5 stars. Going into this directly after finishing the Shadow and Bone trilogy, I am sad to say I was extremely disappointed with the first half of this book. I’m overall satisfied after finishing it, but nothing notable happened within the first 200 pages. However, the beginning of the book does allow us to sail smoothly into the DELICIOUS second half. Where the beginning missed, the rest hit back twice as hard. I adored all of the characters we followed. Between Nikolai and Zoya's witty remarks, Nina's precarious adventures, and Hanne's journey, I couldn't help but love it in the end. I would recommend the Grishaverse books to anyone with a fondness for sarcastic, lovable characters and easy to follow fantasy.
About This Book
Recommended by Holly Black, author of The Cruel Prince.
Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.
Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.
