Ruin and Rising book review

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha Trilogy #3
Published by Indigo on 19th June 2014
Genres: YA
Pages: 350
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The capital has fallen.

The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.

Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.

Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova's amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling's secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

This will contain spoilers for the first and second books in the series. Please read my reviews for those here and here.

I don’t even have the words to say how disappointed I was with this book and the ending. I think that Ruin and Rising was possibly one of the worst endings to a series EVER!

What I think happened in Ruin and Rising:

• Alina and Mal are underground but still not together.
• They whine constantly.
• Alina has become a weakling once again.
• Oh, look everything’s wonderful again.
• A MASSIVE BATTLE
• A pointless walk
• A MASSIVE BATTLE
• The world’s most awful ending.

To begin with, all of the strength and likeability Alina seemed to gain in Siege and Storm disappeared in Ruin and Rising. She became the indecisive little brat she had always been. It was awful. I just ended up hating her whiny little voice, it sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

The story dragged with a lot of pointless aspects. I thought there could have been a third of the book cut out. I struggled with the big twist concept. It made no sense and there was no context. It was thrown in there as though it was an afterthought. I didn’t really understand why it hadn’t been revealed earlier on. It was a complete letdown. It made half the book pointless and totally long winded.

My favourite character was a draw between the Darkling and Nikolai. They were a consistent joy to read about. They broke up the monotony that was the horrendous relationship between Mal and Alina. That’s another reason why I struggle with the ending – it never should have happened that way.

Least favourite, god I can’t choose. Alina was awful I wanted to scream at her to man the hell up for the entire book. Mal, on the other hand, was pathetic and childish. Not really a change from the rest of the series, so at least he was consistent. It really was a tie between the two of them. They both make themselves look pathetic.

You know what I wished would have happened? Anything but what did. God, I would have taken aliens invading rather than what we got, to be honest.

After this ending. No, I wouldn’t. Not if my life depended on it. It was a waste of my time, and I wish I hadn’t reread it and remained ignorant.

Have you ever read a series that you hated? Which one was it? I would love to know – you know so I can avoid it!