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

 Ruin and Rising

(The Shadow and Bone Trilogy #3)

By Leigh Bardugo

My Rating: 4

Genre: YA, Fantasy

Finished on: 8th Dec, 2020

Okay, so finally done with the trilogy!

Like any other series/duologies/trilogies, even for this one by the end of this book I must say I got attached to the characters.

The moment I was done I had to open Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom and see where all the characters of this trilogies were mentioned. I could only clearly recall Genya, Zoya and Sturmhond (aka Nikolai 😉  ) as they came as part of Grisha Triumvirate (David excluded), and I also could recall Alina was "mentioned" in the book, but I couldn't remember the context at all 😂

And good for me! As there was a tiny bit of spoiler present, which wass a significant one, which would have set my gears running since the beginning had I proudly registered that in my mind. 

Glad I didn't. :P

So let's get to the story first, then I'll come up with some of my reactions when I DID read where those some of the characters were mentioned. (And which my brain thankfully had forgotten)

_____________________

So it's been two months since the battle. Alina was still recovering from it. But with the Apparet's creepy behaviour with her, every day the White Cathedral felt more like a prison than a refuge to her and her mates. She was even refused to meet them!

She couldn't summon the light, and with lack of doing so, combined with the after effects of the battle, it left her too weak.

But something had replaced her power. Instead of summoning light, she can summon "shadows". Nope, not like the Darkling, more like the shadows on the wall, which come when a "light" falls upon the object. The only difference being there was no light here, but simply shadows. And she can't do much with them, only make them dance or something.

She has been wondering though, what does this mean? Has her power changed? Or been manipulated? Can she even summon light anymore now? She wouldn't know. As she's deep underground.

Whether she has lost the ability to summon, or it's the lack of source of sunlight to reach her for her to summon, nobody can tell. 

But her mates didn't just sit and waited to find that out. They legit executed a plan for that. David had been showing some nervousness since the beginning, Alina suspected something was up, but not this. Initially they planned a trap for themselves, making Apparat believe they mean Alina harm, and when Apparet marched to where Alina was, claiming how her friends are trying to betray her, they set the plan to action.

Using David and Genya's Fabrikator skills, they exploded the roof (also making sure it doesn't fall on them), and then Alina understood what they had been trying all along.

When she calls upon the light. It comes to her.

She can summon again :')

And when she did, her lethargic face transformed, and her glow when she uses the power was returning. She felt stronger than she did the entire 2 months.

She comes to know it was Mal's idea. She was moved.

We are talking about the same Mal who didn't quite like the idea that Alina is a Grisha. Didn't like the way she has been trying to be more powerful by claiming the amplifiers. The same Mal.

And he planned all this justtt so she could summon again.

“How did you know I’d be able to summon?” I asked under my breath.‌

‌He glanced at me, and a faint grin touched his lips. “Faith.”

Alina had lost all of hopes of summoning again, but Mal didn't :')

(Okay let's move on before I go more touchy on this)

So now that Alina is in power again, she takes the control over everyone at the Cathedral. Forms a team and its decided that they will go above ground as there's no point staying and waiting underground while not knowing what the Darkling might be planning above ground. 

There's also Firebird to find. And also Nikolai. Don't we?

Apparat naturally tries to stop, but her threats let's him know she's not to be messed with. As with her power back, she can use the cut, you know?

Although the night before they were set to leave, Alina being the idiot she is, misses Darkling. And in the attempt of doing so, discovers something in her power which she realised wasn't there before. The connection, which now she can use to reach Darkling, the same way he tried reaching her.

She does and naturally catches him off guard. As he didn't expect Alina could do the same.

But apart from that, Darkling is heartbroken. Naturally because Alina refused to take his side.

He still tries convincing her.

“You might make me a better man.”

‌“And you might make me a monster."

Duh uh. Not sure why the Darkling doesn't get the point.

Why is he acting this way? Is he in love with her or something?

But she breaks the connection before they have anymore talk. What is she even doing? *facepalm*

Anyway. So they finally begin their journey above ground. 

They need to find the Firebird, but before that they planned to find Nikolai first. They travel, and travel. Until we cross 29% of the book where Nikolai is finallyyyy back <3

It wasn't just me, Alina felt the same way. Because Nikolai, just with his presence, gives out the vibe that things will get better soon.

From miles beneath the earth to miles above. I could scarcely believe any of it, that Nikolai had found us, that he was safe, that we were all here. A tide of relief washed over me, making my eyes fill.

I’d missed him. The way he talked. The way he attacked a problem. The way he brought hope with him wherever he went. For the first time in months, I felt the knot in my chest ease.

I Missed him too. <3

Really. <3

So he takes them to the place where he had been residing all along. No wonder the Darkling couldn't find him yet, because he didn't just camp anywhere, he was staying inside a flipping "mountain" xD

Yep, you heard me right.

Whatever mountain he had been residing inside is hollow inside, so that's where they will be living.

In this place he even shows them the ships he has at his disposal.

cargo barge like the Pelican, the sleek Kingfisher, and a similar vessel that bore the name Bittern.

And Alina agrees with me too.

It was hard not to compare it to the damp, cloistered caverns of the White Cathedral. Everything here was bursting with life and hope. It all bore Nikolai’s stamp. 

And nottt forgetting the very sassy behaviour of Nikolai we all love! <3

So once they got nicely settled at the place, the first thing Alina wanted was to see Baghra. She didn't change one bit, just like back at the Little Palace, even here she kept her room very warm. She chose her room downstairs where it would be warm.

The young kid was there too.

Though Baghra wouldn't admit, she was glad to see Alina. Albeit disappointed that she failed to defeat her son again.

Alina comes to know Nikolai is aware who Baghra really is.

Anyway, this is Nikolai we are talking about.

He manages to know everything :P

So naturally Alina skips to the important part, she wants to know about Morozova's amplifiers. She wants to know any information she can gather which will help her find the third amplifier. She couldn't know much as she was interrupted by Mal, but before that Baghra tells her something, something which is little insignificant now but significant enough to give a second thought about later.

Baghra says, "I would have liked to see his stag."

I would have liked to see his stag.

Why, why?

Why??

You'll find out soon enough.

Now why did Mal interrupt Alina? They were hiding Genya's identity from Nikolai and his parents as she had 'sort of' committed treason by poisoning the King and siding with Darkling. But someone (and here that someone is Sergei) let slip her name and now king wants her to get executed.

Genya, being the brave Genya she has turned into now, stands her ground and boldly confesses she doesn't regret any of it. And she also admits that she didn't poison him, but actually poisoned her skin.

And how did it affect the King, you ask? You can guess why.

And this is the part where my respect for Nikolai increases thousandfold. Genya tells in front of everyone that she has been raped, and the very same act slowly led to king being poisoned.

"But she's just a servant!", Is what Nikolai's parents claim.

And here's what Nikolai does.

Initially he was little disappointed with Alina as had he known about Genya's identity before, maybe this situation would have been better dealt with. But now that he heard what had happened to her, he says that Genya will be punished accordingly for committing act of treason once this war is over AND his father will be signing a letter to resign from his position and giving the throne to Nikolai and leave from this place, all in one day, and if not, his father will have to stand trial for raping Genya.

Yeepp, you heard it right.

Nikolai's parents were horrified.

"But she's just a servant!"

Nikolai has only one answer. "One day", he says.

And what happens? Nikolai's father signs that letter and leaves.

And Nikolai is now King Nikolai.

Aaahh, can he get any better? He stood up to his own father, The King! Well, now the ex-king but still. 

There's another best part related to this scene, we know that David has started showing his feelings for Genya AFTER she has returned from Darkling right, yeah?

After listening to her confession now, he doesn't deter one bit, in fact he explains to her now WHY he has feelings for her in the first place.

“I … I don’t understand half of what goes on around me. I don’t get jokes or sunsets or poetry, but I know metal.” His fingers flexed unconsciously as if he were physically grasping for words. “Beauty was your armor. Fragile stuff, all show. But what’s inside you? That’s steel. It’s brave and unbreakable. And it doesn’t need fixing.” He drew in a deep breath then awkwardly stepped forward. He took her face in his hands and kissed her.

If THAT didn't move you, I don't know what even will.

Somebody give me tissues now.

So after all that Mal and Alina have a moment. And Mal has been super sweet to her.

During Nikolai's entry in this book, they were actually ambushed by some of men working to impress Darkling. And Mal would have been almost killed had Alina not used the cut on one man.

So Mal reminds her now, how that was brave of her when she's not used to killing at all.

Alina tells him, how she feels great and powerful whenever she uses her power. And Mal should be scared of her.

But he's not.

He tells her how there was a time he wanted to walk away from Ravka, walk away from her, because he thought this land was a lost cause anyway.

But then at the Cathedral he saw her. And he just couldn't see that anymore.

He wants her to have that power. He want her to defeat Darkling. And he wants her to be Nikolai's Queen, as he knows Nikolai will anyway be a good king now, but with her by his side, he will be a great one.

Alina asks him, all that is okay but what do YOU reallyyy want?

Pay attention to this people.

Mal first asks her not ask him that question and instead tell him goodnight, as she would not want to hear his answer.

She doesn't do that.

Mal then gives his answer. 

He says he wants to give up everything right now and just be with her and love her. He can't give her the title, or an army, but he can only give her the love he has for her.

And, how does Alina respond?

She tells him  goodnight.

I mean, yes with war and all giving up everything is ridiculous but Mal has been so sweet to her right now and she tells him goodnight?

She doesn't deserve him! :(

Let's not stop praising Mal here.

Now that Baghra is around, she decides to continue teaching Alina how to use her power really well. So in this one task, she wanted to cut Alina to freaking cut down a mountain in front of her.

Yes, a mountain.

Initially she couldn't do it.

People stood and watched, they laughed. They even started making bets whether they think she can successfully do it or not.

But Mal? He makes a bet telling he believes she will cut the mountain which is present behind the one she's actually aiming for.

What is he doing?! Is he trying to humiliate Alina in any way?

When Alina looks at him, he has this challenging look in his eyes. The same look he had back in Keramzim when he challenged her to do stupid stuff, which she actually ended up doing.

And during this round Baghra gives her one advice.

Stop channeling the light in the direction you want it to go with whatever intensity you want to apply, you BE the light.

That's it.

And that's what she does.

While performing the cut, she channels herself in the light and directs herself at the location of mountain behind and whoop, cuts it in half.

She does it.

Everyone whoops and claps and rejoice at what she had just done and accomplished, but Mal?

He simply acknowledges as he knows what she was capable of and she has shown it.

You see? That's why he's a genius. He brings out the best in her. ❣️

I really don't understand why everyone hated on him in the second book. But for me, Mal has always had best interest at heart for Alina since the start.

So the story goes on. So we know that it's not just Mal who's the main male protagonist here. 

There's Nikolai and Darkling too.

Nikolai and Alina have a chat. And in that he presents Lantsov Emerald ring to her. The usual cliche stuff where the legacy old jewelry gets handed over to the generation's bride. 

Alina is moved.

Nikolai knows it's still uncertain whether Alina would want to be his Queen or not, but he still wants her to have it. 

And there's Darkling. If Alina wasn't stupid enough once, she wants to be stupid again. She uses the connection between her and Darkling and finds him again. In this trip, she comes to know one detail about Darkling.

She comes to know his real name.

Aleksander

Darkling was trying to convince her again to take his side. By telling her his real name he wanted her to realise that he was once in a same position as her. He had a normal life too.

But he's immortal.

Everyone around him passed away, he remained with his power.

Nobody remembers him by his name anymore.

Only the Darkling remained. He wanted her to realise in a same way, Alina won't be remembered too. Only the Sun Summoner would remain.

But thankfully Alina has some sense and she still rejects him. And in his anger, Darkling reveals to her his next plan.

He tells her that with the help of some notes which David left behind, he has a way to enter into fold without necessarily needing her. And with that, he is going to march and attack West Ravka.

David is questioned regarding this. What notes has he left and how will they help the Darkling? Initially he's very confused but then the realisation hits him. It's the plan of fire lamp which was just a prototype back then. A backup plan to help in the fold in case Alina's power doesn't work. This, he had been working with Nikolai.

But Darkling's men were a step ahead and made it work.

And now he'll be marching to West Ravka to destroy it.

They asked her, Alina, how does she know about all of this? She doesn't reveal the source, turns and heads in the other direction.

She asks Nikolai to evacuate and warn West Ravka about this. Meanwhile she's going to get some answers.

Answers from Baghra.

During their last talk, Baghra had mentioned something "I would have liked to see his stag"

What did she mean by it? Did she know Morozova personally? If yes, how?

Alina was close enough. And we come to know a shocking revelation through her story.

Baghra didn't just know him personally, Baghra turned out to be Morozova's daughter.

Yep, you heard me right.

And this was her story.

Morozova, like David mentioned, was a very powerful Fabrikator back then. With the result of his experiments comes Baghra, his daughter, with a very unusual power. They kept her power secret, because who summons Darkness? Who summons a shadow?

Her mother didn't like her existence, called her abomination.

Then comes another daughter, Baghra's sister, who is a very normal child. She got the love and affection from Baghra's mother, which she never could have.

But the happy days won't last long. One day Baghra's sister broke some toy which Baghra deeply cherished, and in her anger (which she absolutely couldn't control) she used the cut on her own sister, and slit her in half.

Her sister was no more.

She stood frozen, her mother screamed and moaned, and Morozova wanted to make this right. He tries something with which he believed his daughter would be back. And she was back, just not in a same way. She was merely a puppet, frozen shell where there was no life inside.

It didn't take long for the news to spread, and people thought Morozova is a cursed man and should be banished. Resurrection shouldn't be possible by a man. They tie him and throw him into river.

And Baghra never saw him again.

This story was the most interesting part in the book, trust me.

But what happened to Morozova, did he really die?

Baghra didn't think so. She was the most powerful Fabrikator back then. A mere chain can't tie him up forever. There's a good chance he lived. But Baghra never saw him again.

We also come to know Morozova had made two amplifiers until that point, but what happened after that is not known.

Whether her sister survived or not isn't known.

And that's why she is not even sure if the 3rd amplifier even exists or not, but if Morozova survived that, he will not leave things unattended. He would have made the 3rd amplifier as well.

As it was said earlier, leaving it unfinished wasn't his way.

This information was too much for Alina. And her mind didn't stop creating the possibilities either. 

Even Alina is different. She can summon light, when no one can?

What if her sister survived as well? And what if her sister had this power which got passed down to Alina?

What if she WAS related to Baghra's sister?!

Wow. 🤯

And this way it would make her cousin of Darkling. Well, sort of.

But seriously, wow.

But anyway, with this information Alina still will not be giving up on the third amplifier. She asks everyone to gear up as they'll be leaving soon.

Another touchy moment happens. Mal has been such an important person in their journey, Nikolai offers him a favour. When all this is over, he can get whatever he wants. Even a pardon (since he kinda betrayed the king too by being a deserter)

And what does Mal reply?

“I don’t need any of that. Just…” He dropped Nikolai’s hand and looked away. “Deserve her.”

Deserve her.

My heartt. <3

I respect Mal so much. Really. :(

From here things take another turn. While they were about to leave, Darkling gives them a surprise by turning up. Now, how does he come to know about this location? Sergei gives it away. And also ends up losing his life too after that.

Naturally the shadow monsters have come and the middle-of-the-book battle begins.

They were all surprised. Alina tries to help as much as she can, but there are just too many. Nikolai comes and Darkling doesn't leave the opportunity to attack him. He doesn't as such attack but turns  Nikolai turns into a.. sort of shadow creature. A creature which should want to hurt the others. Hunt the others.

Nikolai growls and looks at Alina. But resists his urge to attack and flies away.

(Nikolai :c  )

Now since the odds were mostly on Darkling's favour, there wasn't much they could do to win. But then comes Baghra.

And in her presence, all the shadow monsters stand halt. They don't move. Darkling wants her to go back inside as they won't harm her.

But Baghra simply turns in Alina's direction and tells,

"Girl. Don't fail me again."

Darkling (and we) think she wants Alina to put up a good fight now and make Baghra proud. But a realisation hits Alina, that Baghra never asked her to fight. She always asked her to run.

Before Alina could do anything, Baghra falls over the cliff she was standing, and with her, all the shadow monsters and Darkling go after her to save her.

Alina is shocked, but Mal breaks the reverie and then they all run.

Run, Baghra had told me again and again. And now I did.

Baghra :(

This was not the only sacrifice. Near the point where their boats were parked, Alina's men were fighting against Darkling's men.

And not all of them can aboard the ships without ending up getting the others killed. So one fine soldier, Nevsky, sacrifices himself and asks them to quickly escape without him as he fights with the other men stopping them.

And they do :(

Nevsky  :(

From here on, their definite journey begins. To find the Firebird.

Alina has been imagining how the moment will be, when Mal will find the bird for her and she'll slay it to claim it.

But then her own thoughts upset her. Her talking about killing a bird to claim the power which no one has had.

But I missed the girl who had shown the stag mercy, who had been strong enough to turn away from the lure of power, who had believed in something more. Another casualty of this war.

She missed the girl. I did too.

And Mal again justifies why he is going beyond everything for her to claim the amplifier.

“And I’ll keep marching because the firebird is all I can give you. No money. No army. No mountaintop stronghold.” He shouldered his pack. “This is all I have to offer. The same old trick.”

As they traveled, the Bird Nikolai had been following them too. At one point, he almost forgot who he was and almost attacked Alina. But then she brings forward the ring. The emerald ring which Nikolai gave her earlier. He stops, he recognizes it, but it seems like he can't put a finger on what it might mean to him exactly.

And simply that, it makes him think he should postpone his attack and fly away.

Alina even tries, to use her power to heal him, it almost works, but then he's back to his original shape again.

Every second Nikolai stays in that form makes Alina feel miserable about it. Nikolai has always been the one who knows how to deal with one situation, and looking at him in this form, where he cannot even help himself, is disheartening.

Mal finds Alina. And she confesses to seeing Nikolai and knowing he has been following them till this time. He gets defensive, but Alina assures that he would not have led Darkling to this place. At least she's sure about one thing, no matter how Darkling is, he would want some time to mourn Baghra, his mother.

Oh Baghra :(

Since it was night anyway, they decide to rest before proceeding in the morning. They were having a bonfire evening. Despite what all happened, they wanted to make the situation lighter. Adrik, Nadia's younger brother lost a hand in the battle they had before leaving the place, and despite that he was putting up a very brave face. That kiddo <3

The topic shifted and in between they discussed how Mal feels for Alina.

“He watches her the way Harshaw watches fire. Like he’ll never have enough of her. Like he’s trying to capture what he can before she’s gone.”

🥺

Okay, let's move on.

So we are getting closer to the moment where they finally find the firebird. But, it wasn't what anyone thought it would be.

Initially, with the help of Mal, they get closer to the place where the firebird should have resided. But, there wasn't anything there. No eggs, no nest, as if there never was any firebird in the first place.

The others started feeling quite dejected, so is that it? No firebird? No 3rd and final amplifier which will help us defeat the Darkling?

All this for nothing?

Even Alina wasn't sure, did Morozova really create the amplifier? Where could it be?

Of all the people, it was Mal who didn't want to give up. He suggested we rest, before continuing to look further.

Call it a hunch, but while wandering Alina goes to a place, a place where she thinks she heard the firebird.

She runs and goes but still finds nothing.

Up until she hears it again. There it was, right above, spreading its large wings..

The firebird

The Firebird.

The Third amplifier.

The weapon to defeat the Darkling!

But before Alina could call the others to help her slay the firebird, it looked like the firebird didn't want Alina to live in the first place. As it flew down, approaching her, and forcing her to back away at the edge of the cliff. While she's backing away, and inevitably slips.... Mal comes to the rescue. 

Is it even possible for the main protagonist to slip and die at this part of the book?

“I’ve got you,” he repeated, his blue eyes blazing. His fingertips closed around my wrist.

"I've got you."

But, let me give you a heads up.

This is the moment, we get to know one of the most important information of the entire trilogy.

While Mal is pulling Alina up, while their arms connect, they feel something.

Some energy. A burst of energy. Something which they have felt before but couldn't put a finger on what it could mean.

And this energy opens a door for Alina, with which she can feel her power wanting to burst through.

Why? Why is she feeling this?

What is the meaning of this?

Trust me, my mind was slow to comprehend what has been happening، but Alina's and Mal's was not.

They understood, and they wished they didn't.

Whyyy?

And once this happens, even the firebird is now totally harmless to Alina. The firebird simply flies away, leaving both Alina and Mal to take a moment to digest what they just learnt.

The others come, as they must have probably heard the firebird. And with them, even we learn what Alina and Mal have just realised.

The Firebird is not the third amplifier.

The firebird never was.

*Drum rolls*

It's Mal.

It had taken more than the Small Science to save Morozova’s other daughter. It had taken merzost, resurrection. I’d been wrong too. Baghra’s sister hadn’t been Grisha. She’d been otkazat’sya after all.

While performing resurrection, which is no ordinary science, that's when Morozova had unknowingly created his own third amplifier. Through Baghra's sister. And Alina is not the descendant of Baghra's sister like she has been assuming all this time.

Mal is.

Let's take a moment to also realise that it makes Mal and Darkling cousins. Cousins, can you believe it?!

And little did Baghra realize her nephew had been around her for so long. She didn't even to personally connect to him. 😞

Anyway.

The first time I’d used my power had been when Mal lay dying in my arms. We’d searched for the stag for weeks, but we’d found it after our first kiss. When the sea whip had revealed itself, I’d been standing in the circle of his arms, close to him for the first time since we’d been forced aboard the Darkling’s ship. The amplifiers wanted to be brought together.

And that was possible because of Mal.

And this is no small revelation. This clearly means in order for Alina to be super powerful enough to defeat the Darkling, she'd have to give up on Mal. She would have to lose Mal.

And Mal was completely okay with it.

Remember me telling how he's willing to give anything to her since he believe he believes he's so ordinary that he can't give her much?

Let's recall.

“And I’ll keep marching because the firebird is all I can give you. No money. No army. No mountaintop stronghold.” He shouldered his pack. “This is all I have to offer. The same old trick.”

And now. He gets to give his life.

Initially Alina completely rejected the idea of losing him to claim the amplifier's power. But later when they returned and found out Darkling has taken the children hostage and killed the professors who were staying with them, all just to lure Alina sooner into his trap, she starts contemplating her choices.

They have to get to Darkling sooner than they planned. But now since the idea of claiming the amplifier has been dropped, what are their chances of surviving in the fold now?

I know I've been praising Mal this entire book review, let's focus that to David for a moment now.

Being the genius he is, he gives Alina the idea of using her power in a very different way to survive on fold. Since she can summon light, she should also be able to mold it.

And mold it such that the light travels around them and never over them.

Hence, rendering them invisible. 

Genius, isn't he? 😏

But that will require lots of last minute practise and there's always room for things to go wrong.

They had a backup though, to make use of the fire lamps which even the Darkling is making use of.

This will be just enough for them to escape the fold. Not stick with it and fight with the Darkling.

Using those fire lamps is basically screaming mission abort.

But thinking of the children under Darkling's grip, Alina does NOT want to consider things going wrong. With this, she even comes to term with the most difficult and heartbreaking decision she ever had to take in her life.

If we failed, there would be no more options. I would murder the only person I’d ever loved and who had ever loved me. I’d dive back into battle wearing his bones.

And with this، we reach the point in the book where the battle begins.

Or in this case, where the mission to defeat the Darkling begins.

Won't be telling this in detail, as really, there wasn't much in it.

Initially things go as per the plan, but then.. they don't.

Darkling had tricked them. He didn't have the children with him during his journey. That was simply to lure Alina to him sooner.

The sooner, the better, no?

They couldn't stay invisible for long. Alina tried her best but once she was injured, she couldn't hold it longer and the others were exposed.

Meanwhile Darkling's creatures find Alina's ship and then the battle begins.

Battle began. Her soldiers were falling. And there came the moment where Alina had to take the most difficult decision.

She had to take Mal's life.

As there was no other choice.

Alina was hesitant. She obviously would be. She would be killing the love of her life!

But Mal, after convincing in verbal manner, makes it easier for her and helps her stab the weapon through his heart.

She felt the impact the very moment it happened.

I was a living star. I was combustion. I was a new sun born to shatter air and eat the earth.

She felt an insurmountable power within her. She could conquer the whole world.

But then..

And then the power was gone.

.... Yes.

I'm not kidding.

She could feel it. Her power was gone.

No matter how many times she tried calling the light, she couldn't. She couldn't feel the power within her. At all.

It's all empty. It's nothing.

Alina breaks down.

Was it all for nothing? For her to claim the amplifiers (which included ending the life of the one she loves the most!) to find out that the power would be snatched away from her like a big sick joke?

So she lost Mal?

And she lost her power?

And there is absolutely no way to defeat Darkling now?

She sobs uncontrollably.

Leave her power. Leave the Darkling.

Now all she wanted was to bring Mal back.

She sobs and cries and asks anyone around to help her bring him back. Tolya even gives an attempt to restore his heart, but to no avail.

But then, something happens.

Something catches Alina's attention, and when she looks around, there was a sight she couldn't quite believe she's seeing.

She lost her powers, yes.

But all those who were among them without powers, "otkazat’sya" as we called them, were now the ones with Alina's power.

Now they were all Sun Summoners.

How?! Alina gets it all now.

The Darkling’s words came back to me, spoken on a ship that sailed the icy waters of the Bone Road. "Morozova was a strange man. He was a bit like you, drawn to the ordinary and the weak.

He’d had an otkazat’sya wife.

He’d nearly lost an otkazat’sya child.

He’d thought himself alone in the world, alone in his power."

This was the gift of the three amplifiers: power multiplied a thousand times, but not in one person.

Darkling observed it all with horror on his face as realisation of what the third amplifier had been all this time dawned on him.

He marches towards Alina, meanwhile she orders Tamar and Tolya to keep working to bring Mal back.

They didn’t have Morozova’s power. But Mal could make rabbits out of rocks. He could find true north standing on his head. He would find his way back to me again.

Darkling cries in his rage and summons his darkness again. His shadow creatures start cutting down Soldat Sol and oprichniki alike. And Alina now knows what she has to do. Which she wanted to do in a long time.

She takes the same knife she used to stab Mal with, and drove the shadow-wrapped blade deep into the Darkling’s heart.

He was surprised, he was amused.

He lived like a ruler for decades and eternity, and ends up dying like this? 

From the hands of someone who now holds no power at all?

A laugh escapes from his lips and he falls down.

And this moment reminded me of The City of Heavenly Fire.

Remember the evil Jonathan? Clary's brother? Evil brother?

Remember during his dying moment, when for a moment all the evilness is gone from his body, Clary got to see the true Jonathan he would have been, had not the demon blood been inside him?

Yeah, that.

A similar scene was recreated in this. Where Darkling neither fought back nor regretted what just happened.

In that moment he simply looked at Alina and wanted her to stay with him.

“Once more,” he said. “Speak my name once more.”

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

“Aleksander.”

Alina was emotional too. Why not, she almost had a crush on him in between, didn't she?

And just like that, the Darkling was gone.

And with him, his shadow monsters, nichevo’ya, blew apart too.

All was well.

Darkling's Grisha supporters started fleeing away.

Otkazat’sya with their newfound power started erasing the existence of Shadow Fold, and with it, the Volcras too.

Nikolai was transforming back to human, and as his wings dissolve and he starts falling to the crowd, we come to know it's Zoya who saves him in the nick of time.

(So, Nikolai and Zoya huh? 😏)

All was well.

What about Mal?

Amidst all this, Alina hears that melodious sound. She tries not to keep it out, but hope came at her so hard, she knew its end would break her.

And the chapter ends with this.

Tamar sobbed. Tolya swore. And there it was again: the thready, miraculous sound of Mal drawing breath.

Now, realllyyy, everything was well.

Since Mal is back :')

If you ignore the fact that now Alina and Mal are both without their powers (yes, we'll get there)

Now Alina had a request. She was a god among some people, a deity. There is no point in being a saint anymore now that she has lost her power too.

They spread the story that Alina has used all her power to destroy the fold and Darkling, which also took her life in the process.

And people would easily buy that and worship her more, but at least she can live in peace. 🤷🏼‍♀️

They did a good job of her death, and an even better job of Nikolai’s resurrection. With Nikolai playing a significant role in the victory in this battle, people of Ravka readily accepted him as the new King.

They won the battle. But they lost some too 

Harshaw was dead, and so were half of the Soldat Sol, including Ruby. Then there were the others: Sergei, Marie, Paja, Fedyor, Botkin. Baghra. So many lost to this war. The list stretched on and on

Alina and Mal discussed their loss of power.

Mal had it too. He wasn't just any tracker by talent. He was able to track well, because that was passed down to him which was the result of Morozova's creation.

It was the force that had animated Morozova’s daughter when her human life had gone, the power that had reverberated through Mal’s bones. His blood had been thick with it, and that purloined bit of creation was what had made him such a remarkable tracker. It had bound him to every living thing. Like calls to like.

But now, he just couldn't sense things anymore. He could feel the emptiness in him.

But they both don't care. All that now matters is that both are alive :)

People celebrated Darkling's defeat. They tore down his flags and everything, and you know what Alina has to say to that?!

I couldn’t share in their excitement. For all his crimes, the Darkling had loved Ravka, and he’d wanted its love in return. 

Um, Miss Alina Starkov, Excuse me?! Love Ravka?

So you mean killing the people of West Ravka in order to scare the others so that the rest of the nations will be bowing down to him in submission?!

That's his "love language"?

I'm sorry Alina. But I don't believe he ever loved anyone or anything in his life except his tyranny and power. 😒

But as the ending of the trilogy, there were mostly many good things. West and East Ravka are united. The power of amplifiers was spread across the entire Ravka and there were many more Sun Summoners amidst them now. :)

And what happened to Mal and Alina, you ask? Well they returned to Keramzin, the place where their friendship (and love) started. 

They get married, have a nice little ceremony.

The names they gave were false ones, though the vows they made were true.

Only few people knew of their true identity, since they were now dead to the world. Genya, Zoya and others visit them often, but also leave some people baffled because WHY on earth such important Grishas would visit such an ordinary couple, just whyy??

I don't blame them though, let them wonder :P

It was cute, tbh. The ending.

Though Mal and Alina had lost so much, they had each other. They were together. In a place where they'd find their own peace.

They became the owners of the orphanage، and this is what people thought about them.

Young. Rich. Possibly mad. These were the words whispered about the couple who ran the orphanage.

They had an ordinary life, full of ordinary things—if love can ever be called that.

The End  :)

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I have added so many quotes from the book, and I like it that way.

Years later when I'd be rereading this again (and cursing myself how I could have phrased a certain sentence in a much better way), I'd also be living the book in the right way with the quotes included, so yess x')

To BE honest, I actually liked this trilogy. Like I said earlier in my review, though I may have found both Alina and Darkling irritating throughout the trilogy, I did get attached to the characters.

Mal's longing to do something for Alina.

Nikolai's longing to do something for Ravka.

Genya and David.

And the sassy Zoya.

I'd be remembering them all.

And who can even forget Baghra. Oh Baghra.

I hope you may rest in peace.

And teach your son a big lesson for what he did with your eyes, that is, provided in case he accidentally lands up in heaven where you are.

Not sure what happens with Apparat, but I guess we'll find out later. :P

So yeah! Naturally right after finishing this book I opened both "Six of Crows" and "Crooked Kingdom" to see what I may have missed about this trilogy while reading. I'm reaallly glad my brain chose to omit those parts. There were quite a few spoilers! Well, sort of.

Firstly, Inej names one of her knives as "Sankta Alina" 🥺

The very same knives she worships and calls for her when she does something very risky, or when she believes she's living her last moments.

"Sankta Alina"

So her family were among the ones who worshiped Alina, the sun summoner.

Little did she know that the Saint she's calling for her during her difficult times is actually alive in some part of the world.

Oh I got so emotional while rereading Inej moments again.

Oh Inej. 🥺

"Sankta Alina"

And had I remembered that, I may have had assumed Alina dies in the end while reading the trilogy, which she actually did, but for the world. 

But little do people know, she did not 😏

And not just Inej, even Nina in one scene points to a woman selling bones and claims how they are the bones of Alina Starkov. 

Even Genya acknowledges that in later part of the book.

So basically they all pointed out how Alina really died in the battle with the Darkling. And this just proves how Genya and others are still keeping them in the shadows. Protecting them from the world.

Alina did her part as a saint, now she lives in peace as an ordinary human with the love of her life.

I'm really wondering how they are doing now though..

Are you, too?

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Quote from the book:

There is no greater power than faith, and there will be no greater army than one driven by it.

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