I stiffened. Mal glanced over his shoulder. Slowly, he looked her up and down. "No," he said flatly. "You don't."

The Writing - It's no secret that I love Bardugo's writing. I loved it in the first book (favorited some GR quotes), and I think it's become even more refined and beautiful and atmospheric. I had to say something. And it makes you quite a tragic figure. Pretty girl, giant growth, you know.” but I knew better than to underestimate him. The other sto- ries were just as disturbing: that the Fold had begun to over- flow its shores, driving refugees east and west; that a cult had risen up around a Saint who could summon the sun. I didn’t want to think about it. Mal and I had a new life now. We’d left Ravka behind. He raised a finger, and the men holding me let go. I stumbled forward and then stood frozen in the center of the room, my hands balled into fists.Siege and Storm was enjoyable sequel to Shadow and Bone that revolved around Alina and Mal’s life on the run, their struggling relationship, Darkling on their tail, and Ravka’s situation making things complicated. The story was about politics, power, love, friendship, betrayal, accepting power and strength, and not let anyone change who you’re. He was a Kerch immigrant, and I’d gotten the distinct feeling he didn’t like Ravkans. Or maybe he just thought we were thieves. We’d shown up two weeks ago, ragged and grubby, with no baggage and no way to pay for lodging except a single golden hairpin that he probably thought we’d stolen. But that hadn’t stopped him from snapping it up in exchange for a narrow bed in a room that we shared with six other boarders. Nikolai goes on to explain his actions to Alina and Mal, as well as the elaborate plan he has for Ravka. When the Darkling had conducted a coup against the throne and strategically poisoned the King, the second prince was out to sea and came to know about the incident weeks later. This guilt, together with the responsibility he feels towards Ravka and his ambition to gain the throne, makes Nikolai propose an alliance with Alina. He suggests that Alina head the Second Army (Grishas) while he heads the First Army. Joining their forces together would not only help them defeat the Darkling but also benefit Nikolai by allowing him to claim his position as King of Ravka. Nikolai also proposes that Alina become his queen to further strengthen their association. While Alina furiously refuses to marry Nikolai, she decides to return to Os Alta and lead the Second Army. Alina mochte ich von Beginn an, mit ihrer starken Persönlichkeit. Der Dunkle konnte mich auch wirklich faszinieren und im Laufe der Trilogie habe ich immer mehr Charaktere ins Herz geschlossen und sogar Charaktere, die ich zu hassen glaubte, lieben gelernt! Man merkt hier, dass das der Debütroman (eigentlich Debüttrilogie, da man es in allen Bänden merkt) der Autorin ist. Manches war recht unbeholfen oder einfach ein Klischee. Ich hatte das Gefühl, dass einiges nur drin war, weil es zu der Zeit eben in allen Jugendbüchern war.

Alina becomes obsessed with the lore and myth of Morozova. She has a burning desire to find the third amplifier and somehow feels that is the only way to stand against the Darkling. The fabricator, David, has placed the first amplifier on Alina, and she feels he knows more about Morozova. After being able to talk to David alone, Alina gets to know that Morozova is one of the greatest fabricators ever. Also, the amplifiers were not discovered by Morozova but created by him instead, using the same dark powers as the Darkling—’merzost’, the dark and abominable magic. Later, Nikolai asks Mal to join the soldiers on a royal hunt, which would also help him mend his strained relationship with the First Army. To this, Mal reluctantly agrees. While Mal goes off to hunt, Nikolai lets Alina in on his plan of building a new ‘Hummingbird’ (the flying ship). This was to be the Prince’s escape plan if the worst came to pass. Nikolai tells her that he wants to keep his parents safe from the Darkling and, hence, would need two Squallers to help him build the ship. Alina says she can only ask the Grishas to volunteer, and in return, she also makes Nikolai promise to take Baghra along with him.

Comments:

And Mal…what happened? He gets flattened out so that he is no longer a real character….he is a tool. He literally says so and gets it tattooed on himself *gags*. I liked him in the first book. He seemed to have a life outside of worshiping Alina. That's a plus to me, for an intriguing romance (likely why there are so many Darkling and Nikoli shippers out there). Again, there is a quasi-explanation offered, but it was cold comfort and didn't make much sense to me: his destiny was tied to Alina's, sure, but he could still have developed as a character rather than regressed to a tortured troupe. Die Bücher werden aus Alinas Sichtweise erzählt und trotzdem war mir zu viel Nacherzählung und zu wenig zeigen drin (show, don't tell). „Ich hab das damals gefühlt etc.“ Wovon sie damals aber nichts gesagt, geschweige denn daran gedacht hat. Es wirkte manchmal wie eine Idee, die die Autorin erst zu spät hatte. Stay close," I said. Better to take my chances and open a hole in the floor than to just stand there doing nothing. I concentrated and felt the power of the Cut vibrate through me. I raised my arm … and something stepped out of the darkness. Please, the girl prayed silently to any Saints who might be listening, let us be safe here. Let us be home.

Bardugo weaves a captivating spell with lushly descriptive writing, engaging characters, and an exotic, vivid world. Readers will wait impatiently for the next installment.” — Booklist on Shadow and Bone I stiffened. Mal glanced over his shoulder. Slowly, he looked her up and down. “No,” he said flatly. “You don’t.” The Darkling asks Alina to join him in return for her loved ones’ lives. To prove his point, the Darkling brings forth the tortured body of a woman, who turns out to be Genya. Alina agrees and goes on to profess her love for Mal and tell him their story will live forever. She then kisses the Darkling and tells him that her powers belong to him now. Initially overjoyed, the Darkling soon realizes that Alina is using their combined power to create more of the shadow army. This, in turn, is feeding on both of them and is going to kill them eventually. Alina makes peace with her sacrifice, which will ultimately free Ravka and save her lover Mal. Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can't outrun her past or her destiny for long. Then reality crashed in on me. This was how it ended? Without a fight? Without so much as a shot fired or a voice raised? A sob of pure rage and frustration tore free from my chest.

Anything else

Amidst the pressure of building the Second Army, the murky royal politics, and the responsibility of being a Sun Summoner, Alina could feel the growing distance between herself and Mal. To somehow lessen the rift between the two of them, Mal and Alina decide to go to a ‘fortune-telling party’. Although they manage to unravel and enjoy themselves for the time being, their retreat does not end happily. When a chaotic outburst takes place amongst the guests at the party, the Apparat suddenly appears and manages to get hold of Alina alone. He offers Alina the chance to join his cult, and in return, he will provide her with valuable information on the third amplifier, the Firebird. Alina refuses him, and they are soon discovered by her guards. The Apparat, however, manages to escape before Tamar gets to him. Das ist der beste Band der Reihe, da alles neu und faszinierend ist. Vom Plot her beginnt es aber wie jede ander Fantasy Jugendbuchgeschichte auch. Die Welt macht es zu was besonderem. Allerdings gibt es in diesem Band zu wenig Worldbuilding. Besonders die Schule wird kaum erklärt. Es stellen sich so viele Fragen, die nicht beantwortet werden, da Alina sowieso nicht lange dort bleibt. Es schien alles so schnell abzulaufen, obwohl angeblich einiges an Zeit vergangen sein soll.

On reaching Os Alta, Alina’s meeting with the King and the Queen is not exactly a happy one. The royals enjoy a reunion where Nikolai discloses his identity as the privateer Strumhond. He also proposes Alina’s case and asks that she be appointed as the head of the Second Army. Although the King is openly dubious about the Sun Summoner’s intentions, he allows her to head the Grisha army. Mal also faces equal dislike and bitterness from the King for deserting the First Army. However, the King shows Mal some mercy and lets him stay with the Sun Summoner, but at the price of a ‘dishonorable discharge’.

Mal cleared his throat. “And . . . he said he would pray to the God of Work to heal your affliction.” You remember Jes, right?” he said, nodding to his friend. “How do you go?” Jes asked in broken Ravkan, offering The Clever Fox. Always two steps ahead with a Plan B and a clever, perfectly-delivered one-liner that's sure to catch his opponents off-guard, Sturmhond is, put simply: absolutely (frustratingly) delightful. A brigand, a privateer, Sturmhond commands a crew of mercenaries who terrorize True Sea. He's incredibly complex, perpetually unruffled, perfectly evasive, endearingly infuriating, infinitely charming, chronically untrustworthy and completely incapable of answering a direct question. One can never be quite sure where one stands in his game, or what game he's playing. However, one thing's always certain, he is playing at something and he always has some angle. Sturmhond's a compelling mix of sincerity, honor and compassion coupled with ambition, cunning and ruthlessness, and easily rivals the Darkling as my favorite character in this series. Extra," the landlord grunted. He was a heavyset man with thinning hair and the orange-stained teeth that came from chewing jurda. He was sweating, I noticed. Though the day wasn't particularly warm, beads of perspiration had broken out over his upper lip. Stay close,” I said. Better to take my chances and open a hole in the floor than to just stand there doing nothing. I concentrated and felt the power of the Cut vibrate through