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anazayas's review against another edition
5.0
I love Leigh Bardugo’s writing so much. And I’m so happy to get more out of the original trilogy!!!! Can’t wait for the second!!!
fulminataxii's review against another edition
4.0
This book was probably going to get a five star rating up to the ending. I think it's possible that I might re-evaluate the rating if I read the next book, and it redeems this ending.
Until the ending it's a good read that follows some of the author's more interesting characters in situations that feel fresh.
My thoughts on the ending are hidden in the spoilers:
The lesser issue was the death of Isaak. His death is essentially meaningless except to remind the reader that it's a dangerous world. His death has little impact on the remaining characters, since they barely knew him. With the return of Nikolai, the need for him to be a focus character is gone, so killing him off actually makes the author's job easier. If he lives, then the author has to come up with how else to phase him out of the spotlight, or come up with reasons to keep him in the spotlight. Killing him feels lazy.
If this had been it, I probably wouldn't have lowered my rating. It's definitely the second thing that was a bigger disappointment. Bringing back the Darkling is a mistake. There's already more than enough threats in play to make it unnecessary to add more. The defeat of the Darkling was the entire point of the original trilogy. Bringing him back undoes that victory.
Edit: Having now finished the Rule of Wolves, I still think bringing back the Darkling was a mistake, but at least it didn't become the focus of the next book. Raising my rating of this book to 4 stars to reflect that.
Until the ending it's a good read that follows some of the author's more interesting characters in situations that feel fresh.
My thoughts on the ending are hidden in the spoilers:
Spoiler
Two things were wrong with the ending, the death of Isaak and the return of the Darkling.The lesser issue was the death of Isaak. His death is essentially meaningless except to remind the reader that it's a dangerous world. His death has little impact on the remaining characters, since they barely knew him. With the return of Nikolai, the need for him to be a focus character is gone, so killing him off actually makes the author's job easier. If he lives, then the author has to come up with how else to phase him out of the spotlight, or come up with reasons to keep him in the spotlight. Killing him feels lazy.
If this had been it, I probably wouldn't have lowered my rating. It's definitely the second thing that was a bigger disappointment. Bringing back the Darkling is a mistake. There's already more than enough threats in play to make it unnecessary to add more. The defeat of the Darkling was the entire point of the original trilogy. Bringing him back undoes that victory.
Edit: Having now finished the Rule of Wolves, I still think bringing back the Darkling was a mistake, but at least it didn't become the focus of the next book. Raising my rating of this book to 4 stars to reflect that.
amym3030's review against another edition
4.0
this was good but definitely less character focused than SOC & CK which i didn’t love. lots of political intrigue which i enjoyed but not nearly enough romantic development between nikolai & zoya for my liking (it seemed like we were gonna get something at the end there but we didn’t☹️). but i know leigh is the slow burn queen so i’m hoping we get more of them in ROW.
emmialeksandra's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
marisa's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
ellzell's review against another edition
4.0
okay word. she said i'm going to give y'all another iconic duology
bombycillacedrorum's review against another edition
4.0
4.5.
Oh boyyyyy folks, let me tell you: I would die for Zoya Nazyalensky, Nina Zenik, and Hanne. HANNE BABY LOVE. Both major ships being telegraphed here are also completely up my alley, and all the secondary characters are fun too. (And Nikolai. Nikolai is also good and his massive hard-on for everything Zoya does when she's feeling nasty is a complete mood.)
I love where this is going in terms of setting up the next stage of Grishadom, and the themes of living when you don't want to anymore, dealing with the scars in your heart, magic vs "small science" vs faith vs miracles, the fatal attraction of authoritarian power, and how to know when a system is beyond redemption and just needs to be burned the fuck down are all a huge mood. Half a star off because part of me did a "god, not this again" eyeroll at Yuri at the very end, but I have faith this won't be too much of a retread of places we've gone before in the sequel.
Oh boyyyyy folks, let me tell you: I would die for Zoya Nazyalensky, Nina Zenik, and Hanne. HANNE BABY LOVE. Both major ships being telegraphed here are also completely up my alley, and all the secondary characters are fun too. (And Nikolai. Nikolai is also good and his massive hard-on for everything Zoya does when she's feeling nasty is a complete mood.)
I love where this is going in terms of setting up the next stage of Grishadom, and the themes of living when you don't want to anymore, dealing with the scars in your heart, magic vs "small science" vs faith vs miracles, the fatal attraction of authoritarian power, and how to know when a system is beyond redemption and just needs to be burned the fuck down are all a huge mood. Half a star off because part of me did a "god, not this again" eyeroll at Yuri at the very end, but I have faith this won't be too much of a retread of places we've gone before in the sequel.
cailyadelaide's review against another edition
4.0
i LOVED this book!
i honestly didn’t know how i would feel reentering the grishaverse without some of my favorite characters but this quickly made me realize i would feel that anyone in this universe was my favorite.
i’ve always loved nikolai and exciting to have a book full of his adorable banter
zoya never felt too important to me in the other books in this series, i mostly felt pity for her over her love of the darkling, but getting to see her backstory brought a new light to her character and i’m so glad it did.
the only thing this book lacked for me was romance, we felt the small push of them but i’m ready for them to face it head on lol
the part with the saints was brief but i found it sooo exciting, imaging that space in my head was such an experience
and i mean a dragon, i’ll love anything with a dragon
Nina’s storyline was soooo cool, i’m obsessed with her having this dark side while also still being her waffle loving self
the pieces where she hears mathias’s voice break my heart but i feel like we get to see a bit of her healing
are her and hanna gonna fall in love
i honestly didn’t know how i would feel reentering the grishaverse without some of my favorite characters but this quickly made me realize i would feel that anyone in this universe was my favorite.
i’ve always loved nikolai and exciting to have a book full of his adorable banter
zoya never felt too important to me in the other books in this series, i mostly felt pity for her over her love of the darkling, but getting to see her backstory brought a new light to her character and i’m so glad it did.
the only thing this book lacked for me was romance, we felt the small push of them but i’m ready for them to face it head on lol
the part with the saints was brief but i found it sooo exciting, imaging that space in my head was such an experience
and i mean a dragon, i’ll love anything with a dragon
Nina’s storyline was soooo cool, i’m obsessed with her having this dark side while also still being her waffle loving self
the pieces where she hears mathias’s voice break my heart but i feel like we get to see a bit of her healing
are her and hanna gonna fall in love
themerchling's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5