The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! š
booksandlemonsquash's review against another edition
4.0
Ahhhhh oh Nikolai, let me count the ways I love you.
ššš
So first things - the early parts of the book are pretty slow. And my darling glorious Nina only made me love her at the end. Her parts didnāt really connect with the rest until right at the end, and only because interesting slightly before that. Despite the fact I love her SO MUCH, I missed my sassy waffle eating madam from SoC. She reappeared more near the end and Iām all up for more of that please.
However, Nikolai and Zoya were great throughout and Zoya really grew on me as character!! She is so haughty and fierce and wonderful. I particularly loved everything in the shadow fold too.
Thereās so many amazing bits - the secret labs, the relationships with all the characters (like every time David looked up from his books lol, I LOVE HIM OKAY), deception and country running and and and...
*flails*
ššš
Also Adrik! I loved him in the trilogy, and this was fab.
And THAT ENDING OMG. Iām not sure I can wait for what comes next - to see that, to have Ninaās story fold into the main more, for Zoya to learn more about what she can do, for Ravka to beat back all the nasty other countries ;) š
I loved King of Scars in the end, and I give it 4.5 stars. I canāt wait for book 2, and Iām devastated that I apparently have to.
ššš
So first things - the early parts of the book are pretty slow. And my darling glorious Nina only made me love her at the end. Her parts didnāt really connect with the rest until right at the end, and only because interesting slightly before that. Despite the fact I love her SO MUCH, I missed my sassy waffle eating madam from SoC. She reappeared more near the end and Iām all up for more of that please.
However, Nikolai and Zoya were great throughout and Zoya really grew on me as character!! She is so haughty and fierce and wonderful. I particularly loved everything in the shadow fold too.
Thereās so many amazing bits - the secret labs, the relationships with all the characters (like every time David looked up from his books lol, I LOVE HIM OKAY), deception and country running and and and...
*flails*
ššš
Also Adrik! I loved him in the trilogy, and this was fab.
And THAT ENDING OMG. Iām not sure I can wait for what comes next - to see that, to have Ninaās story fold into the main more, for Zoya to learn more about what she can do, for Ravka to beat back all the nasty other countries ;) š
I loved King of Scars in the end, and I give it 4.5 stars. I canāt wait for book 2, and Iām devastated that I apparently have to.
silverfern's review against another edition
2.0
For a book called King of Scars, it sure didn't feature a lot of attention on Nikolai...
There was a lot of stuff that happened and I just kind of rolled my eyes and said really?? And in extreme causes yelled out "no that did not f-cken happen. Shut up. You're lying".
There was a lot of stuff that happened and I just kind of rolled my eyes and said really?? And in extreme causes yelled out "no that did not f-cken happen. Shut up. You're lying".
juju_99's review against another edition
adventurous
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
3.5
chocomi1ky223's review against another edition
5.0
I HAVE SCARS NOW FROM READING THIS...i need a year break from this omgg
dar5181's review against another edition
4.0
The fantasy part of the book was incredibly boring. Three god-forsaken excuses for Saints living in the Fold? Dragons? Bees? I couldnāt care less. This whole ark felt like a cheap wish to get Darkling back into the story as if Ravka and the crown didnāt have enough enemies already.
Elizaveta as well was dull. I wouldnāt go so far as to call her a villainess of the story because the depth of her character and motivations (which are none) showed me nothing as if she wasnāt even in a storyline. At least I wish she wasnāt in a storyline. She felt like a tool, she was a tool, and yet she didnāt have anything interesting about her.
Zoya, who could have easily been one of my favorite ya female protagonists due to her no-fcks-given attitude, loyalty, practicality, and strong character, lost everything likeable about her during those saints chapters. I have almost mistaken her for Alina Starkov.
Nikolai. Well, He.
Nina having conversations with Mattias everywhere she goes. Nina standing in the middle of a graveyard and listening to the voices of the dead. Help us. Nina finally letting him go. She was exhausted and cold, and sheād dug her loverās grave tonight. Nina finding joy in a girl who is very similar to her and yet chained to Fjerdaās societal stereotypes. Nina missing all the crows. Nina building a tree for saint Djel out of bones. Nina being the hottest woman alive for the third book in a row and I am here for it. Loved her chapters so much.
Elizaveta as well was dull. I wouldnāt go so far as to call her a villainess of the story because the depth of her character and motivations (which are none) showed me nothing as if she wasnāt even in a storyline. At least I wish she wasnāt in a storyline. She felt like a tool, she was a tool, and yet she didnāt have anything interesting about her.
Zoya, who could have easily been one of my favorite ya female protagonists due to her no-fcks-given attitude, loyalty, practicality, and strong character, lost everything likeable about her during those saints chapters. I have almost mistaken her for Alina Starkov.
Nikolai. Well, He.
Nina having conversations with Mattias everywhere she goes. Nina standing in the middle of a graveyard and listening to the voices of the dead. Help us. Nina finally letting him go. She was exhausted and cold, and sheād dug her loverās grave tonight. Nina finding joy in a girl who is very similar to her and yet chained to Fjerdaās societal stereotypes. Nina missing all the crows. Nina building a tree for saint Djel out of bones. Nina being the hottest woman alive for the third book in a row and I am here for it. Loved her chapters so much.
annacampb's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? No
3.5
thethirdtimekeeper's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
zoeg97's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
noellesimonson's review against another edition
3.0
I haveā¦. thoughts.
Iām very disappointed that this book is only worthy of three stars. I was expecting to enjoy it as much as or more than Six of Crows and I was very wrong. The POVs are three of my favorite characters from the Grishaverse so one would assume that I would automatically love it. Unfortunately, the plot of this book was so uninteresting that it took me six days to read something I couldāve finished in one sitting.
It started strong but I felt myself pulling away from the story more and more with each chapter. Bringing The Darkling back is lazy and a disservice to Alinaās sacrifice. He was a boring, predictable villain in Shadow & Bone and āresurrectingā him isnāt going to make him more compelling. His story was complete and it shouldāve been left at that. Although, I did enjoy learning about the Saints and their eternal purgatorial dungeon. Their storyline helped keep me invested.
MATTHIAS DESERVED MORE. I will say that again and again until I die. He deserved more than to be buried and then almost immediately forgotten. He deserved more than to be cast off as soon as Nina was remotely attracted to someone else. Was it really necessary for her to have another love interest? Why is that beneficial to the plot in any way? I donāt mind Hanne as a character but I definitely mind the way their relationship is developing.
On the other side of that, Nikolai and Zoya need to hurry up and make out already. My patience is wearing thin.
Iām very disappointed that this book is only worthy of three stars. I was expecting to enjoy it as much as or more than Six of Crows and I was very wrong. The POVs are three of my favorite characters from the Grishaverse so one would assume that I would automatically love it. Unfortunately, the plot of this book was so uninteresting that it took me six days to read something I couldāve finished in one sitting.
It started strong but I felt myself pulling away from the story more and more with each chapter. Bringing The Darkling back is lazy and a disservice to Alinaās sacrifice. He was a boring, predictable villain in Shadow & Bone and āresurrectingā him isnāt going to make him more compelling. His story was complete and it shouldāve been left at that. Although, I did enjoy learning about the Saints and their eternal purgatorial dungeon. Their storyline helped keep me invested.
MATTHIAS DESERVED MORE. I will say that again and again until I die. He deserved more than to be buried and then almost immediately forgotten. He deserved more than to be cast off as soon as Nina was remotely attracted to someone else. Was it really necessary for her to have another love interest? Why is that beneficial to the plot in any way? I donāt mind Hanne as a character but I definitely mind the way their relationship is developing.
On the other side of that, Nikolai and Zoya need to hurry up and make out already. My patience is wearing thin.