Ruin and Rising (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #3) in SpecFic Buddy Reads

Aug 15, 2013 Amber (Books of Amber) rated it did not like it

Shelves: fuck-you

This review was originally posted on Books of Amber

My final rating is something like 1.5.

I’m FINALLY getting around to reviewing this book! I know, I know, I read it months ago when it was first released. What was holding me back, you ask? Well, my dears, it was the fucktacular way the series ended. I can’t remember the last time I was so disappointed by such a highly anticipated book. I’m going to be spoiling people because I’m not sure I can review this book without explaining exactly why I h This review was originally posted on Books of Amber

My final rating is something like 1.5.

I’m FINALLY getting around to reviewing this book! I know, I know, I read it months ago when it was first released. What was holding me back, you ask? Well, my dears, it was the fucktacular way the series ended. I can’t remember the last time I was so disappointed by such a highly anticipated book. I’m going to be spoiling people because I’m not sure I can review this book without explaining exactly why I hated it.

(view spoiler)[Okay so Alina ended up with Mal. I’m not sure you understand my deep, deep hatred for that guy, so let me break it down for you. Mal is one of the most vile characters I have ever come across, and I have read about a lot of horrible people. This wasn’t an instance where I could laugh about his idiocy and stan him anyway (unlike Hush, Hush, which I liked for reasons that I can’t explain) because he was just such a cock. In the first book he was bearable, if a little too entitled, and then in Siege and Storm he turned into the great arsehole the world has ever seen. And Alina ends up with him because apparently the universe hates me.

Alina’s character progression that I was loving in the first two books swiftly turned into complete regression. She was on her way to becoming a ruler, a queen, and empress, etc. etc., and then at the end of this book she throws it all away to be with her ~One True Love~ and go back to her little village that she HATED during her childhood because apparently now that she has her love, her saviour, all is well and she can handle anything. I’m just so glad that Mal was able to let her do this, guys. Give up her powers and truly become herself again and face her childhood head on *wipes away tears* BECAUSE SHE COULDN’T DO IT HERSELF COULD SHE?!

So, Alina, who was an almost-warrioring badass who stood up to her oppressors and helped the helpless, is saved by a guy and gives up everything to be with him. I feel cheated. And it doesn’t help that we didn’t even get to see any of this post-war stuff. There was a bloody epilogue and that was it. THAT WAS IT. AFTER ALL WE HAD BEEN THROUGH.

Sturmhond was the best character in this book, and quite possibly the only saving grace. If there was a saving grace, which there wasn’t. I love his snark and his storyline in Ruin and Rising was the greatest thing because he went from being a pirate to a prince to a creature to a king. I totally thought that, after his transformation, that Alina was going to realise her feelings for him because she was so bloody upset. Alas. She did not. That storyline also went nowhere because we didn’t get to see anything of Nikolai after he turned back into a human. WHY. Why do something like that if you’re only going to mention the impact a couple of times?!

Overall I thought that Ruin and Rising was an epically crap book, and incredibly disappointing considering the previous two books in the series were pretty great. Everything in Ruin and Rising fell back to Mal, from the Darkling’s background, his relatives, Alina, the firebird… it was all Mal because he’s the centre of this fucking universe. No, thank you, I do not accept this. (hide spoiler)] ...more

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Feb 08, 2019 Emma rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ya, russia-eastern-european, fantasy

It really wasn’t quite a 5 star rating for its slow first half, but I liked the end too well and the end for the series as a whole to give it any less!

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Mar 26, 2021 Susy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

4.5 stars
Loved this instalment. A lot happened and I just grew to love and feel for "Alina's gang". I felt a connection to almost everyone, even Uncat.
(view spoiler) ...more

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Jan 15, 2016 Helen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This follows a similar pattern to the previous books. The holy saint aspect was kept to a minimum after the beginning, which was good. There were some twists and turns and I shed tears. Overall a good ending too.

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Aug 30, 2023 Alexis rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

There it is.

The conclusion to the series definitely brought the best in terms of writing and storytelling. For the first time, it felt like the same author who wrote Six of Crows (which I really loved).

The world has always been the best part of this trilogy, but here, it feels like the the characters and plot finally do credit to the richness of the concept. I really enjoyed the highs and lows of the book, the relationships finally felt realized and satisfying and I thought the ending was fittin ...more

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Feb 18, 2017 Leticia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, books_read_2017_not_comics, books_read_2017_fantasy_scifi, 5-stars-fiction

I liked this trilogy so much, I might get the paperback or hardcover box set of it, even if I already read it on my eReader. There are books that you must have on your shelf for a reread.

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Mar 18, 2018 Emily rated it liked it

Shelves: sff, ya

Overall, this trilogy wasn't what I expected. I definitely prefer the Six of Crows duology over this. It all felt a bit predictable to me, and I found Alina a dull and stereotypical YA protagonist. The ending wrapped up too happily for me. That feels weird to say, but it was just... lame. However, I did enjoy reading this series. The books were quick, easy reads (when I found the time to pick them up), and some of the side characters (looking especially at Nikolai) balanced out the boringness of ...more

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