Ruin and Rising (Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #3) (Grishaverse, #3)

by Leigh Bardugo

[Angie]

I liked the first book well enough, but really liked the sequel, so I was hoping for an epic finale in Ruin and Rising. Unfortunately, I was left underwhelmed. Everything was just too easy, convenient, and predictable. Qualities that are always annoying, but almost unforgivable in a series finale. At the opening, Alina and her allies are at the White Cathedral, but the Apparat makes sure to keep them separated. Alina is mopey and weak without her powers, but this would make for a very boring book, so soon enough there's a fight, break out, and powers are restored. The group heads out to finally track down the Firebird, so that Alina has a hope of defeating the Darkling.

Aside from Alina's powers immediately being restored, Ruin and Rising does suffer from a lot of convenient events in the face of horrible things. For as much as the characters go through, not much actually happens, which had me bored most of the time. Then something exciting would happen, and I would worry how it was going to pan out, but then it would be fixed, getting back on the boring track. On top of that, most of the book is one giant foreshadowing, so as soon as one twist was revealed, I knew exactly how the book would end! This should not happen! I don't want to spoil anything, but one particular Grisha power is discussed at length, which makes it quite obvious what's to come. I would have rather it be mentioned in passing, and then be surprised! Not beaten over the head with it.

I really don't have anything to say about Ruin and Rising. It was an okay ending to a pretty good series. The final battle wasn't exciting or epic at all. It just kind of happened. Twists weren't really twists. But the epilogue was really cute, even if I guessed that that would happen, too.

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