Book Review: Siege and Storm - Leigh Bardugo

Title: Siege and Storm
Author: Leigh Bardugo 
Pub Date: June 4th, 2013
Publisher: Henry Holt
Page Count: 432

Darkness never dies.

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. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

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My Thoughts

Just when you think the world of The Grisha can't get even more interesting, Bardugo blows the reader out of the water. - Nova @ Musings of a Blogder

Siege and Storm starts where Shadow and Bone ends. It picks up without missing a beat, so it feels as though we haven't missed anything at all. In my case, I still had the ending of Shdow and Bone fresh in my mind, which really helped the story progress.

I can't say that Shadow and Bone is better that Siege and Storm or the other way around. Shadow and Bone is like the introduction of a concept. It's being taught slowly so we all understand it. Siege and Storm is addition to the concept so it moves at a faster pace with excitement and daring action. Siege and Storm includes shaper and higher-stakes situations that Shadow and Bone didn't have.

Alina Starkov develops so much in Siege and Storm. I mean, I loved her back then, but we really got to see how much she changed from a shy, cartographer to a Sun Summoner. There is amazing development in how she progressed. I can say the same for the other characters.

I'd love to go on and on about how I ship Darking + Alina, but I don't need to. Darlina WILL happen; at least in my head.

Something I didn't like was the annoying banter between Mal and Alina. Sure, Mal's tolerable, but he isn't a character I necessarily like. He's called "a big role" in the story, but I find him useless. Alina's constantly saving his butt while he sits there. He has no talent and no power so I don't get how he fits into the story. Alina and Mal are supposedly into each other, yet they're so insecure about their relationship that it's annoying. They question each other, even though they've been together since youth. Plus, in the midst of war, a relationship makes the story have lesser urgency than it should.

I was so ensnared with the plot and writing. Bardugo's writing is effortlessly beautiful or it looks effortless. She brings me to Ravka and lets me live inside Alina. I felt what she felt and saw what she did. The descriptions were just beautiful, and oh my gosh! I loved it.

The plot kept me on my toes, shocking me time after time. There were so many ideas that came with this book and so many little events all leading up to the final battle. Every little event had its part and importance, even when it didn't seem important while reading. And even after reading it, the ending has shocked me to the point, I just want Ruin and Rising in my hands. Now.

Author Info

Leigh's Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Website |

Leigh Bardugo was born in Jerusalem, raised in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University. These days, she hides out in Hollywood and indulges her fondness for glamour, ghouls, and costuming in her other life as makeup artist L.B. Benson.

Her debut novel, Shadow & Bone (Holt Children's/Macmillan) is now a New York Times Best Seller.

She would be delighted if you followed her on Twitter, elated if you visited her web site, and downright giddy if you liked Shadow & Bone on Facebook.