What can I say about Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo? An amazing second installment in a debut fantasy trilogy, following the first book Shadow and Bone. I enjoyed the first book very much but I LOVED the second book, which is quite unusual for a trilogy. Often the second book is a let-down and the author either redeems the series (or doesn't) in the final installment. In this case I can't wait for the final installment because not only did Bardugo develop the plot and characters brilliantly, heartbreakingly, and believably, but she also added some wonderful new characters. In particular Sturmhond - I won't say anything more than that for fear of spoilers other than saying he's one of the most fun, engaging and unusual characters in recent YA fiction and he really brings out the best in terms of character development in the heroine of the series, Alina.
The book takes up pretty much where book 1 left off but there's no dawdling around plotwise. Mal and Alina are thrown back into the action when the Darkling reappears. No one REALLY thought he died in book 1, did they? Apologies for the spoiler if they did. Then it's on. A race to the truth, to raise armies - light versus dark - and poor Alina has to question her role in the whole thing. Is she really an instrument of evil or an instrument of good? And in either case, can she and Mal ever find a way to be together or are their destinies simply on separate courses? I tore through this book in two days and would have finished it in one if my kids hadn't completely tired me out last night so I was amazingly too tired to read in bed.
Highly recommend this book, particularly to anyone who felt lukewarm about the first book. This book steps up the stakes, the characters, and the action in leaps and bounds.
The book takes up pretty much where book 1 left off but there's no dawdling around plotwise. Mal and Alina are thrown back into the action when the Darkling reappears. No one REALLY thought he died in book 1, did they? Apologies for the spoiler if they did. Then it's on. A race to the truth, to raise armies - light versus dark - and poor Alina has to question her role in the whole thing. Is she really an instrument of evil or an instrument of good? And in either case, can she and Mal ever find a way to be together or are their destinies simply on separate courses? I tore through this book in two days and would have finished it in one if my kids hadn't completely tired me out last night so I was amazingly too tired to read in bed.
Highly recommend this book, particularly to anyone who felt lukewarm about the first book. This book steps up the stakes, the characters, and the action in leaps and bounds.
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