Title: King of Scars
Series: King of Scars #1 | Grishaverse #6
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: YA, high fantasy
Publication date: January 2019
Published by: Imprint
Source: Borrowed from library
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Synopsis: Face your demons... or feed them.
The dashing young king, Nikolai Lantsov, has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country's bloody civil war--and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, Nikolai must find a way to refill Ravka's coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.
Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha general, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren't meant to stay buried--and some wounds aren't meant to heal.
I started off the Grishaverse by reading Six of Crows first, then I went back and read Shadow and Bone, and now this. And to be honest, after reading this book, I am convinced that Six of Crows is the superior series. That being said, I still enjoyed this, but it was no Six of Crows.
However, I did fall in love with Nikolai when I met him in the Six of Crows duology, so I was very happy when I learned that he was the main character in this series. He is just so damn charming and I love him 😍 So it was hard to see how much he was struggling with his inner demon.
And on top of that, he is also dealing with "miracles" happening all over the place. And is it a coincidence that the freaking Darkling is back? In the sense that he has a cult that worships him and wants him to be declared a Saint, which, what the fuck! These people are insane! 🙄
One thing I was not expecting but enjoyed (for the most part) was the return of Nina! I love Nina, but the poor girl is still grieving Matthias.
This takes place about 2-ish months after Crooked Kingdom, and Nina has been traveling, helping Grisha escape Fjerdan rule. I honestly loved this for her. At one point, she concocted a plan to free some girls, and it was honestly so Six of Crows coded in its insanity—I loved it! Especially because I was missing the other crows. Especially Matthias.
Throughout the whole book, I was like, "Miracles are happening? Great! Let's bring Matthias back, baby!" I mean, Mal came back, and I didn't even like him! But nooOOoo 😭
It's been years at this point since I read the Six of Crow duology, and I still have not forgiven Leigh Brandugo for what she did to him. The Nina POVs were so hard to read without crying because of this. It was just so sad because you could just see how much she was struggling with her grief. Up to a certain point, at least, because then I feel like she moved on WAY too fast. Like, her next love interest was introduced THE MOMENT she finished burying Matthias. I don't know if others who have read this could tell, but the moment they were introduced, I clocked it. And I wasn't into it because it happened so fucking fast! Don't get me wrong, I really liked this person as an individual, especially when we discovered who their parents are. It was wild, and it definitely made things a whole lot more interesting.
While I had my issues with the book, I did enjoy it overall. I love the characters and their banter. (I haven't mentioned Zoya, but be assured that I love her ruthlessness and general badassery. Lol.) Plus, this is just some damn good world-building. And the magic system? Love it!
And on top of that, he is also dealing with "miracles" happening all over the place. And is it a coincidence that the freaking Darkling is back? In the sense that he has a cult that worships him and wants him to be declared a Saint, which, what the fuck! These people are insane! 🙄
One thing I was not expecting but enjoyed (for the most part) was the return of Nina! I love Nina, but the poor girl is still grieving Matthias.
She'd spent months at the Little Palace, rekindling old friendships, eating familiar food, sitting by the fire in the Hall of the Golden Dome, trying to remember who she'd been before Matthias, before a glowering Fjerdan had disrupted her life with his unexpected honor, before she'd known that a witchhunter might shed his hate and fear and become the boy she loved. Before he'd been taken from her.
This takes place about 2-ish months after Crooked Kingdom, and Nina has been traveling, helping Grisha escape Fjerdan rule. I honestly loved this for her. At one point, she concocted a plan to free some girls, and it was honestly so Six of Crows coded in its insanity—I loved it! Especially because I was missing the other crows. Especially Matthias.
Throughout the whole book, I was like, "Miracles are happening? Great! Let's bring Matthias back, baby!" I mean, Mal came back, and I didn't even like him! But nooOOoo 😭
It's been years at this point since I read the Six of Crow duology, and I still have not forgiven Leigh Brandugo for what she did to him. The Nina POVs were so hard to read without crying because of this. It was just so sad because you could just see how much she was struggling with her grief. Up to a certain point, at least, because then I feel like she moved on WAY too fast. Like, her next love interest was introduced THE MOMENT she finished burying Matthias. I don't know if others who have read this could tell, but the moment they were introduced, I clocked it. And I wasn't into it because it happened so fucking fast! Don't get me wrong, I really liked this person as an individual, especially when we discovered who their parents are. It was wild, and it definitely made things a whole lot more interesting.
While I had my issues with the book, I did enjoy it overall. I love the characters and their banter. (I haven't mentioned Zoya, but be assured that I love her ruthlessness and general badassery. Lol.) Plus, this is just some damn good world-building. And the magic system? Love it!
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