Everything and everyone is officially in bigger danger. The Darkling has been ousted to the Ravkans, Fjerdans, and the Shu as a psychopath as well as his goals for The Fold. Alina has escaped with Mal, and everyone is looking for her. This created a storyline with a fast pace. There wasn't too much action but enough to drive the story further. The Civil War that I imagined happening in the first book is being acted out in this one. Grisha are treated to how the Japanese were treated when Pearl Harbor was hit. Even the Ravkan King, who forced them into his armies, has turned his back on them. Alina, and Nikolai the Ravkan younger Prince, stand to save them.
This second book is more character driven like what I wanted the first to be as well. However, I still do not like Alina. She fluctuates between being strong and being a leader, to being the whiny, passive little girl at the beginning of Shadow and Bone. I seriously just need her to pick which personality she is going to have. I also CANNOT STAND Mal. He is just a jerk. At one point, I was screaming at the book because of the way he treated Alina. I mean, part of me said Alina has let him get away with these attitudes for years, but then another part of me saw how she treated Nikolai, and I thought "Why can't you do that to Mal?!" Between these two characters is why I dropped a rating.
I will say that the Darkling did exactly what I expected of him. He even said to her, "Make me your villain", and that's just what Leigh Bardugo has done. I don't feel readers can blame him for being exactly what he is. I also seriously loved Nikolai. I would lay down and die for Nikolai. Normally, I wouldn't like such ostentatious characters, but knowing his background, and seeing how much he really cares for Ravka, seems to work to in his favor. Plus add in that he's like a crazy mad genius, and I have no idea who I would pick first: Nikolai or the Darkling.
There were obviously other characters that deserve some serious mentions. The twins Tolya and Tamar, which I hope someone makes mini statutes of. Heartrenders who realize they need more than Grisha to fight this war, and a perfect inspiration to Alina for the course of the Second Army. David, Zoya, Nadia, and Adrik all have a special place in my heart as well.
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