Shantanu
I’ve been continuing my little journey through the Grishaverse and finally picked up the King of Scars duology and honestly, I was very excited for this one. I’ve always loved Nikolai in the Shadow & Bone trilogy, and knowing that this series would explore his darker side had me extra curious! It feels like stepping back into a familiar world but everything is heavier now. The tone shifts a lot from the earlier books (in a good way) as you can sense how much Ravka has been through.
The story follows three main perspectives: Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina. I actually ended up enjoying all of their arcs. Nikolai remains one of my favourite characters, even though this book shows a more haunted, restrained version of him. I did miss his usual sass and charm (those little moments were the best!) but I was also fascinated by how much the Darkling’s lingering influence still affects him: physically and emotionally. Zoya’s chapters were surprisingly compelling too; she’s colder at first but her growth in this book really stood out. And Nina… well, her storyline made me emotional more times than I expected, especially with where she is in life now after Crooked Kingdom.
What I liked most was how the story balances political tension, personal trauma and that classic Grishaverse magic. It’s definitely slower compared to the Six of Crows duology but it felt right for the kind of story it wanted to tell; something more introspective, more complex. The worldbuilding is richer, the stakes feel heavier and there’s this constant sense that something big is coming (and there were some great moments too).
And yes… the ending. OH. MY. GOD. I can’t believe Bardugo did that. I just sort of sat there after the last chapter, trying to process everything. It’s bold, chaotic and absolutely sets up something massive for the next book. I’m honestly holding myself back from immediately diving into Rule of Wolves because I need a minute to breathe but also, I need answers!
Overall, King of Scars was a super interesting shift in tone and a great continuation of the Grishaverse. It’s emotional, dark, magical, and full of twists that left me wide-eyed. I liked it.
I’ve been continuing my little journey through the Grishaverse and finally picked up the King of Scars duology and honestly, I was very excited for this one. I’ve always loved Nikolai in the Shadow & Bone trilogy, and knowing that this series would explore his darker side had me extra curious! It feels like stepping back into a familiar world but everything is heavier now. The tone shifts a lot from the earlier books (in a good way) as you can sense how much Ravka has been through.
The story follows three main perspectives: Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina. I actually ended up enjoying all of their arcs. Nikolai remains one of my favourite characters, even though this book shows a more haunted, restrained version of him. I did miss his usual sass and charm (those little moments were the best!) but I was also fascinated by how much the Darkling’s lingering influence still affects him: physically and emotionally. Zoya’s chapters were surprisingly compelling too; she’s colder at first but her growth in this book really stood out. And Nina… well, her storyline made me emotional more times than I expected, especially with where she is in life now after Crooked Kingdom.
What I liked most was how the story balances political tension, personal trauma and that classic Grishaverse magic. It’s definitely slower compared to the Six of Crows duology but it felt right for the kind of story it wanted to tell; something more introspective, more complex. The worldbuilding is richer, the stakes feel heavier and there’s this constant sense that something big is coming (and there were some great moments too).
And yes… the ending. OH. MY. GOD. I can’t believe Bardugo did that. I just sort of sat there after the last chapter, trying to process everything. It’s bold, chaotic and absolutely sets up something massive for the next book. I’m honestly holding myself back from immediately diving into Rule of Wolves because I need a minute to breathe but also, I need answers!
Overall, King of Scars was a super interesting shift in tone and a great continuation of the Grishaverse. It’s emotional, dark, magical, and full of twists that left me wide-eyed. I liked it.