written on 03/12/2019

What a finale, woah.
I spoilered myself right before the final battle took place and I found out that the Darkling died before I could read about it in the book. It had me devastated. Don't get me wrong, I feel he deserves death, but I would have found things to be more interesting if he'd survived.

What also shocked me was that he turned Nikolai into a Nichevo'ya wúsing merzost and that Mal turned out to be related to him.
I understand that the book followed Alina's character arc, but unlike Nikolai's arc, which I thoroughly enjoyed, Mal's arc felt unfinished and as if Leigh Bardugo did not know what to do about the whole third amplifier situation.

I liked the part in Alina's character arc that was spent with her weakened in the White Cathedral under the Apparate, leading up to one of the greatest lines and scenes in the entire book. Though, because I never particularly liked Mal, and avidly ship Alina with the Darkling (please don't hate me), I felt like the actual ending of the book was not much my cup of tea.

I am excited to (hopefully soon) dive into King of Scars and see where Nikolai's story picks up, his character really grew on me.