Siege and Storm

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha #2
Publication: June 4, 2014
Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads: Darkness never dies.Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her--or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

Rating: êêêê

Review

I am seriously struggling to find words for this review, in a good way. This book is like the middle of a french braid, pieces from the beginning are still being woven in and at the same time we are adding new pieces, making the layers to this story beautiful and thought provoking. I think that my favorite part of this book were the characters. Alina and Mal both continue to develop and grow, not necessarily in the direction I thought each of them would, but in retrospect, it feels right. I think my favorite character is the privateer that we meet in this book. I'm really curious about what the Darkling and the Apparat are up to. The relationships in this book are complex and felt real to me. The action was intense. The plot moves at a somewhat jerky pace, but it works and kept me on my toes.