Trigger warnings for attempted sexual assault, rape ("offscreen" and talked about, no descriptions), stalking, and suicide.
Synopsis
The trilogy follows Alina, a young adult who has joined the military. She accidentally discovers that she has magical powers, and is forced to join the Grisha, a group of powerful people who can control the elements by using the Small Sciences and magic.
Characters
The characters are three dimensional, even the side characters that you see just a few times. Mal, the love interest who was cared for by the same people as Alina, is such a brilliant character. I love the silent interactions Alina and Mal have; it shows the depth of their relationship. Mal also works to highlight Alina's flaws - she gets jealous easily, talks without thinking, and is generally a highly relatable and believable character.
In the third book, Ruin and Rising, a romantic relationship forms between two female characters (I won't name them to avoid spoilers) and it is glorious. It is a subtle thing, just something that happens in the background while the main storyline continues, but the representation made me so happy. The relationship itself is just so cute and I would happily read an entire series just about those two.
Plots
The main plot is about Alina and her new found powers. As much as I loved the characters, the plot is definitely what kept me awake until 3am reading. If you follow me on Litsy (@EllanaRose) you would've seen those 2am updates of "I should be sleeping, but I'm hooked" and my other ramblings.
It is very much a chosen one plot, with Alina being the saviour of the world, the one who will change everything. That said, it never becomes dull. A lot of fiction has moments of calm where things can get a little bit boring. These books do have moments of calm, times when the tension fades, but it does not become dull or boring. I read the third book in one sitting (and I started it at midnight...) and there is no way I would've been able to manage that if it had any dull parts.
The world building is amazing, the magic system realistic, and generally this is an incredible series. I'm currently reading Six of Crows duology which is in the same Grisha universe. It too is wonderful so far, and I'm so glad I don't have to leave this world behind just yet.
Time it took to read: several late nights
Would recommend to: anyone who wants an easy fantasy read
Enjoyed with: blankets and a small heater because it was bloody cold.
Feel free to check out my other Fangirl Friday posts! Have you read this series?
E