A new series by Leigh Bardugo has arrived and she takes us once more into the compelling world of the Grisha, rich in striking world-building, cracking characters and stirring action. King of Scars is a gripping story that won’t disappoint but leave you in oddly satisfying awe.
"It's good to be home."
Title: King of Scars
Series: Nikolai Duology (#1)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publish Date: 29th January 2019
Pages: 527
Personal Rating: 9/10
“It will be an utter catastrophe, of course. Perhaps a nice explosion, some flying metal. Maybe we can pretend to drown a few sailors.”
I’m out. Just – cannot. I’m torn between erupting in crazy laughter and fisting my hand into the air (a victorious gesture, of course), or shaking my head in a kind of knowing but amused way (also a victorious gesture but more in the “the biggest baddest fuck who ever breathed air, huh” way). I can’t quite fathom what my eyes just skimmed over and read more than once (I mean I had to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating).
Feel welcome to give me a good and hefty slap across both cheeks – slapping that goofy grin off my face – and then we can talk. Be my guest. Just be aware that it is a resting goofy face.
King of Scars is another brilliant book written by the one and only Leigh Bardugo. She just knows the business. I’m not even trying to rant about anything. *resting goofy face*
“How drunk am I expected to get before this all starts looking better?”
Summary
Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.
Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.
- Goodreads
3 Reasons Why
Just a tiny little scarp of information in advance, with Leigh Bardugo books you never need a reason, okay, got that? – Fantastic.
the plot-twist in there – like damn, hold on to your dear life, dude
cracking and intoxicating characters, which makes it so much fun to read
compelling world of the grisha that takes you right into the middle of it – you’re no longer in the real world
Now get your little ass up and order a copy of King of Scars for yourself. Trust me, you’ll do yourself a favour (but not before having read The Shadow and Bone Trilogy and Six of Crows, trust me on that as well).
Content
King of Scars more or less picks up where Crooked Kingdom from the Six of Crows Duology ended. We’re back in Ravka and once more Leigh Bardugo blesses us with the utter delight of the compelling and sumptuous world of Ravka and the Grisha. As usual neither the world-building nor the cracking characters and dialogues disappoint, and in combination with Bardugo’s prose our imagination thrives so beautifully and stirringly.
She was still the girl who craved waffles and who cried herself to sleep at night when she reached for Matthias and found no one there.
Here and there we stumble over little pieces of information about the previous books and we can savour little sweet innuendos referring to our beloved friends in Ketterdam and Alina Starkov. However, King of Scars is only a book one can enjoy with the knowledge of the previous stories. It wouldn’t make much sense reading this book without having read the others and I think that’s where the “weakness” of this book lies. The brilliancy of Leigh Bardugo’s King of Scars relies solely on the foundation of the previous stories that connect to the great prose and action of King of Scars, and thus transform it into something so rich and gripping that stirs your very emotions and make you feel with it (stuff like crying, nostalgia, goosebumps and other stuff, you certainly know what I mean). If you haven’t read the books I guess that vibe would have completely missed.
“I like to keep you on your toes, Nazyalensky. Constant anxiety does wonders for the complexion.”
This time Bardugo deepens the Saint subject matter and we finally get a closer look to what is in the core of the Grisha and the foundation of Ravka. Without giving away major spoilers I think the whole Saint topic was rich, interesting and surely great but it opened so many gaps and questions that make that part of the plot appear like a too-hard-tried plot twist. From where do they come? How come we read about them only now? Why not all of them but just few Saints? How were they able to interfere and move/steal a body without drawing attention or leaving a trace?
“How is it I smell like goose shit and cheap whiskey and you smell like you just ran through a meadow of wildflowers?”
Still I enjoyed reading the book and I read the story with eagerness and thirst. And now I might just re-read it and wallow in those cherished pages of King of Scars.
Honest Words
I reckon my personal opinion came across quite clearly (and might have sounded like a frenzy but like surprise, surprise. Expected anything else of me? No. See, there’s that.), and probably left no doubt that I might have not utterly ravished this book.
However, there is one thing I have to say: DO NOT READ KING OF SCARS WITHOUT HAVING READ THE OTHER BOOKS OF THE GRISHA VERSE. Please, don’t do it and you’ll thank me for it later. In order to enjoy and get the most out of this book it’s prior to have read the previous books because that enhances your understanding, you’re familiar with the characters and their motives, moreover, the other books are so incredibly good, and, last but not least, you’ll get all the insiders and innuendos. Believe me, it’s worth waiting and reading the other books first. It’s a complete different level of emotional experience and frenzy.
“I’m trying to do the responsible thing. I think it’s giving me indigestion.”
Oh and some more honest words: I love the Darkling and everyone who tells me he’s a monster because he allegedly murdered many people, is an idealist and has some complexes and stuff like that – I know that and here’s a message to you: I don’t fucking care. Good. Riddance.
The Ending (Spoiler)
Zoya. That was not Nikolai’s voice; it was soft, cool as glass, familiar.
After all that foreshadowing and shade thrown at him I guess it was bloody time and inevitable for the Darkling to return. And all I have to say at this exact moment is: What in the world is up with that biggest, baddest fucker who’s ever breathed air aka the Darkling? – I am truly awe-struck but in a very perverted and positive way.
The monk was still too tall and too lean, but he moved with a new grace. His face was clean-shaven and his glasses were gone. His hair looked darker, smoothed back from his brow, and the very shape of his features seemed to have altered, the bones winnowing to sharper, more elegant lines. His eyes flashed gray, the color of quartz.
So, listen, before I lose my mind completely to frenzy and am officially useless, let’s try to keep our wits (which would mainly apply to me) and recuperate. *breathing in and out deeply*
Alright, I’m good for now. Now – what the fuck happened at the end of King of Scars?
The Darkling is back. – The DarKliNg is back. Like, he’s back. What the heck!
Aleksander Morozova never burnt (only a fraud next to an Alina fraud - cool) and sleeping beauty Aleks is back in all his glorious darkness.
Three Saints were captured in the Fold and now they’re all dead.
Isaak is dead.
The Shu princess will be married to Nikolai (yeah, yeah, we all know Zoya is going to crash the party, now shut up).
Jurda Parem is still a thing.
The Fjerdans have officially lost their minds.
There are still crazy soldiers with wings flying around.
There will be war and the Darkling is planned to be weaponized. Hahahaha. I still cannot fathom what I read. That dude returns like “didn’t get me, bitchezzzz”. And is it just me or is the Darkling stronger and more powerful than the Saints or why was Elizaveta so freaking clingy? Here's a thought: The Darling on jurda parem.
They’ve got a lot of shit on their plate, for short.
“The Saints are returning to Ravka. And the Starless One will be among them.”
So. Where does that leave us? Exactly, in a fucking dilemma and in a space called “Waiting till the sequel is released and our agony period is brought to an end”. Until then, good riddance. Come crying in a safe space called tumblr (it’s rhysknees in case you’re looking for me).
“Did I not promise delicious trouble?”
So what is there to expect in the sequel, the second part of the Nikolai Duology? They not only have to deal with the Darkling, who clearly didn’t make all that fuss just to snicker and watch the Triumvirate fail to his own amusement, but also with basically all the other countries/ kingdoms and then there’s still the drug-hype going on. Well, good luck Nikolai and Co. solving that problem. Will Alina return and be exposed to “wtf is HE doing here”? Will the Crows appear in the sequel?
“So many of my old friends, gathered in one place,” said the Darkling from the mouth of a loyal, gullible boy, another fool who had loved him. “It’s good to be home.”
Don’t tell me the Darkling is here to make friends and drink kvas. That’s bullocks. But I am so ready for it. My baby has finally returned home. And at this point of my long and Darkling-filled review I want to raise a glass to the Darkling fandom who’s been granted a great chance. (And probably Bardugo is just going to kill him off again and I’m back at weeping. But yeah. I guess no one cares about that.)
“Why do they love him?”
We just do, ‘kay? I don’t care if there is a book-long rant about him. Now get over it.
Quotes from King of Scars (Spoiler)
Here’s to Leigh Bardugo, my personal heroine, hands down one of the best authors (in my opinion) and the writer of those so amazing-to-quote prose and those too sumtpuous and authentic characters I all love.
“What was he like then?” Zoya could not resist asking. “Arrogant. Idealistic. Beautiful.”
Only he looked to the stars and demanded more. And the result of his failure was a tear in the world.
“The thorn wood is a path you walk alone, boy king.” “But it’s a very arduous path,” Nikolai said. “Who will carry my snacks?”
Do that thing you do where you use too many words to say something simple and confuse the issue.
“Why can’t we ever go undercover as wealthy people?” “A silk merchant and his model?” Nikolai asked. “Yes. I’ll even play the merchant. You can be my handsome muse.” “Zoya, did you just call me handsome?”
“We’ll call it… the Festival of Autumn Nonsense or something like that. Celebrate the equinox, gifts of the harvest, very symbolic.”
“Pretender! Thief! Murderer!” “I’ve certainly been busy,” said Nikolai.
Don’t panic. King’s don’t panic. But you’re not a king. There’s still time to leap out a window.
Sorry, Isaak. You didn’t really make it far. But you truly seemed like a decent guy.
“Matthias, your country can kiss my fat Grisha ass.”
“Of course I’ll come back,” he said. “I don’t trust anyone else to deliver my eulogy.” A smile curled her lips. “You’ve written it already?” “It’s very good. You’d be surprised how many synonyms there are for handsome.”
I love Nikolai. He’s just the best.
My Playlist
I get better and better with making playlists and, frankly, I can’t imagine reading without music any longer. It stirs your emotions, makes you cry (more often than you’d like to) and rocks you in disturbing comfort (yeah, that sounds as odd as it is indeed).
You can find my playlist on Spotify. Click here to check out the obliterating playlist I created which will move you and trigger some emotions, I’m sure of that.
King of Scars Playlist
The Lumineers - Nightshade
Bishop Briggs – Dark Side
Jaymes Young – Infinity
Willa Amai – Trampled Flowers
Foreign
Air – Free Animal
Dermot Kennedy - Lost
Moncrieff, JUDGE – Serial Killer
Vera Blue – Like I Remember You
Texture Like Sun – Bottle
Bishop Briggs – Hold On
Foster The People – Style
Matt Maeson – Hallucinogenics
Lewis Capaldi - Bruises
Sam Tinnesz – Bloody City
Marius Bear – My Crown
Ezra Vine – Celeste
Matt Maeson – Cringe
Julien Baker – Televangelist
Matt Maeson – Grave Digger
Billie Eilish – listen before i go
Haven’t you earned a bit of rest? Aren’t you tired? He was. Saints, he was.
Final Words
King of Scars is an amazing book and at this point I’ll read anything Leigh Bardugo puts on the market because let’s face it – she’s one killer story teller. She simply knows how to do it.
The sequel to King of Scars is released on a date which isn’t public yet but don’t worry we’ll get our answers and our second book of the Nikolai Duology (and perhaps I’ll finally get my one sentence that goes similar to this: “(…) a certain master thief from Ketterdam and the Wraith are currently sailing the wide seas and slaying bitches (…)”. Just saying, everyone deserves their happy ends.)
There’s that.
“The public may forget how handsome I am.” “I doubt that. Your face is on the money.”
And now. If you would excuse me, I have to run into the deep night, scream DaRkLinG freaking AlEkSanDeR MoROzOvA is BACK and cry about Leigh Bardugo’s brilliancy. And bye. (Hit me up if you like to discuss or argue about King of Scars with me or about any other books I posted reviews of. Always up for an argument.)
“And still the wound bleeds. (…) You will never be truly strong until it closes.” “I don’t want it to heel. I need it.”
Read my 5-star review of King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo on Goodreads and follow me there to check out the books I've read and are on my to-read list.
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