I read this long long ago back when it first came out for one of those school read 5 books over the summer thing. But as it was homework, I sort of skimmed it. However, since it has expanded and grown to a hit tv show, I’d thought I’d actually read it this time around so here are my thoughts.

The first book of the trilogy does a decent job setting up the premise and the foundations of this world. For one thing, it immediately grips you in its “prologue” or “Before” with the two young orphans seeing the Grisha examiners come to orphanage. The first chapter trades mysterious suspense for immediate action as Aline, now a teenager and a cartogropher for the First Army is sent to the Fold with Mal (now a tracker). The Fold is a dark expanse filled with monsterous volcra where a volcra rips away her comrades and nearly kills Mal, a possibility that awakens her dormant powers. Apparently, she’s a Grisha, one of the powerful beings that are valued yet feared. Not only that, she’s one of the rarest Grisha, a Sun-Summoner, the counterpart to the Darkling, leader of the Second Army.

I’ll admit most of the book fits most of the YA cliche. Aline is desperately in love with her best friend from childhood, Mal, having grown up as orphans from the Border War, growing up together and now in the army. But while Mal has grown to be more handsome, strong, a flirt and master tracker, one of the most popular and valued men in the army. She’s still skinny Aline, unimpressive and unimportant, pretty sure that Mal will never harbor feelings for her as she does for him. In fact, she suspects that their friendship is fast fading away as friendships sometimes do.

Aline also has a big case of “I’m so plain, I wish I was beautiful like other girls,” that kind of gets annoying for 200 pages. She manages to attact the attention of the Darkling with her specialness and has the whole chosen one destiny that can make her the savior of Ravka if only she knew how to control her newly appeared powers. There’s also mean girl Grishas, prejudice against Grisha, ineffective royals. You get the tropes so it’s pretty breezy reading for most of the book.

While I wish I was hoping for something more exciting as most of the story is devoted to Aline’s training in the Little Palace, I can appreciate how it is laying down the basics of the powers and the wider politics of the realm. Genya, Aline’s only close friend serves as a nice guide to the world and possibly the only one with a bit more dimension than the requisite trope characters of “ad boy love interest,” “good love interest,” “mean girl,” “tough mentor,” etc. I sor of wish she had more of a role, even more of a POV. So I hope she figures in the next two books.

Despite the many YA cliches fueling the book, Bardugo did surprise me with how she made Aline’s desire to be the chosen one as backfiring on her, allowing her to be blind to the Darkling’s true plans and true nature as her love/lust made her see humanity that just wasn’t there.

I’d say it is her time on the run that takes up the last 50 or so pages that are the most interesting, forcing Aline to be on her own and use to what she has learn to strategize for the future. Well Aline, and Mal who deserts to help his best friend which creates a touching new rapport between them that was very very sweet and believable. Though maybe I’m a soft touch for the friends to lovers route.

Anyway, the last 50 pages are the most interesting and I enjoyed how the final twist and Aline taking back her power from under the Darkling’s control. Very powerful I thought and a great set-up for the next adventure. I especially enjoyed the implications of the Grishas who stand by the Darkling and his bid for rule as a way to elevate themselves in society run by ineffectual mortals and a peaceful kingdom and those who understand that Darkling will be merciless and tyrannical.

So a decent beginning and I’m excited to see the story unfold.