Power, Greed and Jealousy... The three staples within this book.
While I did enjoy this book - see the 5 star rating - there were parts that drove me up a wall and made me want to yeet the book of a 10 story building... Alina and Mal begin this book on the run after escaping the Darkling. Though thanks to their inability to be covert they are found out - instantly-.
They get themselves captured and then we meet Sturmhond - my favorite character by far - who we later find out is Prince Nikolai Lantsov. Honestly, I think most people can agree that if it was not for Nikolai this book would have been downright disappointing. He brings so much sass, class and is an entertaining character to read. He livens up scenes with his witty remarks. If I didn't already know who Alina ends up with, I would have loved to ship Nikolai and Alina - cus lets be honest, he is so much better than Mal....
That brings us to the mopiest character I have ever had the displeasure of reading about. Mal cannot help but complain and whine about Alina's power and desire to help 'save' Ravka. He keeps trying to urge her to run away and leave, and when she declines because she has responsibilities (AKA saving the gosh darn world), he mopes and drinks himself into a stupor - like bruh why... How is Alina so caught up by him, like surely there is some other guy who compliments her that she could have been into......
Alina, Alina, Alina... She is getting caught up in her power - she is hungry for more and seems she is not concerned who she hurts to get it. Desperate for the third amplifier, when she didn't even want the second... Though, she does admit to this later in the book.
I did enjoy this book and its storyline.