#and then I will have read all the Grishaverse books 💔

[lessnearthesun]

I was a little silly today, (I picked the Shadow and Bone trilogy back up since they’re the only books in the Grishaverse I haven’t read yet and I read all 432 pages of Siege and Storm in one day) but I’m literally just a girl

[waldensblog]

🔥🔥 for the darkling!

Send me a “ 🔥 “ for an unpopular opinion.

I actually love his arc in Rule of Wolves. Spoilers below the cut for anyone who hasn't read the King of Scars Duology.

It seems like a lot of antis hate that he was there at all, while a lot fans hate the way the arc went - so I think I'm kinda an outlier Darkling fan with this one (from what I've gathered anyway).

I love when he meets up with Alina - the whole having-tea-with-your-ex bit was great imo. Every interaction with Nikolai too... I'll cap that thought here because otherwise I'll end up writing an essay about Darknikolina no one asked for.

I love how he went from anti-villain to anti-hero (that's how I read it anyway). Giving him POV chapters, having him fight against the Fjerdans with the others, give a final middle finger to the Apparat, then ultimately sacrificing himself to stop the universe from ultimately crumbling on itself? Yes. All of it. It's tragic of course - but then, when is the Grishaverse not tragic? Then, finally, the protagonists, who have spent the novel with lines like "why do you have to be the savior?", "we're all monsters now" and worrying about becoming like him in their efforts to save Ravka, ultimately decide he doesn't deserve to suffer for eternity - they can't forgive all his actions, and I wouldn't expect them to - but they believe he should be allowed to die in peace.

If we don't get any more books, as tragic as it is, it can end there for me, because an anti-villain to anti-hero noble sacrifice arc is beautiful to me. If we do get another (Crows from the way it was hinted at) book? I... I kinda wonder if we're going to have a Kaz-meets-the-Darkling moment in the books, and how that would go.

Anyway, I love him and his arc.

And he did. He did!!!!!! 🖤💔🖤💔🖤💔🖤💔🖤💔

Thanks for the ask :)

[ordinarythingsiflovecaneverbe]

Hello, there Grishaverse!❤���💜💙💛🖤🤍

You can call me Lila (short for Delilah) or Lav (short for Lavendar), she/her, lgbtqia+💕bi💜🩵, Chronic Illness/Disability advocate & fellow spoonie🥄🦓🦯+ CPTSD Zillennial. Primarily English, but I speak some Czech (which helps in these books). My main page is: @lavendarneverlands + a few side blogs for favorite fandoms (like this)🌞🗡️🌙🪡📚🐦‍⬛🔪♥️🐺🎩🌻🐐🏴‍☠️👑⚡️🥀🐈

All are welcome here (like Kaz you don’t need a reason😂)! No mourners, no funerals. . . Always. . . #SaveShadowandBone #SaveSixofCrowsSpinoff #SoC3

I have read & loved each & every Grishaverse story: for more —

Shadow and bone (S&B), Siege & Storm (unpopular favorite from the trilogy) #S&S, & Ruin and Rising #R&R

Six of Crows (SoC) & Crooked Kingdom💔🖤

The King of Scars duology: (KoS) & Rule of Wolves (Row)

+ ALL Novela’s/Bonus Chapters: Lost Letters to Ravka, The Tailor, The Lives of Saints. The language of Thorns; Ayama & the Thorn Wood, The Too-Clever Fox, The Witch of Duva, Little Knife, The Soldier Prince, & When Water Sang Fire. & Demon in the Wood (regular, graphic novel, & audiobook; and a favorite)

And of course the Netflix Shadow & Bone TV show starring the phenomenal cast (I love you: Jessie Mei Li (the ADHD & representation we need), Ben Barnes (my childhood Prince Caspian crush has re-surfaced), Calahan Skogman (a true poet), Danielle Galligan, Amita Suman, Freddy Carter, Jack Wolfe (human sunshine), Kit Young, Daisy Head, Anna Leong Brophy, Sujaya Dasgupta, Archie Renaux, Julian Kostov) of course our Gothic Queen & Mother Leigh Bardugo, & the incredible crew who made it possible all the way to the score by Joseph Trapanese as they made it to near-perfection… and how could I not mention the true star MILO the GOAT… I am forever in denial about its cancellation #WeNeverStopFighting

⏰This blog does & will contain spoilers including the notes below🚨

Confession: I watched Season One of Shadow & Bone before reading the books (I didn’t know there were books until I finished it! Thus accidentally breaking my “books first” traditional rule). However, I actually think this improved my love of the books as I came in with the show version of Mal & (fan-cast come to life) chemistry of Ben Barnes as the Darkling (minus the spoiler of knowing his name was Alexsander & he was not to be trusted). The added diversity & “fixes” gave me a very different viewpoint & understanding heading in. And I pretty much binge read them (only disappointed in the lack of crows as I surprisingly avoided spoilers outside of the first book).

I of course love our sankta Alina Starkov, & despite popular opinion Mal Oretsev (Malina holds my heart). I enjoyed the ending to the 1st Trilogy, and the found family with Misha & my all time fav OnCat. — Hence the blog name & my favorite quote of the books & one of all time — “They had an ordinary life, full of ordinary things— if love can ever be called that.”

I did love Alexsander NOT the Darkling; though I did ship Darklina for a while; I blame Ben & Jessie😂 to be clear, however, I DO NOT CONDONE ANY OF THE ABUSE THE DARKLING CREATES

Genya Safin is very dear to me & her story/quotes meant a great deal to me. Daisy Head’s interview speech of “taking space” is one of my favorites. I will forever be a “David Lives” truther😅😭

Inej Ghafa is also the same, her story, her character, her quotes, her ship… ALL. OF. IT. Amita & Freddy. Kaz Brekker… representation!!! Kanej… do I need to say more?

Nina Zenik is a queen, Helnik was an ALWAYS & it ALWAYS destroys me💔Matty, but I’m glad Hanina found a happy ending. Nina’s journey through grief came when I needed it most… she represents many things that were beautifully done.

Wylan Van Sunshine is bb & must be protected at all costs same with Jack (our lil wolf). Wesper will always be endgame. Jesper Fahey is a style icon & that word also applies to Kit.

Zoya Nazyalensky is a severely under appreciated character in my opinion, and one I am thankful to see as a heroine in fiction! Zoyalai is a favorite🎀 as is our Privateer Nikolai Lantsov + another style icon ;-) + (his & Mal’s TV bromance *chefs kiss*) — Speaking of show additives a moment for: Fedyor x Ivan👌👌😘😘🥹

I could go on for days… but for now I’ll just say any shop, character, fic, fanart, theory, quote, book talk, etc. is welcome & probably enjoyed! Please be kind! Please be healthy! And let’s have a great time appreciating a great fandom! Welcome!!!

I don’t remember my own story.

I may have slept in a hayloft or on a featherbed.

I may have eaten from silver dishes or stolen scraps from the kitchen.

I may have worn summer silks and jewels in my hair.

Or maybe I went barefoot and clawed in the dirt, searching for roots, for gold, for shelter. I can’t recall. There have been too many stories in between, miracles and martyrdoms, too much blood spilled, too much ink. There was a war. There were a thousand wars. I knew a killer. I knew a hero. They might have been the same man. I remember only how I fell into books, never to rise from their pages, how I was never truly awake until I began to dream of other worlds.

I wander now, lost among the shelves. My hand cramps around the pen. I gather dust. But someone has to set down the words, put them in the proper order. I am the library and the librarian, hoarding lives, a catalog for the faithful.

Erase my name. Indelible is a word for stories

[rothko]

number 19 for the book asks >:-)

most disliked popular books?

i unfortunately do not read nearly enough books to have a good answer, nor do i even know what’s popular… if i dont like a book i will simply stop reading and forget abt it akdjs 💔 however i do dislike grishaverse books i tried getting into in when i was 16 and it was so bland and boring i couldnt stand it. mind numbing honestly. sorry. ummm thats all i can think of…. oh i also dont like keats…. and byron…… idk do people still really like english romanticism? i think that was a thing a few years ago anyway i dont like them lol. OH i dont like jane eyre also sorry i think rochester should die