#grishanalyticritical

[stromuprisahat]

Second Army disorganization

Siege and Storm- Chapter 14

One of the most frustrating and famously nonsensical passages of Grisha trilogy, easily explained through doylist approach- the author's inability to write strategy or politics and demands of the genre, requiring a weak, unfit heroine to defeat immensely powerful opponent way out of her league:

Alina: Oh no, they dare to oppose me again! :(

Isn't that why would you want to establish a council in the first place? So you get constructive criticism and suggestions to do things better?!

My objections to the notion Alina came up with representation of Grisha can't be more obvious:

Army is a structured organization. There are ranks and councils by default. No amount of ignorant teens will persuade me calling it "Second" makes it otherwise.

Any big organization has a structure. Even if Second Army were only about education, there would be councils and posts on different levels. Hell, school system works that way.

Alina: I'm gonna have the useless ones represented, because we're not doing things like the Darkling, but that doesn't mean I'll respect them myself or abandon my prejudices. Fucking nerds. Weidos...

Another YA nonsense- you cannot put people into categories based on their physical predispositions, and expect the mental ones to fit accordingly. You can have a huge, muscled guy, skilled in delicate handiwork. You can have a tiny wisp of a girl beating the living shit out of you (popular trope by itself).

Now why should sensitivity to metals get you a spot in labs, if you're a strategic genius? Or incredibly skilled, witty rhetorician? Isn't it more likely you'd be required to complete basic training to stay healthy and prevent accidentally endangering others, while being assigned to whatever you're most useful at?

And what about those weak or less intelligent ones? Are they bringing coffee and arranging entertainment?!

It also fits this fan interpretation, that Materialki are often neuro-divegent, so they are tend to be kept away from battle for their own sake.

Alina wasn't involved in practical running of Second Army before. Just because she doesn't know about something, it's not a totally fresh idea.

I'd be afraid of a girl, who almost murdered a bunch of people for asking questions, too.

At this point, I'm gonna run with the idea that all the older Grisha are torn between face-palming and silently laughing their assess off (so Alina doesn't overhear and her clique doesn't resort to violence).

“But what do they do in there?” I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to hear the answer. “Only the Corporalki know. But there are rumors that they’ve been working with the Fabrikators on new … experiments.”

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 8

... and that says nothing about the field, or the little groups in noble houses. People tend to stick together with their own, when in strange enviroment. I'm sure such bonds dissolve immediately after their return "home".

I've also delved a little into the sitting order here.

A few lines earlier, Alina noted Materialki didn't show up to complain. Who is so horrified then?! Not them, for sure.

Ironically, this fits into Fabricator-brain theory linked above AND the most logical explanation- Materialki have basic self-defense training, but only those, who are able to, continue. Alina isn't particularly friendly with any of them, so how would she know no one had EVER bothered to teach them? Alright, there are none in her class, but as far as we know, it consists of a Squaller, an Inferni and a Heartrender. Not the most saying sample.

Having a third of all Grisha helpless doesn't fit into the picture of Aleksander's leadership:

“That’s what Botkin always says. ‘Not showy, just to make pain,’” I said, imitating the mercenary’s heavy accent. “Smart guy.” “The Darkling doesn’t think Grisha should rely on their powers for defense.”

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 17

You don't have to become another Bruce Lee, you only need a chance, when they drag you out of bed in the middle of the night.

What tradition?

This is rather well-written group of angry, disorganized people. It might start with a reasonable goal, but soon everyone talks about something else than others, and the message gets lost in the noise.

Tradition doesn't equal "the way things are done". Neither of them is the same as "the need for structure and people knowing their places". The third one is a legitimate concern, although one could argue it's exactly what Alina's attempting.

This whole scene very much reads like:

The author is desperate to prove the Heroine isn't quite useless- she has good ideas! Look! *whacks a hundreds of years old stategist and survivor par excellence with stupid stick*

#Grishaverse #S&S Chapter 14 #The Darkling #Alina Starkov #Second Army #Materialki #grishanalyticritical #Second pseudoArmy #S&B Chapter 8 #S&B Chapter 17 #meme #V #Siege and Storm #Grisha trilogy #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo #anti Leigh Bardugo

[is-today-tomorrow-in-nz]

Why I cannot accept Alina Starkov as a protagonist

I have a love-hate relationship with Alina's character. Mostly hate though. I loved the few bright moments she had but I absolutely loathed the moments where she was came off as an utterly selfish, unsympatheic, sanctimonious brat which dried up the any pity I had for her.

When I think of Alina, the analogy that comes to my mind is elephants. When elephants are tamed their handlers use an interesting strategy. The handlers use the heaviest iron chains that are too strong for the young calves to break away to tether them. The young calves try as they might to break free, soon realise that the chains are stronger than them and give up. They slowly start to live within the limits of the chain. However as the elephants reach adulthood, the trainers switch to normal, lightweight chains to tie them up because, by now the elephants have been fully trained to believe that they are too weak to breakaway. So the elephants rarely ever attempt to test the strength of the chains or even attempt to escape. The elephants having forgotten the strength they posses, learn to live within the limits of the chains.

Alina is just like those elephants. She has the power of the Sun coursing through her veins and yet instead of raising up to the situation, she actively chooses to remain stagnant. She remains tethered with her one-sided affection for Mal, her crippling self esteem issues, her shame of having 'impure thoughts' and, her fear of becoming something more than she had imagined. Eventhough the chains does not help her realise her true potential or even give her room to breathe, she is unable to comprehend anything beyond it and remain fearful to breakfree.

Had she been a side character, then, all of these flaws would not have mattered. But she is the protagonist and the entire triology moves forward through her. I'm not belittling her fears but the problem with the Chosen One trope is that at one point, the Chosen One is supposed to break away from their shackles and overcome these fears as the story progresses. Because, the story is not about the Chosen One, it is about the cause they are representing. But with Alina we never see that growth and so the cause she represents remains unfulfiled. Rather than becoming the one moving the story forward, she becomes an elephant in the hands of her handlers- Nikolai, Mal, Zoya, Apparat etc. She goes where they direct her to.

We see her passiveness cause actual detriment to the story as she is directed to side with the 'good guys' instead of representing the suppressed people who sees her as a beacon of hope. And in the end her life or death did not impact the cause she represented.

People may say that she suceeded in killing the Darkling and took down the Fold. But neither was her true purpose. She was supposed to be the one who bridged the gap between the otkazats'ya and the Grisha. And so, her victory in the final battle does not satisfy the end goal as the person she killed also wanted the same.

By defeating the Darkling, she no longer becomes the Chosen One. Instead she becomes an instrument of the oppressor who actively wants to maintain the status of the monarchy which in turn thrived on the Grisha serfdom. From a passive protagonist she becomes a passive antagonist. And in the end of it all she serves no purpose to herself or the people she was supposed to uplift and goes back to her chained elephant life with Mal as her new handler.

And this is why I could never accept Alina as the protagonist.

#alina starkov #alina critical #shadow and bone analysis #anti shadow and bone #anti leigh bardugo #grishanalyticritical #girshaverse #anti alina starkov

[ragingstillness]

Gotta love how S&B season two completely forgot that Baghra tried to kill Mal in the first season.

#sab #sab critical #grishaverse #grishaverse critical #grishanalyticritical #s&b #shadow and bone #shadow and bone season two

[fiora-miriel]

The problem with Nikolai

If you think about it... Nikolai Lantsov (with that weird plot twist that he is behind the almost kidnapping), is indirectly responsible for both Alexei's and Marie's death on the show.

And for what? He wanted to kidnap Alina from the LP, from Os Alta to do what? She was already serving in the Second Army, indirectly working for the Lantsov monarchy. So what did Nikolai want with her?

Was it his plan to overthrow his father and brother with her? There is no other explanation for this, am I right?

And Alina never really questions that? She is like totally fine with the almost kidnapping, she never asks about Marie with whom she seemed to have a good relationship with. (pretty heartless?)

#grishaverse rant #grishanalyticritical #anti shadow and bone #anti s&b writers #dude they fucked up with this #sab 2 #shadow and bone season 2

[inahandful-of-dust]

I posted 1,615 times in 2022

93 posts created (6%)

1,522 posts reblogged (94%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@storm-elf

@taags-old-account

@proshipper-on-ship

@femmefangirl

@stromuprisahat

I tagged 1,555 of my posts in 2022

Only 4% of my posts had no tags

#change the world - 333 posts

#reblog - 240 posts

#aleksander morozov - 176 posts

#the darkling - 146 posts

#grishanalyticritical - 140 posts

#tolkien gave me life - 114 posts

#about writing - 109 posts

#darkolai - 107 posts

#of dreams and nightmares - 74 posts

#alina starkova - 66 posts

Longest Tag: 124 characters

#luther wanting to throw viktor a coming out party and diego just start up telling viktor that they love him my heart is full

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

See the full post

52 notes - Posted August 19, 2022

#4

See the full post

59 notes - Posted September 14, 2022

#3

THE ENDLESS SIBLINGS in The Sandman (2022-)

See the full post

74 notes - Posted August 19, 2022

#2

See the full post

93 notes - Posted September 4, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

me, obsessively refreshing the Dream/Hob ao3 page every hour, waiting for "The Uses of Adversity" new chapter: this is fine

184 notes - Posted August 23, 2022

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #false

[aerkan]

After reading through some of the posts on Tumblr from Darklina stans and Darklina antis, I decided to share my own thoughts on the matter, as I've recently changed my stance towards the ship. So, here we go...

I like the concept. I like the way they could compliment each other's powers and personalities, push themselves to acknowledge and think about things they would normally disregard immediately. (Light to darkness, innocence to centuries of experience, absolute mercy to deliberate cruelty, big picture versus the small picture blah blah blah you get me) That could be interesting. That could be fun to read. That could be healthy.

But where one fits this description the other does not. Alina may be the light and Aleksander the darkness, but both of them have the qualities of the other. Aleksander can and was merciful and Alina wasn’t free from cruelty. Their dynamic is supposed to be about balance, but it turns into a struggle for power (on both sides).

Aleksander is way too focused on the bigger picture and trying to save Grisha, that he fails to consider the personal costs in a lot of cases. Alina is focused too much on her own feelings and losses to truly help anyone else. Their views are fundamentally different, their ambitions and pride won’t let them just talk to each other. They are both so very confident in their truths, they refuse to acknowledge each other’s opinions. We could argue one of them is more right than the other and that one is more selfish, but when it comes to their personal relationship - they are both wrong.

The foundation to every relationship is trust, which they lack. And yes, you can build that, but both of the parties have to be willing to try. In this case, neither is. They both hurt each other so many times, cut so deep, that I don’t think it would work. It is a toxic ship, in cannon (I’ve seen people make it into something actually pretty sweet and loving. Just because the cannon is bad, doesn’t mean that the concept of them together in itself is also bad)

My thoughts in conclusion: The ship is fine. Really, it has potential even. It just doesn’t work in cannon as a healthy relationship. The circumstances *ehm* the author *ehm* don’t allow them to grow as characters and I think that is a waste. I honestly think that in a better written and grounded world they would work. But in cannon... guys, they both deserve better than that lol

But hey, ship whatever you want, I don’t care. Just don’t scream at me for liking a fictional character okay? Thanks.

#The Grisha Trilogy #Grishaverse #grishanalyticritical #alina starkov #the darkling #aleksander morozova #Darklina #shadow and bone

[stromuprisahat]

Siege and Storm- Chapter 11 (Leigh Bardugo)

Good.

“A lack of gratitude is unbecoming in a servant. You should wear the jewels my husband gives you.”

The Tailor

They both deserve much worse.

“You ungrateful whore,” sneered the King. ... “She is a servant, Nikolai. I didn’t have to force her.”

Ruin and Rising- Chapter 7

#Grishaverse #S&S Chapter 11 #Queen Tatiana Lantsov #King Alexander III Lantsov #Nikolai Lantsov #grishanalyticritical #The Tailor #R&R Chapter 7 #Genya Safin #Siege and Storm #Grisha trilogy #V #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo

[stromuprisahat]

Do you ever think about how Heartrenders are the only Grisha to wear kefta adorned with black?

What if it's meant to be an acknowledgement of Aleksander's paternity? Baghra refused to share any information about his father, but later she claims he was a powerful Heartrender. Sure, she could've lied, but she could've said the same to Aleksander too, when he got too annoying one day.

When Second Army was established, it was too late to even look for the man, so the Darkling honored him by sharing his own colour with his father's "kind".

#Grishaverse #Heartrenders #Corporalki #kefta #Second Army #The Darkling #The Darkling's unnamed father #grishanalyticritical #What if/AU/... #V

[stromuprisahat]

Halfway through tenth chapter of Siege and Storm, and it makes me so helplessly angry!

Nikolai's talking like Aleksander, yet he's The Good Guy™. He comes from privilage, picked the path that showed him suffering, yet we're supposed to see him as better than the person, who never got a choice, and still decided to care?!

Bribery and manipulation are alright as long as you're royalty?!

Brutality's excusable as long as you throw up in private?!

Am I supposed to believe Nikolai would be any better after half of what the Darkling lived through?!

I can't help but wonder why didn't Nikolai try to negotiate with Aleksander? He knows how Grisha are treated, what state is Ravka in, how corrupt is leadership... and he chooses more malleable, politically incompetent, inexperienced girl as an ally? When he's oh-so-nice and not-at-all calculating?!

#Grishaverse #S&S Chapter 10 #The Darkling #Nikolai Lantsov #grishanalyticritical #Cult of the Starless Saint #The Cult of the Starless Saint #Siege and Storm #Alina Starkov #V #anti Leigh Bardugo #Not anti Nikolai #because I kinda enjoy his character #I'm just pissed about the double standard.

[stromuprisahat]

Isn’t the status of Grisha much worse after TGT. How are the Righteous Gang claiming to be victors/heroes who made others lives better. From my pov, grisha are much worse off while the otkazatsya are in status quo. Also what was wrong with the grisha coming to LP to live. From the books, it seems that none of them had any connection to their parents/relatives. If so that can also mean that their family did not care enough to reach out to them after they left.

Or did the Darkling ban all communications.

I’m sure the Righteous Gang think that all the cons of their dumb decisions are in fact the Darklings fault. You know because he did this or he did that. They do bot think for a single moment that he was the only one doing anything for them. While the soldat sol (shouldn’t they have been doing some charity work in name of their Saint?) and all other grisha did not lift a single finger to elevate the position of grisha in Ravka through ANY means.

Ironically, the Gang's decision to abolish Grisha draft should serve to further alienate Ravkan commoners and destabilize Nikolai's reign.

"... His serfs will get a taste of money and education and start thinking about building lives and businesses of their own instead of praying for their master’s patronage. ... "

King of Scars- Chapter 11

Nikolai had abolished the practice of separating Grisha from their parents. There was no mandatory draft to pull children from their homes.

Rule of Wolves- Chapter 9

The fact they aren't able to offer protection to any Grisha in Ravka, therefore hardly to children scattered all over the country, AND there's no system of home education, therefore these children might either hurt someone by accident or suffer from wasting sickness, aside...

This should be a gigantic legal issue.

(Although there's plenty of questions regarding servitude in general.)

Pre-KoS Grisha automatically became serfs. Their families were compensated financially.

Let's say Grisha are no longer required to move to Little Palace, otherwise everything stays the same. Are there lists of Grisha serfs to keep track of them? And how do they serve? Why should a family that keeps the amount of pairs of working hands get any money? Does it mean that a family of free- albeit poor- peasants, suddenly include a child serf with obligations of their own? Do these "free-range" serfs get personal assignments? That sounds like a whole lot of extra bureaucracy.

The other option is much more disasterous. If Grisha are no longer serfs, there's no reason to pay their families. They should be recorded the same way other free Ravkans are, and these records don't seem to be particularly meticulous:

Another [Ravkan Grisha] had been hidden in a root cellar when the Grisha Examiners arrived to test her. “My mother told them I’d been killed by the fever that had swept through our village the previous spring,” the Tidemaker said. “The neighbors cut my hair and passed me off as their dead otkazat’sya son until I was old enough to leave.”

Siege and Storm- Chapter 7

A year here, a year there... who'll know if the missing Grisha moved away, died or got kidnapped? But don't worry, the worst is yet to come- otkazat'sya (serfs). Why are Grisha freed as soon as three of theirs start whispering their advices into young King's ear (One of them rumoured to be his mistress to boot!), while common Ravkans keep bending their backs under nobility's jeweled slippers!

This is a starving, war-torn country, through which a wave of pogroms swept only a few years back! The hatred won't disappear only because a dead Saint allegedly appointed three of Grisha to what exactly? Represent? Or rule in the puppet-King's stead?

Sure, Nikolai's (strange, innovatory) reforms lead to more food for the poor... BUT- serfs are still property of their owners, unlike Grisha. West was somehow forced to remain with the East- feeding them, losing money to them. Nobles lost some privilages and whoever's not a complete baffoon will figure out they're losing power. Church should be pissed, because their leader got deposed, religious cult with Crown-appointed head took over and Nikolai cut their incomes too! Anyone even slightly distrustful towards Grisha- and that means all through Ravkan social strata- has every reason to believe they are running the country, which no longer means one black boogeyman, but a Suli whore with the King-killer.

_____

Members of Second Army weren't discouraged from staying in touch with their families, quite contrary. To make it more... well, to make it more KoS-ish, we get some specific data from Zoya:

She’d written every week to her aunt and every week received a long, newsy letter back with drawings of chickens in the corners and tales of the interesting traders who came through Novokribirsk.

King of Scars- Chapter 25

Ivan doesn't mention his family in present time, but I'd like to imagine he used to visit his widowed, almost childless mother until she died of old age.

_____

The only reason all those barely adult Grisha are even theoretically allowed to be teenagers, is that they're safe enough, thanks to Aleksander's work.

He was thirteen, but he’d had a hundred names, a new one for every town, camp, and city ... He would have lived next door to a garbage gully if it meant a roof over his head, hot meals, waking up in the same room every morning without his heart hammering as he tried to remember where he was. ... Grisha living in camps and broken-down mines, hiding out in tunnels. ... No safe place. No haven. There will be, he promised in the darkness, new words written upon his heart. I will make one.

Demon in the Wood

If Grisha are faring better at the beginning of Shadow and Bone, it's his doing:

... though it was smaller than the Grand Palace, the “Little” Palace was still huge. It rose from the trees surrounding it like something carved from an enchanted forest, a cluster of dark wood walls and golden domes. As we drew closer, I saw that every inch of it was covered in intricate carvings of birds and flowers, twisting vines, and magical beasts. ... We passed door after door, until finally we reached a chamber where another uniformed maid stood waiting by an open doorway. Dimly, I registered a large room, heavy golden curtains, a fire burning in a beautifully tiled grate, but all I really cared about was the huge canopied bed. “Can I get you anything? Something to eat?” asked the woman.

Shadow and Bone- Chapter 5

While I can "excuse" some of the "heroes"- victim of otkazat'sya brainwashing institution, unloved privilaged kid with saviour complex, bigoted religious fanatics due to questionable parenting, universal punching bag... LB's new best girl's somehow coming out of it as the worst one.

Just the fact Zoya was saved by the very law she didn't mind abolishing, going from starving asset of her own mother to well-fed, respected soldier, who knows what do sable and silks look like... what a horrible life to lead! Such deterioration! If only the Darkling didn't bother trying, she'd be free to scrape along as she pleases!

Centuries worth of Aleksander's efforts are the reason Zoya gets to whine about her suicidal aunt instead of being maritally raped by some ancient creep, or outright dead after getting pregnant way too young.

#reply #Grishaverse #grishanalyticritical #The Righteous Gang™ #The Darkling #Second Army #Ravka #Second pseudoArmy #Nikolai Lantsov #Zoya Nazyalensky #KoS Chapter 11 #RoW Chapter 9 #S&S Chapter 7 #KoS Chapter 25 #Demon in the Wood #S&B Chapter 5 #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo #anti Zoya

[stromuprisahat]

One of those things that made Grisha relatively novel concept is that their powers are vital part of them. They need to summon to be healthy, that’s why they don’t get ill, or why they live longer than muggles. That’s also what makes them so easily exploitable. It’s almost effortless to spot Grisha in hiding, to overpower them if they don’t practice, to kill or disect them.

The show decided to ignore that. Casual viewer doesn’t see why are Grisha oppressed, when they obviously have physical power. They can see nice clothes of Second Army, hear Malyen’s bigotry and think it justified. They don’t see Alina dying at the begining, nor withering away while she’s on the run...

#Grishaverse #vs. #Shadow and Bone #Grisha #grishanalyticritical #anti S&B writers #Alina Starkov #V

[stromuprisahat]

Both show and book Darkling is good, but I think I like the book version a bit more because he's more complicated. What you said is true about the book version. He doesn't want to love Alina, but he ends up catching feelings for her anyway. In book 3, I think his feelings for her become borderline obesession and a twisted version of love. Baghra told him in TDITW that she would destroy a hundred villages if it meant keeping him safe. That's her version of "I love you." I honestly think Sasha is confused by these feelings and just doesn't know how to respond to them

note: Ask was sent before season two came out. (probably the post refered to)

His mother's influence certainly played a part. Another would be his age, all that he's been through and lack of other lasting emotional attachments. His love never had a chance to manifest in some pure, innocent way.

Baghra raised him to have ties to no one but her. While preparing him to survive in any way she could think of, she ironically denied him one of the basic human propensities- he wasn't allowed to naturally socialize. All interaction with "outsiders" were about caution, sizing up and possible gain or loss. He was taught to expect a transaction. Not even his mother's love was unconditional, and I have a feeling he might consider the concept a foolishness.

When you look at the outline of his past, he learnt he'll lose everyone he might grow attached to, and not necessarily to old age. How many times did he have to watch his loved ones murdered, killed by accident or illness, grow distant or outright betray him? No wonder he clings to his mother even once he's aware she's bad for him. No wonder he sort of wants Alina only to himself. Why would she try to abandon him, if he were the only thing she has? He, himself knows the alternative would be being alone and Alina doesn't really want that any more than he does.

Her immortality ensures the likelihood of loosing her to death is as little as it can be, so he's free to deal with other, less violent "risks".

I'm gonna admit I'd be much more sympathetic to Alina's situation, were he not right about harmfulness of her relationship with Malyen and her clinging to her past in general. I'd also say his aversion to Nikolai isn't only about jealousy. That can of worms is deeper than simple "He proposed to my girl!".

#reply #Grishaverse #grishanalyticritical #The Darkling #Alina Starkov #Darklina #Baghra Morozova #Malyen Oretsev #Nikolai Lantsov #anti Baghra #only a little this time. #anti Malina

[stromuprisahat]

I keep insisting that while a lovely idea, appointment of the Grisha triumvirate is more of a joke and recipe for disaster, than a political step forward.

Today, I’m going to question Genya’s part specifically.

At the beginning, Genya’s introduced as a unique talent with predispositions to work of both Corporanik and Materialnik. She chooses her kefta’s colours herself- blue on red (which still doesn’t make sense, since blue is established as Summoners’ colour- literally the only Order she DOESN’T belong to). At the end ot the trilogy, Alina picks her as a representative of all Corporalki.

The obvious favouritism aside, ignoring lack of experience in leadership, I’m asking- what does Genya know about her Order itself?

Due to the nature of her assignment, she spent most of her life away from Little Palace. While she would understand the inner workings of the Grand Palace, Second Army and the woes of its people isn’t something she’d be closely familiar with. She even admits there’s a distance between her and other Grisha.

More pressingly- what does she know about the work of her Order? I’d like to assume she got some sort of basic training, but she doesn’t seem to know about anything more advanced. Although she could’ve lied (or withhold), according to her tour in Shadow and Bone, she’s never even been inside Corporalki worshops (while she’s spending a lot of her free time with Materialki).

“We’re on the other side of the Corporalki anatomy rooms.”

“Don’t they need light to … do their work?”

“Skylights,” she said. “In the roof, like the library dome. They prefer it that way. It keeps them and their secrets safe.”

“But what do they do in there?” I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to hear the answer.

“Only the Corporalki know. But there are rumors that they’ve been working with the Fabrikators on new … experiments.”

How can she represent people she isn’t particularly close to, and whose work she knows virtually nothing about?!

#Grishaverse #grishanalyticritical #Genya Safin #Grisha triumvirate #The Righteous Gang™ #Second Army #Corporalki #S&B Chapter 8 #V #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo #anti Leigh Bardugo #If Alina wanted to get Genya a position in government #she should've been either spymaster #or a diplomat. #If she were to represent Grisha Order #it should've been Fabricators.

[stromuprisahat]

Beware! Potential growth's peaking out!

Siege and Storm- Chapter 11

LOL

Alina doesn't know anything the Darkling himself didn't tell her.

Forget artist!

Modern!Alina would be a member of doomsday cult!

Just... what does she built her hypotheses on? Baghra's words about Aleksander and her own fatalism?!

Frodo, halfway to Mordor:

Yeah, I shouldn't talk much about the Ring. Sam doesn't want to go to Mount Doom already. What if he turns around and bails on me? I'd have to abandon my quest alongside him...

For a person certain the world's about to end, unless she "stops" the Darkling, Alina sure lacks determination.

No, you only wanted her to inform her rapist about Darkles' plans... I'm sure that would result into heartfelt apology and her promotion from a cocksleeve to respected member of household.

Alina, repeat after me: There's nothing wrong with becoming flushed, when an attractive man touches your bare skin, especially on parts not used for casual contact. It doesn't make you a wanton whore or fallen peasant girl, and it doesn't mean you're provoking further intimacies.

Gods! I so wish to shake her or at least watch her overcome her prudish upbringing.

Thought 1- Genya might be in trouble.

Thought 2- ... and what about poor lonely Alina?!

Subtle, but I'd more appreciate spiralling due to Genya's possible fate. Alina believes the Darkling to be heartless monster and theoretically understands mechanics of offence and punishment. Yet Genya's situations is a possiblity, Alina's feelings regarding herself certainty.

Alina's sense of duty's quite something. Especially for a lowly peasant. Instead of learning, she's learning new excuses she can use to get away with bare minimum.

I don't think actually poor person with no real status (lineage AND money) would attempt such thing. She constantly treats her "betters" as nuisances, equals at best. While not perhaps actively insulting, she's hardly behaving properly. Exactly in a way that cannot be ascribed to her origin.

Perhaps Nikolai should try acting like a Royal Prince towards her sometime. Remind her of their priorities, instead of tactfully insinuating she's forgetting to be discreet about her preferences of company.

Darling, uniforms have their purpose. And it's not only to make people hate you. Sure, a lovely LITTLE pin will make it obvious, who belongs to your retinue...

I didn't want uniforms.

The uniform in itself distinguishes members of the military from civilians, but also from one another (infantry, artillery, navy, and later air force).

I've read "they" and immediately went back, because that didn't sound like Alina at all. It seems too little sleep might conjure caring heroine, yet not even that's enough for the rest of the brain to believe it.

Oh dear, how shall Tolya cope?!

Look! A place for character development! Now's the time to set up for realization the Darkling was right to require his subordinates' obedience. Yes, that incudes you, Alina...

It's shocking to see Alina act as the voice of reason. If only her perception remained at all times.

Surprisingly sound logic on Alina's part.

Sleeping under the same roof as potential assassins?!

What's the point of all these parallels or at least similar situations offering them, if Alina won't connect the dots and change her worldview?

Why should I admire Alina's courage to accept and offer protection to possible traitors without granting the same courtesy to Aleksander?

Because she's the MC? Because she's the Sun Summoner, therefore a greater target?

Yeah, and Sasha's The Black General, the most powerful Grisha alive AND a living amplifier...

She ain't completely stupid! I'm officially rooting for THIS Alina to stick around!

#Grishaverse #S&S Chapter 11 #Alina Starkov #The Darkling #Nikolai Lantsov #Malyen Oretsev #Morozova's amplifiers #Genya Safin #self centred and paranoid #grishanalyticritical #Siege and Storm #Grisha trilogy #V #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo

[is-today-tomorrow-in-nz]

Why Nikolai fails as a leader

I made a post about why I cannot accept Alina as a protagonist here. I wanted to continue the trend and do the same with the other members of the Righteous Gang. I will start with Nikolai this time.

This is a long read so, brace yourselves.

Nikolai Lanstov is a character I enjoyed reading very much and he is the only member of the Righteous Gang that I find likeable. He is shown as an inventor, visionary, a lawless pirate and a prince who threw away his cushy life to support his country. LB proposes him as an alternative- the 'good' leader opposed to the 'evil' Darkling. However, as the story progresses, we cannot help but see several parallels between them. Both are clever, have a thirst for power(not for themselves), are patriotic and posses an opportunistic nature.

So what differentiates our 'Good' King from the Dark Lord? The short answer is LB and her plot armour.

In other words, the 'goodness' in Nikolai that is supposed to make him better than the Darkling is never put under trial. Even though, Nikolai as a character has enough traits in him to make him swing easily towards the 'evil side', LB restricts his character to his goodness and devices a plot armour in such way that his morals and ideals are rarely threatened.

Let me point out a few key instances where LB restricts Nikolai's character growth to keep up his clean image:

Nikolai's bid for the throne: Ever since Sturmhond's true identity as Nikolai is revealed, we are shown of his ambition to take over the throne of Ravka. We also see the ground work he had laid since his days as a soldier in the First Army but his plans just stops there. After re-entering Ravka, his only plan is to solely rely on Alina(a fickle person at best) accepting his hand in marriage, kickstarting his campaign for the throne. With the Darkling on the run and the country in shambles, we see no tangible efforts from him even when the situation calls for it He neither strong arms Vasily(or the King) nor does he march in and seize the throne. He does nothing but attend meetings and act as an underling to Vasily. For someone who loves Ravka enough to give up his princehood and live his days as a pirate in the sea, we don't see him doing much to aid the said country when it is in literal chaos.

So how does Nikolai secure the throne?

Answer: The Darkling does it for him.

LB had already established Nikolai as a morally grey character. So why didn't she let Nikolai blackmail his father or brother to position himself in the throne? The country is in shambles and the entire population is looking for a miracle. Marching in with the Sun Summoner, his First Army supporters and seizing the throne is obviously the correct step here and yet we don't see Nikolai doing that or rather LB doesn't let him do that because if she did, then how can she differentiate her hero from the villain?

Nikolai's when faced with the truth about his parents: For once, we are given an excellent opportunity to see how good and righteous Nikolai is. He learns the truth about his dear father, aka the rapist King. He also learns how his mother had been turning a blind eye to his crimes for years. And he, their only remaining son, is placed is in a position to dole out judgement for their crimes.

How does Nikolai punish his family?

Answer: He doesn't.

He shamelessly uses the opportunity to establish himself as the King and sends his parents on a nice, luxury retirement to the colonies. So where did his sense of justice go? How is he the 'good' King when his first instinct is to pardon his kin and not hold them accountable? Isn't that what self-righteous, non-Darklings supposed to do? And the way LB later twists this on the Darkling is laughable. Nikolai literally denies Genya her justice and yet the Darkling is blamed for it. Instead of Nikolai shouldering the responsibility for his actions(by extension his family's), the entire fault is solely placed on the Darkling. What is one more evil deed to his list of crimes, eh Miss LB?

Nikolai on Mal's insubordination. Why does he allow Mal(much later we see it with Zoya too), a literal nobody, to talk and treat him the way he does? He was well within his rights as a prince to demand Mal's blood and yet time and time again he lets Mal walk scot-free? Why? Because he is different? Because he wants Alina to see him in a positive light? To present himself as a better prospect? Because he is a good person at heart that doesn't want to force Alina into something and 'win' her over? So kissing Alina without her consent, in a public event no less, was an act of chivalry?

Answer: Because if he acted, it would make him look as 'bad' as the Darkling. The Darkling would have never accepted insubordination from anyone let alone a nobody tracker from the First Army. He demands respect as any good leader should. Punishment for insubordination is not as 'evil' act as LB perceives it to be. It has been existing since the dawn of time and it exists even in today's modern society. You cannot mouth off figures of authority without consequences. And yet LB cannot have that because Nikolai is not the Darkling. He is different, he is 'good'.

*****

Throughout the trilogy and duology, through several mouth-pieces, LB keeps telling us how much of a good person Nikolai is and yet when presented with an actual moral dilemma, she does not allow him to make a decision that would sully his 'goodness'. So how can we, as readers, call him 'good' when he is never presented with a trolley problem?

LB keeps shooting Nikolai in the knee to keep him from growing. Because if he did, then we would see how he was no different from the Darkling. The 'evilness' of the Darkling stems from the fact that he had to make hard choices since the day he was born. He had taken up an cause that no one before him did and so being 'good' was never an option for him because the only choices he had were preserving his soul or preserving his community. And he chose the latter and this is where Nikolai fails as a leader. Nikolai never had to make a choice of sacrificing a few for the goodness of many. LB swathes him in plot armour after plot armour that by the end of the duology he is almost as virtuous as Virgin Mary.

It's a shame that LB's views of the world are restricted to black and white. Had she understood the nuances of morality, she would not have maimed one of her strong characters.

A good King shows strength, courage and fights for his country. He commands respect from his subordinates and strives to improve the lives of his subjects. A good leader does not hesitate to use any tools at his disposal to get results he needs- diplomacy, violence, threats, warfare etc. A good leader will always puts his people first before his morals and more importantly does not give up his crown to Daenerys Targaryen knock-offs. By making Nikolai's character cling to his cloak of morality, LB makes him look like a people-pleasing child rather than a formidable leader he has the potential to be.

In conclusion, as much as I like Nikolai as a character, I would say Uther Pendragon made a better King to Camelot than Nikolai did to Ravka.

#shadow and bone #grishanalyticritical #grisha critical #grishaverse #nikolai lantsov #anti leigh bardugo #anti shadow and bone #pro aleksander morozova #pro darkling #king of scars #rule of wolves #seige and storm #ruin and rising

[stromuprisahat]

Siege and Storm- Chapter 10 (Leigh Bardugo)

Are you fucking kidding me?!

Our heroine, ladies and gentlemen!

This group of people is automatically blamed for stuff. #mood

Let's not forget that the only survivors from the inside of the Fold were Aleksander and his people, Alina and Mal. The rest of Ravka, lead by the Apparat (and Lantsovs) had exactly one reason to blame Grisha- they are Grisha.

The Darkling's proclamation took place inside the Fold, and while Grisha were already blamed for the King's sudden "illness", it wasn't anything official, because otherwise he wouldn't have King's envoy on board. There would be an attempt to arrest him, instead of sending a royal delegate to accompany him.

The maths is simple- the Fold, created by Grisha, grew- it's Grisha's fault. The Sun Summoner isn't Grisha but living Saint, because she survived somewhere- the Apparat SAID SO.

Let's grab pitchforks!

#Grishaverse #Siege and Storm #S&S Chapter 10 #grishanalyticritical #Alina Starkov #anti Grisha sentiments #Second Army #The Darkling #Ravka #self centred and paranoid #V #Grisha trilogy #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo