Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo Review

All hail, the queen of the duologies strikes again. Leigh Bardugo’s Rule of Wolves is a show-stopping finale and sequel to King of Scars.

We’re back in Ravka, and Ravka is on the brink of war. The rumors of King Nikolai’s less-than royal parentage just won’t be quashed. The Fjerdans, together with the Apparat — do we love to hate the dude, or do we just hate him? — claim they’ve got the true heir to Ravka’s throne, cloistered away at the Ice Court. A new blight is indiscriminately wiping out farmland, small towns, and people. No one knows where it came from, but it seems connected to the Fold, and so the PR for Ravka is… not good. Oh, and Shu Han’s war-hungry queen is dead-set on kicking off an all-out war with Nikolai Lanstov. Yup, Ravka’s stuck between a rock (Shu Han) and a hard place (Fjerda).

“This is a bad idea,” moped Adrik.
“I have a surplus of bad ideas,” said Nikolai. “I have to spend them somewhere.”
Leigh Bardugo

Everything’s bigger in Rule of Wolves. The battles are greater and the stakes sky-high, and from page one, the pace moves at a clip. For those who’ve rooted for Nikolai since his Sturmhond days, this is it — his hero journey, even more so than King of Scars. For the die-hard Grishaverse fans *hold on to your keftas* because Kaz Brekker, Jesper Fahey, and Wylan Van Eck make a quick cameo. And if you’re thinking heist? You’re spot on! But there’s more, and your heart will swoon — I’m talking Alina and Mal (although their appearances are short), and ALL the Nina Zenik your heart could wish for! Rule of Wolves is a glory of perfectly executed multiple points of view, gliding smoothly between chapters told from Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina’s perspectives.

Get ready for intrigue, deception, and heart-stopping risks, and not only from Nina —who’s at the Ice Court of all places! There will be more than one reckoning *victory fist punch* but prepare for heart-cracked-open feels, too.

“Maybe the gift of being human is that we do not give up- even when all hope is lost.”
Leigh Bardugo

Rule of Wolves delivers on every level, including a magnificently slow-burn f-f romance. Bardugo pulls out all the stops. One of the best sequels I’ve read. Period. One of my top ten favorite reads of 2021 for sure.

And a little Grieshaverse teaser from the end of Rule of Wolves… it looks like we’ll be getting another heist adventure led by none other than Kaz Brekker! *squeals* I am ready.

“I’ll tell you a thousand stories, my love. We’ll write the new endings, one by one.”
Leigh Bardugo

Book: Rule of Wolves
Published: Orion Children’s Books
Pages: 592
Publication Date: March 30th, 2021
Stars: 5/5

Pan Macmillan kindly sent me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion, rating, or the content of my review.