Siege and Storm (2013) by Leigh Bardugo is the second installment in the Shadow and Bone trilogy, set in her lush, Tsarist-inspired Grishaverse. The novel plunges Alina Starkov deeper into darkness as she grapples with her amplified Sun Summoner powers and the relentless pursuit of the shadowy Darkling, who has survived their climactic battle in Shadow and Bone.
Now hunted by both allies and enemies, Alina and Mal flee across the True Sea, only to be drawn back into Ravka’s war by the charismatic privateer Sturmhond (a fan-favorite character revealed to have his own secrets). As Alina seeks the legendary sea serpent Rusalye to amplify her magic, she confronts the seductive lure of power and the cost of becoming a living saint. Bardugo expands her worldbuilding with new locations—like the opulent Little Palace—and introduces morally complex players, including the enigmatic Apparat and a cult of Alina-worshippers.
Themes of ambition, identity, and corruption take center stage, culminating in a siege that tests loyalties and leaves the fate of Ravka—and Alina’s soul—hanging in the balance. Siege and Storm deepens the trilogy’s stakes with richer politics, darker magic, and a love triangle that defies easy answers.
