Vivid is one of the best words to describe Leigh Bardugo’s King of Scars. From the dynamic characters to the deep world-building, reading the novel is like a walk through a great art museum, or hearing music that has lived and will live on for ages.
The story follows three main points of view: the King of Ravka, Nikolai Lantsov; his right
hand commander, Zoya Nazyalensky; and the passionate soldier Nina Zenik. King of Scars
lives in the same universe as Bardugo’s previous works, the Shadow and Bone
trilogy and the Six of Crows duology and picks up shortly after the latter. At this point in time, the country of Ravka is still in recovery from the war several years prior. Nikolai suffers a lasting curse from the end of the Shadow and Bone trilogy and takes the form of a winged demon when asleep. With Ravka on the edge of collapse, the country is in need of their strong leader, unaware of the war he is waging with himself.
Bardugo brings readers deeper into the world already established from her previous novels, and artfully creates depth to it through historic recounts and description of the magic system. She goes into the origin of the Grisha magic and the history of Ravka. However, despite the beauty of this story on its own, there is one distinct drawback. King of Scars cannot truly be enjoyed without reading Bardugo’s previous two series. They provide vital background for understanding the world, the characters and the history of the land. King of Scarsalso spoils major plot points of the books. Although the Shadow and Bonetrilogy was published first of them all, Six of Crows can be read first and, in my opinion, can be enjoyed and understood well enough. It may come as a disappointment to some though, that this novel has five pre-requisites. Perhaps this is a clever way to get more readers, as hopefully many will realize all of her books hold the same level of excellence.
The three main narrators of the story were ones already introduced in previous works but are allowed the space to now stand on their own. They bring emotion, depth, and relatability to the fantasy world. Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina all come with their own tragedies and personal demons that are skillfully integrated into the current storyline. The only bump in this road could possibly be seen with Nina. She is physically distant from the other two main characters, adding important background and perspective, yet still making me question why she never met up with the rest of the main cast.
Overall, the heroes of the story are not set out to be perfect. Nina is suffering through the recent loss of a loved one, a break of character, and the suppressions of being a solider, expressed as “she felt the flow of the invisible river that no man could contain. It was death, a cold and inevitable tide, and when she focused, she could sense where it rushed and where it eddied. She let her mind dive into that cold, seeking those voices,” (Bardugo 80). They showcase depression and trauma, both past and present, and bring quirks and idiosyncrasies to at-first-glance legendary figures. Nikolai, even when facing his lamentable fate and the seemingly inevitable demise of the country he loves, finds humor and brashness, such as explaining, “I cannot travel without risking exposure, but I cannot stay in hiding at the capital without drawing suspicion and risking Ravka’s future with the Zemeni and the Kerch. Did I not promise particularly delicious trouble?” (Bardugo 90). These connections with the characters draw the reader into this world and find camaraderie with people unlike those encountered in everyday life.
The world comes to life through exquisite description that sets a strong mood of the scenes. The language is close to poetic:
A cold mist had crept over the grounds in the night, covering the trees and stone paths in a veil of cloud. She [Zoya] passed through the woods, beneath a canopy of twisting branches. They would bloom white, then pink, then red as blood when spring came, but for now they were only grey wood and thorns. She emerged to the manicured hedges and sprawling lawns that surround the Grand Palace, lanterns casting light over the still-dark grounds in muzzy halos. The palace looked like a bride before her wedding, its white stone terraces and golden statues cloaked in mist. (Bardugo 107-108)
It brings a balance of visual imagery and contributes to the overall world-building for the story. The reader will be drawn into wanting to walk that path with Zoya, see what she sees and interact with the world she lives in.
King of Scars is likely to be a joy for any that wish to fall into the pages of a book. As best said by Nikolai, “There had been a time when words had been the only place he could find solace. No book ever lost patience with him or told him to sit still…. Each spine had been an open doorway whispering, come in, come in. Here is a land you’ve never seen before. Here is a place to hide when you’re frightened, to play when you’re bored, to rest when the world seems unkind.” (Bardugo 154). If this line resonates with you, if you crave a different reality and captivating dark magic, you may find that solace in between the pages of King of Scars.
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