Ruin and Rising

Alina is the book’s protagonist, one of the most powerful Grisha in Bardugo’s world. Alina only discovered her powers of summoning light about a year before Ruin and Rising begins, and she struggles with adjusting to her new celebrated status in Ravka. She is heralded as a “Saint,” sent to court to train, and the subject of political disputes between various leaders. However, Alina’s transition to this new role is especially jarring because previously she thought she was non-magical and grew up as a lonely orphan in a rural corner of Ravka. Mal is one of her only confidants, and Alina’s love for him is passionate and fierce.

However, Alina struggles with trusting others as allegiances and her position in the kingdom shift. This poses emotional difficulties as she navigates the events of the book. Despite her struggles to trust, and despite worrying about their intentions, Alina is steadfastly loyal to the people she believes she can love and trust, notably Mal, Genya, and—to a lesser extent—Baghra. At the end of the book, she and Mal are further connected by their willingness to sacrifice everything that previously made them distinctive in order to live an “ordinary” life together.