The conclusion to the series finds Alina and Mal trapped in the caverns underneath Ravka, with the clergy using her as symbolic figure of little power, Saint Alina. Eventually the gang of Grisha flee to find the mystical Firebird, the last of the sources of power that Alina hasn't bound yet, hounded on all sides by the vastly superior powers of the Darkling. The book is dark, full of action and only in its conclusion managed to disappoint me, with a giant cop-out. An opportunity of giant emotional impact was lost here. I wish Leigh Bardugo hadn't gone for this cop-out and had treaded a less safe route. But then, who am I kidding, this is YA. I have to admit I was a bit disturbed to read all the Goodreads reviews of teenage girls fawning over the 'hotness' that is the Darkling. Erm, yeah.