Honestly, I know most readers find this book to be the weakest of the trilogy, but so far I love it the most. Alina finally grows into her power and starts to find her purpose. I love Nikolai to pieces.

Mal...I have a solid guess that Mal is actually the "Firebird", hinted at twice now when he's grabbed her free wrist. But I do wish he'd get over himself. I'm waiting for him to grow too because so far he's a dead weight to Alina and it's frustrating. She'd be far more balanced by Nikolai but it certainly seems that the story has been set up so he is an integral part of the resolution of the plot. He's got to be less of a child. But maybe I've just been spoiled by how well Kaz was written in Crows!