Addicted to YA discussion

So I just read The Grisha Trilogy and wanted to talk about the main love interest and who do you root for and why?

I am team Darkling, because I believe that if she stayed she could've been his light (pun intended) and that she would bring out the best in him. On the other side, he accepted her for who she was, but also wanted her to reach her full potential. I know it was for selfish reasons, but he just wanted to find his soulmate and be treated better by the king and the society. Also, even after their big fight, they kept searching for each other, They were made for each other, for there is no light without darkness. So, there is no Alina without Darkling!

I think Alina went for the easier choice (Mel), than for the guy she had to fight for. Mel and Alina are so bad for each other, he wants her to be more "human" and she does nothing for him, only uses him for her own benefits. She doesn't even make time for him, until she needs him to fill a void or do some errand.

When it comes to Nikolai, I did root for them for a second. Nikolai is such an interesting character, basically I wanted to be with him. I am so happy he got his own series, because he deserves to have his story told.

Omg, I just couldn't decide between Darkling and Mel. Mel was always the obvious choice, but I liked the Darkling so much despite everything that he had done. I was always hoping, as you said, that she could bring out the good in him, but then again it could be the other way around. He was so powerful and full of knowledge she couldn't yet begin to understand and he was cruel even to his own mother, there was no remorse on his side and in the end I just kind of shifted all of my affections towards Mel and Alina because I started to believe that the Darkling would just pull her to the dark side and expand the Unsea. But he was my first choice for the good part of the books. As for Nikolai, yes he was a great character in his own way but I never saw him with Alina.

Nikolai's personality is definitely the best and I love him for that. I never really shipped Alina with anyone and I just hated the Darkling. This is definitely an unpopular opinion, but I didn't hate Mal. He was okay so I don't know why people hate him so much. I wasn't upset that Alina choose Mal.

Rosenrot wrote: "Omg, I just couldn't decide between Darkling and Mel. Mel was always the obvious choice, but I liked the Darkling so much despite everything that he had done. I was always hoping, as you said, that..."

You do have a good point. I stayed team Darkling all the way, as I said, for me he was just so perfect for her. But, I do agree with you that he was cruel sometimes and that It could be the other way around. I sensed that Alina liked being all powerful so if she stayed by his side maybe she would love it too much. But, I don't think she would expand the Unsea. That just doesn't sound like her. Maybe they would just find another way to be the new rulers. Maybe by uniting all the Grishas in the world and go to a war against the king.

We will never know what could've happened, since she decided to go team Mel. It was kind of a nice ending, two normal humans and no "save the world" drama. Peaceful.

I also agree with your Nikolai opinion.

Evelyn wrote: "Nikolai's personality is definitely the best and I love him for that. I never really shipped Alina with anyone and I just hated the Darkling. This is definitely an unpopular opinion, but I didn't h..."

Well I don't hate Mel, I just don't think he was a good choice for her. He sacrificed so much for her, put her first when it comes to her life, but never truly accepted her Grisha side. It's like he wanted her not to reach her full potential, to be her own self. He always wanted her to just drop everything. On the other side, she completely neglected him until she needed him. So, I don't feel like she was good for him either. They were amazing as friends, but not as a couple.

Also, I am that kind of reader, that I first read the ending or google about the main love interest, so I know who to root for and to pay attention to their story, without rushing through the novel to find out who will the main character ends up with.

So I knew she was gonna end up with Mel, but I just couldn't root for him. He was just not the right choice and I tried to ship them, just couldn't.

I was team Darkling all the way and I was never really a fan of Nikolai. I don't know why, but I just never thought he and Alina would work out. The Darkling was just so powerful and Alina's equal in every way that it seemed like they would be perfect together. I did like how she and Mal did end up together as normal folk, but to say the least, I was hoping for the darkling ship.

Yes, but I was also afraid that he would overpower her and take control mentally without her even knowing it. It would be a big struggle for her, I think, to fight for his humanity, hence the reason why I chose Mel in the end, but it would be nice to see her alongside the Darkling, as his equal. The two of them ruling together and her success at making the Darkling feel something other than cruelty and lust for power.

And just to be clear I am not saying she is not his equal, just that she would need a little time getting there.

Definitely the Darkling. I felt like they fit each other really well, and I also just really loved him as a character. I found him very interesting.

Definitely Darkling, tbh in a way he reminds me of Maven from Red Queen, and I am COMPLETELY TEAM MAVEN!!!!

The Darkling without a doubt.

- let’s begin with the obvious: Mal and Alina were fighting literally throughout 3/4 of the series.
- Mal didn’t accept Alina for who she was. All he did was complain that she wasn’t like him and that she should let go of everything to be with him.
- for years he hasn’t given her a second thought and left her on her own. (Even though he said that he had loved her for long but he never showed it? Actions speak more in this case)
- the Darkling would have literally made her a queen
- they had such amazing chemistry. Every scene between them was hot, let’s be honest.
- they complement each other. Dark vs light.
- his mother literally begged Alina to save him from himself and she could have totally made him redeem himself.

In conclusion, Bardugo could have given us the hottest power couple, but alas she pulled a Red Queen and made the heroine end up with the most boring, two dimensional, empty character.

Yazzy wrote: "The Darkling without a doubt.

- let’s begin with the obvious: Mal and Alina were fighting literally throughout 3/4 of the series.
- Mal didn’t accept Alina for who she was. All he did was compla..."

I agree 100%!

I haven`t read The Red Queen, since I can not read a series until all books are written and published, and as far as I know the series is supposed to have 8 books. But, I do agree that Alina and Darkling could have been a very strong and powerful fantasy couple!

Red Queen is a finished series, it has only 4 main books, War Storm being the last. Red Queen’s ending bothered me but is nothing compared to the trauma that is Ruin and Rising.

I’m just... so so so sad and I don’t want to give myself fake hope that Bardugo is going to continue with what was revealed in the ending of King Of Scars 🤭

Yazzy wrote: "Red Queen is a finished series, it has only 4 main books, War Storm being the last. Red Queen’s ending bothered me but is nothing compared to the trauma that is Ruin and Rising.

I’m just... so so..."

Thank you for the info! :D Now I can read The red queen.

I am waiting the second book to come out and then I can read King of scars...

Years back I was reading books as they came out, but waiting for the sequel is just too emotionally exhausting. So I decided to wait for all of them to come out and then read them all at once, as it is one story (it's just on many, many pages).

Ok, I don’t really think my opinion should count considering that I only read the first book but it should have been the Darkling!!!!! Their chemistry was Beautiful and I would have kept reading the series to see what would happen. It would have been such a good enemy to lovers book too!

Alex wrote: "Ok, I don’t really think my opinion should count considering that I only read the first book but it should have been the Darkling!!!!! Their chemistry was Beautiful and I would have kept reading th..."

I completely agree. I've read the whole series, and I still ship her and the Darkling. I mean seriously it would have been way better if it was an enemies to lovers trilogy, like Shatter Me. Seriously, they were perfect together and the author should have made the Darkling good and made them be together :)

@yazzy couldn't have said it better. this is so so true & frustrating & devastating. still hoping for a better ending in the show though.

The love triangle set up of the Darkling, Mal, and Alina is basically the exact same as Warner (Aaron), Adam, and Juliette from the Shatter Me trilogy.
Warner = Darkling
Adam = Mal
Juliette = Alina

All of them 🙈🤣😍

ok I didn't really like Mal bc I just thought he was boring...I liked the Darkling best and Nikolai second best... :)

darkling ;)

Nikolai

Nikolai, and that’s that

wait. is it Nikolai from Crown's game? that Nikolai?

Nope, Nikolai from the Grishaverse. I believe Crown’s Game was inspired by this Nikolai, actually

So, I hate Mal, and in the original trilogy I totally ship Alina and the Darkling together. I man, their chemistry was just!!! Of course, after seeing what Nikolai had to go through in King of Scars, I kind of hate the Darkling and would choose Nikolai, but I'm biased. Nikolai is simply amazing <3

Team Darkling all the way! I've never wanted a hero to turn to the dark side so badly!! I feel like Alina could have been 1000x more powerful if she stayed with the Darkling. I mean I'm not saying them destroying the world together would be cool... but it would have been awesome.
I also love Nikolai but don't think they would have ever worked together. And then Mal is just, well, muy mal.

@Dorian
Oooohhkay. I haven't read it so....Bye bye? *nervous laughs*

literally anyone but mal

I’m still crying at the fact that Mal is spelled as Mel.

*Mal is in the same category as Adam from Shatter Me and Tamlin*

Oh my God... I can't choose between Nikolai and The Darkling!

Hmm... maybe Team Darkling. #StanTheDarklingForClearSkin

Team Darkling definitely!
y'all gonna watch Shadow and Bone on Netflix?

The Darkling all the way!!!!

definitely darkling! although I just read the first book and stopped in the middle of the second, I never liked Mal. he is so bleh. I like nikolai m, he is super fun for me and cool, but idk, I think he miss something. I wish alina had become a villain/worked with him, this would be so unexpected

Yes, did you guys see? Netflix released the teaser for Shadow and Bone, and it ends with the Darkling going "You and I are going to change the world" <3

Tisha wrote: "Yes, did you guys see? Netflix released the teaser for Shadow and Bone, and it ends with the Darkling going "You and I are going to change the world" <3"

it was so awesome! his voice gave me chills

Sakshi wrote: "Tisha wrote: "Yes, did you guys see? Netflix released the teaser for Shadow and Bone, and it ends with the Darkling going "You and I are going to change the world"

it was so awesome! his voice ga..."

i died watching the trailer,

Spoilers

Listen, who could ever hate Nikolai, I loved him, he was my favorite out of all of them, but I knew that Alina and he were not going to get together in the end, after all, I don't think she deserved him. I also loved the Darkling even though he is evil, he's a great character. Mal was honestly my least favorite for a time, but with the quotes I'm reading from the book, I think I kind of forgot what he was like even though I read it just last year so I'm going to have to read the series again to make conclusions about all of them.

definitely Darkling!!!!he was superb as the villain!!!there was such a chemistry between Alina and him, she should have been with the darkling and not with Mal. I dont ask darkling to stay in the good side but just continue being a badass but not killing people. the story would be better this way!!!the second best is Nikolai. He is handsome and funny and all of that. But I think that I dont find so interesting because he is predictable where the darkling was....ohh gosh!he is the vest villain ever!!!

I didn't really ship anything and didn't enjoy the trilogy overall but if I hated Alina x Mal and while Alina x Darkling would be more enjoyable to read about, it is/would be toxic. So Nikolai x Alina is probably my side lol

Mal!! Alina and Mal had THE BEST understanding!!!
Darkling and Nikolai, both wanted to use her for their own purposes.
And I actually like Darkling as a Villian only.
I don't mind Nikolai as well.

Just Darkling is definitely not the right choice for Alina.

I mean I would pick the Darkling to be quite honest. He is the most interesting character and it would have been cool if he and Alina ended up together. I agree that the other two(Nikolai and Mal) are predictable and isn’t Nik like together with Zoya? I think they make a powerful couple together🤗

Alina & Tolya all the way

team Nikolai!!!

i ship darklina but nikolai is the best character in the series no competition

I was a big darkling fan and I shipped Alina with darkling.My friend spoiled the end for me when I was in the middle of the second book.I was very disappointed with Darkling's end(not because of Darklina's end) and didn't read the third book out of spite. But then there was King of Scars and I read the third book after a long break so that I can start KoS.

At this time, I have moved on from Darklina and accepted the fact that she is with Mal and to my surprise I didn't feel bad about it even though I never cared about Mal.

Maybe this is because, Nikolai has slowly become my most favourite and I started to care more about his story.. And I got my major ship with KoS duology.

Nikolai has the best personality out of all.But I never shipped him with Alina.

I think Mal loved the Alina part, Nikolai loved the Sun Summoner part, and the Darkling loved both parts. In the end, she chose the safest one, and there’s no problem with that. But it does make you wonder what if 🙃

Mal was selfish and extremely annoying. The Darkling was just broken and needed a lil love.
But Nikolai is perfect in every way.
I wasn't happy with her decision at the end but I guess like @ lauren said she went with her safest choice.

The actor for mal in the tv series is rly hot doe