King of Scars is a book about a young king named Nikolai Lantsov, who is struggling to conceal a dark secret: he has an uncontrollable ability to turn into a winged monster every night. While trying to find a cure for his condition, he continues to work to revive Ravka, his country that is still recovering after almost being torn apart from a civil war. I found King of Scars to be a great read.
There was a nice combination of elements I enjoy in most books: fantasy, action, and humor. The main character Nikolai’s personality had a nice balance between humor and seriousness. As a king, he has his moments of arrogance, saying things like “I excel at most things”, and “The public may forget how handsome I am”. But he also shows responsibility and maturity as a leader, bringing Ravka to victory in the recent civil war and being referred to as a war hero by his citizens.
Another character, Zoya Nazyalensky, is second-in-command to Nikolai. Her personality is described as serious and cold, someone who could “pulp your heart and drink it”. Although her and Nikolai are near polar opposites, the author did a great job of writing their relationship. They have a really nice chemistry, with lots of playful banter and snarky comments. One excerpt of their dialogue is: “’I like to keep you on your toes, Nazyalensky. Constant anxiety does wonders for the complexion.’ ‘I’ll send you a thank-you card’. ‘Make sure of it. You’re positively glowing.’”
The last main character is Nina Zenik, a soldier under Nikolai’s army. Nina is a very flashy and bold character, and as Zoya describes her: “She doesn’t have a single subtle bone in her body. Asking Nina not to draw attention is like asking water no to run downhill.” She is also very loyal to the king, and although has a hard time with undercover missions, tries her best to succeed. (“The king had taken a chance on Nina, and she would not squander the opportunity. She would not jeopardize the mission.”)
One thing that felt a little off with this book was how well everything connected together. Nina’s part of the story is set in a different setting as Nikolai’s and Zoya’s, so whenever the story switches point of views to and from Nina’s, the change feels very abrupt. It feels like I’m reading two separate stories in one book, because Nina’s story never joins back to Nikolai’s and Zoya’s.
Review written by Victoria, Grade 9