Shadow and Bone
by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha #1
Published on June 5th, 2012
by Henry Holt & Co.
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
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Also by this author: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, Ruin & Rising, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously, I’m not overreacting Shadow and Bone is awesome! Leigh Bardugo weaves such a unique and wonderful world, filled with amazing, swoonworthy characters, an awesome plot and incredible writing style.
The story starts with Alina and Mal living in Keramzin, both are orphaned because of the war between Ravka, the Fjerda and Shu Han. Aline and Mal grow up together there until they do their service in the military. When crossing the fold and being attacked by volcra, Alina uses powers she didn’t know she had and soon enough it’s revealed she a Sun Summoner, the only one of her kind. Once it’s revealed she one of the Grisha, the Darkling takes her back to Ravka, to the Little Palace, to start training her powers. Alina at first is very reluctant to be one of the Grisha, not to mention that she can’t seem to summon her powers. But once she accepts the Grisha part of herself, she is able to summon her power at will. However the Darkling has other plans with her and her powers, than he told her and his plans come at a great price.
So, like I said, I loved the book. Bardugo is just an awesome author and her world building and characters are amazing. I couldn’t stop reading once I started and the story itself is so addicting. I can’t say more than that, I just loved it.
As for the characters, I love Alina. She might not be the confident, kickass heroine in the beginning of the book, but she grows a lot as a person and I loved that. As for her best friend Mal, I’m sorry people but I just couldn’t connect with him at all, I mean he’s a great character don’t get me wrong, he’s lovable, talented and charming, but I don’t know, I just can’t connect with him. And the weird part of everything is that I could connect with the Darkling, he’s charming, manpulative, powerful and evil to the bone, but I can’t help loving him. He’s just an incredible villain! There’s also Geyna, the Tailor, who catered to Alina while she was at the Little Palace and although I know she’s not who she seems to be, she’s still awesome and sassy as hell.
The one teeny, tiny thing that bothered me about the book is the “love relationship” between Alina and Mal that forms near the end of the book. I am just not fond of it and I most likely never will, I just don’t ship those two together, I think they lack chemistry between them (and I know people will kill me for saying that, but that’s how I feel) and I just don’t feel like their “love” is “real”, it’s to forced in my opinion.
All that being said, it’s still an awesome epic, fantasy read and I want to thank my BFF Bee, for pushing me to read this book (and the sequels), now I’m off to read Siege and Storm and I just know it’ll be awesome!!
About Leigh Bardugo
Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling and USA Today bestselling author of Six of Crows (awarded starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, SLJ, and the BCCB) and the Grisha Trilogy: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising. She was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Los Angeles, graduated from Yale University, and has worked in advertising, journalism, and most recently, makeup and special effects. These days, she lives and writes in Hollywood where she can occasionally be heard singing with her band.
I use most of my free time doing either of those three things. When I'm not reading, writing or gaming, then I'll go watch movies with my best friend, Bee or I'll treat myself to dinner at a fancy restaurant.
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