// Content warnings: classism, ableist language, fatmisia, slavery (mentioned), kiss without consent, blood and gore depiction, dead bodies and physical injuries, death of a friend and parents (mentioned), murder, attempted murder, kidnapping (hostage situation and blackmail), war themes, violence, graphic animal death //
Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some in my review.
Haven’t read my review of the rest of the Shadow and Bone series?
Click here to read my review of Siege and Storm.
Click here to read my review of Ruin and Rising.
Click here to listen to my review of all three novels.
// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 5/5 Stars
Memorability: 5/5 Stars
// Quick Review //
Shadow and Bone has been popular for quite some time, but it wasn’t until recently that I bought the trilogy and Six of Crows duology. Now, I am finally reading the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and next, I will read Six of Crows, hopefully. I guess you could say I am gearing up to watch the Netflix series. As always, I am late to the game. But my hesitation to read popular series had no effect on the fact that I loved this novel.
// Other Information //
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Page Count: 369 pages
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Series: Shadow and Bone #1
Tag: Fiction, Young adult, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Adventure, Magic, Enemies to lovers, High fantasy, Friends to lovers
// Book Description (from Goodreads) //
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.
// Review //
I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about Shadow and Bone. For those who are like me and hesitate to read popular series for fear of being let down, fear not… for the first novel in this series is phenomenal. I’ll be reviewing the rest of the trilogy soon and doing an episode on my podcast on the entire Shadow and Bone trilogy within the week.
Shadow and Bone is hands-down one of the best fantasy novels that I have read in a long time, if not ever. It has quite literally everything I love about books: magic, good antagonists, amazing characters, complex world-building, romance, action, adventure, mystery, twists and turns. I cannot get enough of this book, its world, and its characters. I am utterly obsessed. I get the hype now; it is truly deserving of it. I don’t think I have been as obsessed with a book series since The Hunger Games.
Shadow and Bone follows the upheaval of Alina Starkov’s life as she discovers she has magical powers. She is thrust into a life completely unlike that she is used to. Separated from her best friend since childhood, Mal, she feels hopeless as she tries to navigate her new life and the powers she just became acquainted with. Ever present in the background is the Darkling, one of the most powerful Grisha (the magic users of the series). All of the characters have depth and distinct personalities, making them worth reading and caring about. This level of depth assisted in making the love interests actually interesting. The love triangle was set up beautifully. I could envision Alina with both Mal and the Darkling. And while I will not spoil anything, I can say that I completely get Alina’s mistakes in choosing who to be with at first… I am not stronger than the Sun Summoner, okay?
Leigh Bardugo has a way of writing that makes the words leap off the page and become true before you. The world-building itself was fantastic, rich, and lively. But Bardugo’s talent for description perfectly accentuated the unique and interesting world she created. Shadow and Bone features Ravka, a country torn by war and separated by the Shadow Fold, a place of darkness almost impossible to survive. Not only was the setting and world-building perfection, but the magic system was too. Instead of being forced to just accept the way that magic works in the novel, Bardugo allows the reader to become acquainted with the unique magic that Grisha can possess.
I have to mention that I loved the character development that Alina undergoes throughout the book. I was happy to see that instead of immediately being able to control and use her powers, Alina struggled with everything for a good portion of the novel before being able to truly step into her role as a Grisha. It was refreshing to see something realistic, especially since one must suspend reality to read any fantasy book, let alone one as rich as this.
The story maintained a perfect pace for every part of the book. By not focusing too much on slow-moving details and focusing on important parts of the plot, Bardugo created a masterpiece. I was captivated by the progression of Shadow and Bone and its twists and turns. I’m usually pretty good at guessing the outcome of novels/movies—a gift I inherited from my mom, who is always spoiling things for everyone without having even watched/read anything—but I was absolutely in the dark for this book and was shocked by the major reveals. Nothing is as it seems, which I appreciated.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Shadow and Bone and cannot wait to explore the rest of the Grishaverse. I highly recommend that you read the series, even if you are a scaredy-cat like I am.
Visit Leigh Bardugo’s website.
Add Shadow and Bone to your Goodreads shelf.
Maya's Reviews 
2 Comments