Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Review

 Title: Shadow and Bone 

Author: Leigh Bardugo 

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult 

Genre: Fantasy 

Series: Shadow and Bone, book one 

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars 

I bought a copy of this book and reviewed it. 

Full disclosure: I read this book way back in 2012, when it first came out. But with the premiere of the Netflix show, I decided to bite the bullet and purchase the entire trilogy. I finished this book last week and I have to say that I liked it even more the second time around. Dark, magical, and surprising, this fantasy is wholly original, with origins in medieval Russia. Shadow and Bone tells the story of Alina Starkov, a cartographer who is snatched from her unit when she displays an ancient, otherworldly power by accident. Stolen from her best friend, Mal, and the rest of her friends to train at the opulent, politically charged Little Palace, she finds herself at the mercy of The Darkling. He is determined to groom Alina into a Saint who can save the world, despite Alina’s deep yearning for her old life. Will Alina become the hero she’s always been meant to be? Or will she escape The Darkling’s iron grip and flee from her destiny? 

I really enjoyed this book the first time, but I might have loved it even more the second time around. The worldbuilding was unique, the characters all well-drawn, but my favorite parts of the novel was Alina’s budding romance with Mal and the political arena that was The Little Palace. Also compelling was The Darkling, a dangerous antihero with his own mysterious motives. The pacing was breakneck, though the different classes of Grisha were a little difficult to keep track of. I also adored the vast cast of characters, both Grisha and human, especially Zoya, Genya, Fedyor, and Sergei. But one of my favorite things about Shadow and Bone is the love triangle between Mal, Alina, and The Darkling. Normally I don’t enjoy love triangles, but this one definitely made sense. And that ending! Oh, my goodness, I was so glad that I had Siege and Storm waiting for me. I would be absolutely livid if I’d had to wait for the sequel. The bottom line: Rich with darkness, magic, and a scorching love triangle, I loved Shadow and Bone! Next on deck: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo and The Library of Legends by Janie Chang!