“Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Alina Starkov is a soldier. When her regiment is attacked whilst crossing the Shadow Fold – a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters – Alina unleashes a dormant magic not even she knew she possessed. Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha – the country’s magical military elite – and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift. But as Alina unlocks the secret of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.
What is the book about?
Alina Starkov is an orphan. A soldier. A nobody. She is destined to work as a mapmaker for the rest of her life and serve her kingdom, just like every other peasant girl like her. Now, she is on her way across the Shadow Fold – a sea of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters, also called the Unsea, which separates her country (Ravka) and makes it impossible for the East to get to the True Sea. She knows that it may prove impossible to cross it, and that she may not make it across alive, but when her regiment is attacked by the monsters she somehow makes it back out. Once she is back on safe land, she realises that making it out alive wasn’t just due to luck and she actually used some magic she didn’t even know she possessed. Now Alina will go from being a poor soldier and become part of the luxurious, rich world of Ravka’s magical elite (the Grisha). Not only that but now she is falling for the Grisha’s leader, the Darkling, who believes that she is the answer to destroying the Shadow Fold once and for all and bring her country back together. But as Alina trains with the Grisha and works towards saving Ravka, she uncovers a secret that could destroy her country and threaten everything and everyone she cares about, unless she somehow finds a way to escape the lavish world she had just started to get accustomed to…
What were your initial thoughts on the book?
Unsurprisingly, I can barely remember how long ago I bought this book and the rest in the series, all I know is that it was quite a while ago and I was so excited to start reading them. Somehow, I ended up forgetting that I had them on my shelf, gathering dust, but now that I have taken Shadow and Bone out I don’t know how I was ever able to put it away and forget about it. Once I held it in my hands and read the blurb, I was so excited to start reading and was so intrigued to find out more about the Grishaverse and submerge myself in a lengthy and magical series. When I started to read, I was initially a bit disappointing because I found the book a little slow to begin with and found it hard to really get into it. I also found it a bit difficult to enjoy the book at the start due to the ridiculous amount of made up, hard to pronounce words that I found impossible to understand. However, after reading a couple more chapters, I found myself truly enjoying the book and once I familiarised myself with the new words in the made up languages and soon I was reaching the end of the book with the knowledge that starting this series was one of the best decisions I have made so far.
Who was your favourite character and why?
Honestly, I don’t really think I had a favourite character, but I do think that I did really like Alina. She was the main character, and as I saw everything through her eyes I found it relatively easy to like her. She was like every other female main character in a young-adult fantasy novel: the ugly, insecure, ordinary girl who is the saviour that everyone has been waiting for. She was easy to relate to in the way that she had her insecurities and was always looking around her, pointing out all the more beautiful people around her. However, the main thing that I liked about her is that she didn’t let the fame get to her head and never thought herself superior to the other characters, no matter how much better she actually was. I also really liked how she developed into a stronger character, a lot braver and independent than she was before and that, even though she didn’t let her power get to her head, she also didn’t just spend her time thinking herself inferior and she let herself enjoy the situation she was in for a little while and make actual friends. I was actually surprised how much I liked her because usually I don’t always like the whiny main character, but in reality she was a lot less whiny and her character development was quite well-written. Another character that I think I liked more than Alina was Genya. She was so nice and friendly with Alina but she also didn’t take any nonsense and wouldn’t let her just sit depressed the whole time. She also had a confidence I really admire and she was so beautiful and knew it.
What was your favourite part of the book and why?
If I truly told you what my favourite part of the book was it would probably ruin the story, so instead I will just explain why my favourite part was my favourite part. The main reason I enjoyed this part was because it was the moment when me and the main characters thought that it was all over and that there was no hope anymore, however finally Alina realised that it didn’t have to end like that and that she could stop it. So, she took control. She took back her independence, her power and did what no one thought possible. She understood her strength and that her power was something that no one could take from her because it was a part of her. I really enjoyed seeing her take back her life and I was particularly impressed by her change of character. It was a great part of the book and in that moment I knew that Alina was no longer the useless, clumsy girl she once was.
What was your overall impression of the book?
Despite the amount of people that have disliked the book, I really enjoyed Shadow and Bone and found that it was a really good read. One reason I really liked it was because of its plot. Although it was a bit predictable at times and the pace could have been a bit quicker, I finished the book in less than a week and after I finally got into it I found that I didn’t want to put it down. The plot was just magical and, after you have read a few chapters and started to understand, Shadow and Bone grasps your attention and doesn’t let you go until you have reached the end and don’t even realise you read the whole book. I was sucked into this incredible world and so consumed by it that I didn't want to book the book down. Another thing that I really enjoyed was the world-building. I personally believe that this was the best thing about the book and that Leigh Bardugo’s skill was truly showcased in the way that she created a whole new world and so easily transformed my bedroom into a vast land full of magical creatures and adventure. After reading the book, I honestly can’t believe that what I just read doesn’t actually exist because I honestly felt like that world could exist someplace other than my own imagination. She brought Ravka to life and it honestly made reading the book so worthwhile. One other thing that I loved was the exclusive content in the book. I loved reading the letter that Mal wrote for Alina and found it so intriguing and also tragic that she will never get to read it, however I am most certainly grateful that I got to read it, I always appreciate some bonus content. Overall, Shadow and Bone was a great book with an incredible plot set in the most magical world ever, but I did find that the made up words where a little hard to follow. It may have its flaws, but I am truly glad that I picked Shadow and Bone off my shelf and I know I will most definitely be reading the next book. This was a great start to a hopefully incredible series.
Would you recommend this book?
I would absolutely recommend reading Shadow and Bone. It is the perfect book for over 15s who are ready to enjoy a series full of fantasy, action, adventure and romance, but I am sure anyone who picks up this book will love it.
Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)
A fascinating and unique adventure set in a wonderful, descriptive fantasy world.
Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego
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