Shadow and Bone is the first book in the Grishaverse, and it is my favorite book in the Grisha universe.
Format: Paperback
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Page Length: 358 pages
Publisher: Squarefish (June 5, 2012)
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mr. Darcy‘s Rating: “You have bewitched me, body and soul.”
A Chasing Mr. Darcy Review
For the first fifty or so pages of Shadow and Bone, I was confused as hell. I had no idea what was going on, who was who, nothing. I almost quit, honestly, because I was so confused. Somewhere between page fifty and page sixty, though, the book just started to click. And, I was hooked from that point on!
Here’s a summary 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.
First, I just think the Grishaverse is so unique. It's a twist on magic, yes, and adds in the lore of how some people's magic is tied to specific elements, like land, water, air, fire, etc. I love the way the magic system is incorporated into a class system as well in this story. Certain Grisha are perceived as superior based on their powers or their place in the Second Army, as they're called. They train isolated from the world at the Little Palace, a place the Darkling fought tooth and nail to provide them. I also really enjoyed how visual the book is; Leigh Bardugo really wrote this book for the reader. I can see the Grisha's powers as I read, and her words really evoke a strong mental image of what this world looks like.
Second, the Darkling...how I love him. I realize he's not perfect, and I also realize he does all the wrong things...but he does them for the right reasons. His heart is focused on the future of the Grisha, a people who have been ostracized, hunted, and even killed simply for existing. He envisions a world where they don't have to hide anymore, and that's really what all his scheming and backstabbing is about. Of course, then there's Alina...the girl he didn't expect to find who evokes feelings he didn't expect to feel. After the party at the palace, the Darkling and Alina have a sensual moment, and he tells her, "The problem with wanting is that it makes us weak." Um, I'm sorry-- swoon moment! I literally felt my knees sway when says this because the the scene, the way it's written, and the way he says it are just sheer perfection. I really feel like this is one of the most underrated scenes in the whole trilogy. The Darkling has it all - intrigue, sex appeal, style, and just enough villain in him to make him dangerously attractive. Yum yum yum.
Third, I really enjoyed the twists in this story. I think the world is in unanimous agreement that the Darkling's most famous line is, "Fine. Make me your villain." For me, it's the way he delivers this line more than the line itself that makes it so powerful. It's almost in a resigned, patient way that one speaks to a disobedient child. It's like he's thinking if he let's Alina vilify him for now, she'll com not her senses and realize he's been right all along. It's such a serious moment in the story, but it's also almost humorous the way the scene plays out. Of course, Mal is lurking around the edges of the story just waiting to ruin everything (in my humble opinion, I HATE Mal in these books. I think the only fictional character I have ever loathed more is Ron Weasley).
Shadow and Bone is one of the best young adult books I've read in a long time. I can't believe the series flew under the radar for so long, but I'm glad it's getting the attention it deserves now. I only wish I had discovered it sooner so I could have purchased the original book covers!
Comments