Shadow and Bone: Book 1 (Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1) (Grishaverse, #1)

by Leigh Bardugo

Enter the Grishaverse with Book One of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by the number one New York Times-bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. Perfect for fans of Laini Taylor and Sarah J. Maas.

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold-a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes 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, her 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.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.

Praise for the Grishaverse:

"Utterly, extremely bewitching." The Guardian
"There's a level of emotional and historical sophistication within Bardugo's original epic fantasy that sets it apart." Vanity Fair
"Unlike anything I've ever read." Veronica Roth, bestselling author of Divergent
"This is a great choice for teenage fans of George R.R. Martin and J.R.R. Tolkien." RT Book Reviews

Read all the books in the Grishaverse!

The Shadow and Bone Trilogy
(previously published as The Grisha Trilogy)
Shadow and Bone
Siege and Storm
Ruin and Rising

The Six of Crows Duology
Six of Crows
Crooked Kingdom

The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic

• ISBN10: 1780622260
• ISBN13: 9781780622262
• Publish Date: 31 July 2014 (first published 3 May 2012)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 29 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hachette Children's Group
• Imprint: Indigo (an Imprint of Orion Children's)
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[neddieb]

I know this is a young adult book, but I felt as if I just read a scary fairy tale to a 5 year old.

[tweetybugshouse]

This is a book i waffled on for quite a long time I not sure if it was the title or the description but something felt off. I am so glad i choose to give it a chance cause this book was amazing. It had a whole concept i not found much in books that have to do with magic. I like the plot twists, the anticipation of what is going to happen next. Just the right of amount of fantasy and dash of romance. I excited for the next book.

[layawaydragon]

My Notes:
* 5 stars
* Loved it
* The twist is fantastic, though the foreshadowing a bit heavy
* Great inspiration from Russia, gives it a different flavor
* Loved the characters and progression
* Wonder what's going to happen next, no clue. They literally ran away from what I thought was the next step.
* Loved the last chapter
* Must continue

[cornerfolds]

Read more of my reviews at Cornerfolds.com!

Do you ever read a book and then you just sit there at the end and have a fight with yourself over how you could have possibly waited so long to start?? Well, that was basically me with Shadow and Bone. I felt the pain all over again when I was getting ready to write this review and realized this book came out in 2012. I'm not sure why I put this one off for so long. Something about the synopsis just didn't convince me that it was a series I'd enjoy, but when I got the chance to listen to the audiobook, I decided my time had come.

This is the story of Alina Starkov and her rise from a sickly-looking orphan who basically sucks at everything to possibly the most powerful Grisha ever. Alina is a character that I really, really enjoyed. Female leads can be so hit or miss for me. Either they're too dainty and unable to do anything for themselves or they're too badass and refuse help from anyone. Alina is neither of those extremes and was the kind of girl who I think I'd like to be friends with. Despite the power she finds herself saddled with, she's humble and kind and genuinely desires friendship and to do what's right. I enjoyed every minute I got to spend with her!

I also LOVE the Darkling. What can I say? I have a thing for the dark, tortured type! The Darkling is the one who leads the Grisha and has the ability to summon darkness, something none of the others can do. He's terrifying and charming and (obviously) completely gorgeous. He also seems to have a thing for Alina from the very beginning, despite the fact that he admits to being quite a bit older than her. I was never quite sure about the Darkling while reading this book. Is he good? Is he bad? Is he really just misunderstood? Events unfold and one of these is confirmed, but I'm still not completely sold.

The other main character in Shadow and Bone is Mal, the best friend that Alina has grown up with. Orphaned together, they have always been friends, although Mal is the opposite of Alina. He's good at everything and everyone loves him. All the ladies swoon and Alina hides her feelings, that she might like him a little more than as a friend. Mal is missing from a good chunk of the book but eventually shows back up and becomes an important player. I didn't have any specific qualms with Mal, I just didn't love him and I didn't particularly love him and Alina as a couple.

I loved the story of the Grisha and the mythology of their world. While magic is something that is done over and over and over, the Grisha were unique and Leigh Bardugo has done a fantastic job of explaining their abilities. The way Alina fit into the Grisha world was also incredible and I loved seeing the events unfold. The writing was engaging and, although the book wasn't constantly filled with action, I didn't feel like there was ever a dull moment.

The world of the Grisha itself was so detailed and well formed that I felt like I could imagine it. Once again, a map included in the front of the book (I also own a hard copy) added a lot to the experience. I wish every book had a map in the front! I have a feeling that with each book more and more of the world is going to unfold and I really can't wait to learn about the lands outside of those I've already seen!

I am so excited to see where this story goes next! Like I said, I'm still not completely sold on the Darkling being 100% evil. Even if he is, I'm not convinced that he still isn't the best one for Alina to end up with. (I'm really not a fan of Mal.) Shadow and Bone ended on such a high note, there is no doubt that I'm going to have to jump directly into Siege and Storm to see what happens next! If you're still waiting on this one, it's really time to go for it! You will not regret it!

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

Another #ShelfLove Book off my shelf. Another debate on whether to continue the a new series. Must every young adult novel be a series? *sighs*

I did enjoy my adventure through Bardugo’s mythical world of Ravka that reminded me vaguely of Russia. I could feel the cold, the darkness and the fear. While my copy of the book is just a lowly paperback, I thought the novel was beautifully put together. The details in the chapter headings and surrounding the page numbers was fascinating.

However, I think my time with girls that are hiding special powers, destined to save the world with the boy they shouldn’t love is over. I thought the novel was predictable. I could see how the novel was going to end and it left me feeling “Meh.” I know that this will probably cause me to be sent to Tsibeya because I know I have some friends absolutely loved this book/series, but I’m burned out on this type of story.

So why did I keep reading? I was seduced by the Darkling and the Grisha. i was fascinated by their power, their life of privilege. I wanted to know more about how they became Grisha as each country introduced in the book treats this group of people differently. Sadly, I was disappointed on this front. And of course, this isn’t a story about the Grisha and the Darkling’s rise to power. It’s a story about special Alina and her special powers.

For a reader that is a huge fan of The Hunger Games series or the Divergent series, The Grisha series might be right up their alley. Me, I’m going to pass on the remainder of the books in series. I’ll stay in The Shadow Fold with the volcra as I have no desire to see how this series ends.


This review was originally posted on Second Run Reviews

[nitzan_schwarz]

2015 tbr challenge

JUST POSTED ON THE BLOG

Look who's really really late to join the bandwagon! Me! I've been itching to read this book for a really long while, but something was holding me back. The right mood finally came upon me and I started it.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to see you, Alina. But I see you now."

From page one, I was in love with the writing style of this book. There is just something so... beautiful about it. I can't really put my finger on it (plus it took me so long to write this review that it's not as fresh in my head as I'd like), but I was addicted to it.

We're already off to a good start, aren't we?

Then there's Alina, the main character of the story. I loved her voice. I loved her character. I loved that she was brave yet scared. Toughed yet so weak. That she had such a good heart in a world that doesn't often appreciated it. That she was human enough to sometimes break her own heart with the actions she had to take.

Now we have the supporting characters. All were great in my opinion, all added something--whether if to the story or the layers of the world or whatever.

But, can we just say-- I FEEL SO BETRAYED RIGHT NOW. Seriously, I did not see that twist coming. I was having fun, strolling down the plot when BAM I AM UNDER ATTACK MAYDAY MAYDAY *explosion*. 

Seriously, what? why? who thought this was okay? I don't know how to deal with this! My shipper heart is flailing around in distress. 

I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.

Which, I guess, is what makes this book interesting. It's what makes it different than the rest of the books in the genre that work on the same vibe. It surprises you and makes you want to continue with the books so you could see where it goes--and what surprise does Bardugo has prepared for you next?

But... still. I was not prepared to hate a character that I've learned to love! 

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[Joséphine]

April 29, 2015

Book review is up on Word Revel.


March 28, 2015

Initial thoughts: Eh. That's the first description that comes to mind. Interjections count! It's just that as much as I loved the setting, the writing didn't impress me. The pacing wasn't as strong as I thought it could've been. The plot points were strung up well but the connections lacked finesse. In terms of characterisation, the depth was lacking and just overall I thought the book was okay. I wish a glossary of some sort would've been included because while Russian-inspired, the "foreign" words weren't always Russian but made-up terms. That made reading rather cumbersome as well.

[readingwithwrin]

I loved how easy of a read this book was for me.
The world itself was interesting to learn about, and I loved how it seems to be somewhat based off Russia.

The main problem I had with it though was Alina she was so naive which didn't make much sense to me. Considering the fact that she was in the First Army, and had been an orphan I was expecting her to be more of a hero and less of a damsel in distress.

I am happy to see though that their wont be any love triangle. Well that was also kind of saddening to since it seems like the Darkling could have been an interesting character but seems to have just been made the villain way to easily.

It was nice to see a book in a series end in a way where it could have been a stand alone. But now onto reading the second book!

See more reviews like this on my blog

[Molly Freeman]

I loved Shadow and Bone. It was dark, scary, and beautiful at the same time. The writing style kept me intrigued throughout the entire story, and I couldn't put it down until I'd turned the final page.

[catiebug]

I understand now why there is so much hype and why people love this series so much! This was sooo good!

I believe this was my first high fantasy book and it was definitely a good first choice!