The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka. Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom's magical elite - the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free? The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him. But what of Mal, Alina's childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can't she ever quite forget him? Glorious. Epic. Irresistible. Romance.
I heard a lot about Shadow and Bone when it was released years ago. Young adult fantasy has never worked well for me - the easier-going kind of narratives always seemed slightly jarring when combined with epic worlds. This book was a pleasant surprise. The world has different kinds of magic, but a Russian/Eastern-Europe inspired world. It's a familiar story, but told refreshingly enough to make it interesting.
I felt like the politics could have been more complex though, and the writing occasionally had the tendency to narrate the mundane too much, like moving from one place to another. It was immensely readable, though, and it struck the right balance between light scenes and darkness.
