SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo - Book Review

This review contains no spoilers! 

I know I'm a little late to the party, but I finally started the Grisha series! (Also, I've been dying to read the Six of Crows duology, and while I know it's not necessary to read the Grisha trilogy to understand SoC, I wanted to be familiar with the entire Grisha universe.)

Leigh Bardugo's, Shadow and Bone, is a high fantasy novel and the first book in the Grisha Trilogy. It takes place in Ravka, a fictional town inspired by Russia the country is divided by the Shadow Fold, a place of darkness in the heart of Ravka teeming with creatures hungry for humans.

Alina Starkov and her regiment are on a mission through the Fold when things go wrong, and in a panic, Alina reveals a "magical" power she didn't know she possessed that saves her troop. The Darkling, Grisha's leader, learns of her situation and brings her to the king's court to help her control her power and possibly change the fate of the entire kingdom.

Leigh Bardugo's writing style is fantastic. It's very simple and flows nicely, making the book very easy to read. One criticism I have is that the book's beginning could use some more detailed descriptions of the Grisha world. I wasn't sure what some of the new terms meant or how I should picture the world. You can make the connection and identify the meaning as you read on, but I would have liked a little more world-building in the first few chapters.

My Thoughts: 

I must say that the plot and the storyline had me hooked from the beginning. It's fast-paced, full of action and suspense, making you want to know more and more! Many events are unpredictable and unexpected, and some people may not be who they appear to be. There are some exciting plot twists that I didn’t expect results in me not being able to put the book down.

I also enjoyed the characters, who were all well-rounded and complex. Alina, the main protagonist, undergoes significant character development, for an insecure damsel in distress was transformed into my type of protagonist; powerful, headstrong a, and fearless Mal, her best friend, has been there for her since they were children, but there has never been more to it than friendship, unlike Alina, who has had a crush on him for quite some time. I do like pe of loving or liking your friend so I kind of breezed through it. Additionally, her inner dilemma of losing Mal as a friend due to them slowly drifting apart seemed very relatable.

We also have the Darkling, Grisha's leader. He's very intriguing because he's mysterious and you don't learn much about him at first. He gives the anti-hero or protagonist-hero which is why he is increasingly becoming my favorite character. However, since we know very little about him, I can easily change my opinion on the matter later on.

I also liked Baghra, a bitter old lady who hides in her little hut, avoiding people as much as she can. And she doesn't take crap from anyone, which is always a positive personality trait. Her no-nonsense personality is what makes her such a memorable character among so many others.

Genya is the queen's servant, but she also serves as Alina's tailor and dresses her up. She's been a good friend to Alina, gossiping with her, making her laugh, and making her feel at ease among the other Grisha and the unfamiliar surroundings.

I'm eager to continue reading and hopefully learn a lot more about the characters!

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