Shadow and Bone
“The problem with wanting," he whispered, his mouth trailing along my jaw until it hovered over my lips, "is that it makes us weak.”
So I finally read it. No surprise really. Shadow and Bone is one of the top fantasy novels in the nation right now with the Netflix series having come out last month. But we are here for books. And Leigh Bardugo’s first book in this hit series I will review!
Shadow and Bone is a fantastic novel, in both acclaim and genre. I was excited to read another series with such high praise after falling absolutely in love with Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series. I have included headers, like “No Spoilers” and “Spoiler Alert,” for those who are interested in reading Bardugo’s work and for those who already have.
THE GRISHAVERSE: An introduction
Leigh Bardugo is no doubt a different author than Maas, and not just because Bardugo’s writing can appeal to all audiences, young and old. No, she has created an entirely new world from nothing, filled with elemental bending, magic, and pure life. The “Grishaverse,” as she calls it, involves three categories of Grisha, or people with the gift to bend specific elements.
- The Corporalki, or “The Order of the Living and the Dead,” dealing in the manipulation of living things.
- The Materialki, or “The Order of Fabrikators,” dealing in the manipulation of earth elements, like metal and dirt.
- The Etherealki, or “The Order of Summoners,” dealing in summoning elements, like wind and water. Or in Alina and the Darkling’s case, summoning light and darkness.
NO SPOILERS HERE
I learned to appreciate Bardugo's writing because of the care she puts into her characters. I had accidentally read the Six of Crows duology before this, but nonetheless felt very connected to most of its characters.
"And there's nothing wrong with being a lizard either. Unless you were born to be a hawk."
Going into this novel, I began to feel the same. Alina is the runt, to put it plainly. She is small and scrawny and no one pays her much attention. Her love for Mal is present and obvious from the beginning. We even root for this match because of the sweet and nostalgic memories they share from their time at the orphanage. So when she discovers her powers as the one and only Sun Summoner, she is forced to leave her friends in order to train her newfound powers and hopefully destroy the Fold. However, this also means she has to leave Mal behind.
I felt the loss and separation from her childhood love along with her. And it’s here that the Darkling comes into the picture.
This was a curveball for me. How would he fit into her life? He was so mysteriously kind and morally gray that I thought that maybe this was her new love interest. I was nervous at the same time. How could Bardugo introduce these two love interests into the story with no clear direction? Alina was still in love with Mal but the Darkling was so charming…
“What are you smiling at?”
I whirled, peering into the gloom. The Darkling’s voice seemed to float out of the shadows. He walked down to the stream, crouching on the bank to splash water on his face and through his dark hair.
“Well?” he asked, looking up at me.
“Myself,” I admitted.
“Are you that funny?”
“I’m hilarious.”
Without giving away any spoilers, I will say this book was filled with tricks and turns, surprises and suspense, love and lust. As an aspiring writer myself, I was constantly blown away by the little details that became big details later. I found myself taking notes for the future book I will one day write. Like I said, this book is for all ranges of readers, and if you keep reading through the entire trilogy, my fellow queer readers may find something of interest too!
My favorites after Book One
- The Darkling >> Problematic?? Yes. Will I change my mind? Absolutely not. I am probably biased because I have read the entire trilogy now, but that might actually make my ranking even more problematic.
- Alina >> She's the main character, it would be bad if she wasn't one of my favorites! Though Bardugo gave her the typical "Nothing to Something" trope, I like that she is stubborn but kind, and she makes for a great perspective to follow.
- Genya >> We only get a glimpse of Genya's personality in this book, but I couldn't help being drawn to her confidence, humor, and beauty. And she has my favorite character arch across the three books.
SPOILER ALERT (skip to "Binge-worthy" if you haven't read the book!)
Now that all the Soon-To-Be Bardugo readers are gone, we can get into my uncensored review. I decided to write this review because of the widespread popularity Shadow and Bone has gained with the recent release of the new Netflix series, but I didn’t quite imagine the turn of events that unfurled before my eyes.
The Darkling
The Darkling had a cruel reputation but it became clear he was being kind to Alina in the beginning. I was so confused, and I found myself wanting Alina to forget Mal and go off with the Darkling. Is that bad, considering he turned out to be a mass murderer?
“I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina" He said. "You and I are going to change the world.”
But he was so sporadic. He would be gone for weeks on end, then come back and randomly check in on Alina with no purpose other than asking her how she was doing. And then he kissed her! It was so sudden. Both Alina and I were confused. And this is when I began to appreciate Bardugo more. I was left in the dark, no pun intended. After the kiss, the Darkling became the more present, obvious pursuer in the story. Mal seemed a person of the past, but never out of Alina’s thoughts.
The big party came, and the Darkling and Alina showcased their talents for all to see. Everything was coming to a head. The Darkling aggressively made out with Alina behind closed doors during the party. I was intrigued to the point that I almost didn't notice my discomfort with it. I found myself ignoring the red flags right alongside Alina: Genya's warnings about the Court's men, the random (unsolicited) kisses, and then the Darkling was reaching his hand higher and higher up her leg…
“The Darkling slumped back in his chair. “Fine,” he said with a weary shrug. “Make me your villain.”
His power as an amplifier was a great touch. It made their new connection very unavoidable, and yet a very intentional force in Alina’s life.
I was literally dumbfounded when he turned out to be the Black Heretic. Like I said, I noticed all the warning signs, but didn't put them together until they were spelled out for me. Though that was the point, I can't help but appreciate the plot twist.
Friend, or foe?
I also appreciated the development of Alina's relationships, and I'm not just talking about the two directions she was being pulled by Mal and the Darkling. Alina gains a friend in Genya and a mentor in Baghra, both of which make her life better than she imagined before she left the First Army. These relationships continue to build in the next two books in very unexpected ways.
BINGE-WORTHY
I have already read the remaining two books of the trilogy. I consider three days to finish each book a lot of restraint on my part. They are so fast paced that I couldn’t help but get completely wrapped up in them. I think that Bardugo's morally gray characters are my favorite part of the book because I know if I'm confused about anyone's motives, it will end up playing a bigger part later on in the book. This is a theme that carries on throughout the rest of the books in the trilogy.
Though Netflix is making Shadow and Bone more of a household name, I would still recommend this novel if not for the characters, but the entire world and parts that are always at play. The Materialki, the Corporalki, the Etherealki, the politics, the Unsea, and everything in between. The scenes run through my mind like I am there myself, watching them unFOLD—yes, that was a Grisha pun. I can't wait to read more from Bardugo and the Grishaverse.
SIEGE AND STORM
The next book in the trilogy, Siege and Storm, continues to follow Alina Starkov's journey as the Sun Summoner. Catch up on your reading and stay tuned for my next review soon!
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About the author: I'm Lita! A college student trying to earn their bachelor's degree in English and Psych during the pandemic. I haven't attended school in-person in over a year, but I'm hopeful.
My animals, lovely partner, and family help support me during these very strange times. I'm also new to Vocal!
Read more of my work here! Or read more of my book reviews here.
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