Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo – review

Hello lovelies! It feels good to review books again and I really enjoyed reading this one! It got me out of a reading slump and I read it fairly quickly. Hope you’ll enjoy this review.

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Blurb: 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

Review: 4/5 stars

I had no idea what the book was about and I was very pleasantly surprised. I had high hopes because I loved the Six Of Crows duology, and I heard mixed reviws of this book but I’m happy to say I tremednously enjoyed it!

Characters:

The character development is one of the things I enjoyed in this book. It was very cliché and generic but Bardugo conveyed the feelings well-enough. Alina went from unconfident, frail and guidable to powerful, confident and brave. I loved how she embraced her power and its uniqueness and how it made her feel alive. I also loved the Darkling (or should i say, the Black Heretic): he’s incredibly smart, ruthless and cunning. I, myself felt a pull towards him. I’ll admit that I kind of shipped Alina with him and I can’t wait to see how their dynamic will evolve. Genya was also a mysterious and intriguing character and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her.

Plot elements:

There was a little plot twist in the story and some foreshadowing is obvious but I’m ashamed to say I did not see it coming at all (I know, it’s paradoxical). It made for an exciting read. I loved to read about the Fold; the place is so fascinating and its history too. I liked how it was central in the stroy both at the beginnning and the end. We rely a lot on our sight and it was great how Bardugo conveyed that loss and the feelings the loss stirred. I loved the Grisha-verse and the dynamic of that society which works with classes that have their own hierarchy, clothes and specificities. It was a believable and a well-thought society. I can’t wait to read more! I loved the quest for Morodova’s herd and its stag; it added a mythical and eerie element to the story.

I read a big chunk of the book at night, in one sitting (sleep-deprived much?) and it was sooo entertaining. There was no dull moment and the book kept me at the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to dive into the second book!

Have you read this book? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!

Karla xx