SOCIAL MEDIA

Friday, January 18, 2019

SHADOW AND BONE (GRISHA VERSE #1) BY LEIGH BARDUGO REVIEW


Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Release Date: June 5th 2012
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback and Audiobook
Pages: 358
Buy it: Amazon|B&N|Book Depository
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.


        So since there has been so much hype around this trilogy due to the pending Netflix series that was just announced (check out my post here), I decided to go ahead and reread these books considering that they are quick and I quite enjoy them. I figured this would be a great way for me to finally start reading Six of Crows once I power through these books.
        At the start of this book it seems like your cliché YA novel where the plots are all the same and a bit redundant. But suddenly everything flips. The story pulls you in further and further with the minute details in the words that people say, which can be missed easily. The story of Shadow and Bone centers around power and its worth. It poses moral questions and presents a situation where what's good and what's bad are not quite so cut and dry. I also love a sassy protagonist with some romance mixed in. Alina was such a strong lead who did not feel like this almighty being. She felt relatable in the choices she made and the feelings she had. I found myself falling in love with the Darkling – not just because he was super sexy – but rather because he was such a complex character. I looked froward to the scenes where he would pop up to Alina.
        The feelings this book gave me were unlike any other. Again and again the romance in every novel seems to tug at my heart. Lines like, "the moment our lips met, I knew with pure and piercing certainty that I would have waited for him forever," ripped me apart. I did not expect to fall for characters this quickly and easily, but I found myself not hating a single one of them (well maybe the Apparat.)
        This book relies on the compelling story of each and every character because most of the narration tends to tell rather than show. This series gives you a basic outline unlike a Cassandra Clare novel that seems to detail every piece of furniture in the room. It leaves the visuals up to interpretation almost like a coloring book. You get the idea but you still bring it to life.
        This book has action yet heart and I cannot wait to see it come to life in this new Netflix series. I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars just because I think more could have happened in this one book. But I get it. We all have to secure the bag somehow.

What did you think of this book? Let me know in the comments down below!
Thanks Hons,
Lee Chand

8 comments :

  1. I ❤❤❤ this series & Six of Crows! I can't wait (and am also a little nervous) to see what they do with the Netflix show!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I keep meaning to read this book and once the whole Netflix thing exploded on Twitter, I decided I really have to read this once and for all so I can finally find out why people love this universe so much :) I usually love books that focus on power and morality as themes so I'm super excited to start this! Lovely review, Lee :)

    Laura @BlueEyeBooks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much girl! You really need to read this series! I would love to hear your thoughts!

      Delete
  3. You need to read six of crows!

    ReplyDelete
  4. "unlike a Cassandra Clare novel that seems to detail every piece of furniture in the room" HAHA I never realized that before. It is so true

    ReplyDelete
  5. I need to do a reread of these books, because I had quite mixed feelings about them way back when I read them first, and I would like to see if I get a different impression now or not!
    At the very least, it's worth a reread just because of the Darkling and Nikolai!
    And you're right, I like how Bardugo leaves things to your imagination, so it doesn't bog down the story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it is such a small thing I noticed about her writing but it makes such a difference.

      Delete