Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo | Young Adult Fantasy Fiction | Book Review
Title: Shadow & Bone
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Publishing Date: June 5, 2012
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Pages: 358
Main Theme: Magic, Class Standings, Coming Into Your Own
When I heard that Netflix was creating a series based on the Grishaverse created by Leigh Bardugo, I knew it was time to finally pick up this series. My mother ended up reading it before I did and wouldn’t let me read anything else until I read Shadow and Bone. For me, it was a slow start but after I was about 20% of the way through, I was hooked. I finally got my hands on the remainder of the series so I am looking forward to reading those next.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Alina is gifted, but the way her gifts arise to the surface isn’t at the most ideal time or place. After saving her best friend, she is swept away by the Darkling, the scariest Grisha of all, to learn how to harness her untapped power. Through heartbreak, trial and tribulations, Alina finds her way through Ravka, her gift of light growing inside her with each step.
Although I did see why the author chose to go in the direction she did with her plot twist, I am still a little disappointed in the person Alina falls for. Honestly, I was having all sorts of Twilight vibes. I was team Edward Cullen so that is probably why I was a little miffed that Alina ended up with the Shadow and Bone version of Jacob Black. Again, I see why Bardugo chose that path since the last quarter of the book would have been completely different. Maybe for the tenth anniversary, she can whip up that version of the story for those of us who were disappointed! Eh, I doubt it, but a girl can dream!