Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1) by Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Grisha Trilogy #1
Published On: May 17th 2012
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Source: Purchased
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The Short, Sweet, and Spoiler-Free 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, Alina reveals a dormant power—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free.
Shadow and Bone was like walking through a version of Tolstoy’s Russia that was filled with magic. So many little details reminded me of Tolstoy like the mention of saints, troikas, samovars, peasants, and even the names. The world building was incredible with details being revealed naturally throughout the story and even mentioned more than once so you wouldn’t get confused. Leigh took a culture from our world and tweaked it just enough to turn it into a rich fantasy world. She’s genius, I tell you!
The Grisha were a new and interesting mythology that reminded me a little of druids. They were unique and refreshing. They wore beautiful Russian-type robes and they had different classes of magic over certain elements like earth, air, and water. Throughout the book there was such beautiful imagery, like a boat sailing across the sand. The story line was unpredictable and fascinating. The prologue starts out with the main character Alina’s childhood which I found very charming. I loved the theme throughout of how powerful knowledge is. There were circumstances that stayed exactly the same, but Alina’s new knowledge would change everything. And to top all of that off, there are two very dashing and romantic leads that left me breathless. Do you like dark and mysterious or loyal and charming? I’ll have one of each, thanks!
This was a new and exhilarating take on high fantasy. It was unlike anything I have ever read before.
Content Rating: Medium, for two steamy make out scenes.
About Leigh Bardugo
Leigh Bardugo was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University. These days, she lives in Hollywood, where she indulges her fondness for glamour, ghouls, and costuming in her other life as makeup artist L.B. Benson. Occasionally, she can be heard singing with her band, Captain Automatic.
Her debut novel, Shadow & Bone (Holt Children’s/ Macmillan), is a New York Times Best Seller and the first book in the Grisha Trilogy. Book 2, Siege and Storm, will be published in 2013. She is represented by Joanna Stampfel-Volpe of New Leaf.
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