Shadow & Bone (2012) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 5 stars

“So I recently read Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo and OMG! This was such an unexpected jewel to read! Okay, so truthfully, this wasn't a "must read" on my list but once I picked this up and started reading I could not put it down. This is one of those books that transports you to a new world where magic mingles with reality and love prevails (but not in that cheesy sort of way).

I loved the main character, Alina. She is everything a classic heroine should be. She is strong but she has weakness. She is lovable but also aggravating. She has faults but she finds herself and holds true to herself. The reader really watches her morph and blossom into a better version of herself throughout the book until she is who she needs to be and who she really always was.

The villain is complex and sometimes you don't know if you love him or hate him. He brings out the best and worst in the Alina. She is for once, feeling loved and useful and like she belongs, which is something she has never felt...although, she doesn't quite trust it either, but she wants to so desperately. The love interest is, of course, everything you could want. He is charismatic, wanted, loyal, fights for what he believes in and is willing to risk it all for love. However, like most love interests it feels like his appreciation of what was right in front of him comes so late.

This was one of my favorite reads of 2013...CAN NOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!! :) ”

• Rated 5 stars

“Wow. A great start to what promises to be a series that delivers intense characters, a new world of darkness and the hope of light full of love, traitors, political backstabbing and hidden good. It read quickly and wonderfully. Alina was fun to follow and watch grow and learn and I really look forward to her coming into her powers (and perhaps even a chance to fall into darkness if it becomes too much?) in the next book. There are a lot of paths left open before her right now and I'll be fascinated to see where the author goes.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Shadow and Bone is the first book in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy. The story follows Alina, a teenage orphan serving in the Ravkan military. Ravka is in decline after centuries of war and the sudden appearance of The Shadow Fold, an impenetrable darkness teeming with flesh-eating creatures. After discovering a secret talent that could save the kingdom, Alina is thrust into the spotlight, only to learn that the truths she has taken for granted are all lies.

I found the plot of Shadow and Bone to be an incredible ride. The characters are well-developed and the villain is fascinating. There are ample plot twists that kept me guessing right to the end. I also found the setting to be wonderfully familiar (pseudo Russia) and at the same time totally unique. Never has there been a creepier place than The Shadow Fold. I especially loved how both the protagonists and antagonist made some morally ambiguous decisions, I was never sure who to root for.

My few complaints:
* I wish that the system of magic had been a bit more developed
* All the girl drama was really annoying
* The obsessive focus on classically pretty girls was frustrating
* I hope Alina is less dependent on men to save her in the second book”

• Rated 3 stars

“I was excited to read Shadow and Bone because the story seemed to have some Russian elements, and I love just about anything Russian. While the story does not take place in Russia, but in a fictional world, it does have prominent Russian cultural elements, which I enjoyed. The folklore seems to be a distinctive one envisioned by the author, and not recognizable as Russian in my inexpert opinion.

At first, it took a while for this book to engage my interest. I was a bit bored initially. I had to get a feel for the vernacular and the world, and not much seemed to be happening. I wasn’t sure I felt the connection between Alina and Mal. I understood they grew up together, but I didn’t understand why Alina was so fixated on him and Mal didn’t seem to feel the same way.

While I appreciated the world-building and the concept of the Grisha, I think that it needed more texture. I felt like the narrative scratched the surface and was rather vague. It also took a while to get invested in Alina’s character. I liked the concept of her power and how suppressing it had affected her body detrimentally. I loved seeing her gain a sense of confidence and for her self-esteem to grow. I appreciated The Darkling’s character. I was always waiting for him to show it. Sadly he was more developed in some ways than Mal was. I found the resolution with him predictable. I would have liked to see it go in a different direction. Maybe he didn’t have to live up to everyone’s bad opinions of him. As for Mal, even at the end, I can’t say I grew to like him that much. I wanted to like him because Alina loves him so much. I just didn’t. I liked Alina’s character, but I wanted to feel for her more and know her on a deeper level.

At first I was going to give this four stars, because I liked the Russian elements so much and it’s an interesting idea, but I realized the execution wasn’t quite as good, and I had to adjust my rating accordingly. I feel that the writing needed to do a better job of drawing me in and conveying intensity and I think the descriptions of the places, specifically the concept of the Fold, could have been more fleshed out. With this kind of idea and subject, this story really could have had more impact than it did. In the end, it was a diverting, interesting read, but it didn’t set me on fire or get to my heart like I would have liked. If my library gets the rest of the series, I will definitely check it out, because I’d like to follow Alina’s story.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.”

• Rated 5 stars

“This book was RIGHT up my alley. Mystery, magic, love, self-discovery, power, humility, friendship, GOODNESS, LIGHT. I loved the heroine Alina. I cannot wait for the next book. There is a next book, right? There better be a next book. ”

• Rated 5 stars

“Top notch fantasy that both teens and adults will enjoy! Alina and Mal are orphans and best friends but their lives take very different paths when it's discovered that Alina is a member of an elite ruling class and that she has the unique and extraordinary power to create light in the darkness. Will her orphan's need to belong mean that she is drawn in to a web of evil, or will she find a way to use her power for the greater good? ”

• Rated 0 stars

“I loved this book so much”

• Rated 3 stars

“Rated 3.5 stars; Review coming soon to: www.booksinthespotlight.blogspot.com”

• Rated 5 stars

“Really loved it! The world is very intriguing and the characters interesting. Can't wait until June for the next book!”

• Rated 0 stars

“SHADOW AND BONE The Shadow Fold, impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh. Alina discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the world of the magical Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to the seductive leader of the grisha.”