Shadow and Bone Spoiler Filled Review

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Release Date: June 5th 2012

Number of Pages: 358

Genre: YA, Fantasy

Goodreads Synopsis

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 I enjoyed this book just not as much everyone else seems to. I think if I had read it when it first came out I would have loved it and it would probably have been one of my favourite books but reading it now it just came across the same as every other YA fantasy novel. There was nothing unique about it, none of the characters really stood out to me and nothing really stood out to me.

First off the Darkling. I was so excited to finally meet him and from the way so many people go on about him I thought he was going to become one of my new favourite characters but unfortunately he fell really flat to me. This was probably the most disappointing part of the book and I’m praying that in later books this may change.

Next off Alina. I liked her character but at the same time there was nothing about her that stood out she was just like every other YA heroine of the time.

Mal reminded me a lot of Gale from The Hunger Games and well I was never a fan of Gale so you can guess from that what I think of Mal.

Genya on the other hand I actually really liked and I’d love to see more from her in later books.

Other things I enjoyed in this book was the fast pace, I read this book in two sittings and it definitely helped to help keep me engaged in the story. The plot was also enjoyable however nothing about it stood out and made me think this is amazing. I did love the magic school setting and wish that this had taken up a bigger part of the story.

I also wished we could have learned more about the magic system and I’m hoping that this is something that will be explored more in the later books.

Overall, I enjoyed this book though not as much as I wanted to and I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

 

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