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Shadow and Bone #1-2
Shadow and Bone & Siege and Storm
Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha.
The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.
Glorious. Epic. Addictive.
The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfill her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.
Glorious. Epic. Addictive.
625 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
86 people are currently reading
6909 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Bardugo
83 books185k followersLeigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University. For information on new releases and appearances, sign up for her newsletter.
She would be delighted if you visited her at LeighBardugo.com and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.
She would be delighted if you visited her at LeighBardugo.com and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
May 24, 2015
4.5 All right! on to book 2! Full review to come...
July 18, 2015
"They are orphans again, with no true home but each other and whatever life they can make together on the other side of the sea."
SOOOOO! I LOVED THIS BOOK! I would find myself trying to only read 100 pages, but I would lose track and end up reading like 200.
The Characters: I'm normally a person who loves the main character. There have been a few instances when I have hated them, but this is not one of them. I didn't love Alina, but I didn't hate her. I found myself having a difficult time reading about her at the beginning of the book, because all she would do was complain. But, as the story went on, I loved how powerful and determined she had become. Now, I trying to keep this spoiler free, like most of my reviews, but I loved the Darkling, that it was so difficult to get over that one event.
The Plot: I loved the plot! It was similar to most books that I have read including magic, but this one twisted it. It made it interesting. And for people who want to read it, IT IS NOT ANOTHER HARRY POTTER. Please, just take that into account. I loved Leigh Bardugo's writing style, and am excited to read more books by her. I did wish that the book didn't end with the shadow fold (it's not a spoiler). Maybe if it was extended a little after, I would be more forgiving. I guess it's kinda a cliffhanger. I was never bored throughout this book! Action to adventure, and heck, even the studying scenes were interesting.
The Setting: The only issue I had with the setting was that, at times, I had difficulty picturing the castle, or the ball room. The map in the front helped me a lot in keeping relation between the cities. They all kinda have similar names. Not to mention, the art is beautiful!
The Physical book: I like to include this part of my review because I'm a person who is drawn to pretty books. I think that if a book has a beautiful cover, I'm more compelled to read what that book is about, rather than a book that has a boring cover. So, lets get started. I have a blurb on the cover by Veronica Roth. Lets just say that that piked my interest to read this book just a little bit. The cover has beautiful designs, but the grey gives it a monotone feeling. I don't get the title, but it sounds cool. Guys and Gals, we have a summary that is relevant to the book. It doesn't just cover the first half, it sets up the story. I'm not reading the story and being like 'the summary doesn't mention this.' You can give a prospect about the whole book without giving spoilers, publishers.
Overall: Overall, I would highly recommend this book to any fantasy lovers. If your just getting into fantasy, then this might be a good book for you. There is a perfect blend of romance and adventure. I found myself facepalming multiple times just because of the romance. Really good read, and highly recommend!
Happy Reading!
~Alli
July 20, 2015
*3.5
FINALLY. AFTER LIKE 2 WEEKS OF READING THIS, I'VE FINISHED.
I gave this 3.5 stars because I felt that the plot was very typical. Basically the "omg I have powers now I must go to a school where I can learn about my powers that I don't want but everyone else does and oh no please don't let me be noticed and oH my gOd he (the darkling) is so hottt but wait is he really what he seems¿ oh wait! no need, I have my other friend wHO JUST SO HAPPENS TO LIKE ME BACK WHO WOULDA GUESSED ANd now the entire fate of my country is on my hands but I have amazing powers and I will fight *hair blows dramatically to the sound of banjos playing in the backround*
Yeah so overall, I enjoyed it, but I found myself just wanting to finish the book so I could start with my next one:// I still feel like picking up Siege and Storm though!!
FINALLY. AFTER LIKE 2 WEEKS OF READING THIS, I'VE FINISHED.
I gave this 3.5 stars because I felt that the plot was very typical. Basically the "omg I have powers now I must go to a school where I can learn about my powers that I don't want but everyone else does and oh no please don't let me be noticed and oH my gOd he (the darkling) is so hottt but wait is he really what he seems¿ oh wait! no need, I have my other friend wHO JUST SO HAPPENS TO LIKE ME BACK WHO WOULDA GUESSED ANd now the entire fate of my country is on my hands but I have amazing powers and I will fight *hair blows dramatically to the sound of banjos playing in the backround*
Yeah so overall, I enjoyed it, but I found myself just wanting to finish the book so I could start with my next one:// I still feel like picking up Siege and Storm though!!
May 19, 2015
Some things I appreciated about the series:
1) Great character development. Bardugo has a gift for writing interesting characters. They are all very endearing (with the exception of Mal...not a huge fan of him in the first 2 books), witty, hilarious, intriging, etc. I especially liked Nikolai. He has to be one of my favorite characters of all time. And the Darkling...
2) The first two books are fairly clean. There is not a lot of bad language or inappropriate scenes. Refreshing.
3) The books are very easy to read. It is fast paced, full of action, and does not really lag. I ended up reading the whole trilogy in about 3 days.
Definitely read these books. They are worth the read.
1) Great character development. Bardugo has a gift for writing interesting characters. They are all very endearing (with the exception of Mal...not a huge fan of him in the first 2 books), witty, hilarious, intriging, etc. I especially liked Nikolai. He has to be one of my favorite characters of all time. And the Darkling...
2) The first two books are fairly clean. There is not a lot of bad language or inappropriate scenes. Refreshing.
3) The books are very easy to read. It is fast paced, full of action, and does not really lag. I ended up reading the whole trilogy in about 3 days.
Definitely read these books. They are worth the read.
July 23, 2013
This sequel was amazing and even harder to put down than book 1. I won both books from a 20SomethingReads contest. I finished both books within 3 days. Pesky things like my job and my teens kept interfering with my reading time!
The only downside is I have to wait FOREVER for the next book in the series. Okay, maybe forever is a bit dramatic, but it sure feels that way.
The only downside is I have to wait FOREVER for the next book in the series. Okay, maybe forever is a bit dramatic, but it sure feels that way.
May 6, 2015
I loved the world building, loved of the concept of an ocean of sand surrounded by sheer darkness and filled with all the nightmares a human heart can create.
What worked well in this novel was the description of quiet sacrifice Alina made to stay together with the only person she considered family, and how sometimes it seems in life that no matter how much you wish for things, or how much they feel right. They are not meant to be.
A truly solid read, yet i find myself wishing it was a little darker. I don't know why. Maybe because Bardugo laid a brilliant foundation for it. To be fair i was a little disappointed at the end at the classic YA theme. It just wanted to be a bit more then that i think.
Ah well...
What worked well in this novel was the description of quiet sacrifice Alina made to stay together with the only person she considered family, and how sometimes it seems in life that no matter how much you wish for things, or how much they feel right. They are not meant to be.
A truly solid read, yet i find myself wishing it was a little darker. I don't know why. Maybe because Bardugo laid a brilliant foundation for it. To be fair i was a little disappointed at the end at the classic YA theme. It just wanted to be a bit more then that i think.
Ah well...
August 22, 2017
Shadow and Bone:
Short version: I loved this book. I loved the characters, the setting, the intrigue of the Grisha and their unique powers and their political standing and power within the palace. I loved our main character, Alina, and the turmoil she goes through during the story. I sat down to start this book and had it devoured three days later. It was impossible to stop reading.
Long version: This is a world divided into ordinary people and those born with unique powers, called the Grisha. This story follows an exceptionally ordinary and not-very-special girl called Alina, a map maker in the King’s First Army. She’s been an orphan her whole life, but never truly alone as she was always with her childhood best friend, Mal, who is a tracker in the Army. Everyone in the army is afraid of entering an area called the Fold, which was created centuries ago to divide certain different regions and is pitch black. There are winged creatures that live in the Fold called Volcra that hunt anyone foolish enough to enter the Fold unprepared.
When the First Army has no choice but to enter the Fold, everyone is attacked by these Volcra but they are saved a miraculous beam of light that scared all the Volcra away. It turns out that Alina has had a Grisha power hidden deep inside her entire life, but it has finally been released to save herself and Mal.
However, once this has been discovered, a powerful Grisha known simply as the Darkling, who is second to the King, takes Alina away from everything she knows and to the Little Palace, where she is to be trained to understand her power and help get rid of the Fold once and for all.
First off, The Darkling. You get a sense straight away that he is hiding a lot of secrets but you don’t care because he is the perfect anti-hero and they are my downfall. He was pulling some seriously shady decisions and it was impossible to know if he could truly be trusted, but that didn’t stop me from falling hard for him completely. Whenever he and Alina were together I just got goose bumps and felt as confused as Alina did.
Alina is a really strong, stubborn female lead who is instantly likable and great to read about. While she does experience that YA trope of “ordinary girl discovers she isn’t ordinary but extra super special”, this was written in 2012 when that wasn’t as overused, but more than that, it is written well. That makes all the difference. She was witty and relatable and just trying to get through her new life as best she can. I also loved her friendship with Genya, which felt so genuine, and I hope we see more of her in the coming books.
Mal is her childhood best friend and also the boy she fell in love with at fifteen. And while he is good and kind and understands Alina like no one else and makes her feel less alone, he doesn’t bring the emotion like the Darkling does. In every one of these love triangles, it’s always the brooding antihero that wins my heart in the end. Sorry Mal.
This book attached itself to my heart in a way I haven’t read about in a long time, and I cannot wait to jump back into book 2 and keep reading about these fantastic characters and intriguing world. I’m so moving on Six of Crows after this!
Siege and Storm:
I completely fell head over heels in love with the world of the Grisha in Shadow and Bone and couldn’t wait to get back into this world, especially with how Shadow and Bone ended.
It’s been a few weeks since I finished this book so I can’t go into huge detail about everything that’s happened (sorry) but I did absolutely love it, I do know that much.
But I can sum up why I adored this book in one word: Nikolai.
I mean, need I go on? The pirate cough privateer cough is so snarky and loveable and amazing that I was beaming ear to ear every time he appeared on the page. He was completely confident and at ease with who he was and never once apologised for it.
Alina is still struggling with her new role and she goes through so much emotional turmoil and challenges, yet her strength and perseverance and love of her country allowed her to come out swinging and never let herself give up.
And between herself, Mal and the Darkling… sigh. The Darkling came out as the official villain at the end of Shadow and Bone and despite the connection between Alina and the Darkling; I can’t see anything happening romantically between them. This makes me really sad though, because even though Mal is obviously the one who is best suited for Alina, it is impossible not to get shivers every time Alina and the Darkling are together.
“I’ve seen what you truly are,” said the Darkling, “and I’ve never turned away. I never will. Can he say the same?”
No matter what, I will always root for the misunderstood villain. They can be so much more relatable than the perfect-without-faults good guy.
I know this review is all over the place, so I'm sorry, but basically, this world and story is definitely one getting invested in and I'm really enjoying the journey I'm being taken on.
Short version: I loved this book. I loved the characters, the setting, the intrigue of the Grisha and their unique powers and their political standing and power within the palace. I loved our main character, Alina, and the turmoil she goes through during the story. I sat down to start this book and had it devoured three days later. It was impossible to stop reading.
Long version: This is a world divided into ordinary people and those born with unique powers, called the Grisha. This story follows an exceptionally ordinary and not-very-special girl called Alina, a map maker in the King’s First Army. She’s been an orphan her whole life, but never truly alone as she was always with her childhood best friend, Mal, who is a tracker in the Army. Everyone in the army is afraid of entering an area called the Fold, which was created centuries ago to divide certain different regions and is pitch black. There are winged creatures that live in the Fold called Volcra that hunt anyone foolish enough to enter the Fold unprepared.
When the First Army has no choice but to enter the Fold, everyone is attacked by these Volcra but they are saved a miraculous beam of light that scared all the Volcra away. It turns out that Alina has had a Grisha power hidden deep inside her entire life, but it has finally been released to save herself and Mal.
However, once this has been discovered, a powerful Grisha known simply as the Darkling, who is second to the King, takes Alina away from everything she knows and to the Little Palace, where she is to be trained to understand her power and help get rid of the Fold once and for all.
First off, The Darkling. You get a sense straight away that he is hiding a lot of secrets but you don’t care because he is the perfect anti-hero and they are my downfall. He was pulling some seriously shady decisions and it was impossible to know if he could truly be trusted, but that didn’t stop me from falling hard for him completely. Whenever he and Alina were together I just got goose bumps and felt as confused as Alina did.
Alina is a really strong, stubborn female lead who is instantly likable and great to read about. While she does experience that YA trope of “ordinary girl discovers she isn’t ordinary but extra super special”, this was written in 2012 when that wasn’t as overused, but more than that, it is written well. That makes all the difference. She was witty and relatable and just trying to get through her new life as best she can. I also loved her friendship with Genya, which felt so genuine, and I hope we see more of her in the coming books.
Mal is her childhood best friend and also the boy she fell in love with at fifteen. And while he is good and kind and understands Alina like no one else and makes her feel less alone, he doesn’t bring the emotion like the Darkling does. In every one of these love triangles, it’s always the brooding antihero that wins my heart in the end. Sorry Mal.
This book attached itself to my heart in a way I haven’t read about in a long time, and I cannot wait to jump back into book 2 and keep reading about these fantastic characters and intriguing world. I’m so moving on Six of Crows after this!
Siege and Storm:
I completely fell head over heels in love with the world of the Grisha in Shadow and Bone and couldn’t wait to get back into this world, especially with how Shadow and Bone ended.
It’s been a few weeks since I finished this book so I can’t go into huge detail about everything that’s happened (sorry) but I did absolutely love it, I do know that much.
But I can sum up why I adored this book in one word: Nikolai.
I mean, need I go on? The pirate cough privateer cough is so snarky and loveable and amazing that I was beaming ear to ear every time he appeared on the page. He was completely confident and at ease with who he was and never once apologised for it.
Alina is still struggling with her new role and she goes through so much emotional turmoil and challenges, yet her strength and perseverance and love of her country allowed her to come out swinging and never let herself give up.
And between herself, Mal and the Darkling… sigh. The Darkling came out as the official villain at the end of Shadow and Bone and despite the connection between Alina and the Darkling; I can’t see anything happening romantically between them. This makes me really sad though, because even though Mal is obviously the one who is best suited for Alina, it is impossible not to get shivers every time Alina and the Darkling are together.
“I’ve seen what you truly are,” said the Darkling, “and I’ve never turned away. I never will. Can he say the same?”
No matter what, I will always root for the misunderstood villain. They can be so much more relatable than the perfect-without-faults good guy.
I know this review is all over the place, so I'm sorry, but basically, this world and story is definitely one getting invested in and I'm really enjoying the journey I'm being taken on.
October 1, 2013
Well done sequel to "Shadow and Bone." I do have to admit that by the middle of the book, I was getting very tired of Alina, the main character. She was annoying me with her behavior towards Mal. Instead of sharing her worries and fears (and they were many)with her best friend and love of her life, she shuts him out and pretends all is well. This behavior leaves Mal feeling unworthy of her trust and love. I would have loved to see their relationship grow stronger but instead the author introduces yet another possible love interest for Alina. Made me feel by books end like I was reading "Twilight" again. Team Mal or Team Darkling or Team Sturmhund. Uggh! I'm curious to read where the author takes us with the third book. Will Alina turn to the dark side or will she be the savior of humanity.
October 16, 2022
Not bad…not bad at all. I would continue to read this series.
March 5, 2018
The Grisha trilogy was on my radar for far too long before I finally picked it up – in fact, the only reason it was pushed up my to-read list is because of my desire to read Six of Crows. Despite how Six of Crows can be read without having read the Grisha trilogy first, I decided to take the advice of those who promised more enjoyment through reading one then the other.
In truth, I’m annoyed with myself for waiting so long to read the Grisha trilogy. It may not be the best young adult fantasy trilogy out there, but it is one seriously addictive read. After finishing book one, I jumped straight into book two. Once finished with book two, I was devouring book three. It’s a series that leaves you wanting more, a series that sucks you in with the promise of what is to come.
Without a doubt, I’m glad I finally gave in and jumped on the Leigh Bardugo bandwagon.
In truth, I’m annoyed with myself for waiting so long to read the Grisha trilogy. It may not be the best young adult fantasy trilogy out there, but it is one seriously addictive read. After finishing book one, I jumped straight into book two. Once finished with book two, I was devouring book three. It’s a series that leaves you wanting more, a series that sucks you in with the promise of what is to come.
Without a doubt, I’m glad I finally gave in and jumped on the Leigh Bardugo bandwagon.
July 21, 2021
I'll be honest, I really struggled with this book. It was my first read of Leigh Bardugo's and the only reason I made it through was because I was listening to an audiobook on a long drive. The plot was brilliant and all of the key elements were there to take it to the next level yet I felt it fell short of what it could have been. There were alot of pacing issues and the characters felt one dimensional. Honestly, the show made me like the books a lot more after the fact because I felt Leigh Bardugo was able to go back and "rewrite" the depth into the characters that she brings to her epic Six of Crows duology.
All in all, I hate to give it three stars because I truly respect Leigh Bardugo as an author and feel she has blossomed into her full potential with her later books. But this book by itself... I only ever recommend reading (plus the additional two books) as a lead up to get to Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
All in all, I hate to give it three stars because I truly respect Leigh Bardugo as an author and feel she has blossomed into her full potential with her later books. But this book by itself... I only ever recommend reading (plus the additional two books) as a lead up to get to Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.
April 12, 2022
3 stelline solo per aver creato il personaggio dell'Oscuro -che con un pizzico di ambiguità in più sarebbe stato perfetto- e per aver incluso la dinamica sul potere nella love story. Un ya molto godibile, ma ciò non toglie che Alina e Mal siano di una noia mortale.
April 4, 2023
Shadow and Bone is leaps and bounds better than Siege and Storm, so here's hoping the third book will save this series for me lol.
March 28, 2019
I love this series. What more is there to say? A lot, I suppose.
Shadow & Bone (and its sequels) are set in an alternate universe of Russian descent, where an ancient evil has worked a terrible curse on the land in the form of the Unsea (aka The Fold), a place where darkness and monster reign supreme. The Unsea divides the nation in half, separating most of the good residents from the True Sea, and it forces them to make dangerous passage through the Fold in sandskiffs powered by Grisha magic.
The Grisha are magic-users, or, more correctly, followers of the so-called "small science", which is like magic, but limited in many significant ways. In this sense, the magic system is very rules-based and granular, and the author doesn't break her own rules, unlike some others. This leads to a situation in which magic can help solve a problem, but it will not solve it all by itself.
Enter the protagonist, Alina. A young girl, Alina discovers that she has a unique Grisha power early on in the novel, and for the rest of the book she is your classic fish-out-of-water, trying to play catch up with her newfound powers and the society of Grisha into which she is thrust. Most significant in this novel is the Darkling, a mysterious Grisha whose power is the opposite of hers. Where she makes sunlight, he makes darkness. Together, they hope to undo the power of the Unsea and change the world.
This novel is one of the best young-adult books I've read, and I don't give that praise lightly. It is tightly-written, emotional without being overdramatic, and full of excellent tension and conflict. I would recommend this book to anyone (young-adult and up) who is a fan of good, quality fantasy, excellent characters, and gritty, realistic magic systems.
Shadow & Bone (and its sequels) are set in an alternate universe of Russian descent, where an ancient evil has worked a terrible curse on the land in the form of the Unsea (aka The Fold), a place where darkness and monster reign supreme. The Unsea divides the nation in half, separating most of the good residents from the True Sea, and it forces them to make dangerous passage through the Fold in sandskiffs powered by Grisha magic.
The Grisha are magic-users, or, more correctly, followers of the so-called "small science", which is like magic, but limited in many significant ways. In this sense, the magic system is very rules-based and granular, and the author doesn't break her own rules, unlike some others. This leads to a situation in which magic can help solve a problem, but it will not solve it all by itself.
Enter the protagonist, Alina. A young girl, Alina discovers that she has a unique Grisha power early on in the novel, and for the rest of the book she is your classic fish-out-of-water, trying to play catch up with her newfound powers and the society of Grisha into which she is thrust. Most significant in this novel is the Darkling, a mysterious Grisha whose power is the opposite of hers. Where she makes sunlight, he makes darkness. Together, they hope to undo the power of the Unsea and change the world.
This novel is one of the best young-adult books I've read, and I don't give that praise lightly. It is tightly-written, emotional without being overdramatic, and full of excellent tension and conflict. I would recommend this book to anyone (young-adult and up) who is a fan of good, quality fantasy, excellent characters, and gritty, realistic magic systems.
August 19, 2016
3.5 stars
So far this feels like a very typical plot line for me. I can't help but compare this book to Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi because of the idea that the characters were trying to cross this dangerous mass barrier onto new lands and the only way was through this special character to help them get through it (in Under the Never Sky it was the aether wall and here it's the Shadow Fold)... except this story was less exciting for me. For one, it doesn't have the right chemistry between Mal and Alina that I found so likable in Perry and Aria.
There has been a lot of hype about this trilogy so maybe I came with unfair high expectations but I have to say this book was a bit disappointing.
There was just way too much narration and not enough dialogue for my liking. And the random Russian jargon of words (some real and some made up) was cool but also very distracting for me. Most of them weren't even explained so I had to google some of the terms only to find that half of them aren't real words. So readers are left to fend for themselves and try to figure out what the hell the author is talking about. I don't want to decipher some puzzle, I just want to read and enjoy this damn story! Also, some of her terms for the Grisha categories have Latin roots so it just felt like the writing was trying too hard and not very consistent. I could have done without all these extra words that I can barely pronounce. I understand the author is trying to create this unique world with a Russian flare, but it was too much for me...
Anyways, aside from the writing style, I didn't particularly enjoy the characters all that much. Her romantic relationship with Mal was something I really wanted to care for but I found that I was trying to force myself to care. We only get about 2 chapters to get to know Mal in the beginning before they are separated. And then we just read on and on about Alina's seemingly one-sided pining over Mal. It was kind of painful to read and it didn't make me love Mal at all. Maybe it's just me that felt this way. But as she was missing Mal, I felt really annoyed and disconnected from her feelings. We didn't get enough time in the beginning to become truly invested in this relationship. So when they finally do get reunited and Mal was kind of a dick to Alina, I wasn't having any of it ._.
Don't get me wrong, it did kind of pick up by the end. And the book has some nice points, like its uniqueness with the Grisha types and the Unsea/Fold/volcra aspects. But still overall kind of disappointed.
Anyways, the rest of the story played out like the typical "I found out I'm special and now I have to train and come to terms with my specialness at this special school" scenario. We've seen this plot with a ton of other YA books and I was hoping for a little more excitement. Or at least some enjoyable characters to make me smile and laugh?
Like I said before, maybe I had too high expectations. So I'm going to go ahead and read on with the next book, which will hopefully be more exciting.
So far this feels like a very typical plot line for me. I can't help but compare this book to Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi because of the idea that the characters were trying to cross this dangerous mass barrier onto new lands and the only way was through this special character to help them get through it (in Under the Never Sky it was the aether wall and here it's the Shadow Fold)... except this story was less exciting for me. For one, it doesn't have the right chemistry between Mal and Alina that I found so likable in Perry and Aria.
There has been a lot of hype about this trilogy so maybe I came with unfair high expectations but I have to say this book was a bit disappointing.
There was just way too much narration and not enough dialogue for my liking. And the random Russian jargon of words (some real and some made up) was cool but also very distracting for me. Most of them weren't even explained so I had to google some of the terms only to find that half of them aren't real words. So readers are left to fend for themselves and try to figure out what the hell the author is talking about. I don't want to decipher some puzzle, I just want to read and enjoy this damn story! Also, some of her terms for the Grisha categories have Latin roots so it just felt like the writing was trying too hard and not very consistent. I could have done without all these extra words that I can barely pronounce. I understand the author is trying to create this unique world with a Russian flare, but it was too much for me...
Anyways, aside from the writing style, I didn't particularly enjoy the characters all that much. Her romantic relationship with Mal was something I really wanted to care for but I found that I was trying to force myself to care. We only get about 2 chapters to get to know Mal in the beginning before they are separated. And then we just read on and on about Alina's seemingly one-sided pining over Mal. It was kind of painful to read and it didn't make me love Mal at all. Maybe it's just me that felt this way. But as she was missing Mal, I felt really annoyed and disconnected from her feelings. We didn't get enough time in the beginning to become truly invested in this relationship. So when they finally do get reunited and Mal was kind of a dick to Alina, I wasn't having any of it ._.
Don't get me wrong, it did kind of pick up by the end. And the book has some nice points, like its uniqueness with the Grisha types and the Unsea/Fold/volcra aspects. But still overall kind of disappointed.
Anyways, the rest of the story played out like the typical "I found out I'm special and now I have to train and come to terms with my specialness at this special school" scenario. We've seen this plot with a ton of other YA books and I was hoping for a little more excitement. Or at least some enjoyable characters to make me smile and laugh?
Like I said before, maybe I had too high expectations. So I'm going to go ahead and read on with the next book, which will hopefully be more exciting.
February 4, 2021
This book sucked, it just did. The writing wasn't terrible but it also wasn't fantastic, the characters seemed dull and predictable to me Alina was gullible and annoying. The romance didn't work for me not just because it was cringy and boring but between Alina and the darkling it was kind of creepy, meaning the Darkling is like ancient and Alina is like a teenager. The romance'' if you want to
call it that between Alina and whatever her childhood friends name was was boring, not convincible and I'm sick of authors acting like every childhood friend any female character has she has to be in love with. The rest of the characters weren't much better they were pretty much cardboard pieces who were stereotypical. Idiots and I'm sick and tired of authors using sexual assault/ rape a either
something to make a character more interesting or as a....funny joke. Alina literally mentions being pawed (sexually assaulted) and uses it as a jag joke. The author didn't really explain the world building or what anything really was or looked like. The darkling is a crusty, disgusting piece of trash. The overall plot isn't very interesting and the plot twist'' were obvious and boring. So yes this book was boring, irritating, creepy and just tiring to read.
call it that between Alina and whatever her childhood friends name was was boring, not convincible and I'm sick of authors acting like every childhood friend any female character has she has to be in love with. The rest of the characters weren't much better they were pretty much cardboard pieces who were stereotypical. Idiots and I'm sick and tired of authors using sexual assault/ rape a either
something to make a character more interesting or as a....funny joke. Alina literally mentions being pawed (sexually assaulted) and uses it as a jag joke. The author didn't really explain the world building or what anything really was or looked like. The darkling is a crusty, disgusting piece of trash. The overall plot isn't very interesting and the plot twist'' were obvious and boring. So yes this book was boring, irritating, creepy and just tiring to read.
Read
January 3, 2016A great sequel with unforeseen plot developments that imperil everything acheived during the first book. Emotion is raw and real. Action is intense and believable. Writing is tight, luxurious, and languishing. This book takes us into a darker place with the heroine, where the more she gets of what she needs as Grisha (magician), the less she has of what she wants. Gorgeous. Brilliant. Emotional, with a plot driven at the center by an emotionally torn romance.
February 24, 2017
Decent fluff book. No major gripes (I should note this is rare with teen fiction) and no major praise. I like the world created, it's more original than most these days. Worth reading if you want to rip through a couple of quick and entertaining books without needing to stop and think about anything too hard :)
May 18, 2015
Loved the Villain. But every other character lacked any personality.
September 4, 2020
My heart was so overwhelmed I thought I would drown in the beautiful words of this amazing book!! I loved the writing, the characters, i loved the storyline and how I could lose myself in in the world filled with grisha's, powers... it gave me an amazing fantasy that struck my thoughts, filling me up, drowning me in the sweet sweet chocolate that seeped into my soul!! I love love LOVE Mal I want more from him!! I hope I get that in the third book!! Alina is strong and funny, cunning and kind, she is very ambitious and all fantasy lovers will feel like they've fell into the deepest part of the ocean, finding a great treasure like no other!!
So whats the book about?
Alina Starkov, an ordinary orphaned girl, looks average, a little sickly, always tired. Until one day they travel to the fold, created by the black heretic hundreds of years ago... but the volcras; flesh eating monsters, prey upon there boat trying to catch the latest prey. But Alina shows a power like no other, able to summon the one thing the volcras and the darkness can't stand, sun light.
She saves everyone but is sent to the palace, to set out to find the light inside of her. She sets out on a cunning adventure to find an amplifier, she discovers cruel lies that lie deeper than she could ever imagine, filled with betrayal and heartbreak, our hero sets out to destroy the fold! Things r never as they seem...
Mal
Mal is smart, brave and funny, he's the hero of ur dreams and will leave u heartbroken, but whole at the same time! He is an orphan, and has been best friends with Alina since they were young. She used to be able to share anything and everything with him. But as the years stretched on, Alina longs for a different relationship entirely.....
The darkilng...
He is mysterious and sharp.
Alina find herself trapped in her strange attraction to him. Is it real? Or is it just her loneliness, aching for the attention of the dark mysterious gentleman...
The darkling holds many secrets, he is dangerous and will make u question many many things...
And Nickolai! Ugh my heart exploded! He us so funny and arrogant and hilarious... did I say funny?? I love him so much!
And then there's Genya
The ever loving sweet friend, Alinas only friend, in the little palace. Alina can share anything with her.
Amazing book, and definetly in my favorite section, and u will find urself doing the same thing as the book devours u, reeling u in bit by bit until ur so lost u can't find ur way out- if u even want to...
It was soo action packed and I never got bored ( wich is saying something )
I only had one problem with the book,
But it was very very tiny and it was with Alina, its just in the very beginning tho and is fixed after a little while. So in the beginning Alina was not my favorite cuz she whined and complained and everything, also I really wished for at least a little more interaction with Mal because it makes no sense at all that Mal is like o I've always loved u! Because it doesn't seem like it!?!? Anyway thats it and its still an amazing book!!
My nose was stuck in the book, all day, not wanting it to ever end, I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book!!
So whats the book about?
Alina Starkov, an ordinary orphaned girl, looks average, a little sickly, always tired. Until one day they travel to the fold, created by the black heretic hundreds of years ago... but the volcras; flesh eating monsters, prey upon there boat trying to catch the latest prey. But Alina shows a power like no other, able to summon the one thing the volcras and the darkness can't stand, sun light.
She saves everyone but is sent to the palace, to set out to find the light inside of her. She sets out on a cunning adventure to find an amplifier, she discovers cruel lies that lie deeper than she could ever imagine, filled with betrayal and heartbreak, our hero sets out to destroy the fold! Things r never as they seem...
Mal
Mal is smart, brave and funny, he's the hero of ur dreams and will leave u heartbroken, but whole at the same time! He is an orphan, and has been best friends with Alina since they were young. She used to be able to share anything and everything with him. But as the years stretched on, Alina longs for a different relationship entirely.....
The darkilng...
He is mysterious and sharp.
Alina find herself trapped in her strange attraction to him. Is it real? Or is it just her loneliness, aching for the attention of the dark mysterious gentleman...
The darkling holds many secrets, he is dangerous and will make u question many many things...
And Nickolai! Ugh my heart exploded! He us so funny and arrogant and hilarious... did I say funny?? I love him so much!
And then there's Genya
The ever loving sweet friend, Alinas only friend, in the little palace. Alina can share anything with her.
Amazing book, and definetly in my favorite section, and u will find urself doing the same thing as the book devours u, reeling u in bit by bit until ur so lost u can't find ur way out- if u even want to...
It was soo action packed and I never got bored ( wich is saying something )
I only had one problem with the book,
But it was very very tiny and it was with Alina, its just in the very beginning tho and is fixed after a little while. So in the beginning Alina was not my favorite cuz she whined and complained and everything, also I really wished for at least a little more interaction with Mal because it makes no sense at all that Mal is like o I've always loved u! Because it doesn't seem like it!?!? Anyway thats it and its still an amazing book!!
My nose was stuck in the book, all day, not wanting it to ever end, I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book!!
February 28, 2024
4.5 Stars
Okay, so this was way better than the first book. I found Alina a lot better to deal with in this book. There were moments where I wanted to just knock some sense into her. But she was way better in this book. I loved Nikolai. He is probably my favorite character. They only thing I did not like was the back and forth between Mal and Alina. A lot of these fights could have been resolved had they communicated with each other. I did agree with Mal that he sacrificed a lot for Alina, and I did find it annoying that she was just assuming he would always be there to help and not actually asking him. I felt he desver to at least have a say in what it was He himself wanted. But other than that, I did like this book way better than the first.
Okay, so this was way better than the first book. I found Alina a lot better to deal with in this book. There were moments where I wanted to just knock some sense into her. But she was way better in this book. I loved Nikolai. He is probably my favorite character. They only thing I did not like was the back and forth between Mal and Alina. A lot of these fights could have been resolved had they communicated with each other. I did agree with Mal that he sacrificed a lot for Alina, and I did find it annoying that she was just assuming he would always be there to help and not actually asking him. I felt he desver to at least have a say in what it was He himself wanted. But other than that, I did like this book way better than the first.
November 22, 2021
This book was good but I really had a hard time with liking Alina‘s character and I also didn’t like Mal his character was just really plain and boring I did however like the darkling at the beginning and then throughout the book it was a little less but he is still my favorite character but that’s probably just because most of the other characters are really bland I do like Leigh’a writing but shadow and bone’s just wasn’t for me I much preferred the six of crows series. I’m not gonna lie I wasn’t as shocked as I thought I would be with finding out that the darkling is the black heretic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2025
I remember how obsessed and happy I was when I first got addicted to a book. The kind of book which you can’t stop reading. The kind of book that makes you think “okay, only one more chapter and then I need to go to sleep”, and you will fail every time. The kind of book that makes you dream about the storyline at night. The kind of book which makes you feel like you are in that world.
This is that kind of book.
You want to be sucked into a fantasy story, with unexpected turns, character development and twisted love? This is your book!
This is that kind of book.
You want to be sucked into a fantasy story, with unexpected turns, character development and twisted love? This is your book!
April 26, 2020
I was not liking this book at first. It was predictable and full of tropes. Then that twist happened and then we had a story. It was twisty and a great chase. It had some sad and moments that hit you in the feels. It’s got action, intrigue, and betrayal. It is definitely a win. It is a shame I waited so long to read this. On to the next one. Keep them coming.
June 16, 2022
this book was okay it wasnt anything spectacular and it took me a while to finish tbh which is frustrating. it got super dark at the end and it left me feeling so unresolved and conflicted about every single character. the story was entertaining enough to read the whole way through but it definitely couldve been better. gonna read the last one hopefully
November 25, 2019
Reviewers have been unfairly harsh, a few week plot points don't get in the way of a good YA tale. I found the idea of a teen girl hiding her gifts to fit in relatable and the world building well done.
June 15, 2020
Thoroughly entertaining and an absolute escape from all of the things going on in this world! Very much 2 great summer reads - I couldn't get my hands on the 2nd book fast enough after finishing the first one!
March 25, 2021
I miss this world sooo so much. This reread session is so worth it so I can appreciate more on the character development , story plot and so much more! Can't wait for the adaptation although i would raise any expectation ,
May 1, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Coup de cœur ♥️
J’ai clairement adoré. J’ai accroché directement à l’histoire ce qui est rare et je me suis super vite attachée aux personnages. C’était les montagnes russes niveau émotions et c’est ça qui prouve que c’était un belle lecture.
Coup de cœur ♥️
J’ai clairement adoré. J’ai accroché directement à l’histoire ce qui est rare et je me suis super vite attachée aux personnages. C’était les montagnes russes niveau émotions et c’est ça qui prouve que c’était un belle lecture.
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