Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone, #1) in The Introvert Readers

Jul 07, 2018 8stitches 9lives rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I had been meaning to read this for a while although I am glad that I missed all of the hype that surrounded it back when it was released in 2012. Giving how much I loved this I would say that the hype was probably justified. I have become a huge fan of YA fantasy and this is one of those books you simply have to read if you are a true fantasy fan. I am pleased to add that it was well worth the wait!

Right, let's get down to the nitty gritty. This story follows mapmaker, Alina, an orphan her whol I had been meaning to read this for a while although I am glad that I missed all of the hype that surrounded it back when it was released in 2012. Giving how much I loved this I would say that the hype was probably justified. I have become a huge fan of YA fantasy and this is one of those books you simply have to read if you are a true fantasy fan. I am pleased to add that it was well worth the wait!

Right, let's get down to the nitty gritty. This story follows mapmaker, Alina, an orphan her whole life, who grows up and falls in love with her best friend, Mal. Both Alina and Mal are part of the King's first army. There are many things to fear in this world, not least the Fold, which is filled with darkness. Inside the Fold is where the merciless beasts known as Volcra reside. When her regiment is attacked Alina unleashes dormant magic that even she had no idea she possessed, showing that she is no ordinary girl, but a Grisha, and saves Mal's life in the process. This event captures a lot of attention including that from the Darkling who is surprised by her talent and wishes to send her away to train as a Grisha so she can become part of the King's second army led by the Darkling himself.

"Shadow and Bone" not only met my expectations but surpassed them. There were so many great elements that it's almost impossible to remember them all! The world is creative and exciting, the characters are realistic and have flaws that us humans can relate to, the story is fast-paced with action aplenty and plot twists that make you read on and on until you reach the conclusion and then feel sad that it's over. I loved how connected I felt to the characters which is thanks to Ms Bardugo making them as believable and relatable as possible. In particular, I loved our protagonist, Alina, because she is a strong female lead, full of wit and wisdom and has a kind heart. My standout character though would have to be the inimitable Darkling, and even though he is the villian here, I found that the way he was written was pretty special. I appreciated that although he did have villianous qualities, he also had some noble ones. This complexity is often lacking in YA fiction characters but is much more reflective of real life, which is one of the reasons I liked the Darkling so much. Another aspect I admired was that the author defined the rules and limits of the Grishaverse from the outset but managed to do so without the reader feeling overwhelmed or as though they were swimming in a sea of information. This is a tricky task to undertake and it is done impeccably here - there is enough detail so that you understand how everything works but not such an amount that it bamboozles you.

This book came at the perfect time for me - it's summer and although i'm based in the UK the weather is unusually hot right now. This was the ideal antidote to the heat, lying in a cool room reading this from beginning to end in one sitting made me incredibly happy. All the tasks I was supposed to be doing were left until after I finished and even then I didn't want to carry them out as I quickly purchased "Siege and Storm" and continued to read until I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. I will not be leaving it as long to dive into another Leigh Bardugo book, that is for certain! I've also added her to my rolecall of favourite authors. From what i've seen she is vastly underrated, she certainly shouldn't be though as her writing is as beautiful and magnetic as that in some of my all-time favourite books. Oh, and her one liners are simply majestic! I cannot forget to mention those.

All in all, this is an authentic, emotional and drama-filled adventure that is well worth investing a few hours in. If you haven't already read this, I urge you to give it a go! Especially those who enjoy the fantasy genre, magic, well-developed characters, a world that is built spectacularly, and last but by no means least, an intriguing and engaging story. I would say that this is one of those titles where the best reading experience can be gained by knowing as little as possible about the book beforehand.

I am going to order myself a copy of this new version of the book with its beautiful cover art and the addition of exclusive bonus material such as a Q&A session with Bardugo, this would make a stunning addition to any book buff's bookshelf. Also, I am now so excited for her new book "King of Scars" that is set to be published in January 2019. Bring it on!

Many thanks to Orion Children's Books for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. ...more

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Oct 24, 2017 Naaytaashreads rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

“Maybe I should lie down on a table in the workroom and wait to see if he welds something to me.” “I think that’s the way most great love stories begin.”

I literally flew through this book.
DAMN IT WAS GOOD. I LOVE IT
Although there were some parts that got me hating the characters I already love.
The magic system was easy to follow up.
I really want to see more of it.
Not just from Alina or the Darkling but more of others too.

I like Alina's character wasn't that much of showing that she's weak and ...more

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Jan 10, 2021 Lorelei rated it it was ok

Shelves: owned, 2021-books

~~~2 Stars~~~

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Feb 26, 2021 akacya ❦ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: format-physical, own, buddy-reads, genre-fantasy, audience-young-adult, disabled-authors

Although it’s only February, I think it’s safe to say this book will be one of my favorites for this year. This novel is reaching its ninth birthday, yet the concept remains fresh and exciting. So glad I finally get the hype! Can’t wait to read the others!!

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Sep 10, 2017 Sylvs (NOVELty Reads) rated it liked it · review of another edition

RE-READ: I read this book 4 years ago so obviously my thoughts changed on this one. I once fangirled over this book but I think I was blind-sighted by the writing style. Even now, I love it and think Leigh Bardugo honestly has a talent for making beautiful imagery and building up the world and landscape.

Character wise, the book felt a bit off to me. Alina seemed really naive and Mal seemed okay until he started creating boisterous declarations of love towards the end that felt way too cheesy an RE-READ: I read this book 4 years ago so obviously my thoughts changed on this one. I once fangirled over this book but I think I was blind-sighted by the writing style. Even now, I love it and think Leigh Bardugo honestly has a talent for making beautiful imagery and building up the world and landscape.

Character wise, the book felt a bit off to me. Alina seemed really naive and Mal seemed okay until he started creating boisterous declarations of love towards the end that felt way too cheesy and grandiose. The Darkling was probably my favourite character but then again, he felt a little too cliche in his villainous desire for power.

All in all, I loved the world building and the scenery but I disliked some of the characters and the pacing of the book. I felt like some parts could've been shorter and others longer than they were.

ADJUSTED RATING: 3.4 STARS

_____

ORIGINAL REVIEW: WHOA! What did I just read!? This book was amazing! I cried so much and at some points wanted to throw it across the room! Being the first in the Grisha trilogy, Shadow and Bone guarantees a fast-paced storyline and a beautiful fictional world for readers to fall in love with just as much as the characters.

When reading about each and every character the author Leigh Bardugo created, it gave me a sense of adoration and love for what they do and how they support each other through rough times. In many YA books, the characters are so hard-core: they win every fight, look awesome and get the guy but what made this story so beautiful was that Alina, the main character was flawed. She didn’t stop the Darkling’s evil plans the way she wanted to but Bardugo made it so she failed and learned from her mistakes at the end of the novel which makes her a YA heroine to look out for in the future.

Alina was told by the Darkling that she would be the saviour of his people by putting an end to the Shadow Fold. She made herself give in to what he was telling her until she believed that she was special. By the end of the book, Alina discovers that she cannot save everyone and everything, she has to make great sacrifices some of which she may have to face in the books to come in the trilogy.

All in all a strong start to the Grisha trilogy and I cannot wait until I discover more about the world of Ravka and the alluring Grisha who protect it. But most importantly, I want to see how the character ships turn out *winking face*

ACTUAL RATING: 5 STARS ...more

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Mar 01, 2020 The Lost Heroine (hiatus) rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-books, fiction, reviewed

Second reread-
Me realising the differences between show Alina and book Alina: 🤦‍♀️
Me realising Mal is pretty much worse: 🙄
Me having forgotten half of the book and then going 'Ohhhh that happened in the show!' and gawping at how similar it is: 😬
Me wondering how the hell I rated it 5 ⭐: 😑 ...more

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Jan 08, 2021 winnie rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, romance, fiction, fantasy

3.5 ⭐

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May 13, 2020 Kelsea Janae Hamm rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This Was Such A Great Intro To This Series
I Loved The World Building Was Amazing
The Writing Was Amazing
The Characters I Liked The Darkling He Was Cute
And Alina Was A Great And Strong Main Character
I Cannot Wait To Read The Rest Of The Series

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May 05, 2021 Katja rated it liked it

Shelves: 2021-reads

I love Six of Crows and I thought I was gonna fall in love with this series as well, but I just got bored in the first few chapters. It took me a while to make myself sit down and read it.

The last third of the book was amazing and I read it pretty quickly, but the beginning of it just didn't draw me in. That might be because I've read the Six of Crows first.

I will be reading the rest of the books, but I'm just kind of bummed out that I didn't like this book as much as I hoped I would. ...more

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