Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone, #1) in Never Too Old For Y.A. & N.A. Books

Aug 28, 2012 Brigid ✩ rated it really liked it

Shelves: superpowers, on-my-kindle, paranormal, mythology, romance, adventure, fantasy, dystopia, young-adult, demons

Currently re-reading! Original review from June 2013 below.

--

Actual rating: 3.5 Stars

You can also read this review on Flying Kick-a-pow! Reviews.

"Now, show them."

I grinned and did as I had been taught, throwing my arms wide and feeling my whole self open, then I slammed my hands together and a loud rumble shook the ballroom. Brilliant white light exploded through the crowd with a whoosh as the guests released a collective "Ahhhh!" and closed their eyes, flinging up their hands against the bri

...more

31 likes · Like · see review

Feb 29, 2012 ♥ Rebecca ♥ rated it really liked it

Shelves: magic, young-adult, fantasy, romance, reviewed

This review can also be found on my blog: A Match Made in Heaven

Its been a very long time since I have read a YA fantasy this good. I have been on a search for one ever since I read Graceling over 2 years ago. All the popular ones that I have read in that time just could not live up to it for me. They were just all the same. Although there were some things about Shadow and Bone that were familiar, it got a lot more right than most.

I love the world in this book. It was interesting and well develo This review can also be found on my blog: A Match Made in Heaven

Its been a very long time since I have read a YA fantasy this good. I have been on a search for one ever since I read Graceling over 2 years ago. All the popular ones that I have read in that time just could not live up to it for me. They were just all the same. Although there were some things about Shadow and Bone that were familiar, it got a lot more right than most.

I love the world in this book. It was interesting and well developed. Although I was a bit confused about the setting. It seemed too much like Earth to be High Fantasy, but too little like Earth to be any kind of historical fantasy. But putting that aside and accepting that it is a unique combination of Earth-inspired High Fantasy, it was really well built and fleshed-out and immersive.

The story may have been a bit familiar, with a girl finding out that she has had a strange power her whole life that she never knew about, and then being whisked off to train her new abilities. And there was a bit of the 'Sorting Hat Syndrome', with the Grisha being categorized according to their abilities. But the way their magic system (yes, its magic, as much as the Grisha might want to deny it) works was really interesting and different.

I also loved all the characters. I found Alina very realistic and relatable. She was not perfect. She had a lot of abandonment issues, but she was consistent and human. She is miles more interesting than Celaena, who I always found nearly too vain and haughty to tolerate, and perhaps even better than Katsa who seriously kicked-ass, but was so stubborn and independent that she began to annoy me. I also loved Mal, who, like Alina, wasnt perfect, but his faults were realistic and didnt take away from his character. He was brave, and loving, and loyal, and constant. Even if Alina hadnt known it at the time, he was constant.

The Darkling was a fascinating character. Although I never fully accepted him as a love-interest and wasnt too surprised by what happened in the end, he was still a great, complicated character. He was ancient and the depth of his experience and knowledge is unfathomable. I knew it was impossible for someone like that to truly be caught up in a moment and to let down their guard and act like a boy. (view spoiler). He was larger than life, charismatic and intimidating and awe-inspiring all at the same time. Even now he still is. None of those traits are exclusive to good or evil. He is perhaps my favourite character in the book, regardless of where he will go from here. I really look forward to finding out where that will be. ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Jan 14, 2012 Angie Taylor rated it it was amazing

I loved this book! It was a perfect story to get lost in. I loved the magic, characters, good versus evil, the romance, everything. It was well written and had the perfect tension throughout, making me not get much done for the last 24 hours. The story was unique and compelling and just an all around good read! The perfect fantasy book!

2 likes · Like · see review

May 22, 2012 Bridget rated it it was amazing

Shelves: giveaway-books

This was one of my favorite reads of 2012. I honestly couldn't put it down it was that good. Alina is a young girl stationed in the 2nd army of the king. She became an orphan at the age of 8, and she was sent to live at a dukes house that took orphans while there she met her best friend Mal. They were roughly the same age and grew up as best friends. In the army she is a mapmaker and Mal is a Tracker. Their unit has been assigned a mission to cross the deadly fold that runs through the land of R This was one of my favorite reads of 2012. I honestly couldn't put it down it was that good. Alina is a young girl stationed in the 2nd army of the king. She became an orphan at the age of 8, and she was sent to live at a dukes house that took orphans while there she met her best friend Mal. They were roughly the same age and grew up as best friends. In the army she is a mapmaker and Mal is a Tracker. Their unit has been assigned a mission to cross the deadly fold that runs through the land of Ravka. The fold is a blackness that was created by a Darkling hundreds of years ago. It was a mistake that cost many people their lives and it is also the home to the volcra that are man eating creates, and they make it very dangerous to cross. To trade and get to the sea the people of Ravka have to brave the trip from time to time. Alina has always been very afraid of the fold and she has a terrible feeling that the crossing is not going to go well. The army unit is to be escorted by members of the Grisha. The Grisha are powerful beings that were tested when they were young and if they had the talent they were taken to the little palace and taught to use their powers by the Darkling. Some of the Grisha could yield fire, some metal, some were healers and some were assassins there are many other types as well.
While trying to cross the fold the unit was attacked by hundreds of vicious volcra. Alina saw many people being taken and killed then she sees Mal getting attacked and she runs to try and help him, but there is really nothing she can do. She starts to give up but she feels a strange power burst from her then she collapses. It turns out that Alina is a Sun Summor and there hasn't been one of them on the earth for hundreds of years. She could be the savior to the land and be the one to destroy the fold. She is taken to the little palace where she is to be trained and turned into a Grisha. While at the palace she is mysterious drawn to the Darkling and his power. She trys to learn how to use her powers, but she has a lot to learn before she can be the savior everyone thinks she is. Also the whole time she is there she misses the boy that she grew up with and loved for all those years.
Alina is a great character. She is so broken and doesn't feel like she has ever belonged anywhere, but as she trains and grows you get to see her become the person she is destined to be. She is very attracted to the mysterious Darkling, but he has many secrets and is very dangerous. She also still holds hope that someday she will see her Mal again. I loed reading her journey of self discovery and seeing all the choices she makes.
I have to say that I loved the Darkling. He is so dark and mysterious that I honestly fell in love with him. This is new for me I don't tend to route for the villain, but honestly in this book I just can't help it. Then there is Mal he is beautiful, cocky and an amazing tracker, but at the same time he is a really good friend to Alina. Eventually he figures out how much he cares for Alina but it might be to late.
I loved the world that Bardugo created it is beautiful and so intriguing, there are so many twists and turns in that story that it really had me guessing the whole way through. It is one of those books that leave you thinking about it days after you finish it because you just can't get enough. Thank heaven there isn't a cliff hanger at the end, but you are definitely left wanting more. I honestly can't wait for the next book in the series to come out. I would highly recommend this book to pretty much anyone that likes YA books. It really was that good so if you haven't had a chance to read it you really should!!!! ...more

Like · see review

Dec 29, 2022 Marla rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, adventure, zz-2022, paranormal, young-adult, recommended-to-me, series, dystopia, award-winner, mixed-reviews

3.5 stars. Alina Starkov is an unremarkable orphan and mediocre cartographer who becomes the Sun Summoner and the only hope for saving Ravka. She was best friends with another orphan boy, Malyen "Mal" Oretsev, who is her best friend, her soul mate, a gifted tracker and finds the elusive mythical stag.

(view spoiler) ...more

Like · see review

Jun 11, 2012 Mare S rated it it was amazing

Shelves: youngadult, loved-and-reread, 2012-reads, favorites

I finished this last night and debated re-reading it right away because it was so good and I felt like surely I missed so much because the plot kept me turning the pages and not necessarily taking in all the nuances. Alas, instead I thrust the book upon my sister and said, "read. now."

Definitely one of my favorite books of the year. Alina is smart and funny and scared and silly all in one package. She's not the beautiful heroine (at least in her mind), and it makes it harder for her to believe ...more

Like · see review

Mar 15, 2021 Katie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

I enjoyed this book, but I'm not sure if I'll continue the series. It was well written and all, but I was slightly disappointed in it. It's been hyped up so much, I guess I just expected more. That happens with me a lot with books that were hyped up. I rushed reading it because I wanted to read it before the Netflix series comes out next month. The show looks awesome, but in the grand scheme of things, it didn't feel like a whole lot happened in this book.

...more

Like · see review

Sep 21, 2012 Angie rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-teen, beehives, ya-fantasy

It is insanely silly how much I liked this book. It is most assuredly not for everyone, but I did so love it. Can't wait to read the next one!

For mature teens and adults ...more

Like · see review

Jul 03, 2014 Martha rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-goodness

Not as spectacular as reviews had let me to expect, but the characters are compelling, the world is interesting, and there are a couple of strikingly wonderful scenes.

Like · see review