Shadow and Bone Trilogy
After many months of letting these beautifully bound books sit on my shelf, I finally picked up the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo and my only complaint is I wish I did it sooner.
Before I dive into each book, I would like to take a moment to ogle the covers for this boxed set for a moment. I love the colour choices for each book, the caricatures of the mythical creatures, and how the books look like they were splattered with paint. I’ve seen other editions, and this is my favourite.
Shadow and Bone
The series opens with the introduction of our leading lady, Alina Starkov. In a nation surrounded by enemies and a dangerous, impenetrable darkness called the Shadow Fold, Alina is doing the only thing a teenage orphan can: serve in the First Army and dedicate at least a few years of her life to her home country of Ravka. With her best friend Mal at her side, she’s a little less afraid of what the Shadow Fold has in store for her.
But after a near-death experience, Alina is revealed to be the coveted savior Ravka and its order of magical elite called the Grisha have waited for – the Sun Summoner.
Alina experiences a lot of changes in the first book and Bardugo wrote Alina’s character development very well. One of my favourite parts about Alina, and what makes her one of my all time favourite characters, is her humour. It’s dry, snappy, sarcastic and perfectly suits a girl like her. Her humour balances well with Mal’s and their interactions throughout the book are gold, especially when the romance between them blossoms.
In Shadow and Bone, readers also meet the Darkling – the most powerful Grisha in Ravka. He takes a special interest in Alina, but he has secrets that will tear Ravka apart. He has plans for Alina, but she’s not willing to become the Darkling’s pawn.
This was a great start to the trilogy and I eagerly gobbled it up. ★★★★★
Siege and Storm
The sequel starts where, in order to escape the Darkling’s control, Alina and Mal have escaped across the True Sea in search of safety and a quiet life. But Alina can’t ignore her growing desire to use her powers again and she can’t forget the people who are now at the Darkling’s mercy.
It isn’t long before the Darkling finds Alina and Mal and takes them back across the sea, but instead of taking them straight to Ravka, they make a detour with a notorious privateer to find a mythical creature that will further enhance Alina’s power.
This book is full of snappy dialogue, painful realizations, surprise revelations, and tough choices. I loved every second of it. In addition to Alina, another character joined my list of favourites: Prince Nikolai of Ravka, second in line to the throne and privateer in his spare time. His banter with Alina is priceless and it lightens up the story when it needs it most, especially when it becomes clear Mal and Alina’s relationship is falling apart at the seams. ★★★★
Rise and Ruin
The final book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy was as action-packed and drama infused as the other two and it wrapped up this series as a warm blanket does after a long night in front of the fire. I felt cozy and my heart was full when I came to the last page.
Rise and Ruin starts with the Darkling on the Ravka throne, Alina and Mal in hiding with a religious order that is obsessed with the Sun Summoner, and Prince Nikolai missing (possibly dead). Through a series of explosions and trickery, Alina and what remains of her Second Army of Grisha leave the religious order to find Nikolai and try to take down the Darkling once and for all.
I won’t spoil the ending, but Bardugo gave Alina and Mal the ending they deserved, the one Alina always wanted – a quiet life between a normal girl and a normal boy. Bardugo also stayed true to the story by making sure Alina and Mal remembered who and what they lost on their journey to defeat the Darkling. She left Alina and Mal to heal together, which is exactly what they needed. ★★★★★
I’m so glad I didn’t procrastinate any longer and read this series. I can’t wait to see where Bardugo takes her Grishaverse world in the duology Six of Crows and her latest duology about Prince Nikolai. I’m particularly happy to be reunited with my scoundrel prince.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking to get lost in a fantastically dark world full of rich storytelling and spellbinding characters.
Shadow and Bone Trilogy Rating: ★★★★1/2
Before I dive into each book, I would like to take a moment to ogle the covers for this boxed set for a moment. I love the colour choices for each book, the caricatures of the mythical creatures, and how the books look like they were splattered with paint. I’ve seen other editions, and this is my favourite.
Shadow and Bone
The series opens with the introduction of our leading lady, Alina Starkov. In a nation surrounded by enemies and a dangerous, impenetrable darkness called the Shadow Fold, Alina is doing the only thing a teenage orphan can: serve in the First Army and dedicate at least a few years of her life to her home country of Ravka. With her best friend Mal at her side, she’s a little less afraid of what the Shadow Fold has in store for her.
But after a near-death experience, Alina is revealed to be the coveted savior Ravka and its order of magical elite called the Grisha have waited for – the Sun Summoner.
Alina experiences a lot of changes in the first book and Bardugo wrote Alina’s character development very well. One of my favourite parts about Alina, and what makes her one of my all time favourite characters, is her humour. It’s dry, snappy, sarcastic and perfectly suits a girl like her. Her humour balances well with Mal’s and their interactions throughout the book are gold, especially when the romance between them blossoms.
In Shadow and Bone, readers also meet the Darkling – the most powerful Grisha in Ravka. He takes a special interest in Alina, but he has secrets that will tear Ravka apart. He has plans for Alina, but she’s not willing to become the Darkling’s pawn.
This was a great start to the trilogy and I eagerly gobbled it up. ★★★★★
Siege and Storm
The sequel starts where, in order to escape the Darkling’s control, Alina and Mal have escaped across the True Sea in search of safety and a quiet life. But Alina can’t ignore her growing desire to use her powers again and she can’t forget the people who are now at the Darkling’s mercy.
It isn’t long before the Darkling finds Alina and Mal and takes them back across the sea, but instead of taking them straight to Ravka, they make a detour with a notorious privateer to find a mythical creature that will further enhance Alina’s power.
This book is full of snappy dialogue, painful realizations, surprise revelations, and tough choices. I loved every second of it. In addition to Alina, another character joined my list of favourites: Prince Nikolai of Ravka, second in line to the throne and privateer in his spare time. His banter with Alina is priceless and it lightens up the story when it needs it most, especially when it becomes clear Mal and Alina’s relationship is falling apart at the seams. ★★★★
Rise and Ruin
The final book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy was as action-packed and drama infused as the other two and it wrapped up this series as a warm blanket does after a long night in front of the fire. I felt cozy and my heart was full when I came to the last page.
Rise and Ruin starts with the Darkling on the Ravka throne, Alina and Mal in hiding with a religious order that is obsessed with the Sun Summoner, and Prince Nikolai missing (possibly dead). Through a series of explosions and trickery, Alina and what remains of her Second Army of Grisha leave the religious order to find Nikolai and try to take down the Darkling once and for all.
I won’t spoil the ending, but Bardugo gave Alina and Mal the ending they deserved, the one Alina always wanted – a quiet life between a normal girl and a normal boy. Bardugo also stayed true to the story by making sure Alina and Mal remembered who and what they lost on their journey to defeat the Darkling. She left Alina and Mal to heal together, which is exactly what they needed. ★★★★★
I’m so glad I didn’t procrastinate any longer and read this series. I can’t wait to see where Bardugo takes her Grishaverse world in the duology Six of Crows and her latest duology about Prince Nikolai. I’m particularly happy to be reunited with my scoundrel prince.
I highly recommend this series to anyone who is looking to get lost in a fantastically dark world full of rich storytelling and spellbinding characters.
Shadow and Bone Trilogy Rating: ★★★★1/2