Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Out of the 20 fantasy novels that I’ve read, this is my absolute favorite. Shadow and Bone, by Leigh Bardugo, has the most unique and captivating storyline bringing many new aspects of fantasy to life.
Shadow and Bone is the first book of a three-book series by Leigh Bardugo. It occurs in a fantasy universe where there are those with and without superpowers. Those with powers are called Grisha, and are sorted into three groups: The Corporalki, Etherealki, and Materialki. The Corporalki can manipulate the human body, allowing them to either heal, kill, or change someone’s body. The Etherealki are summoners, meaning they can control one of three elements: wind, water, or fire. The last group are the Materialki, who can manipulate materials such as stone, metal, glass, etc. The story takes place in Ravka, where there is a First and Second Army. The First Army is made up of soldiers without superpowers, while the Second Army is made up of Grisha, individuals with a superpower.
The main character is Alina Starkov, who unknowingly is a Grisha and in the First Army,
with her best friend Mal. But when her power shows itself in a dire situation, she is
transported to the country’s lavish capital where she can be taught to strengthen her
powers. Although, nothing is as it seems.
I thought that this book was expertly written and there was not a single moment where I
was bored and contemplating putting the book down. The messages of self-acceptance,
loyalty and love were intelligently integrated into the story and further increased the
superb reading experience. Throughout the book, Alina’s character development, as
well as those around her, was brilliantly transformed to show her transition from being a
grunt in the First Army to being Grisha, who are highly thought of.
Overall, this book gets a 10/10 from me. It has an amazing plot, with many twists and
turns. It has such good character development in the main character, Alina. And, the
themes of the book paired so well with the book’s plot. This redefined my own
perspective on the fantasy genre and I will have a hard time finding any book nearly as
good as Shadow and Bone and its trilogy.
Reviewed by Teen Volunteer 7/25/25.