Book Review: Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bones #1)

Shadow and Bone
Leigh Bardugo
3/5

So I've finally done it, successfully finished a book in the Grishaverse. I've never been against this universe, it's just never worked out for me. Shadow and Bone gives us our first look into the world of the Grisha, humans with a variety of magical powers. The government picks them off early, lets them live in the lap of luxury and basically brainwashes them into service. Alina was able to shield herself from her childhood testing and preserve the simplicity of her youth. This changes when she discovers her powers saving herself and her childhood bestie, Mal, from an evil creature in the Fold. From then on, she becomes a pawn in the game of the Darkling.

I don't mind this book, so many people told me to skip it and go straight for SOC, but I think it definitely has its merits. I would like to say I'm currently missing how the Darkling is the most powerful person, or why being a Sun Summoner is so amazing. It's like, she generates a little heat and a lot of light, it's cool but it doesn't strike me as something that changes the world. I know it has more to do with the context of the Fold, but I really just did not understand the big deal with it all.

There were also some historical elements that I was confused with. Like, it felt like Russia but there were also a bunch of weird things that took away from it. More of an awkward hybrid of Russian culture, which I guess could be it considering this is a fantasy universe. It's just weird that so many elements were taken from one culture without actually owning up to the fact that these elements were coming from that country. I'm not angry about it, I'm just confused and feeling like I missed some major foundation elements of the universe.

I'm going to read SOC before I finish this trilogy, so I'll probably weigh on the debate as to whether or not it's worth reading. At this point, I think I'd recommend it because it's still a fun girl-discovers-her-powers thing, just kind of cliche and forgettable. Also, I hate the Darkling a lot and I hope he dies that's all thanks.