Shadow & Bone Trilogy
By Leigh Bardugo
I started this series with my sisters during quarantine as part of an impromptu book club (aka we were all bored and decided to read the same book). I had only read the back cover - so didn’t really know what to expect other than it was fantasy and I had vaguely remembered hearing they were making a Netflix series about it. I haven’t watched the show so can’t advise on which one is better or if they match up, but I can say the books should go on your ‘to read’ list.
This series sucks you right into the universe; Bardugo wastes no time - she somehow manages to weave an intricate world in a book that never seems to lose momentum, and then continues it throughout the next two as well. I honestly can’t relate it to another fantasy book I’ve read in that regard - because it almost reads like a tv show or movie, the plot is consistently being pushed forward and yet I don’t feel like I missed out on understanding a rich world. This is not your lord of the rings where pages and pages will be spent on detailed descriptions or side missions (which I love too!) but rather focuses right in on the action and moving the narrative.
The main character - Alina Starkov is strong but not infallible and as many fantasy series start, someone who is seemingly a nobody but discovers she has a great and one of a kind power. A refugee in a time of war - she must determine how best to use her new found gifts and how far is she willing to go to save the things she holds most dear. She’s thrust into a whole new world, and forced to deal with something nothing could have prepared her for. While the general premise (unsuspecting/everyday hero) may not be unique - it works for a reason, and the subsequent arc that Alina goes through is entirely her own. Exciting, thought provoking, with interesting characters who toe the line between good and evil - and make you consider not everything is as black and white as it may seem.
Bardugo has expanded this world (deemed the ‘Grishaverse’) beyond just this series, so there are certainly other opportunities to dive into more lore, characters, and intricacies. I powered through each of these books in a day or so (not consecutively) so I’m excited to see what else is in store.
