Shadow and Bone
Written by Leigh Bardugo.
⛰️ What is it about?
The story takes place in Ravka, a desert-like wasteland inspired by 19th-century Russia, torn apart by warring neighbours and twisted by dark magic. To its North lays the Nordic country of Fjerda and to the South, the Asiatic nation of Shu Han. The people of Ravka are poor and tired, worn down by years of conflict and the mysterious Shadow Fold, an ominous dark fog that splits the nation in two, land-locking most of the population from their Western coast.
No one really knows what the Shadow Fold is or where it came from. Only that it was created by a power-hungry sorcerer hundreds of years ago, and that it's dangerous. Every year the fold creeps further across the land, swallowing everything it touches. To cross the Fold, Ravkans board special ships that can sail across its' dead sands. But those that enter the Fold are unlikely to return. Vicious, winged monsters called Volcra inhabit the Fold's skies and, in the pitch darkness, swarm to anything that draws their attention.
Like many fantasy novels, Shadow and Bone begins with an orphan: Alina Starkov. Alina is a frail young woman, employed by the King's army as a mapmaker. She's intelligent and fiery, but she's also insecure. She isolates herself from others and considers herself different. Despite having no family, Alina is not entirely alone. Mal, also an orphan and Alina's only friend, works as a tracker for the army.
The two orphans are preparing to join the next crossing of the Shadow Fold. On the other side, Alina is set to finish her training in the city of Os Kervo, while Mal works with the other trackers to secure food and supplies for their return home.
Not long after the journey begins, the ship and crew are attacked by a large horde of Volcra, killing several crew members immediately. As the attacks mount, one of the creatures seizes Mal with its razored talons. Whether Mal will survive is unclear, but when all hope seems lost, a piercing-white blaze of light explodes from Alina, illuminating the Fold, scattering the Volcra and saving the crew. Alina has discovered a power she never knew she had.
She is Grisha, a kind of wizard-like being that represents the upper class of Ravka, and form what's known as the Second Army. Grishas' powers are usually elemental (fire, water, wind, etc), with others possessing more potent powers like the ability to crush another's beating heart within their chest. But, Alina is not a normal Grisha. Alina is the Sun Summoner, a legendary figure of Ravkan myth, with the power to produce pure light.
The discovery of Alina's power puts her on a new path. It may be that she is fated to save Ravka from the Fold. But her new value also makes her a target, not just from Ravka's neighbours, but from within the country's borders as well. Powerful people in Ravka want to use her power for their own gain, and once Alina discovers a long-forgotten secret about the Fold, she has no choice but to take the fate of the world on alone.
🔎 Why I read it
To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why I picked this book up. I watched the first episode of the Netflix series based on the book, but I didn't find it interesting enough to continue. To add to that, I haven't read a fantasy book since early high school. Nonetheless, I was going on holiday soon and I wanted something light to read while relaxing. I kept seeing this book and others from the series all over the place. Maybe the internet algorithms wanted me to read it. Maybe it was the fact that I had just finished the audiobooks of The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia and The Romanovs: 1613-1918. Either way, having finished the book a few days ago, I'm glad I gave it a chance.
💭 Thoughts
Shadow and Bone would be a good read for fantasy fans looking for a light adventure, or others looking to get into the fantasy genre. The story is mainly plot-driven. It's not particularly complex, and perhaps slightly predictable, but as the adventure intensifies it's still exciting enough to get that can't-put-the-book-down feeling. Alina is interesting too. Her relationship with her power evolves alongside her self-esteem, and Bardugo briefly touches on modern themes of relationships with uneven power dynamics - something young people may benefit from reading. The other characters are amicable and the Russian undercurrent that flows beneath the story is fun for anyone with an interest in Russian history.
However, I would have liked to see better development of the other characters. At the moment, despite some rocky periods in his relationship with Alina, Mal comes across as more of a loyal puppy than a friend. Some history behind the Darkling's origin would benefit the entire storyline, and I think Genya has more potential as a character than just a pretty confidante. I know there are accompanying short stories about some of these characters, and I plan on reading them, but the much-needed depth behind these characters is yet to be seen after just one book. With two more novels to go and two more series in the Grishaverse, I'm optimistic.