Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo: Book Review
After the second season of the TV show came out on Netflix, I was curious and decided to start watching season one...then I stopped so I could read the book first. I'll be going through the pros and cons of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo with no major spoilers ahead.
Pros of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
The Darkling
Okay, okay I know he is who he is, but...I freaking loved his character. He was charismatic, intense, tall, handsome, a love interest to Alina and a potential threat to many others. The reader kind of feels The Darkling's pull as much as the characters in the book do, so it's easy to want to defend him, try to understand him, etc. Although he's a misunderstood character who is ultimately sympathetic, and complex, the execution of his plans says otherwise. He's my favourite part of the book - and the show, because who doesn't love Ben Barnes, am I right? - and without him it would be a pretty boring story. P.S. I really love how in the show, Ben Barnes delivers The Darkling's lines....trust me, worth the watch.
Favourite Quote
"Fine, make me your villain." ~ The Darkling
Alina's Self Acceptance
Alina Starkov throughout the whole book has an issue with accepting herself for who she really is, after unknowingly suppressing her natural gifts for basically her entire life. There are external forces that make Alina doubt herself as well as internal, so the poor girl can't catch a break. Throughout the book, she learns to use her gifts the way they were always intended to be used, rather than wishing she didn't have them. She finds friends - and enemies - among the Grisha and she grows up a lot as the book goes along. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that she's alone for a lot of the book rather than with her human security blanket, which I'll get into later.
Fantasy
I haven't read a fantasy book since The Hunger Games...but I'm so glad I read this one. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time, not one point was I bored or wishing it would just get to the point - which has been happening a lot lately when I read. I already recommended this book to a friend and even the lady in the waiting room at the chiropractor asked me what I was reading and she was very intrigued. When I find a book I like, I can't shut up about it and this is one of those times. I really can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Cons of Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Mal
Ah yes, The Human Security Blanket. He never really does anything bad, per se, but he just pisses me off. He's Alina's security blanket, attached at the hip for the beginning of the book and even during the parts that they're apart, she can only seem to mope about the fact that he's not there. They've both successfully friendzoned each other for many years, and when Alina starts exploring romantic attraction toward someone else, I was very pleased. to see her move on...for a bit. Mal just gives me the vibe of "I don't want her but nobody else can have her"and that's just very icky to me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to continue the series. I have a few other series I committed to right now (*cough, cough* Gabriel's Inferno Series, that I still only read books 1 and 2) but the rest of this series is definitely on my TBR. I may even look into a few more fantasy books now that my interest has been piqued.
Have you read Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo? Do you want to? Let's have a conversation!
Instagram: @melissa_dia
Facebook: @melissa.diaferia.5
YouTube: @MelissaDiaferia
A presto,
Melissa
Comments