SHADOW AND BONE BY LEIGH BARDUGO (BOOK REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION)

Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! In this post, I shall review Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo,  the first novel in the Shadow and Bone trilogy. Published in 2012, Shadow and Bone is a young adult fantasy novel featuring a young female protagonist Alina Starkov who tries to find her way in a world troubled by war and class divisions. The novel is set in Ravka, a fantasy world inspired by feudal Russia, but still unique in its own way. The world Alina Starkov inhabits has its own mythology and magic, and the worldbuilding is quite interesting. For example, there are Grishas, people who have magical powers, that are partly based on study of science and partly on instinct. While the organization of power is feudal, with a corrupt monarch and nobility, there's mention of higher education and even science. 

I actually got introduced to this series through listening to music on Youtube. I'm pretty sure I heard about this fantasy series (especially on  goodreads), but somehow I wasn't too intrigued because while fantasy is my genre, romance usually isn't, and this trilogy is a fantasy romance. I only became interested in reading this series after seeing video edits from the TV adaptation. In 2021,  Shadow and Bone was adapted by Netflix. As I said, I happened on a number of fantastic Youtube edits done by enthusiastic fans of the show. 

My apologies to the fans of the series, for I haven't actually watched the series, and I'm not sure I will, because I don't really watch TV in general. However, all the actors in the clips I saw, really seem to be acting wonderfully and adding sophistication and dimension to the characters, if you know what I mean. So, I might see this series some day. Moreover, after seeing the official trailers, I must say that those Shadow and Bone fans edits are even better. Those fans have some serious editing skills.  Scroll down to read more about this book and my impressions upon finishing it. 

 

THIS BOOK REVIEW WILL BE ACCOMANIED BY SOME GRISHA INSPIRED PHOTOGRAPHY

As you may know, I try to keep my book review visually interesting. I prepared a photo shot to accompany this book review. I did start my blog as a fashion blogger, and I'm still close to my roots. In the first set of photographs, I wore a pretty outfit to match the book cover. I shopped my closet for this gorgeous cobalt blue dress ( a recent second hand purchase) and some known favourites (grey blazer, black kitten heel shoes and a small burgundy bag). I feel like my outfit matches the colours of the book cover (black and blue). If I choose golden instead of silver accessories, it would have been a perfect match, but still not bad! The location for these photographs is stunning Buna in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Besides this cover matching outfit, I'll also use photographs from a post published ten years ago (in 2014) and shot in Goranci. I chose to use some of those outfit photographs for collages, because they're giving me fantasy vibes.  In that post, I wore some jewelry I designed and made myself when I was 18 (so, a long time ago), inspired by another fantasy adaptation- Lord of the Rings. So, the fantasy inspiration has come full circle you could say. 

SHADOW AND BONE is the first novel of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy !

This is the debut novel of Leigh Bardugo, the novel that started the Grishaverse. 

 The story of Alina Starkov is where it all started- the Grishaverse that is to explored in a number of books, trilogies and duologies.  This was also my first novel by Leigh Bardugo. It wasn't my last, though. Upon finishing Shadow and Bone, I immediately read the two other novels in the series. Moreover, I might read more from Leigh Bardugo.  Her official site is extremely user friendly site, so if you're interested in her work, do pay it a visit.  Before I get to reviewing this novel, I'll share a synopsis. So, here it is, cited from the official site: 

Soldier. Summoner. Saint.

Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold—a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue, as she trains with the Grisha—her country’s magical military elite—and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

About Leigh Bardugo (cited from her site)

Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Familiar, Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more.  Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University. 

And a bit more information (cited from Wikipedia)

Bardugo was born in Jerusalem, Israel, on April 6, 1975, and grew up in Los Angeles, California, U.S. where she was raised by her grandparents. She describes herself as Jewish-Spanish on one side, Russian and Lithuanian on the other.

She attended Yale University, graduating with a degree in English in the spring of 1997. She was a member of the Wolf's Head secret society. Before publishing her first novel, she worked in copywriting and journalism, as well as makeup and special effects.

SHADOW AND BONE BY LEIGH BARDUGO, A BOOK REVIEW  3.9/ 5 

THE LANGUAGE THE AUTHOR USES IS FAIRY SIMPLE

The author used fairly simple and modern language in this novel, and I think this is one of the reasons why it is so appealing to many reasons. This makes it easy to read and follow, even for young readers. The vocabulary is basic, but effective. Personally, as a language teacher, I love big and obscure words, but I think the simple language works for this novel, as it makes it easier to follow the plot. The writing is for most part pretty straightforward and simple, but there are moments of beauty in it. Sometimes a poetical sentence will find its way through, and when it does it is a pretty welcome change and a nice surprise.

BARDUGO ACHIVES AN EFFECT OF OTHERWORDLINESS BY USING PHRASES FROM OTHER LANGUAGES (MAINLY RUSSIAN)

Bardugo does insert words from Russian into this English novel. Maybe she felt that's enough to make it seem like another world. For English speakers, it is. For those of us who know Russian, or are Slavic, it just feels familiar. Speaking of Slavic languages, imagine my surprise when I read a sentence in Croatian. This Croatian sentence was meant to represent another dialect or language spoken in a neighbouring country. 

THE FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW 

This novel is written in the first person point of view. This is great in many ways, especially as the story is focused on Alina. It makes sense she's the one who tells the story. At the same time, I'd prefer to know more about some of the other characters, and while I did find out a thing or two from them through dialogues they had with Alina, I still wondered about some things.

There are a few instances in the novel when the author steps back from the first person narration, and narrates about Alina's life from the third person point of view, being an objective narrator. When Bardugo does this, she often refers to Alina and Mel as orphans. 

Alina being an orphan makes her seem even more isolated in this world. As the novel opens, we learn that she is about to cross the fold, a place of darkness where man eating monsters lure. Immediately, we get some info about Alina. She's a skinny and fragile girl, but one who talks back to others and doesn't let others push her around. We learn this when she talks back to a solder who pushes her.

STANDING ON THE EDGE of a crowded road, I looked down onto the rolling fields and abandoned farms of the Tula Valley and got my first glimpse of the Shadow Fold. My regiment was two weeks' march from the military encampment at Poliznaya and the autumn sun was warm overhead, but I shivered in my coat as I eyed the haze that lay like a dirty smudge on the horizon. A heavy shoulder slammed into me from behind. I stumbled and nearly pitched face-first into the muddy road. 

"Hey!" shouted the soldier. "Watch yourself!"

 "Why don't you watch your fat feet?" I snapped, and took some satisfaction from the surprise that came over his broad face. People, particularly big men carrying big rifles, don't expect lip from a scrawny thing like me. They always look a bit dazed when they get it. The soldier got over the novelty quickly and gave me a dirty look as he adjusted the pack on his back, then disappeared into the caravan of horses, men, carts, and wagons streaming over the crest of the hill and into the valley below. 

 WE  REALLY SEE THE WORLD THROUGH ALINA'S EYES

As the story progresses, we see the world through Alina's eyes. She's also the one handing all the information to us as readers. What does the talk about in her head? What does she tell us as readers? Her mind is focused at task at hand, on crossing the Fold, an incredibly dangerous journey at best of times. She explains to us what the Shadow Fold it in clear words, and just a few sentences, but we are yet to understand its full horrors.

I quickened my steps, trying to peer over the crowd. I'd lost sight of the yellow flag of the surveyors' cart hours ago, and I knew I was far behind. As I walked, I took in the green and gold smells of the autumn wood, the soft breeze at my back. We were on the Vy, the wide road that had once led all the way from Os Alta to the wealthy port cities on Ravka's western coast. But that was before the Shadow Fold. Somewhere in the crowd, someone was singing. Singing? What idiot is singing on his way into the Fold? I glanced again at that smudge on the horizon and had to suppress a shudder. I'd seen the Shadow Fold on many maps, a black slash that had severed Ravka from its only coastline and left it landlocked. Sometimes it was shown as a stain, sometimes as a bleak and shapeless cloud. And then there were the maps that just showed the Shadow Fold as a long, narrow lake and labeled it by its other name, "the Unsea," a name intended to put soldiers and merchants at their ease and encourage crossings. I snorted. That might fool some fat merchant, but it was little comfort to me.

ALINA IS IN LOVE WITH HER BEST FRIEND MAL

Alina's love for Mal is something you learn as soon as the second page. He appears and make her feel better with his humour and charm. Obviously, Mal is charming. He also seem to understand Alina's mood. He's no fool either, and well aware of the dangers of the fold. 

"No fainting in the middle of the road," said a voice close to my ear as a heavy arm landed across my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. I looked up to see Mal's familiar face, a smile in his bright blue eyes as he fell into step beside me. 

"C'mon," he said. "One foot in front of the other. You know how it's done." 

"You're interfering with my plan." 

"Oh really?" 

"Yes. Faint, get trampled, grievous injuries all around."

 "That sounds like a brilliant plan."

 "Ah, but if I'm horribly maimed, I won't be able to cross the Fold." 

Mal nodded slowly. "I see. I can shove you under a cart if that would help." 

"I'll think about it," I grumbled, but I felt my mood lifting all the same.

HEALHCLIFF KIND OF LOVE SITUATION

As we're about to learn, Alina and Mal were raised together. They're like a brother and sister, only they aren't. As the story opens, it seems Alina's feelings are one sided, at least to a degree. 

ALL THE GIRLS SEEM TO WANT MAL AND ALINA RESPONDS WITH EYE ROLLS

Despite my best efforts, Mal still had that effect on me. And I wasn't the only one. A pretty blond girl strolled by and waved, throwing Mal a flirtatious glance over her shoulder. "Hey, Ruby," he called. "See you later?" Ruby giggled and scampered off into the crowd. Mal grinned broadly until he caught my eye roll. "What? I thought you liked Ruby." "As it happens, we don't have much to talk about," I said drily. I actually had liked Ruby--at first. When Mal and I left the orphanage at Keramzin to train for our military service in Poliznaya, I'd been nervous about meeting new people. But lots of girls had been excited to befriend me, and Ruby had been among the most eager. Those friendships lasted as long as it took me to figure out that their only interest in me lay in my proximity to Mal. 

WE CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT ALINA AND MAL FROM THEIR INITIAL DIALOGUE

Alina is jealous, but she doesn't show it. Judging from their conversation, they seem to quite close. Mal is able to guess Alina's feelings and moods, and she obviously likes him a lot. They seem like two youngers who are used to being very honest one with another.

Now I watched him stretch his arms expansively and turn his face up to the autumn sky, looking perfectly content. There was even, I noted with some disgust, a little bounce in his step. 

"What is wrong with you?" I whispered furiously. 

"Nothing," he said, surprised. "I feel great."

 "But how can you be so...so jaunty?" 

"Jaunty? I've never been jaunty. I hope never to be jaunty." 

"Well, then what's all this?" I asked, waving a hand at him. 

"You look like you're on your way to a really good dinner instead of possible death and dismemberment."

 Mal laughed. "You worry too much. The King's sent a whole group of Grisha pyros to cover the skiffs, and even a few of those creepy Heartrenders. We have our rifles," he said, patting the one on his back. "We'll be fine." 

"A rifle won't make much difference if there's a bad attack."

 Mal gave me a bemused glance. "What's with you lately? You're even grumpier than usual. And you look terrible."

ALINA SEEMS TO BE TROUBLED BY A MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS OR WEAKNESS

Early on, it's indicated that Alina isn't exactly healthy. She seems undernourished and weak, and as we learn she doesn't sleep well. She almost reminded me of someone who has an autoimmune disorder, especially the way she's forced to fake being alright when she clearly isn't. That's something that resonated with me.

"Thanks," I groused. "I haven't been sleeping well." "What else is new?" He was right, of course. I'd never slept well. But it had been even worse over the last few days. Saints knew I had plenty of good reasons to dread going into the Fold, reasons shared by every member of our regiment who had been unlucky enough to be chosen for the crossing. But there was something else, a deeper feeling of unease that I couldn't quite name.

ALINA IS A YOUNG ORPHAN, VERY  INSECURE AND FRAGILE BUT SEEMIGLY ORDINARY

Alina's jealousy around Mal seemed almost forced to me, but then when we see her insecure because she cannot tell him that what really scarring her is a hutch, a feeling she cannot explain, her feelings seem more convincing. Does Alina suspects she may have the power to sense things deep down? Maybe on some subconscious level, she feels that she does. 

I glanced at Mal. There had been a time when I could have told him anything. "I just...have this feeling."

"Stop worrying so much. Maybe they'll put Mikhael on the skiff. The volcra will take one look at that big juicy belly of his and leave us alone." 

Unbidden, a memory came to me: Mal and I, sitting side by side in a chair in the Duke's library, flipping through the pages of a large leather-bound book. We'd happened on an illustration of a volcra: long, filthy claws; leathery wings; and rows of razor-sharp teeth for feasting on human flesh. They were blind from generations spent living and hunting in the Fold, but legend had it they could smell human blood from miles away. I'd pointed to the page and asked, "What is it holding?" I could still hear Mal's whisper in my ear. "I think--I think it's a foot." We'd slammed the book shut and run squealing out into the safety of the sunlight.... Without realizing it, I'd stopped walking, frozen in place, unable to shake the memory from my mind. When Mal realized I wasn't with him, he gave a great beleaguered sigh and marched back to me. He rested his hands on my shoulders and gave me a little shake. "I was kidding. No one's going to eat Mikhael." 

THE NARRATION IS FAIRLY LINEAR AND DIGRESSIONS ARE RARE

As we can see from the first chapter, the narration is linear and easy to follow. When there is a digression, as when Alina gets frozen in her memory of seeing a volcra illustration, the digression is short and serves the narrative.  After the digression, Alina and Mal get back to their amusing banter.

"Alina, come on. We'll be fine." 

"You can't know that." 

"Look at me." I willed myself to raise my eyes to his. 

"I know you're scared. I am, too. But we're going to do this, and we're going to be fine. We always are. Okay?" He smiled, and my heart gave a very loud thud in my chest. I rubbed my thumb over the scar that ran across the palm of my right hand and took a shaky breath. 

"Okay," I said grudgingly, and I actually felt myself smiling back.

"Madam's spirits have been restored!" Mal shouted. "The sun can once more shine!" 

"Oh will you shut up?"

AS ALINA AND MAL STARE AT DARKLING'S CHARIOT AND WE'RE INTRODUCED TO THE GRISHA CONCEPT

Early on, we're introduced to a Grisha concept, as Mal and Alina stare into Darkling's carriage. The carriage almost knocks them over. You could say that Darkling makes his entrance in style. There's also some foreshadowing. Darkling is like a force of nature, a storm that might claim one's life, and that one must desperately to survive. As another chariot passes by, a beautiful Grisha girl catches Mal's gaze.

I turned to give him a punch, but before I could, he'd grabbed hold of me and lifted me off my feet. A clatter of hooves and shouts split the air. Mal yanked me to the side of the road just as a huge black coach roared past, scattering people before it as they ran to avoid the pounding hooves of four black horses. Beside the whip-wielding driver perched two soldiers in charcoal coats. The Darkling. There was no mistaking his black coach or the uniform of his personal guard. Another coach, this one lacquered red, rumbled past us at a more leisurely pace. I looked up at Mal, my heart racing from the close call. "Thanks," I whispered. 

Mal suddenly seemed to realize that he had his arms around me. He let go and hastily stepped back. I brushed the dust from my coat, hoping he wouldn't notice the flush on my cheeks. A third coach rolled by, lacquered in blue, and a girl leaned out the window. She had curling black hair and wore a hat of silver fox. She scanned the watching crowd and, predictably, her eyes lingered on Mal. You were just mooning over him, I chided myself. Why shouldn't some gorgeous Grisha do the same? Her lips curled into a small smile as she held Mal's gaze, watching him over her shoulder until the coach was out of sight. Mal goggled dumbly after her, his mouth slightly open. 

APPARENTLY GRISHAS ARE ALL STUNNING

Grisha, individuals in possession of magical strength and talents, all seem to be stunningly beautifully for some reason. As Mal and Mikhail seem to pine after the beautiful Grisha girl, I felt sorry for poor Alina who was completely ignored, despite being obviously unwell and scared out of her wits. It's also seem she's not always ready to talk back, as she keeps quiet about thing she should speak about. 

"Did you see that?" a voice bellowed. I turned to see Mikhael loping toward us, wearing an almost comical expression of awe. Mikhael was a huge redhead with a wide face and an even wider neck. Behind him, Dubrov, reedy and dark, hurried to catch up. They were both trackers in Mal's unit and never far from his side.

 "Of course I saw it," Mal said, his dopey expression evaporating into a cocky grin. I rolled my eyes. "She looked right at you!" shouted Mikhael, clapping Mal on the back. 

Mal gave a casual shrug, but his smile widened. "So she did," he said smugly.

 Dubrov shifted nervously. "They say Grisha girls can put spells on you." 

I snorted. Mikhael looked at me as if he hadn't even known I was there. "Hey, Sticks," he said, and gave me a little jab on the arm. 

I scowled at the nickname, but he had already turned back to Mal. "You know she'll be staying at camp," he said with a leer. 

"I hear the Grisha tent's as big as a cathedral," added Dubrov.

"Lots of nice shadowy nooks," said Mikhael, and actually waggled his brows. Mal whooped. Without sparing me another glance, the three of them strode off, shouting and shoving one another.

ALINA IS NICKNAMED STICKS AND RESENTS IT, AND SHE THINGS TO RESENT

We learn more details about Alina's life, and it seems a heard and joyless life. Alina clearly has nobody in this world, she doesn't trust people, and she has no reason to. In her dialogue with Mal, there seemed to be some true friendship, but he was quick to forget her. He seemed a bit of a jerk really, forgetting her moments after he practically saved her from being run down by Darkling's chariot, and this made me wonder why she liked him at all. Less said about Mikhael the better. 

"Great seeing you guys," I muttered under my breath. I readjusted the strap of the satchel slung across my shoulders and started back down the road, joining the last few stragglers down the hill and into Kribirsk. I didn't bother to hurry. I'd probably get yelled at when I finally made it to the Documents Tent, but there was nothing I could do about it now. I rubbed my arm where Mikhael had punched me. Sticks. I hated that name. You didn't call me Sticks when you were drunk on kvas and trying to paw me at the spring bonfire, you miserable oaf, I thought spitefully.

ALINA TALKS TO ALEXEI AND FILL US IN ON THE GRISHAVERSA

Alina's profession is a map maker, but she's not a very good one, even if she founds the map making preferable to the journey they just undertook....

Kribirsk wasn't much to look at. According to the Senior Cartographer, it had been a sleepy market town in the days before the Shadow Fold, little more than a dusty main square and an inn for weary travelers on the Vy. But now it had become a kind of ramshackle port city, growing up around a permanent military encampment and the drydocks where the sandskiffs waited to take passengers through the darkness to West Ravka. I passed taverns and pubs and what I was pretty sure were brothels meant to cater to the troops of the King's Army. There were shops selling rifles and crossbows, lamps and torches, all necessary equipment for a trek across the Fold. The little church with its whitewashed walls and gleaming onion domes was in surprisingly good repair. Or maybe not so surprising, I considered. Anyone contemplating a trip across the Shadow Fold would be smart to stop and pray. I found my way to where the surveyors were billeted, deposited my pack on a cot, and hurried over to the Documents Tent. To my relief, the Senior Cartographer was nowhere in sight, and I was able to slip inside unseen. Entering the white canvas tent, I felt myself relax for the first time since I'd caught sight of the Fold. The Documents Tent was essentially the same in every camp I'd seen, full of bright light and rows of drafting tables where artists and surveyors bent to their work. After the noise and jostle of the journey, there was something soothing about the crackle of paper, the smell of ink, and the soft scratching of nibs and brushes.

DARKLING IS DISCUSSED AND HE IS TO BE ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS- OR THE MAIN VILLAIN IF YOU WILL

Alexei seems to be impressed with Darkling. If you know what happens to Alexei, this is kind of ironic.

I pulled my sketchbook from my coat pocket and slid onto a workbench beside Alexei, who turned to me and whispered irritably, "Where have you been?" 

"Nearly getting trampled by the Darkling's coach," I replied, grabbing a clean piece of paper and flipping through my sketches to try to find a suitable one to copy. Alexei and I were both junior cartographers' assistants and, as part of our training, we had to submit two finished sketches or renderings at the end of every day. 

Alexei drew in a sharp breath. "Really? Did you actually see him?" "Actually, I was too busy trying not to die."

 "There are worse ways to go." He caught sight of the sketch of a rocky valley I was about to start copying. "Ugh. Not that one." He flipped through my sketchbook to an elevation of a mountain ridge and tapped it with his finger. "There.

ALEXEI GIVES ALINA'S HIS SKETCHES AND SAVES HER FROM TROUBLE

Alexei helps Alina, but even if he only did it to get information about Darkling in exchange, Alina is still thankful. It shows that she's not as terribly grumpy as she seemed.

I barely had time to put pen to paper before the Senior Cartographer entered the tent and came swooping down the aisle, observing our work as he passed. "I hope that's the second sketch you're starting, Alina Starkov."

 "Yes," I lied. "Yes, it is." 

As soon as the Cartographer had passed on, Alexei whispered, "Tell me about the coach."

 "I have to finish my sketches." 

"Here," he said in exasperation, sliding one of his sketches over to me. 

"He'll know it's your work." 

"It's not that good. You should be able to pass it off as yours."

 "Now there's the Alexei I know and tolerate," I grumbled, but I didn't give back the sketch. Alexei was one of the most talented assistants and he knew it.

THE STORY IS WELL PLOTTED

Right from the first chapter, the story seems well plotted and well rounded, if not overly ambitious.

GRISHA'S ARE NOT WELL LIKED

We learn that Grishas are not that well liked, as people envy their powers. Another girl Eva joins the conversation and blames Darkling for creating the Fold, and while Alexei dismisses her calling her a peasant, she might know more than she realizes.

Alexei extracted every last detail from me about the three Grisha coaches. I was grateful for the sketch, so I did my best to satisfy his curiosity as I finished up my elevation of the mountain ridge and worked in my thumb measurements of some of the highest peaks. By the time we were finished, dusk was falling. We handed in our work and walked to the mess tent, where we stood in line for muddy stew ladled out by a sweaty cook and found seats with some of the other surveyors. I passed the meal in silence, listening to Alexei and the others exchange camp gossip and jittery talk about tomorrow's crossing. Alexei insisted that I retell the story of the Grisha coaches, and it was met by the usual mix of fascination and fear that greeted any mention of the Darkling. 

"He's not natural," said Eva, another assistant; she had pretty green eyes that did little to distract from her piglike nose. "None of them are."

"It was a Darkling who made the Shadow Fold to begin with."

 "That was hundreds of years ago!" protested Alexei. "And that Darkling was completely mad." 

"This one is just as bad." 

"Peasant," Alexei said, and dismissed her with a wave. Eva gave him an affronted look and deliberately turned away from him to talk to her friends. 

Alina doesn't join in their conversation, as the word seems triggering to her. As an orphan, she's embarrassed by her upbringing, having been raised by a Duke's charity. I don't know what she's so ashamed of , as I imagine most assistants in the army come from humble origins. It might be that being an orphaned is what she is really ashamed of, and it is indicated neither her nor Mal talk of it. 

I stayed quiet. I was more a peasant than Eva, despite her superstitions. It was only by the Duke's charity that I could read and write, but by unspoken agreement, Mal and I avoided mentioning Keramzin.

THERE SEEMS TO BE ONE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALINA AND MAL

Both Mal and Alina are ashamed of their roots. The difference is that Mal is well liked and popular now, while Alina isn't. Even Alexei remarks on that. 

 As if on cue, a raucous burst of laughter pulled me from my thoughts. I looked over my shoulder. Mal was holding court at a rowdy table of trackers. 

Alexei followed my glance. "How did you two become friends anyway?"

 "We grew up together." 

"You don't seem to have much in common." I shrugged. "I guess it's easy to have a lot in common when you're kids."

To be completely honest, I found Alina's insecurity a bit tiring. Is there anything this girl isn't insecure about? Can she stand up for herself? When she talked back to the solder, it seems she could, but that was perhaps just her being instinctively defensive. The way she talks herself down is depressive, but I guess that considering the fact that she's a vary orphan, it makes sense. 

THE PLOT MOVES QUICKLY AND EFFICENTLY

If Alina's character wasn't portrayed with psychological finesse that  I perhaps expected, the story make up for it. Just a few pages into the story, and the reader already learns so much. Once you finish the first chapter, you pretty much know all that you need to know about the Grisha world. Once their conversation is finished, Alexei and Alina make their way to the camp for a sleepless night. 

We cleared our plates and drifted out of the mess tent into the cool night. On the way back to the barracks, we took a detour so that we could walk by the Grisha camp. The Grisha pavilion really was the size of a cathedral, covered in black silk, its blue, red, and purple pennants flying high above. Hidden somewhere behind it were the Darkling's tents, guarded by Corporalki Heartrenders and the Darkling's personal guard. When Alexei had looked his fill, we wended our way back to our quarters. Alexei got quiet and started cracking his knuckles, and I knew we were both thinking about tomorrow's crossing. Judging by the gloomy mood in the barracks, we weren't alone. Some people were already on their cots, sleeping--or trying to--while others huddled by lamplight, talking in low tones. A few sat clutching their icons, praying to their Saints. 

BARDUGO FILLS US IN ABOUT THE WORLD AS THE STORY PROGRESSES 

Once Alina is left with her own thoughts, she seemed more human to me again. Sometimes I didn't like the way she talked about other women. It seems like she doesn't have a nice word for anyone, expect Mal. I understand it might come from insecurity, but Alina can appear to be little mean. However, alone in her bed, scared out of her wits, as a reader you cannot help but sympatize with her. At the same time, the author seems to use her thought to make this world come to life. I liked the way Bardugo filled us in on this world simultaneously as she narrates the plot. 

I unfurled my bedroll on a narrow cot, removed my boots, and hung up my coat. Then I wriggled down into the fur-lined blankets and stared up at the roof, waiting for sleep. I stayed that way for a long time, until the lamplights had all been extinguished and the sounds of conversation gave way to soft snores and the rustle of bodies. Tomorrow, if everything went as planned, we would pass safely through to West Ravka, and I would get my first glimpse of the True Sea. There, Mal and the other trackers would hunt for red wolves and sea foxes and other coveted creatures that could only be found in the west. I would stay with the cartographers in Os Kervo to finish my training and help draft whatever information we managed to glean in the Fold. And then, of course, I'd have to cross the Fold again in order to return home. But it was hard to think that far ahead. 

THE WRITING IS DESCRIPTIVE, AND IT DOESN'T DRAG

Fantasy novels can be very long, but not this one. The writing moves quickly and so does the plot.

I was still wide awake when I heard it. Tap tap. Pause. Tap. Then again: Tap tap. Pause. Tap. "What's going on?" mumbled Alexei drowsily from the cot nearest mine. "Nothing," I whispered, already slipping out of my bedroll and shoving my feet into my boots. I grabbed my coat and crept out of the barracks as quietly as I could. 

ALINA BEING THE MEAN GIRL  DOESN'T MAKE HER VERY LIKEABLE, EVEN IF HER INSECURITY CAN BE JUSTIFIED BY HER PARENTLESS UPBRINGING

I think it's only towards the end of the novel that Alina has anything positive to say about any women or girl. She's definitely does not seem to be a "girl's girl." 

As I opened the door I heard a giggle, and a female voice called from somewhere in the dark room, "If it's that tracker, tell him to come inside and keep me warm."

 "If he wants to catch tsifil, I'm sure you'll be his first stop," I said sweetly, and slipped out into the night. The cold air stung my cheeks and I buried my chin in my collar, wishing I'd taken the time to grab my scarf and gloves. Mal was sitting on the rickety steps, his back to me. Beyond him, I could see Mikhael and Dubrov passing a bottle back and forth beneath the glowing lights of the footpath.

MAL AND ALINA SHARE A CONVERSATION THAT IMPLIES HE CARES ABOUT HER MORE DEEPLY THAN HE OR SHE ADMITS

I'm going to be honest, I wasn't really interested in Alina and Mal as a couple. I mean, I tried to sympatize with the characters and all, but I cannot say they moved me deeply. I saw the good in them, and I wasn't emphatic, but at the same time I didn't find their romance too interesting. The story, however, kept me very interested. I wanted to know more about this world, about Grishas and the fold.

I scowled. "Please tell me you didn't just wake me up to inform me that you're going to the Grisha tent. What do you want, advice?" 

"You weren't sleeping. You were lying awake worrying." 

"Wrong. I was planning how to sneak into the Grisha pavilion and snag myself a cute Corporalnik." Mal laughed. I hesitated by the door. This was the hardest part of being around him--other than the way he made my heart do clumsy acrobatics. I hated hiding how much the stupid things he did hurt me, but I hated the idea of him finding out even more. I thought about just turning around and going back inside. Instead, I swallowed my jealousy and sat down beside him. 

"I hope you brought me something nice," I said. "Alina's Secrets of Seduction do not come cheap."

 He grinned. "Can you put it on my tab?" "I suppose. But only because I know you're good for it."

.....

Suddenly, he reached out and took hold of my hand. I tried to ignore the little jolt that went through me. "This time tomorrow, we'll be sitting in the harbor at Os Kervo, looking out at the ocean and drinking kvas." I glanced at Dubrov weaving back and forth and smiled. "Is Dubrov buying?" "Just you and me," Mal said. "Really?" "It's always just you and me, Alina." For a moment, it seemed like it was true. The world was this step, this circle of lamplight, the two of us suspended in the dark.

ALL THE YOUNG ADULTS CLICHES SEEM TO BE PRESENT, BUT AT LEAST THE STORY IS STILL CREDIBLE

This novel is clearly rich in young adult cliches, but fortunately the story keeps you interested.  What are the cliches? The female protagonist being an orphan, skinny, insecure and not fitting it. That's basically the formula for any young adult female protagonist.  Of course, there's also a love triangle, and the female protagonist feeling like she couldn't possibly catch anyone's eye. Is that what modest girls should feel? To me that kind of insecurity seems a bit too much, but maybe I'm not the target audience. 

THE CHARACTERS DON'T GET AN INDEBT ANALYIS, BUT YOU DO GET A FEEL OF THEM

Even if the characterization isn't profound and detailed, the reader can still feel the personalities of the main protagonists. This is especially the case with Alina Starkov, the narrator of the story. 

He hopped lightly from the stairs and jogged off to join his friends. "Wish me luck!" he called over his shoulder. "Good luck," I said automatically and then wanted to kick myself. Good luck? Have a lovely time, Mal. Hope you find a pretty Grisha, fall deeply in love, and make lots of gorgeous, disgustingly talented babies together. I sat frozen on the steps, watching them disappear down the path, still feeling the warm pressure of Mal's hand in mine. Oh well, I thought as I got to my feet. Maybe he'll fall into a ditch on his way there. I edged back into the barracks, closed the door tightly behind me, and gratefully snuggled into my bedroll. 

IF YOU'RE EXPECTING A DEEP PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF CHARACTERS, YOU'D BE DISAPPOINTED  BUT ALINA DOES GROW ON YOU

Alina is at the focus on this story, and she does grow on you. As I explained, I wasn't really impressed with her pinning over Mal, but at the same time I admired her loyalty to him, and to her feelings towards her. In some ways, Aline is quite strong. 

Would that black-haired Grisha girl sneak out of the pavilion to meet Mal? I pushed the thought away. It was none of my business, and really, I didn't want to know. Mal had never looked at me the way he'd looked at that girl or even the way he looked at Ruby, and he never would. But the fact that we were still friends was more important than any of that.

For how long? said a nagging voice in my head. Alexei was right: things change. Mal had changed for the better. He'd gotten handsomer, braver, cockier. And I'd gotten...taller. I sighed and rolled onto my side. I wanted to believe that Mal and I would always be friends, but I had to face the fact that we were on different paths. Lying in the dark, waiting for sleep, I wondered if those paths would just keep taking us further and further apart, and if a day might come when we would be strangers to each other once again.

EVERTHING I QUOTES SO FAR IS ONLY THE FIRST CHAPTER!

If you're looking for a shorter fantasy young adult book, this is the one to pick. The whole trilogy is the site of one average fantasy novel. 

SOME OF THE DIALOGUES ARE REALLY GOOD, AND THEY TEND TO STAY WITH YOU

Some of the dialogues in this book are so well written they stay with you. Some are a bit cringy, but most of them are quite good. 

“What are you smiling at?”

I whirled, peering into the gloom. The Darkling’s voice seemed to float out of the shadows. He walked down to the stream, crouching on the bank to splash water on his face and through his dark hair.

“Well?” he asked, looking up at me.

“Myself,” I admitted.

“Are you that funny?”

“I’m hilarious.”

THE CLASS DIVISION OF SOCIETY WAS WELL PORTRAYED

“How did you fare with the Queen?" he asked.

"I have no idea," I said honestly. "Everything she said was perfectly nice, but the whole time she was looking at me as if I were something her dog spit up.”

One thing that was well portrait are the class divisions. In this world, nobody trusts anyone. Grishas are divided into classes, and so is everyone else. Class divisions seem to be very rigid and unchangable.

“There is something more powerful than any army. Something strong enough to topple kings, and even Darklings. Do you know what that thing is?”
I shook my head, inching away from him.
“Faith,” he breathed, his black eyes wild. “Faith.”

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE HORRORS OF THE FOLD IS VERY CONVIENCING

“I pressed my forehead to Mal’s and heard him whisper, “I’ll meet you in the meadow.” Something inside me gave way, in fury, in hopelessness, in the certainty of my own death. I felt Mal’s blood beneath my palms, saw the pain in his beloved face. A volcra screeched in triumph as its talons sank into my shoulder. Pain shot through my body. And the world went white. I closed my eyes as a sudden, piercing flood of light exploded across my vision. It seemed to fill my head, blinding me, drowning me. From somewhere above, I heard a horrible shriek. I felt the volcra’s claws loosen their grip, felt the thud as I fell forward and my head connected with the deck, and then I felt nothing at all.”

I also liked how the fold functioned as a metaphor how the desire for power can corrupt us. 

“The first time I'd entered the Fold, I'd feared the darkness and my own death. Now, darkness was nothing to me, and I knew that soon death would seem like a gift. I'd always known I would have to return to the Unsea, but as I looked back, I realized that some part of me had anticipated it.”

TO CONCLUDE, THIS IS A FANTASY READ THAT WHILE SUFFERS FROM A NUMBER OF FANTASY TROPES, STILL MANAGES TO SOMEHOW FEEL UNIQUE AND ORIGINAL

“The problem with wanting is that is makes us weak. How right he was. I'd wanted so badly to belong somewhere, anywhere. I'd been so eager to please him, so proud to keep his secrets. But I'd never bothered to question what he might really want, what his true motives might be. I'd been too busy imagining myself by his side, the savior of Ravka, most treasured, most desired, like some kind of queen.”

PROS OF THIS NOVELS

- A CONVIENCING DESCRPITION OF GRISHA POWERS

- INTERESTING WORLD BUILDING 

- WELL WRITTEN PLOT

- EASY TO READ AND FOLLOW

- ECONOMIC, SIMPLE AND DESCRPITIVE WRITING

CONS OF THIS NOVEL

- FILLED WITH YOUNG ADULTS TROPES AND CLICHES

(I ACTUALLY GOOGLED TOP YA TROPES AND THIS NOVEL HAS THEM ALL!)

- PREDICTABLE LOVE INTEREST AND LOVE TRIANGLE

- CHARACTERS THAT LACKS DEPTH

“I missed you every hour. And you know what the worst part was? It caught me completely by surprise. I'd catch myself just walking around to find you, not for any reason, just out of habit, because I'd seen something that I wanted to tell you about or because I wanted to hear your voice. And then I'd realize that you weren't there anymore, and every time, every single time, it was like having the wind knocked out of me. I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again just to be with you, just to starve with you and freeze with you and hear you complain about hard cheese every day. So don't tell me why we don't belong together," he said fiercely.”

 Leigh Bardugo, Shadow and Bone

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