Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book in one day. Could not put it down.

I’ll do my best to explain why it was so great, although I don’t think I could do it justice.

Orphans Alina and Mal are best friends, but their lives change forever when Alina is recognized as a Grisha and she and Mal are torn apart. The Grisha are the “kingdom’s magical elite,” led by the Darkling. Suddenly, Alina is living in a palace with the other Grisha and learning to control her power as Sun Summoner. She is the kingdom’s only hope, because she can destroy the Shadow Fold, the “swathe of impenetrable darkness” which has torn the nation in half.

The book isn’t action-packed, and the fantasy world isn’t extraordinary. But I fell for the characters and author Leigh Bardugo completely took me by surprise with an unexpected plot twist. I usually have some idea of what is coming, but I’m fairly certain I actually gasped aloud when I read a particular passage about half-way through the novel.

The ending was not predictable, which was refreshing. Bardugo tied up loose ends but I’m still anxious for the sequel. And I think it’s important that I mention something about the love triangle. In every book I’ve ever read, I usually have a clear idea of who I’m rooting for. In this case, I didn’t know who to choose, and I didn’t know how Alina could possibly choose either.

Overall, the book was simply written but also brilliant. Can’t wait to read Siege and Storm, book 2 in the Grisha Trilogy.

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