Genre: YA Fantasy
Published: June 5, 2012 by Henry Holt & Co (BYR)
Series: #1 (Grisha)
Length: 358 pages
Rating (based on GR): 4.18 stars
“Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.”
———-
Hmm. I don’t really know what to expect in Shadow and Bone except the fact that it’s going to have some fantasy stuff in it right? I’m not a really big fan of kingdoms, magics, etc. but this one has a really high rating. I know plenty of you have read Shadow and Bone. How did you like it (or not) ?
PEOPLE WHO ENJOYED IT…
“Alina is a strong narrator who, despite her short comings, doesn’t spend her time drowning in a pit of despair and self-deprecation, and I found that refreshing. She’s likable, and her voice is honest and touching and makes you feel her loneliness, her homesickness and her yearning to belong.” – The Book Eater
“Speaking of creepy and fascinating, I have to talk about the Darkling. From the first scene where he appeared, he totally captured me, even though I was pretty sure he was a terrible guy. Seriously, he is like majorly alluring. I don’t know whether I should root for him or not, because he’s got this whole evil dictator vibe, but also seems like he might be better deep down. I don’t usually go for bad boys (although that seems a bit mild for the Darkling), but wow.” – Reader of Fictions
PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T LIKE IT SO MUCH…
“It started out strong: atmospheric and engrossing. Past the prologue, however, when the book switches into first-person narration, it was downhill for me. I simply could not get behind Alina as the narrator. Instead of a strong and self-reliant young woman, we get a clueless and un-self-confident weakling who enters “damsel in distress” mode the second things start going crazy, never mind the unique abilities she supposedly possesses. She’s in the habit of saying things along the lines of “But I can’t possibly be special!” every time anyone tries to talk to her about her abilities.” – Steph Su Reads
“Shadow and Bone (SaB) is book 1 in the Grisha trilogy, a Russian-inspired fantasy. Alas, the fantasy was like a lumpy beef stew — it wasn’t cooked properly. The plot was disappointing, the protagonist pathetic, the magical world mundane, the antagonist…surprisingly cool so why was he not the protagonist of the story?” – Tolerably Smart
———-
Okay, I guess that Leigh (feels weird saying my name!) built a strong world, but the problem came with the main character Alina. She isn’t your kick-ass kind of heroine and I understand why some people didn’t enjoy it as much.
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE (RAFFLECOPTER) INTL.
