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A review by skittyrreads
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is the most mid YA fantasy I have ever read, let me go over my points in a list.
PROS
• The world and worlding building is fascinating, complex and layered. While we're told a lot a lot of the time I personally didn't mind because I did want to know more- I love the power system and how versatile it is.
• Genya is my fave, loved her, thought she was easily the most complex character here.
CONS
• All the other characters suck big time, Alina is nothing for half of the book, and then her personality is Mal for the other half. She's either complaining or unknowing, BORING! Hate Mal, wet sack of a character, blames Alina for the most random shit, literally has nothing going on, FLOP! And the Darkling needs to stay away from teenage girls, I did like his villainy however and thought his plan was particularly insidious, even if his goal of world domination or whatever is tropey.
• Plot moves so quickly yet nothing happens for like 40% of the book, and the reveal that the Darkling is evil comes very quickly and Alina just. Accepts it as fact when not even a paragraph ago she wanted him, it feels rushed and doesn't transition well into the second half of the book.
• We get it, if you're not Alina you suck. Get out of here with that.
• The prose itself is very easy to read but again almost nothing is actually interesting about it, whatever is easiest, it goes for.
Very peak 2010's YA fantasy, not that excited for Siege and Storm.
PROS
• The world and worlding building is fascinating, complex and layered. While we're told a lot a lot of the time I personally didn't mind because I did want to know more- I love the power system and how versatile it is.
• Genya is my fave, loved her, thought she was easily the most complex character here.
CONS
• All the other characters suck big time, Alina is nothing for half of the book, and then her personality is Mal for the other half. She's either complaining or unknowing, BORING! Hate Mal, wet sack of a character, blames Alina for the most random shit, literally has nothing going on, FLOP! And the Darkling needs to stay away from teenage girls, I did like his villainy however and thought his plan was particularly insidious, even if his goal of world domination or whatever is tropey.
• Plot moves so quickly yet nothing happens for like 40% of the book, and the reveal that the Darkling is evil comes very quickly and Alina just. Accepts it as fact when not even a paragraph ago she wanted him, it feels rushed and doesn't transition well into the second half of the book.
• We get it, if you're not Alina you suck. Get out of here with that.
• The prose itself is very easy to read but again almost nothing is actually interesting about it, whatever is easiest, it goes for.
Very peak 2010's YA fantasy, not that excited for Siege and Storm.