A review by aflatoxicosis
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

4.0

Aight. So for the most part, I loved it. I was beginning to worry that I wouldn’t, but I did. The relationship between Alina and Mal and the Darkling and Alina didn’t seem well developed. Alina and Mal were besties throughout their life, but we only got to see a little of that. And the feelings she had for Mal were touched on just a little. And don’t get me started on the relationship between Alina and the Darkling. I think part of it has to do with how he really only wanted Alina to give him more power, but still. I hated their relationship. I did like how it felt like there were two climaxes. The first because where Alina was with Baghra and she was trying to summon her power, and she did with a realization. I kind of don’t like how the realization of needing to leave Mal behind was broken, buuut I lowkey like their relationship soooo I’ll let it slide. The second climax would obviously be when Baghra told Alina about the Darkling’s true intentions. I kind of didn’t like how it was all of a sudden sprung up on us, but I’ll also let that slide lol. All in all, I liked it. It was great. I can’t wait to read the other books in the Grishaverse :)