A review by punktilious
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

adventurous hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A few years ago, I read Six of Crows, and I finally got around to starting the Shadow & Bone trilogy. I had heard from multiple people that Shadow & Bone was not nearly as good as Six of Crows, and I can understand why. However, I think the books are too different to compare them directly. Shadow & Bone is a story about a "chosen one" who feels out of place, with the romance subplot taking a front seat. Most of the time, the story is relatively comfortable. Six of Crows is about a rag-tag group trying to succeed in a heist: the book is tense and full of a significantly larger cast of characters. Both books are good, but they won't delight readers if you expect something similar to whichever series you read first.

Shadow & Bone reminded me of The Selection series: my favorite guilty pleasure romance. Both books are about a classist society where one (lower class) girl is pulled into the spotlight, catching the eye of a powerful, influential person. Both girls left an old love behind against their will, and both books have themes of corrupt government. If you liked Shadow & Bone and want to read a series where romance takes center stage, check out The Selection by Kiera Cass.

For these reasons, I believe Shadow & Bone should be classified as a romance, at least partially: there was significantly more romance than I expected from a book not tagged with the romance genre.

I read Demon in the Wood right before Shadow & Bone. I think it offered an interesting perspective into the Darkling's motivations. If I had read it after reading Shadow & Bone, I may have sympathized with the Darkling. However, reading it first made me wonder what life was like for the Darkling between the end of Demon in the Wood and the beginning of Shadow & Bone. I realize he has plenty of time to find a different solution, and it seems like he is afraid of losing power. He refuses to choose a different option. That is a fear Alina doesn't have: she still chooses mercy over power in the pivotal moment. The contrast between Alina and the Darkling is an interesting dynamic that I hope is explored more in the trilogy.

I recommend Shadow & Bone if you're interested in a quick read. The story is nothing particularly special, but the world-building is the beginning of something amazing. I can't wait to see it develop more. Shadow & Bone is a good book to read if you're in a reading slump, especially since it is the beginning of a multi-series universe. There are plenty more books to read.
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