A review by marissasa
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

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

3.5

I actually enjoyed this read a lot more than I thought I would, just from my limited knowledge of what this book and series is as a YA fantasy from the early 2010s. Although I didn't get attached to any of the characters, I was still interested in Alina's storyline and felt like I could continue reading quickly and easily as the plot progressed.
Maybe I'm just not into villains, but I wasn't surprised by the Darkling's actions at all and I didn't like his moments with Alina from the start just because I felt like they had no reason or buildup to liking each other. Some of the training chapters felt longer than they had to be, and it felt very YA trope-y when Alina had the vision of the stag in the last act and was able to summon her power over the Darkling's hold in the exact moment she needed it.
Despite these things I still decently enjoyed the book and like it enough to continue reading the rest of the trilogy before I jump on the Six of Crows train.
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