A review by whatmidoreads
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

What would you think if I told you this book has sold over 4 million copies and even has its own adaptation — even if it’s just on Netflix? You’d probably assume the book is top-tier and the adaptation… well, at least it exists.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo is the first book in a trilogy, and that’s important to mention because, in a way, it justifies some of its shortcomings. For me, the plot, the story, the characters, the “plot twists,” and everything else felt pretty basic. Maybe it’s because I’m a hardcore fantasy lover, and this first installment didn’t even come close to meeting my expectations.

I’ll admit that book marketing has gotten better and better, but along with that comes the growing skill of selling us things that aren’t what they seem. And even though I heard more bad things than good about this book, that doesn’t make up for it. If you sell something and advertise it as "A," then it needs to be "A."

My issue with this book? Its execution — no doubt about that. The concept behind the story is original, but it falls into the usual clichés: the "chosen one," the predictability, the "love triangle." It focuses so much on those aspects that the overall world-building gets lost along the way.

Speaking of world-building, it’s not well done. There are quite a few issues, and one of the biggest is that you never feel fully immersed in the story. You could be handed a map and know where the protagonist is, but you never reach that level of reading where you can vividly imagine the place because you don’t connect with the world.

Now, about the characters — the best one by far was the Darkling. I don’t know if it’s my weakness for bad boys, but the Darkling, with his secrets, attitude, and personality, was the only thing that kept me going. Of course, the author also leans into the typical childhood friends to lovers trope, and that’s where I get lost. From the very beginning, I knew Alina would end up with Mal. The Darkling felt unnecessary. Alina and Mal already had history, they had something, and they ended up with something. Everything that comes next is just filler about how she embraces her powers, realizes how important she is to her kingdom, and blah, blah, blah.

This book had so much potential that went to waste. And while I did enjoy it back when I read it, today I’d lower my rating to 3.5 stars.