Shadow and Bone (Bardugo)

Shadow and Bone  (Grisha Trilogy, 1)
Leight Bardugo, 2012
Henry Holt & Co.
416 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781250027436


Summary
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha...and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is the first installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy. The second is Seige and Storm (2013) and Ruin and Rising (2014). (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
• Birth—1975
• Where—Jerusalem, Israel
• Education—B.A., Yale University
• Currently—lives in Hollywood, California, USA


Leigh Bardugo is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Shadow and Bone (2012) and Siege and Storm (2013). Ruin and Rising (2014) is the third installment in her Grisha Trilogy. Leigh was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University. She has worked in advertising, journalism, and most recently, makeup and special effects. These days, she’s lives and writes in Hollywood where she can occasionally be heard singing with her band. (From the author's website .)

Book Reviews
Some fantasy novels deal out the tropes of the genre like cards from a dog-eared deck. Others affirm the elemental power of these tropes, reminding us not only why we read fantasy, but also why we read at all. There may be nothing new under the sun, but a good story makes you just not care. Like the expert strike of a reflex hammer, it hits precisely the right spot. Leigh Bardugo's first novel, Shadow and Bone, does so straight from its opening lines, pulling the reader into a mesmerizing exploration of one of the most potent fantasy novel motifs: the discovery of hidden strength within oneself.
Laini Taylor - New York Times Book Review


In a strong debut, Bardugo draws inspiration from Russian and Slavic myth and culture to kick off her Grisha trilogy.... Filled with lush descriptions, intriguing magic, and plenty of twists, this memorable adventure offers action and intrigue mixed with an undercurrent of romance and danger (Ages 12–up).
Publishers Weekly


Fast-paced and unpredictable, this debut novel will be a hit with readers who love dark fantasy.... Bardugo creates a unique world complete with monsters, magic, danger, romance, corruption, and extravagance. Suspense builds slowly, allowing readers time to absorb the otherworldly setting and the battle between the darkness that destroys and the light that saves (Gr 7 & up). —Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX
School Library Journal


Alina and Mal, orphaned children from an early age, grew up as best friends in war-torn Ravka. Now, they are both part of the First Regiment and head across the Fold to get supplies from West Ravka.... The first in a new series, Bardugo teleports the reader into a magical world with Alina's story. A theme of love and forgiveness is woven throughout as Alina makes her way through this new life. —Maggie L. Schrock
Children's Literature


Book 1 of Leigh Bardugo's fantasy series, the Grisha Trilogy, tells of the travails of war orphans, Alina Starkov and Malyen Oretsev.... Shadow And Bone has all the features one looks for in a teen fantasy novel—lots of action, characters with fantastical powers, intrigue, mystical creatures, deception, and romance. —Christina Miller
VOYA


Bardugo weaves a captivating spell with lushly descriptive writing, engaging characters, and an exotic, vivid world. Readers will wait impatiently for the next installment.
Booklist


In a Russian-inflected fantasy world, an orphan comes into immense power and, with it, danger.... While Alina's training borrows familiar tropes (outlander combat teacher, wizened-crone magic instructor, friends and enemies among her peers), readers will nevertheless cheer her progress.... The plotting is powerful enough to carry most readers past flaws and into the next book in the series (13 & up).
Kirkus Reviews

Discussion Questions
1. Alina and Mal grew up in an orphanage in Kermazin. How does this relate to Alina’s experiences at the Little Palace? To Mal’s experiences in the First Army?

2. How is the Fold connected to the Darkling? What does it say about him and his power?

3. How does Alina feel about her power? How do her feelings change? Why?

4. What is the connection between Alina and the Darkling? What does Alina think of this connection at different points in the novel?

5. How are the Grisha talents like science? Why are other people afraid of what the Grisha can do?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

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