By Svara Jayasinghe
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo is a YA fantasy novel. The story follows Alina Starkov, a cartographer’s apprentice who to most, has an incredibly dull existence, especially in contrast to her wondrously talented and charming best friend Mal, who turns the heads of almost everyone he encounters. But when Mal is brutally attacked by villainous monsters who have a craving for human blood and flesh, Alina unleashes a newfound power from within that even she herself wasn’t aware of, saving Mal and the remaining members of her regiment. Alina is swept off to the royal palace to be trained and taught by the powerful elite known as the Grisha, who serve under the command of a brooding and mysterious figure known as the Darkling. But while the kingdom and the Grisha seem like an elegant, untouched dream, at the center of the magic and beauty is a darkness that if unleashed, has the power to destroy everything.
I rate this book a 7 out of 10. Leigh Bardugo’s writing style was engaging, however I found most of the plot/characters to be very cliche, and while I found it fun at first, as the book developed it got a bit tiring. That said, overall Shadow and Bone was a simple yet enjoyable read, and I recommend it to YA readers.