Description
The Shadow Fold, a swath of almost impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh, has ripped the once-great nation of Ravka in half, surrounded by enemies. Its fate may now rest solely on the shoulders of a lone refugee.
Alina Starkov has never been particularly gifted in any field. When her regiment is attacked on the Fold, and her best friend is severely wounded, Alina awakens a latent force that saves his life—a power that may be the key to freeing her war-torn nation. Alina has whisked away to the royal court, stripped of all she knows, to be educated as a member of the Grisha, the supernatural elite headed by the enigmatic Darkling.
As the threat to the kingdom grows and Alina uncovers the secrets of her past, she will make a perilous discovery that will endanger all she holds dear as well as the nation’s future.
About the Author
Leigh Bardugo is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel Ninth House and the founder of the Grishaverse (which will be available on Netflix soon), which includes the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology, The Language of Thorns, and The Lives of Saints—plus more to come. Several anthologies have published her short stories, including Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy. Leigh is a Yale University graduate who grew up in Southern California. She now resides and works in Los Angeles.
Editorial Reviews
Bardugo kicks off her Grisha trilogy with a solid debut that draws inspiration from Russian and Slavic mythology and culture. Alina Starkov is a junior cartographer’s assistant in the army in Ravka, and her best friend Mal is a master tracker. Mal is gravely wounded when a dangerous mission into the magically formed Shadow Fold goes wrong, and Alina manifests the unusual ability to summon light. Alina is immediately accepted into the order of the magic-using Grisha and is heralded as the future destroyer of the Shadow Fold by its intimidating and strong leader, the Darkling. She discovers this when she navigates Grisha’s affairs and uncovers well-kept secrets. She knows that the nation’s destiny is in her hands and that she may be in grave danger. This memorable adventure, filled with lush descriptions, intriguing magic, and plenty of surprises, offers action and mystery with an undercurrent of romance and risk. The angst and passivity of Alina are disappointing, but Bardugo’s storytelling and world-building more than makeup for it. Suitable for ages 12 and up. Nancy Coffey Literary Agency’s Joanna Stampfel-Volpe is her agent.
BY TXSchool Library Journal Revue
Gr 7 Up—Fast-paced and unpredictable, this debut novel will be a hit with readers who love dark fantasy. Orphans and childhood friends Alina and Mal are tested for magical abilities early in life. Not wanting to be separated from her only friend, Alina manages to hide her powers and grows into her teen years, unnoticed and unremarkable. But when she and Mal must cross the perilous Shadow Fold as army soldiers, Alina uses her dormant powers to save Mal’s life. After that episode, Alina is revealed to be a “Sun Summoner,” a person who can bring forth light and maybe destroy the Shadow Fold for good. She’s whisked away to train as a Grisha, a group whose varied powers assist the royal court. There, she begins to understand her incredible abilities with the help of the ancient and powerful Darkling, “a man second in power only to the King,” who leads Alina to believe that she can bring peace to their divided country. 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. In the world of the Grisha, few things are as they seem, and wondering who Alina should trust—and if she can even trust herself—adds to the intrigue.—Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth
Read an Excerpt
Shadow and Bone
CHAPTER ISTANDING ON THE EDGE of a crowded road, I looked down onto the rolling fields and abandoned of farms of the Tula Valley and got my first glimpse of the Shadow Fold. My regiment was two weeks’ march from the military encampment at Poliznaya and the autumn sun was warm overhead, but I shivered in my coat as I eyed the haze that lay like a dirty smudge on the horizon.A heavy shoulder slammed into me from behind. I stumbled and nearly pitched face-first into the muddy road.”Hey!” shouted the soldier. “Watch yourself !””Why don’t you watch your fat feet?”
I snapped, and took some satisfaction from the surprise that came over his broad face. People, particularly big men carrying big rifles,don’t expect lip from a scrawny thing like me. They always look a bit dazed when they get it.The soldier got over the novelty quickly and gave me a dirty look as he adjusted the pack on his back, then disappeared into the caravan of horses, men, carts, and wagons streaming over the crest of the hill and into the valley below.I quickened my steps, trying to peer over the crowd. I’d lost sight of the yellow flag of the surveyors’ cart hours ago, and I knew I was far behind.As I walked, I took in the green and gold smells of the autumn wood, the soft breeze at my back. We were on the Vy, the wide road that had once led all the way from Os Alta to the wealthy port cities on Ravka’s western coast. But that was before the Shadow Fold.Somewhere in the crowd, someone was singing. Singing? What idiot is singing on his way into the Fold? I glanced again at that smudge on the horizon and had to suppress a shudder. I’d seen the Shadow Fold on many maps, a black slash that had severed Ravka from its only coastline and left it landlocked. Sometimes it was shown as a stain, sometimes as a bleak and shapeless cloud
One day it was a place where farmers tended crops and sheep grazed in green fields. The next, a dark slash had appeared on the landscape, a swath of nearly impenetrable darkness that grew with every passing year and crawled with horrors. Where the farmers had gone, their herds, their crops, their homes and families, no one knew.Stop it, I told myself firmly. You’re only making things worse. People have been crossing the Fold for years … usually with massive casualties, but all the same. I took a deep breath to steady myself.”No fainting in the middle of the road,” said a voice close to my ear as a heavy arm landed across my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. I looked up to see Mal’s familiar face, a smile in his bright blue eyes as he fell into step beside me. “C’mon,” he said. “One foot in front of the other. You know how it’s done.
”You’re interfering with my plan.””Oh really?””Yes. Faint, get trampled, grievous injuries all around.””That sounds like a brilliant plan.””Ah, but if I’m horribly maimed, I won’t be able to cross the Fold.”Mal nodded slowly. “I see. I can shove you under a cart if that would help.””I’ll think about it,” I grumbled, but I felt my mood lifting all the same. Despite my best efforts, Mal still had that effect on me. And I wasn’t the only one. A pretty blond girl strolled by and waved, throwing Mal a flirtatious glance over her shoulder.”Hey, Ruby,” he called. “See you later?”Ruby giggled and scampered off into the crowd. Mal grinned broadly until he caught my eye roll.”What? I thought you liked Ruby.””As it happens, we don’t have much to talk about,”
