Shadow and Bone

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bardugo, L. (2012). Shadow and bone. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

SUMMARY

Everyone desires to have something extraordinary about themselves. Orphan Alina Starkov never believed she was anything but plain. That is until she is forced to save her best friend’s life. Alina’s life is quickly changed when she joins the Darkling’s army and becomes the only hope to save her people. Along the way, she gets everything she wishes for, yet soon discovers some things are not what they seem. The past she has tried to ignore become the key to surviving the future.

PLOT ANALYSIS

As a debut piece for Leigh Bardugo, Shadow and Bone grips readers’ attention through the whirlwind adventure orphan Alina Starkov experiences. Clumsy, dull Alina just tries to survive as a military cartographer. A scrawny misfit, Alina appeals to readers as the unlikely heroine of the book. Readers will quickly advocate for her victory.

Alina’s best friend, Mal, is everything Alina is not: sporty, strong, handsome. And she’s in love with him.

Once Alina’s power is discovered, the Darkling, the most powerful of warriors, trains Alina to be the key power in the First Army. Of course, he’s also strong and handsome, not to mention cunning. So, Alina falls for him too.

The reader will side with Alina through the twists and turns Shadow and Bone offers as it takes on Russian and Slavic myths. The plot takes Alina on a quest to develop her power as Sun Summoner in order to aid the First Army in overcoming the dark creatures of the Fold. The story contains a strong good versus evil theme; however, readers are rarely sure whom to believe. Who is good? Who is evil? Who can one trust? The logical structure of the plot is creative with constant obstacles as well as action-packed events that lead to the (possible) vanquishing of the villain. The book leaves the ending open for a sequel.

The setting of Shadow and Bone is the country of Ravka. The western region of the country is separated from the majority of Ravka by the Shadow Fold or The Unsea, a great divide filled with demonic creatures. Bardugo created and included a map of this fictitious land to aid readers in understanding the region. Northern and southern countries possess their own dissentions with Ravka, which play a minor role in the overall plot. The details of the terrain, palaces, and villages allow readers to visualize where the story takes place.

Good versus evil is the general theme of Shadow and Bone. Readers will witness the power possessed by the good cause over the evil cause. Another underlying theme is undying devotion and friendship will overcome no matter the obstacle.

Protagonist Alina gives her perspective of events in this first person account—with the exception of the “Before” and “After” sections, which are written in third-person. Alina’s firsthand accounts allow the reader to experience her struggles, feel her frustrations, and overcome her challenges. First-person point of view allows the reader to connect deeper with Alina than even third-person omniscient would allow.

Shadow and Bone takes readers on a wild fantasy ride with the most unexpected twists. Although this book seems like many other fantasy novels, it truly takes on a unique villain/heroine combination to provide a thrillingly entertaining book!

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Lone Star Reading List, 2013

“…readers will…cheer [Alina’s] progress. But the world-building is continually undercut by clunky colloquialisms; such phrases as "Well, that's completely creepy" and "It's okay" yank readers out of this carefully constructed, mostly preindustrial world. Readers may also be troubled by the sexualization of power found in its pages. The plotting is powerful enough to carry most readers past flaws and into the next book in the series.” –Kirkus Review, April 2012

“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. Alina's angst and passivity are a bit of a letdown, but Bardugo's storytelling and world-building more than compensate.” –Publisher’s Weekly, April 2012

“Fast-paced and unpredictable, this debut novel will be a hit with readers who love dark fantasy.”—School Library Journal, starred

CONNECTIONS

Related Books

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Grisha Deomonstration

At the party the King and Queen of Ravka put on, the Grisha are requested to perform. Using your choice of media (clay, animation, live action, etc.), perform and record a 30 second Grisha performance.

Shadow and Bone, Part 2

Before the next installment is released, write the first two chapters of the sequel. Pick up where Bardugo left off with Alina’s victory and the Darkling’s disappearance.

Dwelling Collage

Using the author’s descriptions of the setting, construct a collage showing the progression of Alina’s dwellings through the course of the book. Pair the images with a brief description of life events. Examples of dwellings include the Duke’s house, tent, Little Palace, etc.