Shadow and Bone: Chapters 1-5

Leigh Bardugo

Apr 2012 · Sold by Henry Holt and Company (BYR)

About this ebook

Download Chapters 1-5 in Shadow and Bone, the much anticipated new trilogy by debut author Leigh Bardugo.

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.

Ratings and reviews

If Harry Potter ever had a rival, it would be this. Clever, charming and consuming. This will grab you and won't let go until you finish the series. The protagonist Alina is as challenging and endearing as they come. I loved the story and the twists at evey corner. Great beginning to an awesome adventure.

Feels very YA-esque with a very heavy focus on the romantic subplot, and has a very plodding pace. It's not a bad story necessarily, but if you're used to Sanderson, Weeks, etc, you may find that this doesn't measure up. Granted, this is the initial novel from this author, so it's not entirely unexpected. I don't regret buying it, but I can't recommend it either.

This book is excellent!! I enjoyed reading and wanting to know what will happen next..

About the author

Leigh Bardugo was born in Jerusalem, raised in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University. She is fond of glamour, ghouls, and costuming, and gets to indulge all of these fancies in her other life as a makeup artist. She can occasionally be heard singing with her band, Captain Automatic.