Shadow and Bone: A Bookish Chat With Brenna

Relatively speaking, Brenna, Jenny, and I recently read Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo together. Since we all really enjoyed it (and for me really enjoyed = NEW FANGIRL), we thought it would be fun to get together and do a bookish chat instead of putting our thoughts into a normal review format. If you haven't read Shadow and Bone yet (and I seriously don't know what you are waiting for if you haven't!), any spoilers mentioned are hidden - you have to highlight the text in order to read them. If you are the rebellious type and have a hard time resisting temptation, this may not be the post for you. We had to talk about our FEELS, people! So if you are ready to stick around for a longish post, here's what my girls Jenny and Brenna and I had to say about Bardugo's gorgeous debut novel.

Brenna: Ok. To start. The Grisha = Totally cool. The concept of a "small science" is amazing.

Jenny: Yes. I love the robes that help you distinguish who is who.

Brenna: Ummm yea!!! I want one for myself. So pretty. Who am I kidding? I just want to BE Genya.

Lesley Anne: Me too! If I had a magical power, it would be hers.

Jenny: Hmmm I don't know.

Brenna: Psh. I don't even need her magic. Just her sass!

Jenny: I was surprised by how much I liked the heroine. She was not whiny at all.

Lesley Anne: Yes, I love me some Alina! Her snarky thoughts to herself were cracking me up.

Brenna: OMG. She has amazing comments. Always entertaining. Had me cracking up in Starbucks.

Jenny: And she didn't want to change her appearance all that much.

Brenna: Hmm... Idk. I liked her at first, but I thought she become a little whiny when getting to the Little Palace and complaining about missing Mal all the time…

Lesley Anne: UGH. That part definitely annoyed me too. I hated that she wasted so much time pining away for him when he had NO IDEA how she felt about him.

Jenny: Really? That didn't annoy me because he truly was her only friend. I am not all about Mal. He is a little too flat for me.

Brenna: Ugh. Mal. Boredom. Snore. I think mostly I was annoyed with that because I wanted to know more about the Grisha and what they were. I would have liked that entire chunk about what she was learning and getting excerpts from what she was reading to learn more about the history…I didn't mind that she missed him because that made sense, I just hated how lopsided that part of the book felt because I didn't feel like enough was being explained. 

Lesley Anne: I agree, I loved the parts where she was learning about Grisha history and theory. So intriguing!

Jenny: Yes, I agree with wanting to know more about the Grisha. Other than Genya and the Darkling, you don't really get a feel for any of the others.


Brenna: Yes, Jenny! That's totally what I felt like. I can tell that this author has a really solid structure on the world she has created, but I would love to know a little more about it.

Jenny: I also felt that the token jealous girl was too contrived.

Lesley Anne: Me too! I had to roll my eyes when Zoya walked in.

Brenna: Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. I don't even have words for that part of the book.

Jenny: She served no purpose.

Lesley Anne: I hope she has a more important part to play in the other books besides filling that role.

Brenna: I love the Darkling though.

Lesley Anne: OH MY DEAR GOODNESS. ME TOOO!

Jenny: Phew. That makes me feel better. I did too, even though I didn't want to!

Lesley Anne: He was my favorite character. No shame.

Brenna: Genya was totally my favorite. But the Darkling was a close second, and Baghra even got up there a ways! Mostly I feel guilty about liking Mal less than I do. (Because seriously, his one sappy line was TOTALLY a win).

Lesley Anne: I know, that was a lovely scene and definitely had my heart melting!

Brenna: I maybe flipped out a little and reread the whole chapter. And by maybe I mean definitely.

Jenny: He did grow on me at the end…kind of like mold. So, having not read the second book, it seems an awful lot like Mal is [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> a Grisha. I mean, super tracking ability? That seems somehow magical.

Lesley Anne: Yeah, I have my suspicions about that as well. And it seems The Darkling has a feeling about it too.

Brenna: Oh yeah. For sure. I bet so too. It was way too convenient that they [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> tracked the Stag.

Jenny: Yes to both those comments!

Brenna: [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> Yea I think he was following them because he needed Mal to track the Stag. That's why he was just THERE to kill it. He may have been amplifying him some too? Do you think? I can't remember all the rules to that.


Jenny: So one of my main problems with the book was how [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> Alina finally figured out the Stag power was hers. It seemed to come out of left field for me.

Lesley Anne: Me too, Jenny! That part felt a little contrived and just too convenient.

Brenna: It was a little cliche of "love wins in all magic" type stuff. I guess it didn't particularly irritate me. It just was revealed at a too climactic and convenient time.

Jenny: It's not that I didn't like it, I felt like there was not enough explanation to justify it.

Lesley Anne: Maybe we'll get more explanation in Siege and Storm…?

Brenna: I think it could have been executed far better. [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> If she really did get her power back through mercy, it should have happened right away maybe. Not just when she put it together in her head. Whether or not she made the connection didn't change her actions at all. That probably made no sense.

Lesley Anne: No, that makes perfect sense! I think that's why I had a problem with it. [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> Why did she have to realize it in her head first?

Jenny: Exactly.

Brenna: It just would have been less fun and climactic. Which is why the author didn't do it, but I would have preferred it that way. Yea. That was actually really irritating. The concept was fine, the execution was just irritating.

Lesley Anne: Haha yes, I think all in all it was an excellent ending and thankfully didn't leave us hanging on too high of a cliff.

Jenny: I also do not completely understand why [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> the Darkling needed her to expand the darkness.

Brenna: Oh. That was [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> a political move. He wouldn't have lived in there without her. She was keeping the Volcra away. He couldn't do it without her being in there. He needed her to stay alive. At least, that's what I got out of him.

Jenny: Ahh, so [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> he needed her to kill them and then he would expand it? But that would just create more, right?

Lesley Anne: Or to [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> just keep them away.

Brenna: She wasn't [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> killing them, they're just afraid of light.

Jenny: Hmmmm. I am still not sure about that part.

Brenna: [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> They were in the light, but he was still in the area and power of the fold to expand it. Without her to keep the light there, he would have been attacked by Volcra.

Lesley Anne: I also thought the explanation behind the volcra was sooooo creepy.

The Shadow Fold

Jenny: YES.

Brenna: Oh yea. TOTALLY creepy. Very interesting though. Reminded me of [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> Gollum. The people turned nasty and into monsters from something evil.

Lesley Anne: Oh yeah!

Jenny: Too true. Okay, so [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> HOW IS HIS MOM STILL ALIVE?

Lesley Anne: I was wondering that too!

Jenny: [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> If she was opposed to his plan, wouldn't he have put her away or something?

Lesley Anne: Or do [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> all Grisha have really long lives?

Brenna: [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> Grisha all have long lives. That's kind of explained.

Lesley Anne: I thought that just applied to [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> The Darkling but maybe I'm missing something.

Brenna: The stronger the Grisha, [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> the longer they live I think.

Jenny: I think my main problem with her being around is that [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> she clearly does not agree with him and yet he allows her to train Alina.

Brenna: I think he just doesn't want to make anything too suspicious.

Lesley Anne: And maybe he just didn't realize [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> his mom was going to betray him?

Brenna: [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> She's been around for longer than anyone can remember. Longer than him by a LOT (especially when you count the fact that most people don't think he's as old as he is) I think most of that comes down to him being redeemable still. He has some remorse when it comes to his mother.

Jenny: I really wish The Darkling had a name, too.

Brenna: I think he does and that will come into the finale of the last book. Names are usually pretty significant in Fantasy.

Lesley Anne: O CANNOT WAIT FOR THAT!

Jenny: I love meaningful names. Old English and Old Norse are full of them. Do you think he was being honest when he said [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> he is about 120 years old?

Brenna: Nope. [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> He's the Black Heretic remember? That dude is ancient and creepy. Faked a lot of deaths. As huge as the Amplifiers are though to the concept of the story, I think they're a little too convenient and they seem like a random add-on to a solid structure.

Lesley Anne: It reminds me of another story that uses the same concept.

Brenna: Really?

Lesley Anne: Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me series. I don't think either of you have read those yet though so I won't say anything else.

Brenna: OMG. I have that on hold at the library. Gotta read that. Ok. The Priest. Scared me more than anything else in the book. More than the Volcra.

Apparat Inspiration From Leigh Bardugo's Pinterest.

Lesley Anne: Creeeeeeepy.

Brenna: He's nasty.

Jenny: He is intriguing to me. Probably cause I am a medievialist and work with saints' lives.

Brenna: I agree with you about him being intriguing. I still think he's creepy though.

Jenny: I thought it was a nice addition to the story that is really unique in YA.

Lesley Anne: I know he probably has a bigger part to play in later books, but right now I'm glad Alina avoided him like the plague lol.

Jenny: He is creepy! But I am curious what he was going to say to her. It seems like he sees a lot more than people think. Maybe [Highlight to view spoiler] ---> goes back to mercy?

Brenna: I agree that he's very unique. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like him in another story.

Lesley Anne: The description of him reminds me of The Silent Brothers in The Infernal Devices and Mortal Instruments, but other than that I agree his character is very unique in YA.

Brenna: I think overall this book has some very interesting concepts, a solid structure, with unique ideas. I'm a little disappointed with some of the execution of events and "filler" characters and scenes.

Jenny: I agree. I didn't love it. Alina was really the reason I like it as much as I do.

Lesley Anne: The book for me was nearly flawless, especially with the unique world building and Russian cultural base. LOVED that.

Brenna: I've never been one to want to give half stars, but I really want to give a 4.5. And yea the Russian culture base is amazing.

Lesley Anne: I technically gave it 4.5 stars on Goodreads as well. I found myself getting jealous of even the BATHS Alina got to take, haha! I want a brass gold tub.

Jenny: No kidding. I would be willing to do a lot for one of those.

Brenna: Oh yea. Totally jealous of her entire beauty regime. I think I loved it for the well-displayed characters and potential (and because I love to binge on Fantasy series) but it did have some flaws and nonsense.

Jenny: I would give it a 3.5 I think.

Lesley Anne: Even though this does not matter to most people, I also LOVED the design aesthetic of the book. The map, the chapter and page numbers, the list of Grisha at the beginning. All so well done!

Map of Ravka

Brenna: Probably the best I've seen in a while. A lot of books have pretty covers but this had detail in the tiniest places!

Jenny: Mine was an e-Book so I missed out on that.

Lesley Anne: We need to get you a physical copy! Ok ladies, I think we need to wrap this up. Any final thoughts?

Brenna: I think my final say would be it was a good opener with lots of potential that could still go both ways. Great characters. Great concept.

Jenny: Amazing world building. Unique setting. Engaging characters. Too conventional at times. Not a fan of love triangles.

Lesley Anne: This book had everything I love in a fantasy. Imaginative world-building, strong characters, a dashing romance, and a super creative plot. Loved it!