Review Detail

(Note: I received the UK version of Shadow And Bone for review which is called The Gathering Dark)

ISBN: 9781780621104
Publisher: Indigo
Pages: 442

A dark heart. A pure soul. A love that will last forever.

The Shadow Fold, a swathe of impenetrable darkness, crawling with monsters that feast on human flesh, is slowly destroying the once-great nation of Ravka.

Alina, a pale, lonely orphan, discovers a unique power that thrusts her into the lavish world of the kingdom’s magical elite—the Grisha. Could she be the key to unravelling the dark fabric of the Shadow Fold and setting Ravka free?

The Darkling, a creature of seductive charm and terrifying power, leader of the Grisha. If Alina is to fulfil her destiny, she must discover how to unlock her gift and face up to her dangerous attraction to him.

But what of Mal, Alina’s childhood best friend? As Alina contemplates her dazzling new future, why can’t she ever quite forget him?

I received The Gathering Dark by Leigh Bardugo from Indigo for review, which I absolutely LOVED reading! My favourite characters were Alina and Mal. Inseparable since they became childhood friends at the orphanage, Alina and Mal start to slowly grow apart. Mal befriends others of the same status as himself within the Army, whilst Alina in turn, makes a few friends of her own as well as becoming more independent, in her position as cartographer’s assistant. Alina was one of my favourite characters because despite her small stature, she is quite fiery, stubborn and determined. Mal was one of my favourite characters because of his amazing hunting and tracking abilities as well as his caring nature. I absolutely LOVED reading about the fashion in Ravka! The descriptions of not only the surrounding landscapes and residents of Ravka, but also the fashions of each class were amazing! I also really liked reading about the Grisha culture alongside Alina, as she learnt about it herself. Although I like the cover of The Gathering Dark, I prefer the cover of my ARC copy due to its simple, floral patterns and bold colour scheme of purple, black & white.