Before this becomes a Netflix TV show, you have got to read the books, they are so good. I didn't start reading them because of that, the first book of the series was chosen for the book club that I attend. And then I just had to read all of them.
Shadow and Bone Trilogy was written by Leigh Bardugo and was published in between 2012-2014. The books follow Alina Starkov, an orphan, in a kingdom called Ravka, which is loosely based on Tsar Period in Russian. Ravka is the only safe place in the world for Grisha, people who can practice the Small Science and therefore have powers in particular areas. They are killed in other parts of the world as witches. But both Grisha and ordinary people live there in a tense peace. Alina and her best friend whom she grew up with Malyen Oretsev are both members of the first army like most ordinary people, while the Grisha are members of the second army which is led by the Darkling.
The book picks up when they are Alina and Mal are about to cross the Unsea with a fraction of the army. The Unsea was created by accident using a dark force and is now an area of compete darkness. Not only have that, but deadly creatures called Volcra who hunt humans also populate the Unsea. The army has to cross the area as it is the only way to get goods from the Western shores of Ravka which is connected to the sea and to keep trading alive. The expedition includes both ordinary humans and Grisha.
However, Alina's life changes when the expedition is attacked by the Volcra.
The first book is a little cliché. An ordinary orphan girl, who is sassy, brave and ordinary looking discovers she has powers that can save her kingdom and is stuck in a love triangle. As I was born in East Europe I really liked the Russian references and the occasional use of Russian words that everyone who is slightly connected to the culture knows. The book had me at blini basically. Which I still eat on weekends. And then the first book ended and I really wanted to know where this is going.
The second and third books are way better. No clichés, well, almost no clichés. I also really liked the changes in all of the characters. How they all evolve and interact with each other and the great new characters as well. The new characters that are added later on are fantastic. The climax of each book really left me with my mouth hanging open as I just didn't see it coming, even though you know something should happen.
These books also have a lot of bad things to say about religion institutions vs. simply having faith and believing. You know the cliché, religion institutions and the people in it are horrid and only hungry for power and having faith as an individual is good.
I can assure you that it is not the case like for example in the Divergent trilogy when you reach the end and regret that you even bothered to read the books. I really liked the ending, even though I couldn't picture it while I was reading it. It was a bit too much, but I still liked it. I wish the books were longer.
So yeah, this is not a masterpiece, but if you like fantasy books you should consider checking this trilogy out.
I give it 4 out of 5
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