What do you think?
Rate this book
Shadow and Bone: Chapters 1-5
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.
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.
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.
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.
88 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 20, 2012
260 people are currently reading
3574 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Bardugo
92 books186k followersLeigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse (now a Netflix original series) which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology—and much more. Her short fiction has appeared in multiple anthologies including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles and is an associate fellow of Pauli Murray College at Yale University. For information on new releases and appearances, sign up for her newsletter.
She would be delighted if you visited her at LeighBardugo.com and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.
She would be delighted if you visited her at LeighBardugo.com and fairly giddy if you liked her selfies on Instagram.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 1, 2019
I loved it, could not stop reading this.
April 2, 2013
This book blew my mind. I don't know anyone who read this book and yet it is one of the best books I've ever read. It very different and gets you hooked from the start. If you liked the seven realms series or legend or even Harry potter you can read this book just as fast as I did(a day and a half). If you like books that take place in dystopian worlds you will like this book and also if you like geeky things like dungeons and dragons or magic;The gathering, you will find this book very enjoyable.
August 4, 2017
Got this free 5 chapter preview of "shadow and bone" off amazon. :)
I read "six of crows" & "crooked kingdom" a few months ago and absolutely fucking adored both of them. I figured I'd read the "grisha" trilogy and dive deeper in this world.
But, before I buy the book, I want to know if I'm truly invested or not. So! Preview time.
I only read these first 5 chapters & the prologue, but what I read was pretty good. The preview did exactly what it was supposed to do. I definitely want to buy the book. :) the story seems amazing. I definitely love me some epic fantasy. The world building is impressive so far & im definitely liking this Darkling character.
But I can only give it 3 stars.
Why? The writing. It's not bad. Really it's not. It's just not great. We're clearly very early in the author's career here, and it definitely shows. Especially after the beautiful perfection that was "six of crows" & "crooked kingdom."
But still. This looks like it will shape up into an excellent book. So hopefully when I read the full book, I can give it 4 or five. 5 chapters is really to soon to tell for sure, but I'm definitely excited. :)
Recommended for readers who love epic fantasy and the authors other works.
I read "six of crows" & "crooked kingdom" a few months ago and absolutely fucking adored both of them. I figured I'd read the "grisha" trilogy and dive deeper in this world.
But, before I buy the book, I want to know if I'm truly invested or not. So! Preview time.
I only read these first 5 chapters & the prologue, but what I read was pretty good. The preview did exactly what it was supposed to do. I definitely want to buy the book. :) the story seems amazing. I definitely love me some epic fantasy. The world building is impressive so far & im definitely liking this Darkling character.
But I can only give it 3 stars.
Why? The writing. It's not bad. Really it's not. It's just not great. We're clearly very early in the author's career here, and it definitely shows. Especially after the beautiful perfection that was "six of crows" & "crooked kingdom."
But still. This looks like it will shape up into an excellent book. So hopefully when I read the full book, I can give it 4 or five. 5 chapters is really to soon to tell for sure, but I'm definitely excited. :)
Recommended for readers who love epic fantasy and the authors other works.
August 18, 2021
Really enjoyed the first five chapters. The Netflix show follows the book very closely. This is supposed to be for young adults but I believe it is too dark for them. Alina is not who she thinks she is because she has a dormant side that is unbeknownst to her. Her awakening is needed at a very critical time for her friend, Mal.
Looking forward to the rest of the story and the show.
This is my honest review.
Looking forward to the rest of the story and the show.
This is my honest review.
September 23, 2021
Interesting
The story starts with two friends Mal and Alina who are going to cross the shadow fold. When their regiment is attacked by
Flying monsters Alina unleashes magic she does not know she has. She is taken by a Darkling to e trained by the Grisha the magical military elite. The darkling believes she can summon
A force that can destroy the shadow fold.
The story starts with two friends Mal and Alina who are going to cross the shadow fold. When their regiment is attacked by
Flying monsters Alina unleashes magic she does not know she has. She is taken by a Darkling to e trained by the Grisha the magical military elite. The darkling believes she can summon
A force that can destroy the shadow fold.
September 16, 2017
5 star. After reading this I didn't know what to do with myself or the book. I was just....drowning and sinking and dying...haha. It was epic ride. in just 3 days I finished the series. Leigh Bardugo u are as awesome writer. In short...I went through major emotional trauma after finishing it.
December 11, 2021
Un libro que me enganchó desde el principio, te hcae querer a sus personajes tanto los principales como los secundarios. Muy bien descritos. Con unos plot-twist que nunca te esperas. Deseando ver como sigue en el segundo libro
May 16, 2017
I WANT MORE. It is going up to the top of my TBR list.
October 19, 2019
The beginning was so good.
June 9, 2020
I think I will need to buy the real thing now....
May 7, 2021
I loved it enough to buy the series.
March 16, 2022
Great book
September 16, 2023
I was completely engrossed in this book from start to finish. The author's storytelling is superb, and the characters are so relatable. It's a heartening tale of resilience and hope
April 3, 2024
The plot is good but the story is very slow and too many big words are thrown in there it feels more like reading a history book at times
June 21, 2024
The world building is my favorite part. I really enjoyed this one.
January 12, 2026
this book was AMAZING, but the rest of the series, its honesty mid
May 1, 2013
To read only the first 5 chapters is cruel and unusual punishment, I hope June comes quick. I just read Shadow & Bone, the first book in this series, a month ago. I was late to the party discovering how wonderful Leigh Bardugo is as a writer. YA fantasy is not something I normally seek out. I would equate these books to me discovering Game of Thrones on HBO. My son watched the series and would tell me I really need to see it. I started watching about a year ago and loved it but then it ruined going to the movie theater for me to see any kind of movie because I would say "It's no Game of Thrones" which has better production value and story line than anything you could see in a movie theater. Well, Shadow and Bone & Siege and Storm will ruin reading any future YA fantasy for me because I'll say" It's no Leigh Bardugo book". Start on Shadow and Bone now, meet Alina and Mal, childhood friends trying to stick together thru all the darkness that surrounds them; meet The Darkling, a menacing power that you can't help but be intrigued by and then in June pick up this book and meet a new character, Sturmhond, who I'm looking forward to getting to know and there is an ice dragon (eek!) too. I can't wait!
March 16, 2016
One word for the Grisha Series...Excellent! I wasn't looking for anything in particular when I found this title but the description was intriguing so I downloaded the first five chapters of Shadow and Boone. I was hooked from the first few pages. The characters are well developed, their emotions are almost palpable and the pace of the series does not drag or race along giving the reader whiplash. The depiction of people and places is so lush and full bodied you can almost see and feel the power of an enemy, the cold untouched snow, as well as smell and taste the fear in the darkness of the fold.
I read a LOT of books, but this series has managed to find a home in my imagination. Yes, I found it that good. I was so greedy for more I practically ran to the library to check out all the books in the Grisha Series the same day after I finished reading the first few chapters downloaded from amazon.
I read a LOT of books, but this series has managed to find a home in my imagination. Yes, I found it that good. I was so greedy for more I practically ran to the library to check out all the books in the Grisha Series the same day after I finished reading the first few chapters downloaded from amazon.
November 22, 2012
THis book blew my mind. It was way better than I expected, and way better than many other books getting a lot of hype these days, for example Seraphina. It think that there is certainly a certain genre of teen fantasy books coming out right now that this fits into, but it doesn't mean that this one isn't at the top of the ladder on that list. Alina is great. Everyone knows I hate characters who act to foolish or downright stupid, and she isn't one of those. I also think Mal, and especially the Darkling are pretty unpredictable (I'm trying to make this unspoilery, so hopefully it's working out).
This was so close to a 5, and if I was able I would give it a high 4.5
This was so close to a 5, and if I was able I would give it a high 4.5
October 1, 2012
This is a wonderful book. I finished the chapter 1-5 free bonus, and went straight to the main book. My only concern is in pegging the age of the main character, Alina. Things happen in subsequent chapters that concern me, especially as a parent. But, if you are looking for a great story with a strong female lead--read this book!!
February 6, 2016
Reading this again this year. Always a favorite. The whole world that the author built is so real and so heartbreaking and so amazing. Even though the characters are at war, it makes you feel like you want to jump in and help them. I can see everyone and everything so vividly when I read it. Beautiful.
October 9, 2016
This was actually a reread for me, and I have to say, I think I loved it more this time around. Maybe it's because I took my time on it I don't know but I saw this book with different eyes. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed it the first Time around but now I love it even more.... and I may have this weird thing for the Darkling. I know, I know I just can't help myself.
September 6, 2012
Well done!
July 1, 2019
I hope the rest of the story is as good as the first five chapters. ^+^
July 24, 2012
A little trope-y and yet I'm hooked.
February 21, 2013
I'm HOOKED! Can't wait to buy and read!
May 20, 2013
review soon...
May 11, 2013
It was all amazing!!! :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews