If there’s anyone whose favorite Shadow and Bone character isn’t Nikolai, I haven’t met them yet. With the world, the major conflict, and most of the most important characters already established and free of the obligation to wrap everything up, Siege and Storm has the freedom to play around, challenge expectations, and bring in new characters to drastically alter the existing dynamics. Is there anything better than the second book of a trilogy? Siege and Storm is the perfect example of why I love middle books so much. Recommendations for what to read next here Of course, it’s also a really great book in its own right, and I love it for that, too. Shadow and Bone isn’t necessarily my favorite individual novel in this wider universe, but it’s the one that started it all and made the rest of it possible, so I love it for that. When compared to the famously hilarious Grishaverse heroes who come later-Nikolai, Jesper, Nina-it’s easy to forget that Alina is actually quite snarky and funny, and the balance between the dark and the light (pun intended) makes for a really rewarding, enjoyable read. In the rereads, though, I’ve been equally impressed by the humor. The main thing that stood out to me when I first read Shadow and Bone five years ago is the moral ambiguity, the unique cultural touchstones, and the rejection of the violent, manipulative love interest. It’s such a richly imagined world with a magical system unlike any other that I’ve read, and it is populated by fascinatingly multi-dimensional characters. This is a fantasy universe that I absolutely love living in. dark motif are not the staples they once were-I find that I love it more every time I read it (this is the third time). I love all Leigh Bardugo’s books ( Six of Crows may be my #1 favorite book) and while there are a few elements of this original series feel a little dated-the love triangle, the Chosen One narrative, and the light vs.

With season two of Shadow and Bone releasing March 16, I decided to reread the Grisha trilogy.

King of scars book 1