Shadow and Bone (GrishaVerse Book 1) by Leigh Bardugo

Enter a world where darkness threatens to swallow everything—and one girl holds the power to change it all.

From #1 bestselling author Leigh Bardugo, Shadow and Bone launches you into the Grishaverse, a richly imagined realm where magic is both weapon and wonder. This is the book that started it all—now a beloved Netflix series that brings Ravka’s dangerous beauty to vivid life.

Meet Alina Starkov: orphaned, ordinary, expendable. As a soldier facing the nightmare of the Shadow Fold—a tear in the world crawling with monsters—she expects nothing but survival. But when darkness closes in, Alina unleashes a dormant power that could save her war-torn country… or destroy it.

Thrust into the glittering, treacherous world of the Grisha—Ravka’s magical elite—Alina must master gifts she never knew she possessed. Under the tutelage of the mysterious Darkling, she’ll discover that her power might be the key to healing a broken land. But in a palace built on secrets and lies, who can she trust?

What readers are saying: Critics call Bardugo “a master of fantasy” (The Huffington Post), while The Guardian declares the series “utterly, extremely bewitching.” This is dark fantasy at its finest—where folklore meets epic adventure, where monsters lurk in shadow, and where one girl’s choice could reshape a nation.

Perfect for fans of magical realism, sweeping world-building, and heroes who rise from nothing. Whether you’re discovering the series for the first time or revisiting Alina’s journey, this is the fantasy epic that will keep you turning pages long past bedtime.

Additional information