Brief Description
In Alina Starkov’s world people live in fear of sailing across the Shadow Fold, an area of darkness that is infested with creatures. One day, Alina, a regular ol’ mapmaker, has to sail across the Shadow Fold with her regiment but everything goes down hill once they’re attacked. In the midst of chaos, she witnesses the almost death of her childhood Mal which causes light to pour out of her thus scaring away these creatures. This, to her dismay means that she is the one town folk have been looking for to free their war-ravaged country. Unfortunately, many people will be after her for good and bad reasons and thats where the story begins.
The Good
The basics of this plot isn’t very original. I won’t spoil beyond the idea that she’s a regular girl who realizes she’s not exactly a regular girl but the book does takes it farther than just that. The story is rich filled with great supporting characters. What i like is that i haven’t figured out everyone yet. Some books give you everything about a character from the first book which doesn’t leave room for getting to know them or seeing them in a different light. Even though Alina knows she’s special now i can definitely foresee major development. She’s a powerful and compassionate character. I had thought about calling her naive once but by the time i finished i don’t really see her that way anymore. She made a couple bad decisions and she’ll make a couple good ones. The story flowed exceptionally well. I didn’t feel like the story was moving too fast even though i usually feel adventure-like books tend to do so. It also didn’t have any extra or unnecessary bits and thats probably why it flowed. Everything that had happened happened for a reason and thats what i really liked.
The Bad
I don’t feel anything for Mal, nor the darkling as love interests. They’re great characters like i mentioned above but this book doesn’t give me enough reason to see them as love interests. The ending does give the initial idea that they are though but hopefully someone else, more likable, will come in or the author expands on Mal and the darkling. I also think that by the time i see Mal and the darkling as love interests it will be the time when i’m finally attached to these characters. I felt very neutral with every character and i think its because i haven’t gotten to know them yet.
The ending also felt like the ending of a stand alone. Yes, there is unfinished business to it but there was nothing that was additionally revealed like a plot twist or something. It ended with the current problem the characters are facing and so i’m not motivated enough to immediately pick up the next book. I will eventually pick it up because i did buy the third book a while back before i bought Shadow and Bone so i will buy the second book. But with all the books i’m reading now i just don’t see the haste to read buy it now.
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