I watched Shadow and Bone on Netflix when it came out and I wasn’t super impressed. As I stated in my review, though, I would happily read the book at some point to see if I liked it more than the show. To be really honest, I wasn’t actually hugely excited about the prospect of reading Shadow and Bone. I was mostly just open to the possibility.

It wasn’t until I found another book by Leigh Bardugo, Ninth House, at the thrift store, that I realised she’s a very good author. Two years later, I finally found Shadow and Bone at the very same store for 1,50 euros. As the second season of the show had just come out, I decided to move it to the very top of to to-read list.

I’ll admit I rather enjoyed Shadow and Bone. Because I’d watched the show I knew what to expect. I might have enjoyed it less if I hadn’t.

Like the show, the book is pretty predictable YA fantasy. The pacing is super fast, much like the show. I think the story could definitely have benefited from 100 more pages, just to give us some more time to get to know the characters and get attached to them. I didn’t feel hugely connected to any of the leads, despite also having seen the show. Alina’s pretty funny, though. Overall, the pacing wasn’t a big issue. Shadow and Bone was super easy to get through and an enjoyable read.

I’d definitely recommend the book to anyone who enjoyed the show, or anyone else who wants to read some very accessible YA fantasy.