Shadow and Bone

Imagine that darkness is a physical place, a swathe of land to be crossed at your peril. As always in fantasy, the darkness holds monsters, and Shadow and Bone's are more frightening than most, a terror not fully evident until the closing chapters of the book. The main character, Alina, is a soldier in Ravka's First Army and an apprentice mapmaker (not a very good one). But there is more to her than even she thinks, and when her regiment is attacked, she displays a unique talent that causes her to be swept up into the world of the Grisha, Ravka's Second Army, practitioners of practical and dangerous magic. Alina is a strong main character and Bardugo lets her grow throughout the book, lets her succumb and overcome temptations and obstacles. The characters around Alina also shine, from Mal, Alina's childhood best friend, to Genya, the Grisha girl co-opted into introducing Alina to much of Grisha `life, and the mysterious Darkling, who has, as he says, been waiting for Alina for a very long time... Leigh Bardugo started with the idea of that darkness and around it has created a world so unlike most other fantasy worlds. It is not only the flavor of Imperial Russia throughout the pages, but also the type of magic she has created: the Grisha and their “Small Science” feel both completely real and also incredibly different from anything I've read in the genre. There has been a lot of great young adult fiction this year, but I think this has been my favorite. A gripping story from beginning to end, and I can't wait for the sequel!