Shadow and Bone
Orphaned by the Border Wars, Alina Starkov is taken from obscurity and her only friend, Mal, to become the protegé of the mysterious Darkling, who trains her to join the magical elite in the belief that she is the Sun Summoner, who can destroy the monsters of the Fold.
- Spice
- 1/5
- Burn
- Slow
- Pages
- ~358
- Ending
- HFN
HFN means happy for now: together at the end, with their future left open.
How spicy is Shadow and Bone?
Shadow and Bone is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
- Steam: Glimpses and kisses
- Burn: Slow burn
- Pairing: One man, one woman
- POV: First person, heroine's POV only
- Ending: Happy for now
Content warnings
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Show 5 content warnings
- Graphic violence
- Murder
- Kidnapping
- Sexual assault
- Death of a loved one
Our editorial notes, which may be incomplete. If something is a hard limit for you, check the author's own content notes too.
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Shadow and Bone: quick answers
How spicy is Shadow and Bone?
Shadow and Bone is a 1 out of 5 on our spice scale: sweet (kisses only). Kissing, longing looks, maybe a fade-to-black. Nothing on the page.
Is Shadow and Bone a standalone?
No. Shadow and Bone is book 1 of 3 in The Grisha. It is the place to start. The series is complete.
What tropes are in Shadow and Bone?
Shadow and Bone features love triangle, villain gets the girl, chosen one, friends to lovers. It is a slow burn M/F romance that ends with a happy for now.
Does Shadow and Bone have content warnings?
Our notes for Shadow and Bone include: graphic violence, murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, death of a loved one. This list may not be complete; check the author's own content notes if anything is a hard limit for you.
What should I read after Shadow and Bone?
If you loved Shadow and Bone, try Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber, The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. They share its love triangle and villain gets the girl energy at a similar spice level.