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While many of you will be tempted to read the more popular Six of Crows first, I strongly encourage you to start with Shadow and Bone. It was the novel that began the Grishaverse, and it lays the foundation for the entire magic system and worldbuilding used in Six of Crows. In Shadow and Bone, the struggling nation of Ravka is split in half by the Shadow Fold, a barrier of darkness filled with deadly creatures. Alina Starkov is an unremarkable young map maker in Ravka’s military, but something happens when her regiment is attacked while attempting to cross the Fold: a dormant power within her is released. Her power could be the key to saving Ravka, and Alina is brought to the royal court to be trained by the Darkling and his magical Grisha. However, not everything is what it seems, and many secrets will be unveiled.
To be honest, the first Shadow and Bone novel is my least favorite book by Leigh Bardugo. I struggled to stay invested in Alina’s story, but I continued because I wanted to read Six of Crows. While it’s not the best book, I encourage you to stick with it. The series improves with each book, and the spin-off series are amazing.
Siege and Storm is the second novel in the Shadow and Bone Trilogy, and it was much better than the first. Having fled from Ravka, Alina and Mal are on the run while trying to keep her identity a secret. When the Darkling emerges with a new power and a dangerous plan, Alina is forced to return to her country with the help of a privateer. Alina continues to be pulled into the Darkling’s game as she tries to hold onto everything she loves.
I enjoyed Siege and Storm much more than Shadow and Bone. The plot was more intriguing, and the introduction of new characters brought new life to the series. My favorite Grishaverse character, Nikolai, is first introduced in this book. As the privateer who helps Alina, he becomes a pivotal part of the series, and he was overall just a breath of fresh air with his humor and personality. While it’s by no means Bardugo’s best book, Siege and Storm was a remarkable improvement on the first book that hints at the great novels to come.
Ruin and Rising is the finale of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. With the stakes amplified and the characters at their lowest, the fate of Ravka hangs in the balance. Alina, Mal, and their allies have to find the final amplifier if they have any hopes of using Alina’s powers to defeat the Darkling. They are fighting a war that might cost them everything, but they have no choice but to try.
The entire series was building up to this final book, and it was by far my favorite in the trilogy. I was much more invested in the character’s stories and the overall plot. It was an amazing end to the series that cemented the Grishaverse as a world I would never forget. Bardugo also created open endings for my favorite characters, which later connect to spin-off series that build on the foundations she created in this series.
Six of Crows is the most popular book in the Grishaverse, and for good reason. Set a few years after the end of Ruin and Rising in the Gotham-like city of Ketterdam, Six of Crows almost feels more like a historical crime novel than a fantasy one. When the intelligent young criminal Kaz Brekker is offered the chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich, he can’t refuse. To pull off the heist, Kaz gathers a band of outcasts, including a sharpshooter, a runaway, a spy, a magical Heartrender, a convict, and a thief. Together they try to pull off the impossible, but there’s more at stake than just riches.
Six of Crows is truly one of my favorite books of all time. While the Shadow and Bone Trilogy was a good series, the Six of Crows duology was groundbreaking. Six of Crows remains one of the few books I’ve read entirely in one sitting, despite it being just under 500 pages. It had me up past five in the morning, my eyes glued to the pages because I just had to know what happened next. Each character in the series is so distinct, and the multiple points of view massively elevate the story. There were also a few romances playing out in the background that provided the perfect balance to the complicated heist. Kaz, Inej, Wylan, Jesper, Nina, and Matthias are some of the best characters I have ever read about, and they are the ultimate example of a found family.
Crooked Kingdom is the final book in the duology (though Leigh Bardugo has spoken about writing a third Six of Crows novel one day). In this sequel, the heist is over, but the threat is not. Kaz and his crew are struggling as everyone descends upon Ketterdam for a piece of the drug jurda parem. Now the Crows are putting their fragile loyalties to the test as they attempt to save themselves—and the Grisha world.
This book lived up to every single expectation I had. The series has been quite popular on Instagram and BookTok, which can often cause books to be overhyped, but it’s truly just as amazing as everyone says. Crooked Kingdom was addictive, exciting, and heartbreaking. Leigh Bardugo created the perfect cast of imperfect characters that you can’t help but root for. I read this book almost four years ago, yet I still find myself thinking about it sometimes. It’s one of those books that never leaves you, and for that reason I will never stop recommending this duology. Even if you struggle to get through Shadow and Bone, it’s worth it to read this series with all the necessary context.
King of Scars takes place after both The Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology. It follows Nikolai Lantsov, the young king of Ravka, as he grapples with the scars the war left on him and his country. There’s a dark magic within him, but it’s a secret that few are privy to. When the magic continues to grow and Ravka’s borders continue to weaken, Nikolai enlists the help of a monk and his Grisha general to save himself and his country.
I mentioned previously that Nikolai was my favorite Grishaverse character, and I was so excited when this series came out. He was really able to shine in this book. Along with Nikolai’s point of view, the story is also told from Zoya and Nina’s perspectives. After the events of Crooked Kingdom, Nina’s story felt incomplete, and Bardugo beautifully continues it in King of Scars. While it’s not as well-known as Six of Crows, this series is a perfect addition to the Grishaverse.
In Rule of Wolves, the finale to the King of Scars duology, the neighboring kingdom of Fjerda is preparing to invade Ravka, and Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina are all fighting for Ravka’s freedom. Nikolai will do everything in his power to save his country, even tap into the darkness within him. Zoya refuses to lose anything else to war, and Nina is deep undercover in Fjerda’s capital. They are all that stand between Ravka and its ruin.
I loved this book so much. Because Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina were characters from past series, I felt even more connected to their stories in this one. The ending of Rule of Wolves meant so much to me. While you can technically read Six of Crows without reading Shadow and Bone, you cannot read King of Scars and Rules of Wolves without the background information from both series. I will never stop recommending the Grishaverse, and I will never stop recommending reading it in order. By doing so, you truly get the most out of the books and establish a deep connection with each character.
Demon in the Wood is a graphic novel about the Darkling when he was just a young boy. He and his mother spent their lives on the run, hunted for their rare powers. They were forced to hide who they were wherever they went, but their secret was destined to be revealed.
This is a prequel to Shadow and Bone, and I highly recommend reading it after you’ve already read the main series. I feel like the graphic novel has an impact on the reader because you already know what the innocent boy becomes. I haven’t had the chance to read this yet, but the Darkling is an interesting character to read about, especially when he was young.
This book is a collection of short fairytales related to various characters from the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology. Again, I would recommend reading these after you’ve already read the other book series. If you read these before knowing some of the characters, the stories won’t have the same impact. Objectively, it’s also a gorgeous book that makes a great addition to any collection.
The Lives of Saints is a replica of the same book featured in the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Istorii Sankt’ya. It features the stories of the saints mentioned throughout the series, as well as beautiful illustrations of them. It’s a Grishaverse artifact that any fan would love to add to their bookshelves, but it’s not a necessary one to read. If you decide to read through the saints’ stories, I recommend at least reading the Shadow and Bone Trilogy first, if not the Six of Crows duology as well.
In 2021, Netflix released season one of Shadow and Bone, based on the book Shadow and Bone. Along with telling Alina’s story from book one of the series, the show also included the Crows from Six of Crows. However, because that series is supposed to take place years after Shadow and Bone, the storyline in the show for the Crows is completely new. A second season was released in 2023 before the show was eventually canceled.
I’m sure some of you might be tempted to watch the show first, but I strongly recommend reading the books beforehand, especially Six of Crows. While the first season is actually fairly accurate to Shadow and Bone, the Six of Crows storyline is completely different and considered a “prequel.” The show still did a decent job at portraying the Crows, but I think it’s best to be introduced to them through the books. You won’t get the same feel for their characters if you start with the show. That being said, I do recommend watching the show after you’ve read the books to see the way some things are brought to life and to see what they changed. Even with the changes they made, it was still fun to watch.
Overall, the Grishaverse can be vast and complicated, but it’s completely worth reading. Leigh Bardugo crafted beautiful stories and characters that have stuck with me years later. Six of Crows in particular is a classic young adult fantasy novel that every booklover should read at least once.
Sam Yanis, Pine Reads Review Lead Writer