This is an essay I originally wrote for a college class on fantasy literature. We were asked to pick out a fantasy series that had impacted us, and pick apart the worldbuilding and the inspirations the author took from when creating their world. I considered focusing on Six of Crows because I do prefer that series, but it was easier to explain the worldbuilding through Shadow and Bone (the first book does a lot of worldbuilding). Hope you guys enjoy my little analysis!

Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone: An Analysis

5/26/23

One evening in highschool, I found a book hidden in the young adult section. It was a thick, blue paperback with an illustration of a stag on the cover. Intrigued, I turned it over. I was instantly drawn in by the description on the back. I finished the 356 page book in two weeks. Shadow and Bone, the first book in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha series, became a favorite. Even now the books remain special to me. The mysteries, unique use of fairy tales, and world building make it stand out. Bardugo, drawing from real cultures and other writers, crafted a masterful story.

        Mysteries are used as a way of investing us in the characters and world. The book opens with a prologue about Alina and Mal —  two orphaned children, being tested to see if they're Grisha. In this world, people known as Grisha are capable of doing magic. Children are sent to a school for training if magical abilities are shown. The next chapter shows them years later, working for their country's army. Due to their ordinary jobs, it seems neither had magic. In fact, it isn't until they're tasked with crossing the Shadow Fold, that they encounter Grisha again. The Fold — an expanse of darkness filled with monsters —is notoriously dangerous to cross. Soldiers and Grisha are tasked to aid with travel, but injury or death is common. Crossings are therefore reserved for transporting goods or soldiers. Alina's regiment is attacked immediately. Witnessing the horror of the Fold's monsters, Alina reacts in a way that saves them: she unleashes magic. She's able to conjure a blinding light, drawing the monsters away. No one, including Alina, had been aware of these powers. However, it's apparent Alina is extremely powerful. With her ability to summon light — something unheard of in Grisha — it's thought that she could destroy the Shadow Fold.

        The reader is therefore left with the same questions as the characters. How could she have powers when the tests had come up negative? What sort of power did she have? Could it really bring an end to the Fold? Mal himself says, "We're from the same village…If she could do anything like that, I would know" (Bardugo 48). Much like the reader, Mal can't yet make sense of the situation. Through this Bardugo allows one to become a character in the novel. One only knows as much as the characters. When a character questions something, so do we.

        Similarly, we learn alongside these characters. Alina is unable to process the idea of being a Grisha. The Darkling is able to force her powers out again. Darklings are the most powerful type of Grisha, and are therefore tasked to lead the Grisha army. However, Alina still isn't convinced she truly did magic. She states that, "It wasn't my doing. The Darkling did something when he touched me" (Bardugo 62). She believes what happened was a result of the Darkling's own powers. Yet when she's sent back with other Grisha, they assure her he hadn't done anything. They tell her about amplifiers, items or people that increase a Grisha's ability. Fedyor, one of the other Grisha, explains that, "The Darkling is a living amplifier…that's what you felt" (Bardugo 63). Alongside the protagonist, the reader learns about amplifiers and is given proof of her abilities. Rather than being given rules and information, Bardugo allows us to discover them through her characters.

We learn how magic operates when Alina is asked to research it. We're told why the test was inaccurate when Alina finally remembers it clearly.  She recalls seeing Mal show no signs of magic, while she did. She makes the decision to repress her magic so the two can stay together. She isn't able to recall the events of this day for many years. It isn't until she's thrown into the world of Grisha that she remembers. If this had been shown from the beginning, much of what makes it impactful would be lost. Instead, the question of Alina's powers remains through the first half of Shadow and Bone. It creates an intriguing mystery and tightly connects the reader to Alina.

Similarly, the Shadow Fold's history is mysterious. During the first chapters, minimal information is revealed about where it came from. The only information given is that it was created by a previous Darkling. Why and how is unknown. The reason for its monstrous inhabitants, the volcra, is also uncertain. The most pressing of the Fold's mysteries, however, is whether the current Darkling is connected to it. It's clear throughout the book that the Darkling holds many secrets, and his motives are often questioned. He attempts to become close with Alina, due to the significance her power holds to him as a leader. Deciding whether he can be trusted is often on Alina's mind. As he spends more time with Alina, constantly reminding her she's special, it becomes hard for her not to have faith in him. There are even times she considers him romantically. When thinking on the Darkling, she states:

"I thought of the Darkling's words that night beneath the broken beams of the barn. You're the first glimmer of hope I've had in a long time. He believed I was the Sun Summoner. He believed I could help him destroy the Fold. And if I could, no soldier, no merchant, no tracker would ever have to cross the Unsea [another name for the Fold] again." (Bardugo 145).

Despite his praise, the Darkling still remains a suspicious figure. This is amplified by Alina's mentor, Bagrha, who seems to hold a kind of disdain for him. Bagrha herself is mysterious, training Grisha but never showing off her powers. Her powers, of course, are significant. It's only when she reveals her powers that the truth about the Darkling becomes clear. They can each summon shadows. Both the characters, and the reader, make the connection that they're related. Because her powers were previously established as insignificant, the reveal stands out. The twist is well done — it gave clues to follow, but made sure to limit what was revealed.

Bagrha's story about the Darkling's past is just as notable. She explains that there had never been "multiple Darklings". The current Darkling is, in fact, the only one. He became obsessed with power, resulting in the creation of the Fold. To evade punishment he faked his death. She also explains that the monsters were once ordinary people. Residents of towns where the Fold spread were transformed. When questioned why the Darkling would be interested in someone who could destroy his creation, Bagrha says, "The monsters cannot abide sunlight. Once the Darkling has used your power to subdue the volcra, he will be able to enter the Fold safely…there will be no limit to his power" (Bardugo 238). Not only had the Darkling been hiding his past, he had been manipulating Alina. The connection one forms with her, and the amount of trust she built with him, allows this moment to be emotional.

Fairytales, alongside mysteries, make the book engaging. While many fantasy books avoid creating their own myths, Bardugo's is full of them, making the world feel more defined. Magic isn't the only part of their world that's different — they have their own culture and stories to tell. When Alina's power is revealed, characters react in different ways. One character recalls stories of similar events. While no specific folktale is mentioned, their presence is apparent. There's also a similar legend about Grisha surviving gunshots. Yet, as with the real world, people create stories by twisting the truth. Grisha cannot actually survive being shot, but they can create protective clothing. Furthermore, the concept of myths becomes intertwined with the main story. When struggling to control her powers, the Darkling asks Alina if she knows of Morozova's herd. She says she does, as they're famous children's stories in her world.  She states, "In…stories, they could talk, and if a hunter captured them and spared their lives, they granted wishes" (Bardugo 169). He dismisses the idea of wish-granting, but states that they're out there…and powerful. He believes an amplifier can be made from their antlers, stating "if Morozova's stag can be taken, it's antlers can be made into an amplifier…the most powerful amplifier ever known" (Bardugo 170). As his true intentions become clear, Alina learns he wants to find the herd before she does. If he is able to track down a stag, and retrieve its antlers himself, he'll be able to control her powers through the amplifier.

Three story now transforms itself into a quest narrative, with Alina as the hero seeking the stag. Additionally, because there's a sense of time running out, the tension is far higher than an actual fairytale. Outside dangers also become threatening to her as she seeks out the herd. She has to stay in hiding, and isn't able to do much for food or warmth. While Mal eventually aids her in the search, there's only so much each can do while on the run. There is still a struggle to find food, and they occasionally run in with dangerous criminals. To bring everything to full intensity, the Darkling finds and kills the stag. He gains the ability to take control of Alina's powers.

In the end, it's another fairytale-like event that saves them. Alina finds the stag before the Darkling, but realizes she could never kill it. While the antlers would enhance her abilities, she would have to kill a living animal to obtain them. She says, "I looked into the stag's dark eyes and knew the feel of the earth beneath his steady hooves…I knew I could not…end his life" (Bardugo 300). The stag haunts Alina's dreams after it's killed by the Darkling. She thinks at first the dreams are a result of her regret. However, she realizes that it's reaching out to her. Trying to spare the life of the stag was power in itself. When she finally understands this, she's able to take control back. Alina's story is not a fairytale, but it retains their emphasis on kindness and sympathy.

Along with myths, Bardugo takes inspiration from history and other works of fiction to craft her world. Much of the fictional country, Ravka, is inspired by 19th century Russia. Bardugo says she began knowing she wanted to touch on issues of hierarchies, class, and nobility, defining these ideas for herself after finding a book on Imperial Russia. While not meant to mirror Russia completely, she pulls a lot from that period in the country's history. (Rathe). Ravka is in an unstable place during the events of the book. The nobility and working class are separated in the same way they were in Russia during the 19th century. Though it is often seen in the background, we know from the characters Ravka is always in the midst of war. This constant turmoil is taken from Bardugo's research on history. Smaller details are also drawn from history, such as the history of Tsars in Ravka. (Khanam). The word "Grisha" also comes from the Russian version of Gregory. This particular name is chosen as it's deviated from Grigori — which ties to the stories of fallen angels in the Bible. (Bardugo).

Still, Bardugo made sure to differentiate her world from the real one. For example, she didn't always use real Russian words to stand in for Ravkan, feeling as though it would stand out to people familiar with the language. She also veered away from gendering surnames, something that's part of Russian culture. (Bardugo).

        The choice to draw from Russian history wasn't a random one. Bardugo felt a lot of fantasy simply took from medieval Europe. An article covering her inspirations states that,

"Think of the last time you came across any fantasy show…that wasn't set in medieval Europe…From Tolkien’s entire legendarium to the Game of Thrones series, fans have seen allegories of the region…too many times" (Khanam, 1/3/22).

        She also believes fantasy should draw from anything and everything in real life. Moments in her own life, as well as historical ones, inspired parts of her novels. (Clarke). Standing in the dark, once, she thought about how we all thought something was hiding in the dark growing up. Considering the idea of there actually being something is how the idea for Shadow and Bone formed. (Bardugo). She also finds that all writing works in a similar way as fantasy, as each piece must establish place and characters. Fantasy also reflects the way everything around us can feel larger than life. Even without magic, it feels as though there's an endless amount of things happening in the world. (Cain).

Another goal of hers is to examine tropes we see in fantasy. The genre often throws one into a world of castles and riches, and she wrote with the intent to explore these tropes. She states that, "I love the beauty of fantasy worlds, but I feel a responsibility to show the price paid for the luxury…and war by ordinary people…" (Reece). Alina and Mal grow up as peasants. People in the book speak about how homes were lost by war. While familiar traits of fantasy still exist, the reality of them is acknowledged. Luxury isn't always pretty, and war is devastating. The Shadow Fold is also somewhat a response to the fantasy genre. Bardugo finds that "darkness" tends to be used as a metaphor. Therefore, she instead decides to make it a physical problem in her work. (Bardugo). Some of what she writes is inspired by her contemporaries. When reading Harry Potter, Bardugo wondered how the plot would differ if magic wasn't the only threat. While there are reasons technology and modern weaponry couldn't be used at Hogwarts, it was a topic she took interest in. (Logan). In her own works, technology reflecting the time she took from was implemented. There are mentions of guns and, later in the books, more advanced machinery such as elevators and planes. While not the focus of the series, the idea that magic may be surpassed by machinery is present throughout.

Some specific authors and works also helped to shape her writing. Harry Potter was just one of the works that inspired her. The authors she grew up with included Frank Herbert, Issac Asimov, Octavia Butler, Diana Wynne Jones, and Stephen King. (Cain). Many of these writers are known for fantasy or science-fiction work. It's clear to see why she gravitated towards fantasy when writing her own novel. Bardugo also explains how certain books have changed her thinking on writing. Night Shift by Stephen King, for example, made her think about horror. She says that, "I’d never read horror. I didn’t understand what it could do, that it could stick in your head and keep you up night after night" (Clarke). While Shadow and Bone isn't horror, intense moments in the book likely used it as a guide. Another King novel she cites as inspiration is IT. She felt a strong connection to the story's characters, and realized the importance of characters in fiction. ("The Books that Inspired Leigh Bardugo to Become a Writer" 00:020:00-00:31:00). She also mentions how Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wayne Jones is a childhood book that still holds meaning to her. (Clarke). She doesn't mind how many of her books fall into the young adult category, as she thinks books about change and growth are always relevant. (Logan).The book was also one of the first fantasy books she read. (Clarke).

There are a lot of reasons Shadow and Bone, and the other Grisha books, are special to me as a reader. I enjoy the way mysteries are used in the books. Aside from keeping me invested, they allowed me to connect with the characters as we discovered the world together. The fairy-tales within the story also stuck out to me. It allowed the world to feel more rich, making its culture feel as though it's existed for a long time. The use of history is another technique that makes the world feel complete. Having aspects of a fictional place pull from a real one lets it feel more grounded. The way fantasy as a whole inspires the books makes them unique. Examining old tropes and changing or expanding them is part of why the books stand out. Moreover, like any writer, Bardugo has learned through reading. Other authors have naturally helped her grow into a writer. While there are multiple things I'm fond of, the main reason I love the books is simple. As with any favorite book, it's the way the story is told, and the characters, that matter to me most.

Works Cited

Bardugo, Leigh. Shadow and Bone. Henry Holt, 2012.

“Did You Know Shadow and Bone Is Inspired from Real Life Events?” Netflix Junkie, 3 Jan. 2022, www.netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-did-you-know-shadow-and-bone-is-inspired-from-real-life-events/.

“Leigh Bardugo Is Wary of Imposing Limits on Young Readers.” The New York Times, 5 Jan. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/01/05/books/review/leigh-bardugo-books.html.

Logan, Elizabeth. “‘shadow and Bone’ Started with a Question about ‘Harry Potter.’” Glamour, 10 May 2021, www.glamour.com/story/shadow-and-bone-author-leigh-bardugo. Accessed 26 May 2023.

Rathe, Adam. “The True Historical Events That Inspired shadow and Bone.” Town & Country, 2 Nov. 2021, www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a36145521/shadow-and-bone-true-story-historical-facts/.

“Shadow and Bone Author Leigh Bardugo: ‘People Sneer at the Things Women and Girls Love.’” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 17 May 2021, www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/17/shadow-and-bone-author-leigh-bardugo-people-sneer-at-the-things-women-and-girls-love.

YouTube, YouTube, 30 Sept. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fvld9Cde_Y.

YouTube, YouTube, 30 Sept. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYEI6Dvn8hI.