“Shadow and Bone” is the first book in the Grisha Trilogy, a fantasy series set in a fictional universe that brings science and magic into connection. The novel follows the main protagonist Alina as she accidentally discovers that she holds more importance when it comes to the fight for her home kingdom of Ravka than she ever imagines.
In a critical moment as she believes that she and her best friend Mal are about to die by the volcra at the Unsea, Alina unleashes the power of light that was hidden inside her, and it leads her into the world of Grisha. Grisha is used in relation to those people who can wield certain powers, with the use of magic that heavily leans on science. The novel unfolds as a battle between the light and darkness.
The themes that are explored in the novel include identity, love, greed and evil. Due to its undeniable popularity, the novel has inspired a creation of a TV series with the same title.