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“‘Fine,’ he said with a weary shrug. ‘Make me your villain'”
Bardugo, Leigh. Shadow and Bone. Henry Holt & Company, 2012. Print.
Even with the name “the Darkling,” Leigh Bardugo, author of the young adult fantasy series Shadow and Bone, makes readers doubt the truth of the title. But, in this case, the reader’s first instinct may have been spot on. Now, if Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone sits on your TBR (to-be-read) list, or you have yet to watch its Netflix adaptation (released this year), continue at your own risk. But to fans of the Grishaverse, the Darkling’s tragic story gripped us all.
Shadow And Bone
Set in the country of Ravka, Alina Starkov, our main character, slips off her old skin to discover a new one. She battles her attraction towards two men in her life — Malyen Oretsev and, you guessed it, the Darkling. All the while, she learns to master her new ‘Grisha’ powers. The small science, as they call it, are manipulations of matter and substance. However, Alina’s emerging talents fall under a different, more profound category: the Sun Summoner.
And with this talent, she is suddenly promoted to an entirely new status as the prophesized savior of the Grisha. But, little does Alina, and the readers, know, the man she begins to trust and subsequently falls for has been manipulating her the entire time.
“I will hunt you like an animal. You will find no sanctuary. You will have no peace.”
Bardugo, Leigh. Ruin and Rising. Henry Holt & Company, 2012. Print.
Why Shadow And Bone Is A Cautionary Tale
The Darkling poses as a kind, misunderstood, redemption-seeking leader. He maintains this facade, with supposed plans to save all of Ravka with Alina’s help. And since she is inexperienced with her newfound power, he pushes to train them, all the while conniving behind her back, scheming to take them as his own. The Darkling acts as a chess player, moving all his pieces to positions that would best serve him. Making moves behind the scenes to ensure that Alina is cut off from contacting her former love interest, she conveniently begins accepting her new life as a ‘Grisha.’ She begins acquiring strength and skill with the Darkling’s guidance and encouragement. Some readers may even notice that their romantic relationship arises at specific times: when she feels hopeless and displays her proficiency in Grisha’s magic. Evidently, at calculated moments, he shows interest in order to motivate or praise her.
After the truth emerges, along with his true colors, she escapes, only for him to hunt her like a sheep. He literally attempts to collar her to establish Alina as a vassal, forcefully compliant to his will. Yet, a lofty fraction of the fandom is dedicated to idolizing their romantic pairing. At its core, this story is about a man who, in this world, is more than five hundred years old, and a girl, only seventeen years old. And that is what the readers, and Alina, tend to forget when they get caught up in his generous and charming persona. He protects her from murderous Grisha-hunters, he favors her more than all of her other peers, he confides in her his goals of freeing his people (though we learn later that his means of doing so were far less than honorable). And the tension, the heated kisses that seemed to leave a trail of electricity over the lines on the page; the chemistry may have fooled us all.
That’s the point. Leigh Bardugo weaved her words so that we would fall for the Darkling’s pretty words and flirtatious gestures, giving the fans one of the most genuine understandings as a reader. Diving into this young adult fantasy novel, blind and naive, the readers fall in love along with Alina, inventing a near first-hand experience to the lure of manipulative older men. Thus, we also experience the betrayal that follows when we learn that all the sweet gestures and winsome guises were just a ploy. We were too distracted by the mask to try, even to want to try, uncovering the truth. Readers face the disgust, perhaps the uncertainty, the hesitancy, and the hope that somehow he might change, for her. But as one of the most realistic love stories in fantasy, we learn the true meaning behind the abuse of power and the consequences that follow.
The Dynamic
Alina was orphaned at a young age. Sickly and small, she grew to feel uncomfortable in her own skin. “Fitting in” was never her strong suit, and the boy she loved since childhood never displayed any hints that he may return the same feelings. Already, readers get a feel for how isolated she is, searching for some semblance of family. Suffice to say; the Darkling takes advantage of her naïveté. Knowing her background, the Darkling ensures she is pampered and prioritized. He makes her feel special when she was frequently neglected and belittled according to her prior living conditions. And then their romantic relationship blooms after her show of power.
Not only is he attracted to her after she demonstrated how much power she can wield, and thus how powerful she could make him, but he manipulated her romantic feelings, knowing she pines after her childhood friend. Keep in mind that this is only the plot of the first novel. Alina’s vulnerability made her an excellent target for the Darkling’s orchestrations, as well as a frighteningly realistic representation of the unhealthy dynamic in large age gaps that often coincide with imbalanced power.
The Tailor
Who doesn’t love the dark-haired, sarcastic, traumatized, morally grey love interest? But now that we’ve covered the cunning, and frankly, pedophilic tendencies of the character, portraying the duality of this ‘misunderstood’ villain, let’s take into account his other, irredeemable actions. Because as much as we may want to, we cannot ignore them. Genya Safin, Grisha, Tailor, and the Darkling’s spy under the King of Ravka. Her sass lights up the scenes between Alina and herself, befriending the girl as she arrives under Grisha’s protection. Unfortunately, though she sides with the Darkling’s methods, she is merely a victim of his cruel tactics.
When she was just a young girl (far younger than Alina was), the Darkling “gifted” Genya to the Queen; in reality, and as the Darkling knows, she was sexually abused by the King for years, only remaining there to gain his trust and a position close to the King. While not directly his fault, allowing this to occur could be considered worse wrongdoings than those against Alina. She was a child. There would be no absolution or justification for those kinds of crimes, even if they were considered strategic moves. Not that he searched for any forgiveness anyhow. Not that he held any qualms. Also, look at that fan art! Take a wild guess who mutilated her.
The Squaller
While not his worse offense, the Darkling wounded another young girl. By now, we know the Darkling utilizes his power and knowledge to his advantage, making use of these young girls for his own benefit. Before Alina’s arrival, the Darkling favored Zoya Nazyalensky for her prowess in her division of Grisha: Squaller. But, as he strives for power and expands his reign, he destroys numerous cities across Ravka, leaving them in ruin. One of which held Zoya’s relatives. Her loyalty proved useless in the face of the Darkling’s merciless endeavors. So much for being the teacher’s pet.
The Author
Abusive relationships are always a sensitive topic, especially in real-life scenarios. Leigh Bardugo herself has acknowledged her own struggles with these types of relationships. Though not confirmed, some readers speculate that the Darkling could have been based on her own experiences. And by developing his character to one that does these gruesome actions for somewhat justifiable reasons, Bardugo adds a well-rounded and realistic theme to her story.
In the rare case that, in fiction, the main character does not end up with the conventionally handsome, dark, brooding love interest, we as readers should respect the author’s purpose. Romanticizing Darkling’s actions, especially in real-life debates or situations, can harm young readers and real-life relationships. Although his intentions could be considered pure — to save his people — the execution of such counteracts this. However, readers are always allowed to stand by their own opinions, especially because they are fictional. But, by chance that you do, you may be the prime example of the dynamic of the cautionary tale.
Why Shadow And Bone Is An Essential Read
No matter how each reader maintains their opinions about the Darkling, one thing is certain: the underlying themes in Bardugo’s series are crucial, especially to young readers. Shadow and Bone is marketed towards and enjoyed by young adults, teens, adults, and everything in between, accruing an audience with a wide range of ages. That brings an important responsibility to the author of teaching these pivotal lessons to young ages. Rather than condoning the Darkling’s immorality, she ensures that his actions are accounted for.
Rather than romanticizing toxic relationships, which many young adult books fall towards, she stresses the absolute, intolerable, inexcusable qualities of his character. While each reader may interpret the characters and relationships in their own way, the author does a beautiful job of bringing to light solemn topics in an easy-to-understand medium. As a result, the series has accumulated a large fanbase — and growing — enabling a corresponding breadth of influence. And because literature can be extremely impactful, as readers often live vicariously through protagonists, the message that Shadow and Bone advocates is all the more powerful.