Leigh Bardugo Books

Leigh Bardugo is the bestselling author behind the Grishaverse. Not just a young adult literary phenomenon, it’s also a Netflix series named after the first book and Bardugo’s debut novel, Shadow and Bone. Across multiple series and mediums, the Grishaverse is a dark fantasy world set in nations that are both familiar and original. The story weaves between multiple characters and locations, which intersect in ways you may not be expecting. It’s a world of magic, monsters, love and darkness, spun across seven addictive novels and several companion books. Why not give the series a go?

The Grishaverse

If you want to get started with the Grishaverse, there’s no better way to begin than the Shadow and Bone Trilogy. These books follow Alina Starkov of Ravka, who discovers she is a Grisha, someone with the ability to manipulate the elements and use them as weapons. These books are described by Bardugo as Tsarpunk - fantasy set in a version of 19th century Tsarist Russia.

The next two books are known as the Six of Crows duology. Describes as Ocean’s 11 meets Game of Thrones, these books follow The Dregs, a group tasked with rescuing the inventor of a dangerous drug from a military stronghold to prevent it from being revealed to the world. These books are set in Ketterdam, inspired by 17th-18th century Amsterdam, and are a great left-turn on any expectations you had after reading the first trilogy.

The final books in the series - for now - are the King of Scars duology, which combines characters from the previous books and sets Ravka on the path to war. These books tie together many of the loose ends left throughout the series and bring it to a satisfying pause. However, Bardugo has “long term plans” for more books in the Grishaverse, so watch this space!

There are several companion books to keep you going in the meantime. The Language of Thorns brings together fairy tale retellings as they’re known in Ravka, perfect for crawling up in front of a fire with. There’s also The Lives of Saints, a book that exists in the Grishaverse and now in our own dimension. Finally, the short story “Demon in the Wood” is being adapted into a graphic novel, due for release in September 2022.

Other books

Bardugo has begun a new series for adults, following the character Alex Stern. These tales of murder and dark magic are set among the Ivy League elite, and began with Ninth House in 2019. The next book, Hell Bent, was published in January 2023. She’s also written Wonder Woman: Warbringer as both a novel and a graphic novel.

Leigh Bardugo Bibliography

The Grishaverse

The Shadow and Bone Trilogy: Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, Ruin and Rising

The Six of Crows Duology: Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom

The King of Scars Duology: King of Scars, Rule of Wolves

Other Grishaverse books: The Language of Thorns, The Lives of Saints,  Demon in the Wood (forthcoming)

Other books

Wonder Woman: Warbringer 

Alex Stern: Ninth House, Hell Bent