#the demon in the wood

[claudia-lioncourt]

“Your true name is written here. Tattooed on your heart. You don’t let just anyone read it.” — The Demon in the Wood

“I want you to know my name. The name I was given, not the title I took for myself. Will you have it, Alina?” — Ruin and Rising

[ladywith-thelog]

the pure, buttery color of sunlight — not really yellow or gold, what would you call it? all the colors you couldn't see in the dark

[darkolai-playlist]

Reading The Language of Thorns always makes me wonder about what how a world were Ulla and Aleksander had grown together would be like.

Beautiful, clever, prideful, loyal to the point of coming undone and resentful much more after. Same height, same black hair, sharp edges and dark eyes. Same sly smiles and alluring voices.

If you look back at their stories (The Demon In The Wood and When Water Sang Fire), you'll be able to notice how their biggest issue was how deeply lonely they were. Discriminated for being different, looking strange, being too powerful or being especial. Ulla and Aleksander never had a friend before Signy and Annika. They were used to being isolated, hearing whispers and gossip. They became cold and serious to drive away the longing they felt. Maybe if they were together, if they had another soul mirroring their sorrows and their desire... But could it be truly different?

I think it's interesting to notice how both Ulla and Aleksander were betrayed by their first friends, how it happened because them both let their guards down in order to save their friends lives (or protect something dear to them). I don't blame Signy and Annika. It's just like Baghra said, they were desperate children trying to survive a cruel world. With Aleksander's bones as an amplifier, Annika could have helped his family and find a steady place for them. By helping Rolfe to betray Ulla, Signy won a position no one could deny her, made a family of her own, became a queen.

The only difference in the end was that Baghra had trained her son to survive despite his heart and Ulla remember Aleksander's warning too little too late.

I don't know if Aleksander and Ulla would be satisfied with each other as their only company. Baghra was not kind, nor gentle. She abandoned most of her children, turned Aleksander into a living weapon meant to never be stopped by his own heart. Their lives wouldn't have been easier or prettier. Aleksander would have still sought war and he would have been dragged to all that mess.

Yet, maybe their loyalty would be to each other and not other desperate girls, looking to survive. Maybe it'd be worst, the Fold would be bigger, because their magic together would be terrible and beautiful. Maybe it'd be better, because its their extreme loneliness what took them too far.

All I know is that Aleksander cared for her. He was there when she was born. He went every summer to Sondermane to wait and see if she'd appear. He answered the questions she had, even answered the ones she couldn't ask. He warned her about princes, about how power could not buy love, he never pressured her, always spoke clear and true. He must have heard about her feat, her power, but he didn't seek her out after that. Even in the end, he didn't forced her, involved her in his plans.

Ulla found in herself the strength to survive what Rolfe and Signy did to her, but it was Aleksander's words what sparked that instinct:

We are not made to please princes.

Aleksander wanted someone as immortal as him by his side and Ulla wanted company, protection. Could have that work? I don't know, but that does not keep me from thinking about it.

[rainingriversofyou]

The Darkling - Shadow And Bone

“There will be, he promised in the darkness, new words written upon his heart. I will make one.”

—The Demon In The Wood

Artist: vinc_ry

[darkolaism]

no because why there're no words about aleksander actually creating a safe place for grisha and keeping them protected for the longest time and him experiencing trauma from being hunted and looked down not only by otkazat'sya but also grisha because shadow summoners are seen as abomination plus him being an amplifier? why there's only "survivor" added as if he's merely lived for 20 years having this lifestyle? why the "tyrant who tortures the ones who trust him the most" seem much more harsh and impactful than the previous survivor sentence? why "who trusts him the most" is about the protags™ who didn't lift their ass once to protect grishas and about the ones who we actually got the pov of? why not a word about grishas who he saved and cherished and who died not by druskelles, otkazat'sya or wasting sickness but by old age and natural death behind the safety of the little palace? lb should stop talking about him

also "if all would've been different" lmao grishas would've been hunted and prosecuted way more. someone else would step up for sure but when? centuries later?

[thesevenwondersofawitch]

Shadow and Bone Character Playlists

Alina Starkov:

The Darkling:

Darklina (The Darkling x Alina Starkov):

Mal x Alina:

( ^ A playlist dedicated to Baghra and Aleksandr Morozova)

Baghra:

Genya Safin:

Zoya Nazyanelsky:

Nikolai Lanstov:

Genya x David:

(Check reblogs for more Playlists)

[books-to-add-to-your-tbr]

Title: Shadow and Bone

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Series or standalone: series

Publication year: 2012

Genres: fiction, fantasy, romance, adventure

Blurb: Alina Starkov has never been good at anything, but when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life - a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha - the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha...and the secrets of her heart.

[jessread-s]

✩🌑🦌Review: 

I’ve read this short story before, but seeing it adapted into a graphic novel really deepened my appreciation for it! Dani Pendergast does a phenomenal job depicting the Darkling in his youth. The illustrations paired with Leigh Bardugo’s text allow readers to get a glimpse into his past and how it informs the decisions he makes in the “Shadow and Bone” trilogy. This added layer of understanding only contributes to the complexity of his character and makes you question whether or not he is the villain everyone makes him out to be. I loved every single page and could not recommend this one enough! 

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

[glitter50000]

— Baghra Morozova, The Demon in the Wood

[bastard-of-the-barrel]

After a long time of waiting, I've finally got it!

[pirateacademia]

Shadow and Bone short stories by Leigh Bardugo

The Tailor - a Genya short story (2013)

Lost Letter from Mal (2013)

The Demon in the Wood - a Darkling prequel short story (2014)

The Demon in the Wood Graphic Novel (2022)

[4lienat]

“Get a look into the past that forged a brutal and brilliant leader.”

WOW just finished reading Demon in the Wood, and my only complaint is that it’s so short!! I checked it out as an ebook and it said there was like a hundred pages; turns out more than half of that was because it includes a sample of Six of Crows… which ok but I was sitting there like this can’t be the end of the book! idk why I thought this was a legit Darkling prequel not just a short story 🥲

Would have loved to have some time skips to read about additional key events that lead up to who he becomes when he makes the fold.. or even events leading up to him serving royalty and/or right before the events of Shadow and Bone.

*sigh* I’m such a sucker for villains with tragic backstories (and Leigh Bardugo’s writing) LOL

edit: apparently there’s a graphic novel version that came out which expands on the story??? brb adding to my read list rn

[pigeoninabowl]

Oh you're a queer kid? what's your fav music artist? and don't say...

will wood

will wood and the tapeworms

Tally hall

Miracle musical

mitski

jackstuber

joe hawley

that handsome devil

chonny jash

tom leher

ghost and pals

maretu

6arelyhuman

odetari

penelope scott

rio romeo

cuarteto de nos

riki musso

santiago tavella

laufey

taylor swift

radiohead

marina

weezer

the beatles

tv girl

billie ellish

milk in the microwave

bo burnham

fish in a birdcage

toby fox

lemon demon

sarah and the safe word

asteria

artic monkeys

they might be giants

my chemical romance

green day

gorillaz

ado

melanie martinez

the strokes

evanecense

glass animals

soddiken

the scary jokes

whatever Your favorite martian was smoking

tyler, the creator

the crane wives

the living tombstone

cavetown

mindless self indulgance

the orion experience

hamilton (yeah ik its a musical)

heathers (yeah ik its a musical x2)

ride the cyclone (YEAH IK ITS A MUSICAL x3)

steam powered giraffe

kiuko (i dont remember how its spelled)

21 pilots

Sir Chloe

hazbin hotel soundtrack

paparrapa the rapper soundtrack

sonic soundtrack

or the omori soundtrack

edit: just to make clear that i don't know every queer band on existence

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

First night at Grunkle Ford's! Running away <3

Ford thought the twins were in danger or smth and busted clean through the door, this man has absolutely 0 chill 💀

[midnightlyquill]

The final page is simply perfection.

my favorite panels from the demon in the wood graphic novel:

1. baby aleksander being afraid of the dark when he’s a shadow summoner will never not make me cry

2. baghra is a literal hot queen and this is one of my favorite grishaverse quotes

3. the cute lil joy on his face when he’s summoning is my new favorite thing

4. i couldnt not include this because look at him

5. aleksander’s favorite color being sunlight is the purest thing and i always wish he had told alina that rip

6. crying part 1

7. crying part 2

8. this page is so gorgeous and heart wrenching at the same time

9. like calls to motherfucking like is such a good quote also and i’ll never get over it

10. showstopping amazing never been done before what a beautiful last page and just gorgeously done

[bbqangelwings]