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Demon in the Wood Book Review

Superfans of the Grishaverse will delight in this visually stunning short story adaptation of the Darkling's origin story. Demon in the Wood spectacularly combines author Leigh Bardugo's storytelling with artist Dani Pendergast's spellbinding illustrations, creating a perfect companion to any fan's Grishaverse collection.

Leigh Bardugo is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House and the creator of the Grishaverse, which spans the Shadow and Bone trilogy (now a Netflix series), the Six of Crows duology, the King of Scars duology, The Language of Thorns, and The Lives of Saints—with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple anthologies, including The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. She lives in Los Angeles. You can find her online at leighbardugo.com. You can find more of my reviews of her work here. Dani Pendergast is a cartoonist and illustrator from Parkland, Florida, with a BFA and MFA from the Illustration program at Syracuse University. She's done work for Apple, Boom! Studios, Mondo Tees, and Wizards of the Coast, among others. She is currently based in Boston, Massachusetts. You can find her online at danipendergast.com. 

Before he led Ravka's Second Army, before he created the Fold, and long before he became the Darkling, he was just a lonely boy burdened by an extraordinary power. Eryk and his mother, Lena, ahve spent their lives on the run. But they will never find a safe haven. They are not only Grisha—they are the deadliest and rarest of their kind. Feared by those who wish to destroy them and hunted by those who would exploit their gifts, they must hide their true abilities wherever they go. But sometimes deadly secrets have a way of revealing themselves... Discover the start of a grand and sinister destiny in this must-have graphic-novel prequel to the blockbuster book series and international Netflix sensation Shadow and Bone from spectacular new talent Dani Pendergast and #1 New York Times bestseller Leigh Bardugo. 

Fans of the original trilogy will recognize the storyline of Demon in the Wood as the short story by the same name that accompanies the binding in the Shadow and Bone trilogy. This adaptation is truly visually stunning. While the story is the right amount of twisty, it is truly the illustrations by Pandergast that blew me away. There is something magical in the depiction of Grisha power, and something truly special in the way she is able to capture facial expressions so vividly. I felt like I was in the forest and in the lake with the characters while I read, making for a truly transportive experience.

The Darkling is a villain whose arc has captured everyone's attention, because no one can truly decide how villainous he is. While certainly not a good guy, his achievements for the Grisha cannot be discounted. With the TV show out, Ben Barnes's depiction of the Darkling is making everyone question his character again. I think this graphic novel's release is well-timed, and allows for fans of the show and the series to remember where the Darkling came from, and how far he has fallen. This prequel sets up something interesting, in the sense that the Darkling (more than any character) is now front of mind.

If you're like me and you love the Grishaverse, then I'm sure we're going to have more content soon related to season 2 of the TV show. But if you're just waiting for more book material, join the club! I do wonder if there could be more Dani Pendergast adaptations of Leigh's Grishaverse short stories... Of course, when anything by Leigh Bardugo releases, I'll be one of the first to read and review. In the meantime, you can find her online at leighbardugo.com. You can find more of my reviews of her work here.

*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*

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