Do you have to read Shadow and Bone before Six of Crows? Chronology explained

The decision of whether to read Shadow and Bone before Six of Crows is a frequent riddle for followers of Leigh Bardugo's gripping dark fantasy world. Known as the Grishaverse, it is made up of several interrelated series, each with its own bewitching stories and characters.

Six of Crows serves as the inaugural installment in the duology bearing the same name, while Shadow and Bone assume the role of the opening book within the Grisha Trilogy. While exploring the Grishaverse might be fascinating, it's important for fans to comprehend the sequence of events in order to fully immerse themselves in this enchanting fantasy world.

Disclaimer: This article will contain spoilers for the series and character fates mentioned therein. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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Shadow and Bone takes place in a different setting than Six of Crows

Owlcrate is doing collectors box sets. Vol. 1 is the initial trilogy. by u/clickreload in Grishaverse

The readers aren't required to read Shadow and Bone before diving into Six of Crows. Leigh Bardugo, a talented author, expertly developed the duology as a distinct series, taking place in a different setting with a fresh set of characters. While each of the series' stories does take place in the same fictional world, readers can choose to skip any one of them and still enjoy the others.

The Shadow and Bone trilogy tells the tale of Alina Starkov, a teenage orphan who is forcibly brought to the war-torn nation of Ravka and who later finds her latent abilities that can overcome the enigmatic Dark Fold.

Six of Crows' bustling city of Ketterdam is quite different from Shadow and Bone's Ravka background. The protagonist of Six of Crows is Kaz Brekker, a cunning and enigmatic burglar who assembles a band of fellow criminals for an exceptional heist.

Each character in the duology has a unique backstory, and their relationships with one another and their motivations are thoroughly explored. The duology's interesting setting is accessible to readers regardless of their familiarity with Shadow and Bone.

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Chronology of the Grishaverse

The Grishaverse (Image via Sportskeeda)

The Grishaverse's chronology must be understood in order to comprehend the suggested reading sequence. The novels are listed below in their respective order.

• Shadow and Bone
• Siege and Storm
• Ruin and Rising
• Six of Crows
• Crooked Kingdom
• King of Scars
• Rule of Wolves
• The Language of Thorns
• The Lives of Saints

In this reality, the Grisha Trilogy comes first, then the Six of Crows duology, and the King of Scars duology brings everything to a close. The Grisha Trilogy takes readers to Ravka, a country torn apart by conflict and mysterious forces. While the King of Scars duology revolves around well-known characters from both the first and second series, Six of Crows follows a gang of brave misfits in the busy city of Ketterdam.

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Significance of the Grishaverse

The landscape of Ravka (Image via Leigh Bardugo)

While it is possible to appreciate Six of Crows on its own, reading the Grishaverse series in sequence provides a richer and more complete experience. Beginning with Shadow and Bone will help readers gain a greater knowledge of the Grisha, the magical system, and the geopolitical setting of Ravka.

Fans are also exposed to important figures from the first series who appear or are mentioned in Six of Crows.

The Grishaverse provides a large and beautifully constructed environment for the readers to explore. Whatever series is chosen as the starting point, Leigh Bardugo's imaginative voyage is sure to be entertaining. It essentially boils down to personal taste whether to read the initial series first or the duology.