Leigh Bardugo is the well-known author of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Six of Crows duology, King of Scars duology, Ninth House, Wonder Woman: Warbringer, and more. And now, with The Lives of Saints, Bardugo has added another striking instalment to the Grishaverse—a beautifully crafted, diverse world featuring a blend of magic, science, politics, different religions and culture, and more. The Lives of Saints is the ultimate ode to Bardugo’s love of folklore and fairy tale. Pairing up with artist Daniel J. Zollinger, Bardugo finally shares the origin stories of the saints mentioned throughout the Grishaverse with beautifully crafted prose and brutal honesty. The full-page colour illustrations depicting each saint in their own story makes this a must-have for fans of the best-selling author.
The Lives of Saints features Bardugo in her element—it’s her answer to the modern-day fairy tale. The author explores well-known story beats while also adding her own personal grimdark style. We see the familiar story of the devout being saved by a merciful saint while the faithless are left to die. Alternatively, we also bear witness to an unwed woman who independently saves herself from a villain disguised as a do-gooder. There are stories filled with ironic sacrifice and pain, while also tales full of humour, daring, and hope. Each saint’s story adds to the overall whole of the novel, creating the impression of culture and history, while also imprinting certain principles on the reader.
And if you’re thinking the title of this book sounds familiar, then you’d be correct—Bardugo has teased its existence in one of her earlier novels. The Lives of Saints is quite literally plucked from the pages of Shadow and Bone, being described as a small, red leatherbound book, ‘each chapter be[ginning] with a full-page illustration, beautifully rendered in brightly coloured inks’, making it the ultimate companion guide (Shadow and Bone, Leigh Bardugo).
Simply put, this compilation of stories feels like it’s for the forgotten, and for those of pure intentions. It portrays humanity in all its different aspects, from the good, the bad, and the ill-advised, while also proving a useful companion when reading any of the novels set within the Grishaverse.
The Lives of Saints is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Are you intrigued to find out more about the saints from the Grishaverse? Let us know in the comments!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Enter the world of the Grishaverse and Shadow and Bone, soon to be a Netflix original series!
Dive into the epic world of international bestselling author Leigh Bardugo with this beautifully illustrated replica of The Lives of Saints, the Istorii Sankt’ya, featuring tales of saints drawn from the beloved novels and beyond. Out of the pages of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, from the hands of Alina Starkov to yours, the Istorii Sankt’ya is a magical keepsake from the Grishaverse.
These tales include miracles and martyrdoms from familiar saints like Sankta Lizabeta of the Roses and Sankt Ilya in Chains, to the strange and obscure stories of Sankta Ursula, Sankta Maradi, and the Starless Saint.
This beautiful collection includes stunning full-color illustrations of each story
