Finding books like Shadow and Bone isn't just about finding another "chosen one" story. It’s about that specific, heavy atmosphere—the "Tsarpunk" aesthetic, the crushing weight of magical politics, and characters who are morally gray enough to make you uncomfortable but charismatic enough to make you root for them anyway. Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse changed the game because it felt lived-in. It felt old. When Alina Starkov first discovers her power, it isn’t just a cool trick; it’s a political death sentence.
Most recommendations you see online are lazy. They’ll point you toward any random YA fantasy with a love triangle, but that’s not what we’re doing here. If you’re chasing that feeling of the Fold—that sense of impending doom mixed with high-stakes heist energy—you need something with teeth.
Why We Are Obsessed With the Grishaverse (And What to Look for Next)
People often think they like Shadow and Bone because of the magic system. They’re wrong. You like it because of the power dynamics. You like it because the Darkling is a fascinating monster and because Kaz Brekker is a functional disaster. To find a true spiritual successor, we have to look for stories where the world-building is rooted in culture rather than just "magic exists."
Bardugo pulled from Russian folklore and 19th-century aesthetics. That’s the secret sauce. The following books hit those same notes: a blend of historical grit, high-stakes romance, and systems of power that feel genuinely oppressive.
The Unspoken Heir to the Throne: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
If the political maneuvering in Ravka was your favorite part, you need to read The Poppy War. Honestly, it’s darker. Much darker. While Shadow and Bone stays firmly in the Young Adult lane, R.F. Kuang takes the "orphan girl goes to military academy" trope and deconstructs it until it bleeds.
Rin is our protagonist, and like Alina, she’s a war orphan from a backwater province. She aces a test to get into the elite Sinegard Academy, but instead of finding a glittery world of magic, she finds a country on the brink of a genocidal war. The magic here isn’t about waving hands and making light; it’s about shamanism and making deals with gods who don't actually like humans.
Why it scratches the itch:
It handles the "military school" vibe of the Little Palace but replaces the luxury with brutal realism. If you wanted the Darkling to be even more terrifying and the consequences of power to be more permanent, this is your next stop. Just a heads up: check the content warnings. It’s inspired by the Second Sino-Japanese War, and it doesn't pull any punches.
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik: The Winter Aesthetic
Sometimes, what we’re really looking for in books like Shadow and Bone is the cold. That specific, biting Slavic winter feel. Naomi Novik is the master of this. Spinning Silver isn't a trilogy; it’s a standalone, but it packs more atmosphere into one book than most series do in five.
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It follows Miryem, a daughter of moneylenders who claims she can turn silver into gold. This isn't a metaphor, or at least, the Staryk—cold, fae-like creatures who live in the woods—don't take it as one. They want her to actually do it.
The prose is lyrical. It feels like a campfire story told in a hut while the wind howls outside. It captures that "old world" magic that Bardugo used so well with the Saints and the Grisha. There’s no "chosen one" here, just women using their wits to survive monsters who are much stronger than them.
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Let’s talk about Six of Crows for a second. If your favorite part of the Grishaverse was the "found family of criminals doing a heist" aspect, The Gilded Wolves is the closest you’re going to get.
Set in 1889 Paris, it’s basically a treasure hunt through an alternate history. Severin is the wealthy leader of a ragtag crew, and they’re trying to reclaim his inheritance. You have a mathematician, a historian, a plant expert, and a lot of dry wit.
The banter is top-tier. Honestly, the group dynamic is so close to the Dregs that you might find yourself comparing Zofia to Inej or Severin to Kaz. It’s more "steampunk" than Ravka, but the sense of a crew against the world is identical.
The Problem with "Standard" Fantasy Recommendations
A lot of lists will tell you to read A Court of Thorns and Roses. Look, Sarah J. Maas is great for what she does, but it’s a different vibe. Shadow and Bone is about the cost of war and the corruption of power. It’s gritty. It’s messy. When you’re searching for your next read, avoid the "fantasy romance" section if what you actually want is the "high-stakes political intrigue" section.
The nuance matters.
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Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
This one is a polarizing pick, but it fits the "Alina" archetype perfectly. Mare Barrow is a "Red"—a commoner in a world ruled by "Silvers" who have god-like superpowers. She discovers she has powers despite her blood, and she’s thrust into the royal court.
It’s fast. It’s loud. It’s very "Netflix-friendly." While it lacks some of the deep cultural layers that Bardugo brings to Ravka, it nails the "betrayal at every turn" feeling. You never know who to trust, which is the exact energy of the first few books in the Grishaverse.
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
This is one of the few series that matches the emotional stakes of the Grishaverse. It’s set in a world inspired by Ancient Rome, where a brutal Martial Empire rules over the Scholars.
You have two perspectives:
- Laia, a slave girl trying to save her brother.
- Elias, the Empire’s finest soldier who actually hates everything the Empire stands for.
The world-building is staggering. It’s violent, it’s romantic, and the magic is subtle until it suddenly isn't. The "augurs" in this world give off serious Apparat vibes—creepy, prophetic, and definitely playing their own game.
Don’t Sleep on These Deep Cuts
If you've already read the big hits, you might need to dig a little deeper into the indie or mid-list titles.
- Furyborn by Claire Legrand: Two timelines, two queens, and a lot of elemental magic. It’s epic in scale and doesn't shy away from the darker side of having "sun-summoner" level power.
- The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco: If you liked the "different orders of Grisha" concept, this magic system focuses on necromancy. It’s told in a dual timeline and has a beautiful, haunting quality to the writing.
- A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab: Multiple Londons. One is dying, one is thriving, and one is Grey. It’s about the only people who can travel between them. Kell, the protagonist, feels like a mix between a Grisha and a Crows character.
How to Choose Your Next Read
Finding books like Shadow and Bone depends on which "flavor" of the series you preferred. Use this mental checklist to narrow it down:
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If you loved the Grisha training and the Little Palace, go with The Poppy War or Vampyria (by Victor Dixen).
If you loved the Kaz Brekker heist energy, go with The Gilded Wolves or Lies of Locke Lamora.
If you loved the Slavic folklore and the Saints, go with Spinning Silver or The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden.
The "Bear and the Nightingale" is particularly special. It follows Vasya, a girl who can see the household spirits of old Russia just as Christianity is starting to push the old ways out. It’s moody. It’s freezing. It’s perfect.
The Nuance of "Morally Grey"
The Darkling worked because he wasn't just a villain; he was a leader who thought he was doing the right thing for his people. He was the "villain" of Alina's story but the "hero" of the Grisha's story for centuries.
When you look for similar books, look for antagonists with actual motivations. Avoid the "evil for the sake of being evil" trope. You want someone who makes you think, "I hate what you’re doing, but I kind of see why you’re doing it."
The Young Elites by Marie Lu is a fantastic example of this. The protagonist, Adelina, isn't exactly a hero. She’s traumatized, she’s angry, and her powers are fueled by fear and passion. Watching her descent is much more satisfying than watching a standard hero’s journey.
Actionable Next Steps for Grishaverse Fans
Don't just add twenty books to your TBR (To Be Read) pile and get overwhelmed. Start with one and see where it leads you.
- Identify your "Core Vibe": Do you want the cold atmosphere, the heist team, or the chosen one magic?
- Start with "The Bear and the Nightingale": If you want that Ravka feeling specifically, Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy is the most atmospheric transition you can make.
- Check out "Six of Crows" (If you haven't): It sounds obvious, but some people watch the show and only read the main trilogy. The Six of Crows duology is widely considered the superior part of the Grishaverse.
- Explore the "Slavic Fantasy" subgenre: Use terms like "Winternight," "Small Science," or "Tsarpunk" when searching library databases to find niche titles that haven't hit the mainstream yet.
The magic of Shadow and Bone wasn't just in the light Alina summoned; it was in the shadow that followed. The best books in this category understand that light is only interesting because of the darkness it has to fight. Go find a story that isn't afraid to get a little bit dark.