The Gathering Dark Blog Tour: Interview with Leigh Bardugo

The international blog tour for The Gathering Dark (Shadow & Bone in the US) officially kicked off a few days ago. I'm thrilled to have the author, Leigh Bardugo, on the blog today for an interview.  

The Gathering Dark by Leigh Bardugo

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

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.

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Leigh Bardugo

Russia appears to have been a big influence in the creation of Ravka. What sort of research did you have to undertake to incorporate the Russian culture into Ravka? 

I read history, folklore, collected old atlases and art books, and acquired a shockingly filthy guide to Russian slang. A friend of mine translated Russian and Mongolian for me over Facebook and there's actually a very big Russian community here in LA. But the turning point probably came when I picked up Natasha’s Dance by Orlando Figes. You don't just get texture or historical detail from him, but a glimpse at the humor and fatalism and beauty at the heart of Russian culture. I think it really changed the way I approached the story.   

The Darkling is an interesting character, to say the least. What were you aiming for when you created him and how challenging was this? 

I think I wanted him to be the embodiment of all the dangerous characters who ever made my heart beat a little faster than the hero-- even when I should have known better. He's ruthless, but he always has what he considers good reason. His power is seductive, but it also isolates him. He's a bit of a rock star, I guess. I think the greatest challenge was keeping him human.  

On the off chance that you unleash a power that throws you head-first into the world of the Grisha, and, unlike Alina, you have the option of choosing your order, what type of Grisha would you choose to be? 

The Corporalki are the Order of the Living and the Dead. They are the highest ranked Grisha, the most valued soldiers, and they are divided into Healers and Heartrenders. I would definitely be a Heartrender. Not only could I quite literally crush an enemy's heart without ever lifting a finger, if someone got on my nerves I could just slow his pulse until he slipped into a temporary coma. Great way of dealing with irritating co-workers. 

If you were stuck in the Shadow Fold with one character from the book, who would it be and why? 

Well, Alina because I'd like to live. Short of that, I suppose I'd choose Genya. At least then I'd leave a pretty corpse.  

One of my favourite characters from the book is Mal. The friendship between him and Alina is a dynamic one with many possible routes. How easy was it to craft the scenes between the two of them? 

Once I understood Keramzin, the orphanage where Mal and Alina grew up, I understood the dynamic between them much better. It's a bond that no one else can really grasp, a past that both of them need to move beyond. It was important to me that their camaraderie felt real, that the history between them came through in their humor and the way they treated each other, so I hope I got it right.

US Cover

How is The Gathering Dark different from other 'high fantasy' books? 

1. It's not set in Medieval Europe. No broadswords, no helms, no flagons of ale. 2. I've always wondered what might happen if you brought a gun to a magic fight, so I did. In our world, the time period would be closest to the early 1800s, so think sabres and muskets. 3. I hope it's a bit more accessible than some of the heavier high fantasy out there, and that maybe it will serve as a gateway to exploring the genre for people who have steered clear of it before.

And finally, (for people who have read the book) if the Darkling offered you a kefta in the colour black, would you accept?

In a second. I have none of Alina's internal fortitude or sense of caution. Besides, I look smashing in black. 

A huge thank you to Leigh for the interview! If you would like to follow the tour, be sure to check out the full tour schedule here.