Biography
A successful young adult fantasy author, Leigh Bardugo penned the Grishaverse novels, the first of which, Shadow And Bone, was adapted into a hit Netflix series.
Born in Jerusalem in 1975, Leigh was raised by her grandparents in Los Angeles. After graduating from Yale University in 1997 with a degree in English, she worked various jobs, including as a copywriter, journalist and in make-up and special effects.
In 2012, her debut novel, Shadow And Bone, was published; it was reviewed in the New York Times and was promptly optioned by DreamWorks. The next two books in the trilogy, Siege And Storm and Ruin And Rising, were published in 2013 and 2014, cementing Leigh Bardugo as one of the most popular and successful young adult fantasy authors of her generation.
As well as her novels set in the Grishaverse, including the Shadow And Bone trilogy, Six Of Crows and King Of Scars duologies, Leigh also writes short stories and essays, and in 2019 published Ninth House, her first novel for adults.
Greatly influenced and inspired by steampunk, 19th century Russia and authors such as Frank Herbert and Isaac Asimov, Leigh Bardugo is a skilled world-builder, creating beautifully unique societies full of mysterious lores, intricate hierarchies and magical elements. With complex yet relatable characters and fast-paced plotting, Leigh Bardugo’s novels are a compelling mix of fantasy and action with a strong female protagonist.
