Netflix’s Shadow and Bone Is a Pitch-Perfect Addition to the World of Book-to-Screen Adaptations

Shadow and Bone is the latest offering in a run of adaptations of book series by streaming services. The show’s announcement in 2019 inspired excitement and impatience in fans of the books and curiosity among those new to the story. I’ve been waiting with bated breath ever since I learned it was coming out; I couldn’t wait to see what Netflix’s treatment of Leigh Bardugo’s books would look like, and the author’s increasingly enthusiastic Instagram posts about the forthcoming show moved the needle from cautious optimism into the realm of outright hyped-up anticipation.

Mal and Alina share a moment of friendly banter. David Appleby/Netflix

Book lovers have been burned countless times before when it comes to film adaptations of beloved works—but recently, we’ve seen a shift as welcome as it was long awaited. Thanks to shows like Game of Thrones and Outlander, TV and streaming platform series have not only proven to be a viable option for book-to-film adaptations; they’re on their way to becoming the predominant format for them. It’s because of this shift that I had higher hopes for the Shadow and Bone Netflix series than for many others like it. Whether it’s due to higher budgets, more fan involvement through social media, creators finding more successful formulas over time, or some combination thereof, there are more and more great adaptations out there. When Shadow and Bone released on April 23, 2021, I was thrilled to find that it not only holds its own among their ranks but is among the best of the best.

Shadow and Bone is set in a fantasy realm made up of several turbulent countries. Much of the story takes place in Ravka, an Imperial Russia–inspired country whose greatest threat is the Fold, a huge swath of perpetual darkness that splits the country in two. Nothing can grow in the Fold, and it’s filled with monsters called Volcra that terrorize anyone who dares to attempt a crossing. Ravkans fight back against the Fold (and the threat of their neighboring countries) with the First Army, made up of ordinary soldiers, and the Second Army, composed of fighters known as Grisha, whose powers allow them to manipulate objects or the elements. Some Grisha can even harm, heal, or alter the human body.

General Kirigan, commander of the Second Army. Courtesy of Netflix

This story has many heroes, but foremost is Alina Starkov, a young girl whose orphan past and foot-soldier present belie the enormous role she will play in Ravka’s future. In a Fold crossing gone wrong, it’s discovered that she possesses the legendarily rare power to summon the light of the sun. Her power could spell the end of the Fold—but Alina barely knows how to use it, and obliterating the darkness will take unfathomable strength. Not to mention she’s suddenly a target for anyone who might seek to use her powers for their own gain. Her friends both old and new, along with the compelling General Kirigan, commander of the Second Army, will be crucial in Alina’s journey to defeat the Fold. But will she manage to do it before all the forces standing against her take her down?

One of the more interesting—and, in my opinion, smart—choices the creators made when writing this adaptation was to combine the storylines of Leigh Bardugo’s original Grishaverse trilogy with her Six of Crows duology, which is set in the same realm but takes place in a different country, three years after the original series concludes. At first I was skeptical about how well this would work, since the two series have massively different tones, but I was very pleasantly surprised about how nicely everything fit together. Having read the books, I could easily see the seams from the two stories being woven together, but it was done so deftly I that didn’t mind.

And I have to admit that one main reason I think it was wise to structure the show that way is purely a greedy one. In my opinion, Six of Crows is the better series of the two, and it’s apparent when reading it that Bardugo had gained more experience and a better feel for the world she had created by the time she wrote it. But we arguably need the Shadow and Bone trilogy first in order for the Grishaverse to be fully developed and for audiences to grasp its huge scope. And since Netflix shows getting renewed for each new season is often a dicey proposition even when a series is well received, I would have supported the combination of the two storylines even if the result had been half as clever and successful as it was. To put it bluntly, I love the Six of Crows characters even more than those of the original series, and I would far rather have them in a vastly updated setting than not at all. Overall, the combining of the two storylines just makes sense for bringing a fully realized story to a new audience in a way that isn’t as risky and that still satisfies fans of the books.

Alina trains to strengthen her newfound powers as the Sun Summoner. Courtesy of Netflix

As with any adaptation, there were many more changes to the original storyline, but in nearly all cases, I found it easy to understand why they were made. I could almost feel the showrunners winking at the readers every step of the way, as if to say, Yes, we know this part is different, but bear with us—we think you’re gonna like it. And personally, I can count on one hand the number of changes I thought were arbitrary or unnecessary, and I could forgive those both because of the logic I could see behind the other alterations and because of the sheer level of detail and attention that clearly went into every aspect of the show.

Beyond the tight storytelling and clever plot weaving, another feature that has to be mentioned is the overall look of the show and its characters along with the actors’ portrayals. Even from the earliest promo images and trailers, I could tell these were going to be good, but the series managed to exceed my loftiest expectations. Readers are very familiar with the desire to see the world they imagined being represented flawlessly onscreen while knowing full well that’s not possible. Well, Shadow and Bone may not be perfect in that regard, but it’s as close as I could ever expect an adaptation to come. The majority of the cast members, the settings, and the trappings of the Grishaverse were represented almost exactly the way I had imagined them, and in the majority of cases, any differences were improvements. I’m still in shock, honestly. I was blown away by how well the show creators built the world and the characters, down to the tiniest details. Everywhere you look, there are nods to the books that readers will recognize instantly and that add to the richness of the story for people who are new to it. The characters are just as likeable as they were in the books, if not more, and I can’t imagine a better cast than the one we got. Some are particularly spot-on—a couple of my fellow fans and I have talked at length about how actor Kit Young might as well be Jesper Fahey with how well he embodied the role. I think I speak for many viewers when I say that I’m hoping to see all the newcomer actors from the show in many more shows and films in the future.

No mourners, no funerals. David Appleby/Netflix

And last but most definitely not least, I have to mention one more key aspect that makes this show so great: it’s one of the best examples of thoughtful representation of diverse identities I’ve ever seen. A show or movie that achieves true representation on this level, and not just tokenism or baiting or any of the other kinds of misguided attempts the entertainment industry is rife with, is still so maddeningly rare, but Shadow and Bone manages it with grace and care. It doesn’t do it perfectly; there will always be room for improvement in that regard. And it’s also important to note that one of the recurring plot devices throughout the show is the discrimination Alina faces as a person of Shu heritage (Shu Han being the Grishaverse country that takes inspiration from East Asia). While this aspect serves to highlight the impact of discrimination similar to what people in the real world experience, it has the potential to hit too close to home for some viewers.

That said, the diversity in this show overall feels like a very welcome step in the right direction that has been much too long coming. It was so exciting to see it take source material that is already pretty diverse (Six of Crows especially) and make it even more reflective of the diversity that exists in the real world. To see multiple characters of color (including the protagonist, who also has far more agency than Book Alina ever did) and characters who are diverse in sexuality, disability, neurodivergence, and body type represented in a story and setting like that of Shadow and Bone was so refreshing and encouraging. I very much hope that future movies and shows will keep on building on this series’ momentum.

Nina and Matthias contemplate their next move. Attila Szvacsek/Netflix

In short: Shadow and Bone is the type of series that shows us just how great an adaptation can be, and it gives me hope that shows that follow it will keep upping the ante in terms of the inclusivity, attention to detail, wit, and just plain awesomeness this series has in spades. Even if you’re only slightly interested in young adult fiction, fantasy, magical stories, and the like, I strongly encourage you to give this show a try. And once you have, you can join me and other fans both old and new hoping fervently for a second season.