Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Review by Anar M., Youth Reviewer
The second season of Netflix’s “Shadow and Bone” TV series came out recently, and I really enjoyed it. The two book series it draws from—Leigh Bardugo’s “Grisha Trilogy” and her “Six of Crows” duology—are among my favourites. As a general rule, the show does an admirable job of combining the two plotlines and characters.
The two book series are set in the same world, but a few years apart and with almost entirely different characters. In the show, we see the main plot of the “Grisha Trilogy” with “Six of Crows” characters appearing in roles they did not play in the books. While a few plot elements from the “Six of Crows” duology are borrowed in the show, the main plot of “Six of Crows” will (hopefully) follow in a third season or a “Six of Crows” spinoff.
As an avid book fan, I do take issue with a few elements of the show. Alina Starkov, the main character in the “Grisha Trilogy”, is given a different ending than she received in the books. This in my opinion makes her character less interesting. Many of the characters from “Six of Crows” seem to go through their entire character arcs from the “Six of Crows” duology, which feels a bit rushed and leaves me wondering what they will do in a potential sequel.
But in general, the show is absolutely fantastic. The “Six of Crows” characters are brought into the story when they’re hired by Alina to find and steal a specific sword. Although none of that plotline appears in the books, I enjoyed it immensely. The Crows are perfectly in-character; we learn about several of their backstories; and finding the sword is an interesting addition to the “Grisha Trilogy” plotline. I also have high hopes for a potential “Six of Crows” spin-off that follows the main plot of the “Six of Crows” duology—but the show won’t be renewed for that spin-off unless it’s popular enough, so go watch it!