‘Shadow and Bone’ sets higher standards for book adaptations
After a week since its release on Netflix, “Shadow and Bone” has entered the list of top ten shows to spend the most consecutive days at the No. 1 trending spot. This set an incredible precedent for fantasy book adaptations, which have a reputation for being trash compared to their source material, so we must thank the big names at Netflix for letting Leigh Bardugo, author of “Shadow and Bone,” serve as executive producer for the show.
Nine out of ten times, directors and showrunners won’t involve the authors in the adaptation process. Instead, they abuse the material in ways that ruin the story, the characters, and all hopes for fantasy books to make it into the screen. But “Shadow and Bone” proved that quality adaptations are still possible.
When I first heard Netflix wanted to adapt both the “Grisha trilogy” and “Six of Crows” in the same show, I feared it would be a hot mess and completely unwatchable. This is mostly due to the fact that, in my opinion, the characters of Alina, Mal and the Darkling, weren’t that interesting in the books compared to the Crows. Some people love the trilogy, but I did not enjoy it as much as the “Six of Crows” duology.
Surprisingly, the adaptation made me fall in love with … everyone.
I don’t know who the casting director was, but they deserve a raise. Every single actor portrayed the characters with as much life as they had in the books, and the best part is, the actors took the time to read the books and understand the story. They even have a good relationship with Bardugo and each other. Since I binge-watched the whole thing in two days, I had to search for cast interviews to ease that post-season-finale hangover, and now I have a serious obsession with Amita Suman, who plays Inej Ghafa, and Freddy Carter, who plays Kaz Brekker. The actors were so perfect that even the author got emotional when she met them on set.
But how else did the adaptation succeed? For starters, the new storyline provided readers with brand new content that kept them excited and guessing after every episode how things would tie in together. The idea to have the Crows kidnap Alina instead of developing the heist in Fjerda was the perfect solution. Plus, we got to see Ben Barnes and Freddy Carter in the same scenes.
On top of that, the set and costume designers brought the entire project to life. The atmosphere of Ravka matched what I imagined in my head as I read the books, drawing inspiration from traditional Russian architecture and lifestyle, along with phenomenal costumes that matched Bardugo’s descriptions. Even though we only got a few glimpses of Ketterdam, I perceived the crime underworld vibe that the books created. This completely immersive experience was also elevated by small details such as Kaz’s cane, the patterns on the Keftas, Inej’s guns, and the Ravkan version of book one. Oh, and we can’t forget about Sankt Milo, the world’s favorite goat.
Another remarkable detail of the cast is how they all did their own stunts. Kit Young, who plays Jesper Fahey, spent months learning how to do tricks with pistols. Amita Suman honored Inej’s skills with the knives and the ropes, while Freddy Carter learned how to fight with a cane, and both Jessie Mei Li and Archie Renaux (Alina and Mal) had their first mixed martial arts training in their acting career.
The season finale was an ideal wrap-up of the main storyline but still left much to develop. In other words, it teased the potential of season two. It is up to Netflix to decided if that’s going to happen, but based on the current ratings and the excessive hype from the audience, it’s safe to assume that the Crows will return for another season.