If you've been anywhere near the internet in the last few months, you’ve probably seen mention of Shadow and Bone, the new fantasy series that began streaming on Netflix in April 2021. The series is adapted from the Grishaverse created by author Leigh Bardugo, and stars Ben Barnes, Jessie Mei Li, Freddy Carter, and Archie Renaux. It has received lots of positive reviews from critics and fans, and after announcing that 55 million households had watched the first season in its first 28 days of streaming availability, Netflix renewed the show for a second season.
If you're reading a post called "Shadow and Bone, Explained," it probably means that you're new to the Grishaverse and have a lot of questions. (For starters, "What the heck is the Grishaverse?”) Or maybe, you've already listened to and love the novels and want to know more about the Shadow and Bone series on Netflix. Is it similar? What have they changed? Don't worry, Darklings—no matter what reason you're here, we have answers for you! (Just a quick note of warning: spoilers for the show and book series lie ahead, so proceed with caution!)
To kick things off, a little bit about the books:
It all started with the release of Shadow and Bone in June of 2012. This young adult fantasy novel, the first in a trilogy, was also Leigh Bardugo's debut novel. What a way to start a career! It was followed by Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising, the second and third books in the trilogy. Later came the release of the Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom duology, which are set in the same world as the trilogy, followed by the standalone short story collection, The Language of Thorns, and then the King of Scars and Rule of Wolves duology, which features characters from both the original trilogy and Six of Crows. The books are full of magic and adventure and complicated and exciting relationships. They have amassed a huge fandom, and the announcement of a series adaptation in 2019 was met with great rejoicing.
So, what’s Shadow and Bone about?
Shadow and Bone is a fantasy novel, in which monsters are real and so are Grisha, people who possess the ability to control the elements, such as summoning wind or fire. People without these powers are known as Otkazat'sya. Alina Starkov is a young woman who grew up in an orphanage with Malyen "Mal" Oretsev. While out one day crossing the Unsea (also known as the Fold) on an expedition, Alina summons Grisha powers while rescuing Mal. She is whisked away to the Little Palace by the Darkling, the leader of the Grisha. He wants her to learn to control her power, but also to keep her out of enemy hands, because she is a Sun Summoner, which is a rare, powerful gift. Alina trains alongside other Grisha, who mostly treat her like an outsider, and she is also confused by her developing feelings for the Darkling.
But then Alina's tutor reveals the Darkling's true intentions: He hopes to enslave Alina and use her power to take control of the world. Alina flees and is eventually reunited with Mal, who is also revealed to have a gift for tracking. He joins her in her journey, and the two discover they have feelings for one another. They also learn that there is a magic stag whose antlers would make Alina even more powerful. She cannot bring herself to kill the stag. Before long, the Darkling finds them and kills the animal himself, enslaving Alina.
The Darkling brings Alina back with him on a ship voyage across the Unsea, using the stag antlers to force her to cause much destruction along the way. He also throws Mal overboard to the monsters. But Alina realizes that, because she spared the stag, its magic is not all encompassing, and she manages to defy the Darkling and rescue Mal. The very last part of the book sees Alina and Mal running away together from the Darkling.
Where is Shadow and Bone set?
Shadow and Bone is set in a world inspired by early 19th-century Russia; Bardugo calls its genre "Tsarpunk.” It takes place partly in a war-torn country that includes Ravka, which is ruled over by a king, but the Darkling has a great influence as well. Ravka is protected by the First Army of Otkazat'sya soldiers, and the Second Army of trained Grisha. It is home to Unsea (also called the Fold), a barren strip of land enshrouded in shadow and populated by monsters called volcra. Hundreds of years ago, Otkazat'sya hunted the Grisha because of their powers, but now they work together to try and destroy the Fold. It is later revealed that the Darkling created the Fold many centuries before, and only a Sun Summoner can rid the world of it. But the Darkling would rather use it to rule over the land.
The series adaptation is also partly set in the trade city of Ketterdam, where the characters taken from the Six of Crows duology are hired to cross the Fold, kidnap the Sun Summoner, and bring her back. There is also another subplot involving spy Nina Zenik, a Grisha, who is kidnapped by Fjerdan witch hunter Matthias Helvar to be brought back to Fjerda for trial, but their journey is interrupted by various disasters.
Is the Shadow and Bone streaming adaptation similar to the book?
The first season of Shadow and Bone is comprised of eight episodes. Though it does follow the basic premise of the first book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy, there are some differences, and the series also features an original storyline that includes characters from the Six of Crows duology.
The Six of Crows duology focuses on a band of criminals led by Kaz Brekker, who pull off a heist. They take place two years after the events of the original trilogy, and don't really spoil anything from Alina's story, so you could totally read Six of Crows before Shadow and Bone.
In addition to the inclusion of Six of Crows characters, there are more differences between the show and the series. (Spoilers for the show ahead!) The Darkling mostly goes by General Kirigan, and his true identity as the Darkling is a major reveal in the show. The show also does right by Alina, making her a stronger character, as well as portraying her as half-Shu, or mixed-raced Asian, which makes Alina feel even more like an outsider. Beyond her powers and the Darkling, she has to deal with racism throughout the show.
Alina's relationships with Mal and the Darkling are also deeper and more complicated on the show. Viewers get a lot more of Mal and his friendship with Alina, and they have more of a friends-to-potential-lovers story (okay, more like friends-to-realizing-they-are-soulmates), while the Darkling considers Alina more of an equal who is meant to be by his side. Alina also gets a more empowering story about breaking free of the stag's antlers on the show, making it not about doing it to save the friend she loves but about coming into her own. The Netflix series has taken Bardugo's story and added more diversity and queer characters, fleshing out the backstory for many of them. The second season will follow the story of Siege and Storm, the second novel in the Shadow and Bone trilogy, while also continuing with the characters from Six of Crows.
Who are the main characters in Shadow and Bone? (Characters with an asterisk next to their name are from the Six of Crows duology but also appear in the first season of Shadow and Bone.)
Alina Starkov: An orphan of the Border Wars who discovers she's Grisha; she is the Sun Summoner and a saint.
Malyen 'Mal' Oretsev: A fellow orphan of the Border Wars, Mal is Alina's best friend and a tracker for the First Army.
General Kirigan: A.K.A. the Darkling, the leader of the Grisha Second Army, a Shadow Summoner, and secretly the immortal Black Heretic, responsible for the Fold.
Kaz Brekker*: A master thief and leader of the Crows, known as the Bastard of the Barrel.
Inej Ghafa*: A knife-wielding spy and member of the Crows.
Jesper Fahey*: A sharpshooter, gambling addict, and member of the Crows.
Nina Zenik: A Grisha Heartrender and former soldier of the Ravkan Second Army, she is captured by witch hunter Matthias Helvar.
Matthias Helvar: A Fjerdan soldier and drüskelle (witch hunter) who kidnaps Nina to bring her to trial in Fjerda.
Zoya Nazyalensky: A Grisha Squaller with the ability to summon wind, Zoya greatly admires the Darkling and is jealous of Alina when she comes to the Little Palace.
What is the Grishaverse?
The Grishaverse is the name for the shared universe that encompasses the multiple series involving Grishas. To date it is the Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising trilogy; the Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom duology; the standalone short story collection The Language of Thorns; and the King of Scars and Rule of Wolves duology. There is also The Lives of Saints, replica of The Lives of Saints, the Istorii Sankt’ya, featuring tales of saints taken from the novels and beyond. The whole series is available in audio, exclusively on Audible.
