Two words: mind blown. The second season of Netflix’s Shadow and Bone premiered on March 16th, almost two years since its initial release. Expectations were high amongst fans who suffered this grueling wait, especially the loyal readers who hold author Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse close to their hearts. I am one of them.
So yes, on March 15th, I stayed up until midnight to catch the new season the very second it was available on Netflix, and I watched it straight through to the end until the sun rose that morning. And I have some thoughts.
I want to start by saying that though I will be comparing the books to the TV show, it’s important to remember that books and their screen adaptations are two entirely different things. This separation is something that devoted readers struggle with every time, but it is just the nature of the beast. The very fact that a story is being transformed from a written text to an audiovisual form will inherently entail changes to the plot and characters. Every single thing in a book simply can’t be preserved, and it shouldn’t be. Even though the story already has a book it’s based on, the adaptation should still be fresh and bring something new to the table.
Especially with the testy and unpredictable environment of streaming platform programs, TV shows have to be bigger and better every single season to ensure high viewership. There can’t be any filler seasons/episodes or dull moments anymore like the network television we think of from the early 2000s. If that show aims to get renewed, risks must be taken, and an impact has to be made. And in the case of this second season, the writers combined the last two books of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, most likely to create a more exciting plot, so obviously, things are going to be different.
If you couldn’t tell by now, the latest season of Shadow and Bone has got readers in a frenzy because of how far it strays from canon (the original content of the book). Discourse on social media, especially TikTok, is divided between fans who hated how different it was and those who appreciated the new plot. I am the latter. I personally really loved this season and thought it was really thrilling and enjoyable. They definitely delivered with the special effects, set design, and stunt scenes. The cast’s acting was phenomenal, and there was never a dull moment for the entire eight episodes. I’m also glad that this season wasn’t exactly like the books so that even the biggest fans could watch on the edge of their seats and be equally as surprised at all the turns it takes.
That concludes the spoiler-free section of this analysis, so if you haven’t watched Shadow and Bone yet, what are you doing? Go open Netflix right now! If you have, or don’t care about spoilers, let’s talk about it because there are lots to discuss. First, I’ll take a look at all the things I didn’t like.
Because there were so many plots, it was hard to keep track of them all. We’ve got Alina and Mal looking for Morozova’s amplifiers, Sturmhond and his crew tracking down the Sun Summoner, Kaz and the crows dealing with Pekka Rollins, the Darkling coming back from the Fold, Nina trying to get Matthias out of Hellgate, and so much more happening all at once. Not to mention just how fast-paced everything is in order to get through the two books the season is based on. Jumping from scene to scene definitely made my head spin; it was really confusing and overwhelming.
A lot of really good and meaningful scenes from Ruin and Rising, the third book in the trilogy, were notably absent because of the condensed plot. Yes, it is inevitable that many scenes would be cut, but without certain things, a lot of relationships and characterization have altered. For example, Zoya was sent off on a mission with the Crows in the show, so we missed the Alina-Zoya team-up that happens in the third book where they begrudgingly have to work together to find the amplifiers and defeat the Darkling. Overall, Zoya didn’t have nearly enough screen time as she should have. There was also no Misha (the young boy that Alina and Mal take under their wing)! The way they come together to take care of this kid who recently lost his parents to the Darkling helps ease the strain on their relationship as Alina is getting more powerful and determined to take down the Fold. It shows how deep their love for each other is.
Now onto the Crows. We knew that everything regarding the Crows this season would be very new because their canon plot occurs much later in the timeline. However, it was a lot more familiar than we had anticipated. There were a ton of scenes from Crooked Kingdom, the second book in the Six of Crows duology, so if we do get a spin-off, what will happen? Kaz’s faceoff with Pekka, where he says he’s buried his son alive and fakes the spread of a virus throughout Ketterdam, is a large part of the climax in the book. Why would they include that now? It wasn’t as impactful without seeing the whole Six of Crows arc and their ongoing battle with Pekka. It’s supposed to be Kaz’s show-stopping, final blow. However, I will admit it was effective at establishing how ruthless Kaz is.
I think the season also messed with the characterization of some of the Crows and their relationships. Specifically Inej, I don’t think they adequately showed the trauma she went through prior to her Crow life. She was kidnapped and sold into a brothel at 14, which is why she also struggles with physical touch, just like Kaz. The beautiful thing about Kaz and Inej’s relationship is that they both struggle with the demons of their past, and they both have to work to be together. I don’t like how the show portrayed it as if Inej is the only one in a good place of mind, and she is simply waiting for Kaz to meet her halfway. Inej and her story deserve better than to be glossed over like that. I can only hope that they will execute it better in future seasons or a potential Six of Crows spin-off.
And finally, let’s talk about the finale because that is where they completely lost me. For the most part, the deviations from the books weren’t anything too drastic and could easily be reasoned away in my mind, but the final episode just flipped the Grishaverse upside down. There’s a lot, so let’s go rapid-fire. First, Mal and Alina don’t get their happy ending together when they retire at their old orphanage and live a simple, quiet life. Instead, Mal is gifted Nikolai’s ship and goes off on adventures while Alina stays in Ravka. They will come back together when the time is right for them. Yeah, I hated that. Also, Alina staying to help rule Ravka was completely out of character, and this should be Zoya! She is Ravka’s rightful queen, and I won’t stand for anything else. I sincerely hope they don’t give Alina Zoya’s roles in the King of Scars duology for future seasons.
Next, Inej goes off with Mal and the twins! What? Inej, you’re supposed to be in Ketterdam with the Crows (and stop looking at her like that, Tolya)! And what finally did me over was the premature death of my dear, dear David Kostyk. Even though he eventually does meet his demise in the series, it’s not for quite a long time. He and Genya didn’t even get their wedding! They really couldn’t let Genya be happy for two seconds? I genuinely didn’t see this coming, and I sobbed hysterically when it happened.
Well, that was a lot of the bad, so let’s move on to the good (I promise there was still a lot). Again, I actually thoroughly enjoyed this season! I don’t think it’s as bad as some fans are making it out to be, and we should all just have an open mind.
First, the scenes with Nina and Matthias were absolutely heart-wrenching in the best way possible. With Matthias locked up in Hellgate and Nina trying desperately to find a way to break him out, they didn’t get too much screen time together, but the scenes they did have were beautifully done and really true to the books.
I think the writers and the actors did a great job of conveying the desire and connection they have for each other. We can see the internal battle Matthias faces about Nina and his Fjerdan values. These establishing scenes are very important to their future arcs in a Six of Crows spin-off, and I’m glad they executed them well.
Wylan and Jesper also were a highlight of the season! Though it did feel a little rushed, and their relationship developed in a very different way compared to the books, I loved their scenes together, and they added some sunshine to an otherwise very grim season. The last Six of Crows couple, Kaz and Inej, also had some amazing moments. Their final “without armor” scene was taken straight from the books, almost word for word, and I definitely cried seeing that brought to life. The slow burn is burning!
And even though I have some gripes about the final season and how it pretty much threw canon out the window, I’m excited that they finally set up the jurda parem plot which is the premise for Six of Crows! The Grishaverse has been waiting for this story for a long time, and seeing it all come together with the show’s characters and storylines was truly satisfying. We are so close to the Ice Heist!
I also really loved that they made Mal less of a jerk like he was in the Siege and Storm book. I myself am a Mal stan, and it’s been difficult trying to defend him from others who found him annoying and useless in the books. Mal definitely stepped it up and demonstrated to everyone just how much he loves Alina and that he would literally lay down his life for her. This also means no more romanticizing the Darkling! I’ve always been quite appalled by the fans who choose to ignore this man’s crimes and manipulative behavior, so I’m glad this season showed people exactly how far he would take things to get his way (including attacking innocent people, letting Genya be taken advantage of by the king, manipulating Alina, and so much more).
Finally, two words: Nikolai Lanstov. Fans were at first skeptical of Nikolai’s casting, but Paddy Gibson knocked the role out of the park. He perfectly portrayed Nikolai’s charm and wit. In fact, all of the new characters (Wylan, Tamar, and Tolya) were absolutely spot on. The casting director of Shadow and Bone stays winning every time.
So, despite my complaints (which are still very valid), I do believe this was a good season. I think we all just have to get over the shock that they strayed from the books and instead gave us new stories to enjoy. Is it the most faithful adaptation? No. Does it still capture the essence of the books? Yes. And I think that is the most important thing when it comes to page-to-screen adaptations.
We should appreciate this chance to bring our favorite stories to life, even if there might be some changes. That doesn’t mean the story you have in your head is any less valid. I’m just glad we got another season to show the world how amazing the Grishaverse is. And, I’m hoping that the show gets renewed for another season, so please watch the second season of Shadow and Bone if you haven’t (and watch it again if you have)! I promise it’s worth it!