So! Shadow and Bone came out - og book fans will know it depicts the story of the first instalment of the Shadow and Bone trilogy, along with new unseen prequel content for Six of Crows. Some things are intentionally shifted around, especially in terms of timeline and who meets who, but if I had to quickly summarise my thoughts: THAT WAS SO GOOD! Sorry in advance if this review is absolutely incomprehensible!!!
Part 1: Characters
Alina - making her more assuredly half-Shu seemed to work, though I can’t speak on the topic as I am a pasty bitch. Otherwise, Alina remained largely the same and I’m here for it - she was already a pretty interesting protagonist imo. Nothing but love for Jessie’s performance, I loved seeing Alina’s growing confidence though I wish there were more training scenes.
Mal - they made him so much more interesting. Archie brought a lot to the character, and even though seeing Mal get fucked up every episode was a tad repetitive, I think it made him far more sympathetic and actually showed us that awful suffering he mentioned in the first book. Seeing his close friends die was just an incredibly powerful scene, and Malina feels a lot stronger with Mal being a more rounded character.
The Darkling - just because I dislike Darklina doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the Darkling as a character. While I dislike that he revealed his true name so casually, that he and Alina seemed to fall for each other so quickly (I liked it better in the book because she had more training scenes, indicating more time had passed for their relationship to develop), and that they removed “the problem with wanting is that it makes us weak” line, I do enjoy Ben’s portrayal of the character. He was rendered a little pathetic by the Crows, but I do love the Crows so I’ll excuse it. Where his character really shined is with the flashback scenes and his interactions with Baghra. I’m very interested to see what they do with him next.
Kaz - a lot of people have said Kaz is a lot softer than we’re used to. I agree, but it makes sense. Kaz was that mean but well meaning leader at the start of Six of Crows - he was only made harsher as he was forced to confront his traumas, and go on a difficult heist. Also, I think it gives a bit of context to why he and Inej end up having feelings for each other. We know in the books that they worked closely together for a long time, but actually seeing those moments makes all the difference. Freddy did an amazing job showing Kaz’s rough exterior battling his inner demons.
Inej - amazing, 10/10, can’t applaud Amita enough. I’m not sure about the choice to give Inej a brother? It could cause more grief later but it’s another weirdly jarring difference from the book. However! Inej was done perfectly in the show in my opinion. We see her stealth, knife and acrobatic skills, we see her initial horror at taking her first kill (amazing scene) and her motivations and religious beliefs are not ignored in favour of pairing her off with Kaz immediately. I do wish they kept Kaz gifting her that knife instead of Alina though. I always wanted to see that scene.
Jesper - DID YOU MEAN STAR OF THE GOD DAMN SHOW? Normally a comedic relief character has me rolling my eyes, but it makes all the difference that Jesper actually has troubles and flaws and motivations and HILARIOUS DIALOGUE. I love him. Kit Young did such a good job, he played Jesper perfectly and I also love the foreshadowing of Wylan’s appearance! Love love love Jesper. A+. Also he is bisexual look at him go!!! Representation!!!
Others: NINA AND MATTHIAS ARE AMAZING!!! ENEMIES TO LOVERS A+ EVEN IF THE TIMELINE IS ALL WEIRD. David and Genya. My loves. Perfect. A+ as well. Nadia, amazing. Very gay. Not sure why they killed Marie off like that. Pekka is scary but why did they make him kinda hot? Milo is my hero. I would die for Fedyor. ZOYA?? That is not my Zoya. Why did they make her say something racist to Alina when she herself is mixed race. Zoya would never. But all the actors did a great job even if the characters were a little different.
Part 2: Plot
The rest of these parts should be shorter. So, the plot is mostly the same in terms of Shadow and Bone, but the stuff for the crows is all new and some parts of the story were changed to include them. While the crows on their own were amazing, I think the parts where they interacted with the Shadow and Bone cast felt forced and added some good moments at best, or actively damaged other characters at worst. For instance, Inej witnessing Alina was amazing. But Kaz outsmarting the Darkling, while it made sense, just lessened the Darkling as a threat. Otherwise I think everything was really good! The new Crows stuff was brilliant on its own, even if Nina and Matthias’ story was moved forward I still adored it, and Shadow and Bone stayed loyal enough to the books in terms of plot to remain engaging.
Part 3: Worldbuilding
My main concern about the show was how they would handle the language differences, but they did a great job. Like, they had Fjerdans speak in their own language, they made a new alphabet for Ravkan? I think they know what they’re doing. Seeing the Crows and the Shadow and Bone cast communicate in the same language didn’t really make sense but that’s just a nitpick.
Also, all the settings look amazing. Not much to say, they’re just great.
Part 4: Effects
Music, perfect, visuals, great (the volcras look amazing but Alina’s light power looked a little…fake), costume design and props, best I’ve ever seen. Enough said.
Part 5: Final thoughts
When a book is adapted into a show or film, I usually just assume that it will serve its purpose, maybe be a little frustrating or terrible at worst, and go. Shadow and Bone though, it adapts the books faithfully while still including worthwhile changes. It isn’t perfect, but it comes close. I imagine show-only watchers will like it a lot.
Alternative take: Jesper and Milo carried the whole thing. Goodbye.
I finished Rule of Wolves and it pains me to say it wasn’t that good. I had looked forward to it so much and even though I had concerns with the way KoS ended, I told myself it would all make sense once RoW came out.
Hahahahahahahhahahahaha.
I didn’t hate it. Mostly I was bored and a bit exhausted by the whole thing. Too many random plots. Too many appearances of other characters that were only there for fan service. Too many pov chapters. Not enough actual plot.
Also the Darkling didn’t need to return. His whole plot actually detracted from the main story because he didn’t even end up being the big bad. So it felt like she just brought him back to show Darklina shippers how bad he is. And I am far from a Darklina shipper, I find the ship ridiculous, but people can like what they like. An author shouldn’t bring a character back just to spite fans, and it’s so clear that’s what she did.
I got what I wanted from the book in the end at least with one ship, so I’m ready to accept that it wasn’t the book we deserved and move on.
I have definitely lost respect for LB though because this was chaotic and lazy.
Why is everyone talking about soc3 my anxiety CANNOT- “what if leigh pulls a no mourners, too many funerals and kaz is the only one left” or “what if kaz sacrifices himself for the others” or “what if wesper get separated” or “what if nina turns bad” or- Y'ALL NEED TO STOP MANIFESTING THIS SHIT
All the grishaverse, riordanverse, shadowhunter chronicles, throne of glass and marvel characters do be kinda fruity to me- anyways happy bisexual visibility day<33
I love it when characters say “Please don’t punch me for this” or “Live long enough to hate me for this” before kissing their love interest IT’S THE SUPERIOR ENEMIES TO LOVERS TROPE
This post will contain spoilers for the new Shadow and Bone show on Netflix
I have to say I absolutely loved the show and I think that it has been one of the better book to tv show adaptations so far. This is just going to be what I love about the show from character to character (sorry if it’s too long)
Alina: this show made me like her a lot more than I did in the books. I like that she was more willing to stand up for herself in the show. Yes, she was still weaker than other Grisha and she didn’t know what was going on in the Little Palace but she talked back whenever she could and made sassy remakes and I loved that about her.
Mal: I actually liked Mal in the books, not my favorite but didn’t hate him. I am in love with that man now! He was so sweet to Alina and was just trying to get back to her, his True North. I keep seeing post today saying that this show made people like Mal and in my opinion that probably had to do with that fact that we see what he’s doing while Alina is in the Little Palace. In the books we never see his POV and I think following what he was doing probably helped viewers sympathize with him. I wonder if people will still like him in future seasons because I think that when the “un likable” behavior happens more so it will be interesting to see if the attitude towards him will change or stay the same.
The Darkling: I never understood the people that wanted Alina with the Darkling solely based on the books because he is so mean to her, even though they have great chemistry but watching Ben Barnes play him made me understand the hype with this character. What the show did right was showing that the Darkling does, in his own way, care about Alina. Watching it, I believed that he had genuine feelings for her and it wasn’t just about using her and that made me like him more.
Kaz: I am in love with his twisted man! Out of the whole Grishaverse he is my favorite #2 favorite character and the show did great casting Freddie Carter in the role. Now I will say, Kaz seems “weaker” and not as ruthless as he does in the books. I think that’s, hopefully, going to be to show his growth, as he gets closer to his goal of Pekka Rollins I hope we see him became more and more like the Kaz in SoC.
Inej: the love of my life! I love how she is both so soft spoken but also so firm in her believes and what she wants for herself. And Amita is what I pictured Inej to look like, which I love. Like Kaz, I think later seasons (if we get more) will show her becoming more comfortable taking lives when necessary even if she hates it and I can’t wait to see how her relationships to both Kaz and Jesper develop.
Jesper: he stole the show!! He was so charming and witty and just so funny and I loved his energy, he was everything I wanted that character to be. Every time he used his guns my heart was so happy. His friendship with Inej is my new favorite thing and the whole thing with Milo was so cute! In conclusion, Jesper owns my heart
Other things I loved about the show: Nina and Matthias meeting and falling for each other was great to see and I loved that Nina “betrays” him to save him and not just to escape. I loved them both and I think the casting for them was great. I liked that Zoya switching sides as soon as she sees what the Darkling is doing and they didn’t make her a blind follower of his ( I know in the book she does the same but sometimes adaptations change characters and I didn’t want them to change her so I was happy) she could have been more snarky but I’ll give it a pass because she didn’t get a lot of screen time. I also really loved the pacing of the show. I hated how the antlers were fussed into Alina’s neck, it made me want to vomit and I’m glad they fixed that because I didn’t want to continue to look at that a whole second season.
Overall I loved the show and I want season 2 right now and I am going to rewatch it tonight
I didn’t spell check this so sorry for any awkward language and/ or spelling errors
drew this based on the @grishaversebigbang fic “Who’s scared of ghosts?” by the marvelous @gravity-lifts It’s Zoyalai but spooky Also go check out the beautiful artwork my fellow group members @jiangsziyas @generalstarkov have created!!
“Be safe,” Zoya whispered. Be safe. As if those words could cast some kind of spell. – She drew back, and Zoya was both horrified and touched to see tears in Genya’s amber eye.
Morning Doodle: “She knew the way they sighed over their poor king. He’s never been the same since the war, they whispered, swooning and dabbing their eyes whenever he was near. She couldn’t blame them. Nikolai was rich, handsome, and beset by a tragic past. Perfect daydream fodder.” (Leigh Bardugo King of Scars CH 7)
A/N: This is my first mini bang piece! I had so much fun writing this, and working with @kingdombrekker and @anubem was an absolute delight. Please check out their amazing art that goes along with this. Now without further ado….Howl’s Moving Castle! Zoyalai au
Summary: Nikolai is just a man with a boat repair shop. Well, he would say an incredibly good looking man with a boat repair shop. But nevertheless, he lived a simple life with dreams that reached higher than the clouds. One night–one successful card game–has his life turned upside down. And the only one who could make it alright was the infamous witch Zoya Nazyalensky and her odd moving castle.
It started out simply enough. A friendly wager between two strangers in dark and dusty rooms. On a night that whispered of magic and misfortune, Nikolai remembered only the warmth of drink and the sweet taste of chocolate still lingering in his mouth.
He probably should have called it a night as soon as most of his opponents had folded in their cards and bid him a dejected good night, but the stranger that had entered the bar looked so perfect for the taking. His glittering black clothes that spoke of the kind of wealth that corrupted men, the sharp looks he cast around the room as if he were the predator instead of the prey, and the slow smirk that prickled against Nikolai’s pride–it felt like the perfect storm.
For all of Nikolai’s supposed cleverness, he should have seen the scared looks of the other patrons of the bar. He should have paid closer attention to exactly what was making the rings on his hand dance with a light that did not belong to the dimly lit tavern. For a man who had grown up dreaming of meeting witches and wizards, he should have noticed the clear markings of one. Especially one who was so bad at cards.
“Interesting playing cards.” The stranger had mumbled. His pale fingers tracing the intricate patterns of his deck.
“Thank you kindly,” Nikolai had grinned. They were magic proofed. He had bought them from a travelling merchant just this morning. The woman who had sold them to him had even guaranteed that these cards would make even the dirtiest cheat honest.
“It’s hard to come by this very fine bit of magic.” He murmured as Nikolai dealt another hand. “Pray tell, how did a man such as yourself come by these?”
Nikolai hummed as he looked at his cards then placed his family’s ring to the pile of small treasures that contained most of Nikolai’s money and his opponent’s multitude of shiny trinkets.
“I’m not one to be divulging my own secrets to strangers,” Nikolai smirked as he settled his cards. “However, if you win, my dear sir, I might be persuaded to say.”
His opponent didn’t smile in return. His black beetle eyes simply studied Nikolai intensely before glancing briefly at his own cards.
Wordlessly, the stranger flipped his cards and Nikolai’s smile could only widen when he presented his winning hand.
“Better luck next time, I’m afraid.”
The man tapped his knuckles frantically as Nikolai started to shove his earnings in his bag. It was late and he had stayed way past his curfew as it is. If he hurried, he could catch a few more hours of sleep before he had to wake up with the tide tomorrow.
“Well, that would certainly teach me to play with someone with more talent than I,” The stranger finally said as Nikolai began to leave. He offered a hand, “Good game, Nikolai.”
Nikolai shook it and felt a sharp snap go through his body.
He had exited the tavern whistling softly. The night air was cool and the road was empty as he made his way home–never pausing to wonder how the stranger had learned his name.
but zoya looked back anyway, hoping for one last glimpse of her aunt waving through those towering gates. the trees had crowded the path. if liliyana was still there, zoya could not see her.
