Book to TV Adaptation: Shadow and Bone

I’ve kept myself from watching Shadow and Bone on Netflix until I finished reading the whole Grishaverse. Now that I finally read Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo, I let myself get immersed in the show. Here are my initial thoughts ahead of season two coming out next week! Due to the nature of this post, there will be spoilers.

• Mal and Alina are much better in the show. I’m sorry, but they were so annoying in the books, but their adaptations are much more likable. Especially because Mal didn’t get all mad and jealous about the Darkling.
• Speaking of the Darkling, I didn’t like their adaptation of him. First of all, General Kirigan is a completley different character and I don’t like how they made that the Darkling’s identity. I much preferred how the books concealed his true past compared to the show. Also I hate that he was going to sleep with Alina! Talk about using your positon of power badly. I know he’s a villain, but does he have to be that villanous? That being said, his flashback made him seem much more sympathetic.

• Characters the show got perfect: all the Crows except Nina. Kit Young was perfect for the role of Jesper. Loved him so much! As for Nina, I am conflicted. I thought the actress did well, but I pictured Nina to be sassier as well as more plus-sized. Her counterpart, Matthias, was less annoying, though. And I understand better why she got him arrested!
• In the show, some of the Crows (Kaz, Inej, Jesper) go on a mission to kidnap Alina. This put them around a lot of the action and in the Fold. While this didn’t happen in the books, I appreciate how the show incorporated this. It brings a good set up for their ice court heist, maybe next season. But it’s also so weird that they’ve met Alina, Mal, and Zoya.

• Oh and Zoya. Not exactly how I pictured her, but if I’m being honest, it’s the fringe. I did not expect her to have bangs and that for some reson jarred me.
• Also, maybe I’m misremembering the events of the series, but I expected some of the other characters to have bigger parts: Genya had a fair amount, David could’ve been there more (he was adorable!), Maria, Nadia, Adrik, and some of the other characters could have been there a WHOLE lot more. Unless that’s more in the following books and subsequent seasons.

• The settings were exactly how I pictured them! Whoever was in charge of set and also costume design deserves an award for being able to bring things from the books to life.
• Looking ahead, I’m really excited (and nervous) to meet my the show adaptations of my favorite characters–Nikolai and Wylan! And of course can’t wait to see more of my love, Jesper.

If you’ve seen the show, I’d love to hear your thoughts!