(An approach that has received criticism from readers regarding Bardugo’s consistently incorrect Russian grammar.) Premiere episode “A Searing Burst of Light” is a bit of a slog, and “Shadow and Bone” adds in new story elements in every ensuing hour in an approach that demands the same level of attention as “Game of Thrones.”Īnd yet: “Shadow and Bone” also knows when to rear back, and that restraint is one of its strongest assets, lessening the egregiousness of various narrative clichés. A dangerous location called the Fold, a villain called the Black Heretic, a hero called the Sun Summoner-dialogue all delivered by actors with British accents, although this entire world is influenced by the Russian culture and language. There are so many feuds! So many different types of magic, and so many different terms for the people who wield it! The main character is a cartographer, and seeing a map of this land consistently onscreen might have actually helped in piecing together all the interwoven details that “Shadow and Bone” just whizzes through! There is a tedious “Isn’t this all so different?” quality to how characters speak in “Shadow and Bone” that again, like so much of YA, is bogged down by world-building exposition. Viewers of the show who don’t have prior knowledge of its source material, Leigh Bardugo’s popular Grishaverse series, might feel overwhelmed by the many locations, the flowery vernacular, and the various cultures. “Shadow and Bone” doesn’t rely on surprise, but thrives on deliberation-flashbacks, breadcrumbs, and allusions that help support this dense world.Īnd to be true, it’s often too dense. Rather, Eric Heisserer’s adaptation transcends this familiarity thanks to the commitment of a pitch-perfect cast, well-stylized fight sequences, and intentional character development that makes these relationships feel nuanced and history-laden. These elements aren’t what make “Shadow and Bone” unique they’re clichés. There is a hero’s journey centered on self-confidence, and unspoken romantic feelings flying all which ways, and a nebulous evil that is destructive, sure, but also really about self-hate and fear. To expect anything different from Netflix’s “Shadow and Bone” would be an exercise in futility.
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