Shadow and Bone – Review
This post will be about the television series as I have not read the books. When it comes to fantasy stories, there are only limited combinations of elements. Most often they draw on aspects of our own history, usually Medieval or older.
I watched the Shadow and Bone series and I was drawn to it because it takes a fresh look at fantasy. While not about our world, it includes cultures drawn from our world. But instead of drawing upon the ancient world, it looks to the nineteenth century.
Much of the story takes place in a nation called Ravka that is very much like nineteenth century Russia, from the names to the technology to the uniforms. But this is not our Russia, it is a world of both human technology and superhuman powers.
In this world, there are some people with special abilities called the Grisha. Think of the mutants of the Marvel comics. The main difference is that there are a limited selection of powers and so only a few categories.
Also in this world is something called the Fold, a huge barrier made of shadow that is inhabited by terrible monsters and which splits one of the nations into west and east.
This all sounds somewhat confusing and it is at first. I suspect it makes more sense if one has read the books first. But it is a show worth watching.
The world that is created in this series is such an interesting take on the genre with its mix of the familiar and the unfamiliar. And ultimately it is a story about relationships.
It includes a number of different plots the heaven and out of each other, often intersecting but sometimes going their own way.
The main characters are Alina and Mal, two young people who have known each other since childhood are serving in the Ravka First (non-Grisha) army. Alina discovers she is a Grisha and perhaps the most important Grisha in the world.
I won’t summarize what happens to them but it kept my interest. There were plenty of plot twists that took the story in unexpected directions. Sadly, there are only two seasons as the series was cancelled. While the series finale set up a third season, it does finish at a satisfy point.
If you are looking for some good escapist fantasy entertainment, I do recommend Shadow and Bone. If you are interested in the books, you can get them here. (Amazon affiliate link)
