Benji Boyd, Sophomore
The decision to adapt a book series to the screen is perhaps one of the bravest things a director and producer can do. While movies and TV can tell stories in ways that books can’t, it takes a lot more than good source material to make an adaptation work. It takes a script that honors the source, a cast that matches the original characters, and a whole lot of risky decisions that could determine whether an adaptation becomes like the Harry Potter movies, or like Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013).
Perhaps the most important element, above all else, in creating a successful adaptation of a book series is approval of the fanbase. While it might seem like releasing a show that already has a viewership guaranteed by the popularity of the book series is a safe bet, in reality, it could be a recipe for disaster. Literary fans are vicious when it comes to seeing the world they’ve created in their heads on their TV screen. If the sets and costumes don’t quite match the aesthetic, or if the casting choices aren’t quite what they’d imagined, or if the writers change up their favorite one-liners, you can bet that social media will be full of complainers and superfans trying to boycott.
However, on the flip side, if the show is done just right, readers can be some of the most supportive fans in the world. This phenomenon has certainly paid off this time around, as Shadow and Bone, the Netflix adaptation of the book series of the same name, is currently the number one most watched series in the U.S. Ever since season two dropped on Thursday, March 16th, it seems the fanbase is more enthusiastic than ever about their favorite characters and storylines being brought to life. Originally published in 2012, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo was the first installment in the Grishaverse, a collection of novel series taking place in the same fantasy universe, though following different characters and timelines. The Grishaverse includes the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, and the King of Scars duology, though fans suspect there is more to come. Shadow and Bone (TV series) follows the plotline of both the original Shadow and Bone series as well as its more popular spin off, Six of Crows.
Fans of the Six of Crows series were delighted on Thursday to find even more representation of these characters than in the first season – proof that the writing team on Shadow and Bone knows its audience. Although fans were originally concerned when season one deviated from the storyline dictated by the original books and wrote its own plotlines for the characters, their faithful depictions and clever original writing won them over. Season two continued this trend by creating an entirely new plotline for the Six of Crows characters running parallel to the more source-faithful plotline relating to the Shadow and Bone book series.
However, season two also managed to shock viewers by altering the ending to the Shadow and Bone storyline as written, opening up opportunities for more seasons. Rumors have circulated that Six of Crows will receive its own spinoff that will cover the events of the duology untouched by the Netflix series so far.
Prior to the launch, the cast and producers built up excitement for season two with a generous stream of endearing behind-the-scenes photos, cast interviews, and social media previews. The marketing of Shadow and Bone is a perfect example of how to build support for an adaptation of an existing book series by understanding fans’ expectations and catering to their hopes. New members of the cast appearing in season two, such as Patrick Gibson and Jack Wolf, have received overwhelming support long before their appearance on screen on March 16th thanks to these social media efforts.
Following the launch, reception to season two appears to be, while mixed, overall good. Fans were especially delighted by the performance of Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker and Jack Wolf as Wylan Van Eyck, both of whom are characters originally belonging to the Six of Crows series. One of the fatal flaws that can spell doom for any adaptation is miscasting, inaccurately representing through writing or acting, or completely changing the personalities of beloved characters. The overarching opinion of long time book fans is that the cast of Shadow and Bone not only stays true to the characters they represent, but also enhances these characters with their unique personalities and interpretations.
Part of the reason for this success in embracing the source material can be attributed to Leigh Bardugo’s position as a producer on the show. Knowing that changes made to the storylines are approved by the creator of the universe and all its characters has certainly prevented at least some level of outrage in the community. Though it appears that the show has run out of material from the Shadow and Bone trilogy, hopes are high for what the writers can come up with independent of the books with the help of their author.
All in all, Shadow and Bone is one of the better fantasy novel adaptations released recently. The show accomplishes the impressive feat of both pleasing fans of the books and standing on its own, a true marker of good writing. Hopefully, this combination will allow it to continue to run with the same high quality effects, costuming, and writing that it has up to this point. In the end it’s up to the viewers, so if you’d like to see more of the Grishaverse onscreen, open Netflix and watch it as many times as possible. As Leigh Bardugo would write, “If fate doesn’t give us the chance, we steal it.”