The story is spinning around

The second installment of the series “Shadow and Bone” is a direct continuation of the previous adventures of the heroes, when Alina Starkow has to hide after a failed attempt to destroy the Fold. Deceived, betrayed, previously enslaved, she has Mal by her side and decides to regain power, free people from the disastrous effects of Kirigan and the dark depths that divide the world. Will she succeed? She has many people on her side, but a large part of the Grishas support her opponent. Time is running out and Kirigan has new abilities that no one can stop.

Even though the series is called Shadow and Bone , it is a combination of two series by Leigh Bardugo, set in the same universe. The first season was based on the aforementioned title, but also introduced the characters of the Six of Crows . In the case of the discussed installment, the matter is complicated, because it is a kind of hybrid of the second and third volumes ( Assault and Thunder/Siege and Tempest, Ruin and Revolt/Destruction and Tempest ), as well as the aforementioned first part of the dilogy. Thanks to this procedure, the plot is conducted in many ways, but not in a chaotic or incomprehensible way. It is not mainly based on the clash of Kirigan and Alina, and the supporting characters who really bring a lot to the series come to the front.

Something new and old

The sequel features old friends as well as new characters, such as Sturmhond, a mysterious buccaneer helping to find Sea Scourge. When it comes to familiar faces, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed. During the eight-episode screening, there are a lot of stories from the world of Crows. The screenwriters decided to bring the story of Kaz, Inej, Jesper, but also Nina and Matthias closer. I think this was a step in the right direction because viewers can discover why Kaz’s approach is so cold and what his aversion to touch is all about.

The creators decided to run several stories at once and it turned out really well. By doing so, there are no moments of the plot dragging on, and there is action as a whole, but also nostalgia. In the end, it all came together in an interesting way. Alina develops her abilities more and more, and her relationship with Mal gains momentum. Both characters have matured, and when making difficult choices, they don’t only think about themselves.

Something was given, something was taken away

When I first sat on the show, I was very skeptical. Why? Because how can you connect two different stories that are separated by years? I understand it’s the same world, but isn’t it too much good at once? After two seasons, you can say yes and no. On the one hand, such a combination allowed us to look at the relationships of the favorite characters in a different way, who, despite their differences, really complement and cooperate with each other in an interesting way. The creators showed how a common goal unites them, and a different upbringing is not an obstacle at all.

On the other hand, there wasn’t enough time to focus on many elements, not some trivial ones, but a lot of introductory ones to the plot. I have the impression that Alina’s path was partially shallower and cut off, that it was omitted, what she went through together with others, what she struggled with. And here is probably my biggest problem with the whole thing. I know what an adaptation is, but if a large part of the original is omitted, I feel an inner discomfort that pinches somewhere. Probably, if the series wasn’t modeled on something, this problem wouldn’t have arisen. You have to answer the question yourself, do you prefer when the stories from the glass screen are one-to-one or that they surprise you. Nevertheless, the stories presented in the series Shadow and Bone, Six of Crows and the series are really addictive – I recommend each of them.

A beautiful, unique and strange world

When it comes to creating the world and presenting it to the viewers, it is at the highest level. While reading, I imagined several locations differently, for example Kołowrot, but everything was still kept in the atmosphere of the book, so I don’t have much regret. I think that visually the series was done very well, and the inserts, each different at the beginning of the episode, are an interesting supplement and a kind of introduction to what will happen.

I know that after a certain translation came out, many fans had a problem with the Darkling variation. The word “Dark” divided readers, and in the first season it appeared quite often, which disturbed some people to watch. I hasten to inform you that the second installment is practically washed out of it, appears sporadically and does not take away the desire to continue watching.

There is also something in the series that distinguishes the entire world created by Leigh Bardugo, namely the trend in which she created the Shadow and Bone series and the Six of Crows dilogy . The author could not explain the style of her books for quite a long time, and finally, with the help of it, she created the phrase tsarpunk and it can be written that it perfectly relates to what we get. It is a combination of fantasy, steampunk and the atmosphere of 19th century Russia, and this neologism hits the nail on the head.

This can be seen in the style of the world, houses, furniture and the entire landscape, but also looking at the clothes worn by the characters and they probably best reflect the whole premise. Frock coats, dresses, hats, style-breaking gloves, beautiful buttons and rich decorations give character to the characters. Every detail matters, and the presented story is extraordinary because of its atmosphere. Of course, single trends can be found in many titles, but it was Leigh who combined them so skillfully, as if they had always been together on the market.

Watch or let go?

The second season of Shadow and Bones is a very successful continuation, which should appeal to the fans of the series, but lovers of literally translating the content of the book to the screen may be disappointed. There is a lot going on, but there is no chaos in it all, and the threads intertwine very smoothly. The ending itself is intriguing and gives a hint of an interesting continuation, which I hope will appear very soon. For the benefit of the production, the creators gave space to the secondary characters. I like that they were appreciated and not just given airtime to the main characters. After all, there is an entire army behind success.