If the unnamed HBO abomination taught me anything it’s that I am a character person at least with the stories I connect whole heartedly to so for me a great adaptation has to get the character right.
Not the look of the character either because everyone will see that differently but the spirit and oh my gosh Shadow and Bone did such a good job with that. It was beautiful.
The damned show even made me like Mal.
So the series had the task of combining both series. Alina the Sun Summoner’s magic fueled fight to bring down the fold (a place of darkness that consumes everything and has fun monsters!) and everyone’s favorite found family of criminals and miscreants and poor Matthias.
And I think inserting the crows into Alina’s story worked. I mean it’s a bit like really good fan fiction but I loved it and it was well done so I didn’t give a crap.
Heck the fact that Nina and Matthias story doesn’t really fit in except in prequel like ways until the last didn’t even bother me because the actors are so good and everyone in the cast has actual chemistry which is another really hard thing to pull off across the board.
Jessie Mei Li (Alina) had chemistry with Mal and some pretty hot moments with the General (though who wouldn’t have chemistry with Ben Barnes?) Kaz and Inej are bubbling and Nina and Matthias were great. Plus they all had friend chemistry to. Kit Young as Jesper was an especial standout.
And Milo.
You cannot forget Milo.
My biggest problem with the show is it speeds through its material so fast there’s barely any room to breath if at all. Interestingly the producers were apparently offered an extra two episodes but with an 8 episode budget and they decided to keep 8 for 8 which in terms of the look was probably a good idea.
Because again really well shot the production and world looked absolutely beautiful and fun.
But I still think it made the story a little bumpy… yet on the other hand there wasn’t any filler.
So six and one.
Anyway I think they nailed it in terms of adaptation and just pure entertainment.
So hopefully season 2 will get the extra episodes and budget!
But I mean after the characters clicked across the board on this one I don’t think I can wait a year or more for Nikolai.
Recommend: Yes!
I think they did a great job. But I do silently wish, they had given a separate show to the Crows.
Agreed. I just like the crows better period.
I’m only two episodes in and was skeptical about the actor cast as Kaz, but I’ve heard good things. I think they really nailed Jesper’s casting.
I think the Kaz actor has a naturally slightly bigger hill to climb since he’s so in his head in a lot of the source material.
Jesper was amazing! I can’t wait to see Wylan 🙂
This was such a well made show, and was very impressed with Netflix, and I can’t wait for the second season to come. ~ Corina | thebrowneyedbookworm.com