The story of Alina Starkov is far from over. In Shadow and Bone Season 2, Netflix delivers the highly anticipated continuation of the Grisha in the fantasy world of Ravka. It’s an enjoyable but predictable second season. Even book readers should adjust their expectations and not anticipate a one-to-one adaptation.
The end of Season 1 revealed that Alina is not yet free from The Darkling. The Fold still exists, and The Darkling is hunting Alina. Meanwhile, Alina is trying to become stronger so she can ultimately bring down the Fold with her ‘sun summoner’ powers.
Alina embarks on an adventure with Mal. However, the whole world is after her. Mal is searching for the remaining amplifiers that Alina needs to defeat the Fold. They set out with privateer Sturmhond. The ‘seawhip’ is quickly found, but even with two amplifiers, Alina still can’t accomplish her goal. What if the third ‘fire bird’ also enhances her powers?
Based on the Grishaverse
The second season of Shadow and Bone, like the first, is based on Leigh Bardugo’s book series. The trilogy around Alina Starkov forms the foundation, but the spin-off, The Six of Crows, is interwoven into the story. While this was a significant departure from the original narrative in the first season, it’s even more pronounced in this second season. In fact, the storylines from the original books are hardly recognizable in the series. Netflix and writer/showrunner Eric Heisserer have deviated significantly from the original texts.
Does this detract from the series? Not at all. However, fans of Bardugo’s books should no longer expect a one-to-one retelling. Especially not in a potential third season. It seems that the original story of The Six of Crows will be followed in season 3, but anything can happen with Alina now. Her storyline has changed the most. So, Shadow and Bone Season 3 will be a big surprise for everyone. It’s worth noting that the third season has not been officially announced by Netflix yet…
The Creators Behind Shadow and Bone Season 2
Praise for casting, costume, and set design is in order. They are exactly as Leigh Bardugo described them on paper. The fantasy world of Ravka (which borrows many words from Dutch and Russian) is a character in itself. It all contributes to the quality of Shadow and Bone. Thanks, in part, to executive producers Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Dan Levine, who have been responsible for series like Stranger Things and Free Guy.
Just like the first season, the cast and crew are of top-notch quality. Several new characters have been introduced. Sturmhond and his crew, including Tolya and Tamar, join the main cast, and the ‘Crows’ are expanded with the addition of Wylan. However, this season falls slightly short of the first. This is mainly due to its predictability. Despite the deviations from the original, writer Heisserer did not introduce spontaneous plot twists, which is a missed opportunity because this story had great potential for them. Nevertheless, the interest in a third season remains undiminished. We just have to wait for Netflix’s announcement.
Shadow and Bone – season 2
Dark forces conspire against orphan mapmaker Alina Starkov when she unleashes an extraordinary power that could change the fate of her war-torn world.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Cast: Jessie Mei Li, Ben Barnes, Archie Renaux, Freddy Carter, and others.
Creator: Eric Heisserer
