Kaz Brekker, played by Freddy Carter

In the books, Kaz's narration held all of his feelings and he pretty much never said anything out loud. But in a TV format, with a lack of narration, he does express them out loud, and he's so much more vulnerable. It's a difference that I'm still not sure how I feel about. It takes away the steely edge of his character, the Bastard of the Barrel image, but without his narration to show what he really feels, I suppose it's a necessity. I'm also not sure how I feel about the decision to make Kaz the leader of the Dregs and not Per Haskell, cause that was kind of an important plot point later on, especially given his and Inej's relationship. He's supposed to be running the Dregs while letting Per Haskell think he is, and it takes away an element of Kaz's character and his manipulation and deceit, as well as the masks that he puts on for true authority. Also, they straight-up just renamed the Dregs the Crows. Interesting choice, but I guess it makes the symbolism more obvious.

Inej Ghafa, played by Amita Suman

Amita Suman delivers her lines just as Inej does in the books, I think she is absolutely superb, especially the fact that Suman does all her own stunts. Massive Inej energy. But the thing I didn't like was that her freedom in the show was entirely dependent on Kaz, rather than on Per Haskell or the money that she's making herself, like in the books. The fact that Kaz is the sole person responsible for her independence is not only bait for the whole "women need men to survive" trope, but also for how their relationship plays out in the books. There's that moment in the second Six of Crows book, Crooked Kingdom, when Kaz sells everything he owns and liquifies all his assets to free her, but that pivotal moment to their relationship won't happen in the show. She'll already be free. And if, in the show, she's free from the Menagerie but has no indenture to the Dregs, then what's keeping her with the Dregs if she has no debt to pay off? Why is she sticking around? In the books once she's free she takes off. Changing this seemingly minor technicality is altering the fundamentals of Inej's character.

General Kirigan/The Darkling, played by Ben Barnes

He has a different name. Which I don't like. I don't understand why we need to call him General Kirigan. It's too….humanizing. Plus, the 'Aleksander' name drop was too soon. It was supposed to be a culmination of his trust in Alina over three books, how he relies on her, how he's so lost in his own mind that he's still convinced he can get her on his side, and it all just went out the window in the third episode of season one. But Ben Barnes is so good??? He's lowkey making me like the Darkling. I love the fact that he replaced certain lines in the script with lines in the book; it shows his dedication to the character and also creates the character of the Darkling that those who read the books are familiar with. I did NOT like that added storyline about him and that Healer, Luda, in episode 7. It made it seem like he created the Fold out of anger from losing Luda because he loved her, and not because he was power-hungry and villainous. Not a fan of the show trying to create pity for him. He does not need humanization. 

Nina Zenik, played by Danielle Galligan

I think her character is conveyed really well! Danielle Galligan clearly read the books and understood the assignment. I'm very much excited to see more of her as Nina, and more of Nina being sassy and unapologetic like she is in the books. What we've seen of Nina so far in the show is mostly fierce warrior and survival instinct. There's not a lot of herself once she's comfortable in a situation. No complaints though! Nina IS a fierce warrior and should be displayed as such, but I'm very excited to see her goofier moments. Particularly when she makes fun of Kaz's haircut.

Matthias Helvar, played by Calahan Skogman

I have picked and picked and picked and I cannot find a thing I don't like about Matthias's portrayal in the show. He's such a finicky character to portray. There's such a fine line between making him too villainous and totally erasing his past and personality, but the show definitely walked that line. Almost all his dialogue was straight from the books! I hope going further that they stick to the book script, because Matthias's personality and unwillingness to change (as well as his simultaneous willingness to change) is essential to the plot of Six of Crows as well as the rest of the Crows' character development. 

Zoya Nazyalensky, played by Sujaya Dasgupta

She's not as mean! Most of what she says (at least, not to Alina) is normal people stuff. Zoya is snippy and abracious to everyone she meets and it's fundamental to her character. They convey Zoya's hatred for Alina well, however, particularly in the scene where she implies that the Darkling/General Kirigan uses her body. That added so many more layers to her character, especially in her relationship with Alina and the jealousy that she feels when the Darkling takes in Alina as his new pet. I absolutely loved that added scene, but I miss her snarkiness. Also, what's with the racism? Zoya's half-Suli. Why does she call Alina a "half-breed" when she's biracial herself?

Mal Oretsev, played by Archie Renaux

Book Mal is pretty bland. I like this Mal, he's much more charismatic and likable. His storyline continues to revolve solely around Alina, which is pretty faithful to the books. I think Archie Renaux does a terrific job with Mal's brash brazenness as well as his softer moments. Mal goes through so many levels of emotion throughout the trilogy, and it's nice to know that that rollercoaster is in a good actor's hands.

Jesper Fahey, played by Kit Young

They couldn't have done any better with casting or writing. Kit Young IS Jesper Fahey to a T, and the screenwriters nailed his character. However, I'm a little concerned that he won't be canonically bisexual and instead be gay, which is frankly upsetting, because Jesper was really important and pioneering bisexual representation in fantasy, and in YA as a whole.

The Conductor/Arken Visser, played by Howard Charles

He didn't exist in the books, since the storyline of the Crows kidnapping Alina doesn't happen. A welcome addition, however. He was good for the story (obviously) but also his betrayal in their heist was perfect in revealing how Kaz deals with those who betray him, and also how he's always one step ahead. The Conductor was a great characterization device for Kaz, especially for those who haven't read the books and are just meeting Kaz for the first time, but I frankly didn't care much for him as a character himself.

Just to clarify, this is not a romanticization of the Darkling who is actually a psychopath, but rather an appreciation post for Ben Barnes as the wonderful human he is.

#1

“Fine. Make me your villain.” I cannot express how much I adore this line. I admit I am Ben Barnes biased but there’s just such raw heartbreak, sadness, and anger in his voice. The delivery? The emotion? The pain in his red rimmed eyes? Consider me as deceased as The Darkling’s victims. 

#2

The Darkling on his horse. I said what I said. He just rides off with a sort of regalness and elegance that cannot be faked. Not to mention, Alina and the Darkling on the same horse is a trope that I put close behind enemies to lovers. But also because horse riding reminds me of Freddy’s horse show and makes me laugh.

#3

The small smile and adoration in Ben Barnes’ eyes when he looks at Alina as she presents her powers to the King. He’s quite literally looking at the sun and he just looks like a fool in love. But it’s probably more hunger for power than love in his eyes, to be honest.

#4

The SMILE on his face when Alina says he probably finds Volcra hilarious. No one can convince me that is not pure Ben Barnes shining through. Also, the small intake of breath when he turns around and Alina is so close to him? The romantic tension is killing me.

#5

Right after this scene, Alina and the Darkling’s first kiss occurs. I was caught by surprise but so was the Darkling. The line “Not many people surprise me, Miss Starkov” is one I have tattooed on my arm now. But I absolutely hated the fact they got interrupted. Overall, surprised Ben Barnes might be my favorite Ben Barnes.

#6

Correction: petty Ben Barnes is my favorite Ben Barnes. He is so jealous of Mal it’s absolutely hilarious. The look on his face when Mal says he knows Alina gives me life. But then the Darkling goes ahead and takes the knowledge of Alina’s favorite flowers and presents them to her like the petty villain he is. Ugh, absolutely amazing scene.

#7

Not really a favorite scene of mine, but the first meeting is always momentous. The arrogance dripping from each and every word he uttered really underlined the fact that Ben Barnes is the Darkling. The moment when he forces the light out of Alina and the surprise on Mal’s face is always entertaining.

#8

When Alina and the Darkling are at the fountain and the Darkling just starts to RANDOMLY CLEAN THE FOUNTAIN. He seems like such a conundrum, revealing his sad story about going to the fountain while Alina literally narrates his story as the Black Heretic not knowing he is the Black Heretic. Then he uses the whole “you and I are going to change the world, Alina” and everything becomes insignificant. Problematic, I know. 

#9

THE MOMENT WHEN ALINA ENTERS THE ROOM AND THE DARKLING IS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED. THE MAN LITERALLY STOPS BREATHING AND PRETENDS TO BE TOUGH BUT THEN EXPOSES HIMSELF BY SAYING SHE LOOKS LOVELY. SHE’S ALSO WEARING HIS COLOR. THE MUSIC IN THIS SCENE JUST ADDS TO THE WHOLE MOMENT TOO. LITERALLY HAD A HEART ATTACK.

#10

The kiss. The show stopping kiss. The return for another kiss. The smiles. The giddiness. Need I say more? Also, this was the last moment before everything went crazy so I cherish this moment dearly because I, like Ben Barnes, am a Darklina shipper. 

Plot

Time and time again, screen adaptations try to stick to the plot lines of the books they’re based off of, and fans scrutinize all the ways in which they failed. Netflix's Shadow and Bone went a different direction. Rather than trying to follow the plot lines of Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone trilogy and Six of Crows duology (which takes place a few years later), they had the characters from Six of Crows try to kidnap the main character of Shadow and Bone. 

The characters in Six of Crows are ruthless, devious criminals (but the really cool kind!). Meanwhile, the main character of Shadow and Bone, Sun Summoner Alina Starkov, has a power that most characters in the Grishaverse (the fictional universe where the series takes place) want for their own purposes. Needless to say, when this change in plot was hinted at in one of the show’s trailers, fans went crazy. I myself was skeptical at first, wondering why Netflix would mess with two amazing plotlines. However, after a day or two, I joined the rest of the internet in excitedly speculating about the showdowns that would happen when two of our favorite sets of characters met.

Best: The Combined Plot Lines

This is very broad, but my favorite plot change from the books to the show was the combined plot lines! This isn’t to say that I liked everything they changed or that I like the plot of the show better than the plot of the books, but I adored watching my speculations about interactions between characters play out before my eyes. It was like introducing two sets of friends. 

Leading up to the show’s release, I had been anticipating finding out how the Crows (led by Kaz Brekker, a master at plotting heists and other crime) would go about trying to kidnap the most highly-guarded person in the Grishaverse, so it was amazing to watch them plot and carry out these new heists. I liked how the events of each heist - even the things that went wrong - played out along with Kaz’s narration. This was a good interpretation of something I find amazing about the books: author Leigh Bardugo would occasionally not reveal all the facts of heists before they happen in the books, creating scenes where something that the readers thought went wrong was just part of Kaz’s (and Bardugo’s) masterful plan. 

After the plotting of the heists, the characters met! I liked how the Crows teamed up with Alina, Mal, and Zoya in Episode 8 to try to take down the Darkling. It was fun to watch the very different sets of characters unite under a common cause. Magic was summoned, knives were thrown, guns were shot, and canes were wielded to create a fantastic battle scene.

An interesting nuance of the combined plot lines was Kaz’s and Inej’s different opinions about Alina. Inej is a religious, loyal, values-oriented person, while Kaz is the opposite of that. Because of this, Inej worships Alina as a living Saint and the solution to Ravka’s problems, and Kaz sees her simply as his current target. This created an interesting conflict between Kaz and Inej: after seeing Alina, Inej didn’t want to harm her. We got to watch Kaz struggle to balance his feelings and respect for Inej with his greed.

Finally, one thing I found hilarious about the combined plot lines was when, just as the Crows thought their plan to kidnap Alina had failed, Jesper saw her walk right into the Crows’ carriage. (Alina was fleeing the palace after learning the Darkling’s true intentions.) This created amazing dramatic irony that played out as Jesper had a lot of fun being able to tell that secret to the previously disheartened Kaz and Inej.

Worst: Also The Combined Plot Lines

Unfortunately, not all of the events resulting from the combined plotlines were as enjoyable. First off, one of the most highly anticipated showdowns from the combined plotlines was the meeting of Kaz and the Darkling: two ruthless, violent, and clever characters. Although we got another Kaz-Darkling scene in Episode 8, I didn’t know that yet when I was watching Episode 6, which was the first time they met. The Episode 6 Kaz-Darkling showdown was cool, but underwhelming. Although I likely gasped when Kaz saw the Darkling, and again when he stopped the Darling’s Cut with his cane, he didn’t really fight back. He certainly didn’t bonk the Darkling on his head with his cane, like fans were hoping he would. The whole encounter only lasted a little over a minute, and was mostly filled with talking. All in all, it left me feeling like I had been cheated out of something better. 

Additionally, we just didn’t get enough Crows time in the show. To be fair, I don’t know if I ever could have enough Crows time, but I wish the show had been more dedicated to the Crows and had further shown how smart, talented, and complex they are. 

Specifically, I wish the show had shown more aspects of Inej’s personality and talents. In the books, Inej is Kaz’s “spider”, meaning she sneaks around and gets information for him. She can learn anyone’s business and find out what is happening anywhere. She has taught herself to move without making noise, so she rarely gets caught (which would look really cool in a TV show!). Without the information Inej gathers, Kaz would be shooting in the dark when it comes to forming his ingenious plans. Erasing this not only erases one of the things that makes Inej so talented and such a strong person in her own right, it also makes Kaz seem less dependent on her than he really is.

Honorable Mention: How Race Enhanced Characterization

In the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Alina Starkov is fully Ravkan (the Grishaverse equivalent of Russian), and Zoya Nazyalensky is often described as pale and blue-eyed. However, in the TV show, they are both biracial. Alina is half-Ravkan, half-Shu (the Grishaverse equivalent of East Asian), and Zoya is half-Ravkan, half-Suli (the Grishaverse equivalent of South Asian). This adds some diversity to the show, and perfectly complements Alina’s and Zoya’s characters. In the books, Alina already feels like an outsider because she is an orphan, always appears sickly, isn’t the best fighter, and is constantly overlooked by her former best friend, Mal. The numerous microaggressions that Alina faces in the show develop her sense that she doesn’t belong (especially because the Shu Han is one of Ravka’s enemies), and make it even more special when she instantly belongs in the Little Palace (the home of the Grisha). This is exactly the reason why Zoya doesn’t like her. Zoya and Alina have a rivalry in the books that is only developed further in the show by their shared struggles as biracial women. Zoya has been working harder than more privileged people for her whole life, and has managed to become trusted by the Darkling. Understandably, she is livid when Alina catapults ahead of her without even trying. Everybody worships Alina just because she is the Sun Summoner. Zoya is powerful and hardworking, but was eclipsed in an instant by another biracial woman that didn’t have to go through everything Zoya struggled through in order to get power. This article explains these changes really well, and was the source for this paragraph. 

Visuals 

One of the best parts of any screen adaptation of books is being able to physically see characters, places, and scenes that previously only existed in your imagination. This is incredibly exciting, but also nerve-wracking; fans don’t want the creators of the adaptation to get things wrong. Fortunately, Netflix’s Shadow and Bone was, for the most part, filled with incredible visuals. From Inferni tossing fire to one another, to the Darkling’s veins turning balck from merzost, to Alina Starkov summoning light, Netflix’s Shadow and Bone was filled with delightful views of the Small Science, the seemingly magical ability that powers the series.

Best: The Shadow Fold

Even after all these instances of characters using the Small Science, the image that was the most impressive - and helpful to comprehension of the plot - was the Shadow Fold. The Shadow Fold is the swath of darkness that divides Ravka, the country where much of the series takes place. It was created by the Black Heretic (who is revealed to be the Darkling), and it divided families, made the country poor by inhibiting its trade, and is extremely treacherous to cross. Because it is so different from something we would see in real life, I found it hard to picture while reading the books. I pictured the entrance as gradual, starting with only a few wisps of shadow. My previous idea of the Fold was a lot less imposing than the real thing. Netflix’s Shadow Fold is a solid wall of living darkness that stretches as far as the eye can see. Its surface isn’t just black, it contains flashes of malevolent light, and the claws, wings, and screams of volcra (the monsters inside). This was a terrifyingly impressive visual. Furthermore, being able to physically see the Fold helped viewers understand how scared the characters entering it must be and how completely the Fold divides Ravka. In episode 8, being able to see what it looked like when the Fold expanded and swallowed up people and towns really reinforced how dangerous the Fold is, how much power the Darkling holds being able to manipulate it, and why he is wrong to expand the Fold in order to “end wars”. All in all, Netflix’s rendering of the Shadow Fold truly portrayed it as the massive, threatening, deadly thing that it is.