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“Shadow and Bone” Takes Flesh in Mindblowing Netflix TV Adaptation

It has only been roughly a few days since Netflix released the fantasy TV series “Shadow and Bone,” and, already, glowing reviews have been dotting social media platforms. Frankly, no one is surprised.

Based on highly-acclaimed author Leigh Bardugo’s “Grishaverse” trilogy, “Shadow and Bone” follows the story of an orphaned teenager who harnesses incredible power and uses it on a quest to salvation. However, she later learns that this might not be enough.

The fantasy and young adult novel, initially released in 2012, generated buzz and crowned Leigh Bardugo on the New York Times Bestseller list. International interest in the story and writing gave way to the subsequent “Grishaverse” books: Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising.

Although the trilogy ended with “Ruin and Rising” in 2013, a television adaptation of Leigh’s fictional world would wait for a few more years. 

On February 29, 2020, “Shadow and Bone” took to Twitter to upload an announcement. Under the caption, “Shadow and Bone has officially wrapped production, and a few friends would like to wish you a warm welcome to the Grishaverse,” the verified account posted a video of the primarily fresh-faced cast introducing themselves. As of today, the video holds over 19 thousand likes and thousands of quote tweets and retweets.

After building unbridled excitement for over a year, Netflix finally released the series last April 23, 2021. Tagged as “ominous” and under the genres “Fantasy TV Shows,” “TV Shows Based on Books,” “Teen TV Shows,” “Shadow and Bone” took flesh.

“Dark forces conspire against orphan mapmaker Alina Starkov when she unleashes an extraordinary power that could change the fate of her war-torn world,” the site shares.

Spanning eight episodes with a run-time of more or less 50 minutes each, “Shadow and Bone” has captured the imagination and the heart of Netflix viewers and critics. As of its release date, “Shadow and Bone” has been making rounds on social media platforms and has been the subject of numerous headlines.

The well-deserved attention on the mindblowing production by award-winning screenwriter Eric Andrew Heisserer has shaped itself to be a sturdy catapult for the show’s brilliant cast. As “Shadow and Bone” climbs the ranks of Netflix’s Top 10, the stars, led by Jessie Mei Li, who plays “Alina Starkov,” have been the apple of the public eye.

Along with fellow prominent cast members Archie Renaux, Freddy Carter, Amita Suman, Kit Young, and Ben Barnes, Jessie has appeared on fan-favorite shows. The cast has been a guest of “Seventeen,” “Marie Claire,” “Buzzfeed Celeb,” “Cosmopolitan UK,” and the “Netflix Afterparty.”

With a 4.8 rating on Google, 8.4 on IMDB, and 91% from Rotten Tomatoes, the gates of the magical Grishaverse have opened to an overwhelming reception. As “Shadow and Bone” continues to gain streams on Netflix and international attention, fans of the books and the show are at the edge of their seats for updates on a second season.

Be transported into the dynamic, fantastical world of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse. Watch “Shadow and Bone” on Netflix, and stay updated on possible developments on Twitter. For a clean dive into the Grishaverse, visit the fandom online.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_and_Bone_(TV_series)

https://www.netflix.com/search?q=shadow%20and%20bone&jbv=80236319

https://www.indiewire.com/2021/04/shadow-and-bone-review-season-1-netflix-show-1234632249/

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