say_rah826

Overall I LOVE this show! Much more enjoyable experience than a lot of other recent stories. I have my nit-pick gripes as always but they mostly fall under the umbrella statement that; there are 8 episodes per season and they needed at least 10. Just as in Season 1 we needed more time to see Alina practice her powers while she and Mal wrote letters, Season 2 I feel needed more time for characters to breathe. There is a specific direction they took the ending for one character which - yes, may have been less of a surprise but - I feel would have been a deeper emotional payoff if they had spent a little more time in the first few episodes starting that thread. Actually, that statement applies for a few characters... Ok, more time for character development please! Also, there was one scene where I they went a little to anime ham with the blood. It made me laugh when I'm pretty sure I was supposed to be horrified. Maybe there's just something wrong with me. I just think... less would have been more in that one scene. Other than that; the writing and editing is tight! The costumes are gorgeous! The sets are spectacular. The action lives up. The actors are clearly enjoying themselves while they rock it. The score continues to be spot on! And there are LINES! Beautiful iconic lines from the books that they managed to thread in, direct quotes that I got to see this fabulous cast act out before my very eyes! My book lover soul is so satisfied. And the Grishaverse is a world like ours, with rich diverse cultures, colors, languages and perspectives. Like our world in fact. This is a thing celebrated in Shadow & Bone. Light is shown when characters make the attempt to listen, understand and value each others' beliefs and perspectives. That's a message I love. I watched season 1 having never heard of the Grishaverse. I just watched season 2 having read the S&B trilogy the SoC duology and half of KoS. This is not a literal translation from book to screen but rather a translation of the essence. I feel like it is not just one of the most enjoyable shows but one of the best adaptations I have seen. There are two plot/world building elements from the books (which I will leave vague to avoid spoilers) that I wanted them to change in the TV show. Not bad writing choices, (as if I have the clout to judge that sort of thing), just two plot points that communicated to me a theme sense that hope is flimsy and temporary and darkness is ultimately stronger. Personally I don't like to leave a story with that taste in my mouth. Maybe that wasn't what the author intended. Anyway, I hoped they would change those plot points in the show. They did not. So, yes this left me slightly sad but can you fault a production team for following the books with such care? Not me, certainly. Not for the kidos, other than that, give it a watch!