Lately, Netflix has added some really nice shows. I watched the Shadow and Bones series. I knew this was based on a book series but I hadn’t read the book. Usually, I don’t like movies and shows based on books. I was of the camp that screen adaptations always change the story and ruin the original text.
But this series changed me. I loved the series so much. After watching the show I read the books too and sure they had made some changes in the show. But these changes were the primary reason why I fell in love with the Grishaverse in the first place.
If I am being completely honest, then I fell in love with the Grishaverse solely because of one character and it’s not the protagonist.
This is probably the very first book where I love the antagonist so much more than the protagonist. I loved him so much that at times I found myself rooting for him. I was disappointed that the bad guys didn’t win. I know how strange that sounds.
My love for the antagonist is not just because of the amazing actor playing the role. Even when I was reading the book, the protagonist was so annoying at times that I wanted things to go in favour of the antagonist.
Well, the books are aimed at a younger audience while the show is more suited for adults. Even so, the protagonists struggle to gain my sympathies.
This made me wonder about all the bad stories where the bad guys could have won. Would that make the story better?
Besides, the books and the show do a good job showing the reasoning behind the antagonist’s actions. Liking them is logical. That’s how a character should be written/shown. Just saying someone is a bad guy without explaining their motivations is not enough anymore. Readers/viewers need more answers.
Coming to the changes the show introduces.
Well, where do I begin? This is where the real magic happens. The show has only one season so far. This season is based on the first book of the trilogy. However, the show writers have managed to include the characters from Six of Crows and integrated them so well in the story. I also loved the backstory of the antagonist. Also, the protagonist is not as annoying as in the books. So that’s another plus.
Overall, I would recommend you to watch the Netflix show before you decide if you want to read the books or not. If you have already read and loved the books, then please don’t waste any time and just go watch the show. You will love it more than the books.
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