‘Shadow and Bone’ Star Jessie Mei Li Talks Differences From Books: Show is ‘Like a Remix’
Netflix’s Shadow and Bone has taken the world by storm, capturing the hearts of millions of fans worldwide. Based on the popular Grishaverse series by author Leigh Bardugo, the show has gained a dedicated fanbase thanks to its stunning visuals, gripping storyline, and talented cast.
After two long years, Season 2 of the show arrived on Netflix on March 16. The epic fantasy series takes a bold turn from its source material, ending on another enormous cliffhanger. Jessie Mei Li, who plays Alina Starkov on the show, recently spoke about the differences between the series and the books, describing it as a “remix. “
‘Shadow and Bone’ Season 2 deviates from the source material
The first season of Shadow and Bone remained closely faithful to the events of the first book of the Grishaverse series, Shadow and Bone. However, the second season takes a different approach.
Season 2 essentially mashes the plots of books two and three, Siege and Storm and Ruin and Rising. It also incorporates details from the two Six of Crows novels Rule of Wolves, and The Lives of Saints. This means that characters that never interacted in the books now work together in the show.
In an interview with Mashable, showrunner Eric Heisserer explained exactly why he found it so important to change the world of Shadow and Bone. He said, “[Combining the series] covers different groups of people who live in the Grishaverse and gets you exposed to different ways of life that you wouldn’t [see] otherwise.”
While some fans were initially skeptical of this approach, many have come to appreciate the changes. The fast pace helps create an interesting storyline.
Star Jessie Mei Li describes the differences between the books and the show as ‘a remix’
Shadow and Bone stars Amita Suman, Jessie Mei Li, Kit Young, Freddy Carter, and Ben Barnes sat down for an edition of Entertainment Weekly‘s “Around the Table” to talk about what’s in store for Season 2.
One of the topics that came up in the episode was how the show differs from the books. Li revealed that playing Alina in the show has been thrilling because the character’s storyline hugely differs from what fans read in the books.
The actor said, “Going into Season 2, we knew it was going to be very different from the books. For me, that was quite exciting because that’s what I like about adaptations. They’re taking what’s really good in the books and changing it. So, yeah, I think there was a bit of pressure to please the fans but also show them something new, like a remix version of all their favorite books.”
Will there be a ‘Shadow and Bone’ Season 3?
Shadow and Bone Season 2 ends on a cliffhanger, leaving many questions unanswered, and fans are eager to see where the story goes next. Unfortunately, Netflix is yet to renew the show for a third season. That said, this isn’t the first time Netflix has taken a while to decide on the fate of the fantasy series. Season 2 wasn’t announced until June 2021, two months after the series premiered, so there’s still hope.
Showrunner Eric Heisserer has previously teased the future of the fantasy series. “This is absolutely a show that can go more than three seasons, for sure,” he told Variety after the Season 1 premiere. “If I have to reframe it for Netflix to say, You can still shut this down at three seasons, but we’re continuing with this other spin-off — whatever you want to call it — it still has legs.”
There’s so much more story to tell, so we will likely be seeing our favorite cast again. And since Shadow and Bone deviates from the books, not even the most avid readers can predict what will happen next.
