It’s been weeks since Netflix dropped Shadow and Bone and our feeds are still filled with hot takes. It premiered on the top-ten list and seems to have at least some staying power. Is Shadow and Bone really that good? Or is it just the algorithm sweet spot of YA, fantasy, adventure, romance? Per usual, Latinas do not agree…
Netflix’s Shadow and Bone Will Enfold Viewers in its Lush Fantasy
Danette Chavez, TV editor of the A.V. Club, is pretty into it, writing, “Shadow and Bone is an engrossing experience, if not an especially novel one. The series plays a bit with our expectations of the genre, including the makings of a hero and of redemption. But even when we can see the turn, it’s no less riveting. That might be its greatest trick.” Read her full review.
Seventeen Watch Club Pick: Shadow and Bone
Meanwhile, Tamara Fuentes at Seventeen selected the series for the famed publication’s first watch club, collecting cast interviews, production background, and of course, book listings. How did she pick Shadow and Bone? Well, she knew, “our first Seventeen Watch Club meeting had to be big, bold, and one of a kind. Which is why we’re diving into Shadow and Bone, the latest hit Netflix series based off the book series of the same name by Leigh Bardugo.” Check out the full coverage.
Alina Herself Takes Us Inside Shadow and Bone’s Sexiest (and Most Complicated) Scene
And we can always trust Ariana Romero of Refinery29 to get to the heart of the matter – this time the sex positivity of the show! She notes, “If the ensuing hookup — and near-sex scene — between Alina and Kirigan feels particularly passionate from both sides, that was the point, according to Alina’s portrayer, Jessie Mei Li… If Shadow and Bone was going to comment on a woman’s sexuality, Mei Li hoped to embody something she ‘believes’ in.” Read the full interview.
Shadow and Bone Review: Netflix Knows What It’s Doing With This Series and It Shows
YA expert, The Mary Sue’s Lyra Hale writes, “Shadow and Bone is ultimately a diverse story about facing the darkness with your own light with an extraordinary cast driving this show.” For her, the moral of the story is that, “we’re all capable, no matter what walk of life we’re from, of changing our lives and those around us for the better. We just need a little faith, patience, and yes, a little light.” Sounds pretty good, huh? Read her full review.
Shadow and Bone Is a Confounding, Totally Engrossing Ride
For The Daily Beast, Laura Bradley says “The new series, which remixes Leigh Bardugo’s popular ‘Grisha’ books, will hook fans and newcomers alike with immersive world-building and complex, gorgeously costumed characters.” So does she recommend streaming Shadow and Bone? Read her full review to find out.
Shadow and Bone Advance Review: Fantasy with Heart
Our friend Lissete Lanuza Saénz, EIC of Fangirlish, recommends the series. Here’s how she characterizes the show’s lead: “Alina, the brave. Alina, the lost. Alina, the strong. She was my favorite character in Shadow and Bone, but Jessie Mei Li turned her from a very stereotypical YA fantasy heroine, into the kind of character you feel like you would run into battle for.” And she goes on from there. Read her full review.
TV Review: Shadow and Bone Brings YA Fantasy to Netflix
Dianda Rivera of Diandra Reviews It All is not so sure. She calls it, “an intensely dark, magical show that’s own darkness can feel like a fascinating shroud. At just eight episodes, a lot happens, but yet it appears slow because of its own grimness. Still… Shadow and Bone pushes the network to fully capture the darkly, imaginative minds of YA fantasy.” Read her full review.
