‘Shadow and Bone’ for Non-Book Readers: What You Need to Know About Grisha, Crows, and More

Shadow and Bone premiered on Netflix today, bringing the world of Leigh Bardugo’s books to live on the small screen. Readers of books like Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows will have no problem following Shadow and Bone‘s dense mythology or picking out its countless Easter eggs. Newbies to the Grishaverse, however, might be a little bit lost from the jump. Like, what’s a Grisha? Where’s Ketterdam? And why are people calling thieves Kaz (Freddy Carter), Jesper (Kit Young), and Inej (Amita Suman) the “Crows”? Never fear! The world of Shadow and Bone is not nearly as confusing as you think!

Netflix’s Shadow and Bone maybe based on the books by Leigh Bardugo, but creator and showrunner Eric Heisserer has upped the ante on the adaptation by weaving together the lore of two of Bardugo’s books in one streamlined story. The original Grishaverse trilogy — comprised of books Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising — follows the story of Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li). Alina is an orphan in the fictional nation of Ravka who is shocked to discover that she may be the legendary Sun Summoner, a Grisha with the power to summon light and potentially destroy the horrific Shadow Fold forever.

While Shadow and Bone the series covers many of the events of that first book, conveniently named Shadow and Bone, it also introduces characters from another Grishaverse series. As soon as Alina’s powers are revealed in the Shadow Fold, the show pivots to the far away trading city of Ketterdam. Here we meet three of the main characters of Bardugo’s sequel series, Six of Crows. Criminals Kaz, Jesper, and Inej learn of a mysterious quarry over in Ravka that could net them a massive life-changing fortune. And so Netflix’s Shadow and Bone manages to adapt Bardugo’s wider fantasy world for the small screen as early as Season 1.

Of course, that’s just how the story of Shadow and Bone is related to the books. Newbies might still be scratching their heads over the places in this new mystical world and how the Grisha’s Second Army is divided into various groups (designated by different color keftas).

Here’s the world of Shadow and Bone explained…

Where is Shadow & Bone Set? All About Ravka, Ketterdam, and More

Shadow and Bone is set in a fictional world known as the Grishaverse. However, the major nations and cultures of the Grishaverse are based on familiar places in our own world.

What is Ravka in Shadow and Bone?

The main action of Shadow and Bone is set in the nation of Ravka, which is inspired by Czarist Russia. However instead of a class of elite nobles ruling over a massive and impoverished lower class, Ravka is controlled by a class of elite nobles and magically-powered people known as Grisha. There are still a lot of poor people, though, and they are seen as cannon fodder for Ravka’s many fronts of war.

At the start of Shadow and Bone, Ravka is divided in two by a mysterious band of darkness, sand, and death called the Shadow Fold (or Unsea). The Fold separates the landlocked East Ravka from the smaller, but seaside, section of West Ravka. Since Ravka is surrounded on all sides by mountains (and two rival nations, Fjerda to the north and Shu Han to the south), the Eastern part of the nation is cut off from the numerous supplies that flood West Ravka’s harbors. The only way to get them across? Risk a deathly trip through the Shadow Fold.

Where is Ketterdam, home of Kaz, Jesper, and Inej, in Shadow and Bone?

Ketterdam is a cosmopolitan port city located in the island nation of Kerch. Because it is located in the middle of the “True Sea,” the great body of water that connects all nations (except of course the eastern part of Ravka), Kerch is a worldly culture rooted in all things capitalism. Ketterdam is its capital, a place of vast riches and incredible sin.

Much like Ravka is inspired by Czarist Russian, Ketterdam is based on the Amsterdam of the 17th and 18th centuries. Every culture is represented on its city streets and everyone is out to con others out of a dime. Most of the crime in Ketterdam occurs in the Barrel, a run-down part of town full of bars, brothels, and gambling dens. Think Amsterdam’s red light district. That’s where Kaz and his pals operate out of the Crow Club, their home base.

What is the deal with Fjerda, Ravka’s northern neighbor in Shadow and Bone?

To the north of Ravka are the Fjerdans, this world’s version of Scandinavian culture. Like the Vikings of yore, the Fjerdans are fierce warriors. However, they are ferociously antagonistic against the Grisha, whom they see as malicious witches. Fjerdans frequently attempt raids on Ravka to kidnap Grisha, take them to their Ice Court, and promptly execute them as traitors to humanity. Fun, huh?

What is the deal with the Shu Han, Ravka’s southern neighbors in Shadow and Bone?

The Shu are a bit more mysterious within the world of Shadow and Bone, however the show presents them as Ravka’s bitterest enemies. You can see racist propaganda posters in various scenes depicting the Shu Han (who all have a distinctly Asian appearance) as monsters.

Shadow and Bone doesn’t explore the Shu Han culture, but it does tackle Ravka’s racism against the people they see as their worst enemies. Alina Starkov herself is half-Shu and constantly the butt of bigotry because of it. That racism doesn’t stop even when it’s revealed she is the Sun Summoner that all of Ravka and the Grisha have been waiting for…

What is a Grisha? All About Shadow & Bone’s Brand of Magic

So you’re watching Shadow and Bone…and you might be wondering what is a Grisha. (Or is it Greecia? Gresha? Hot magic people?) All the Grisha in Ravka are forced to fight in what is known as the “Second Army.” (The First Army is for normies.) And the Second Army is run by the mysterious General Kirigan (Ben Barnes), a once-in-a-generation Shadow Summoner.

The Grisha don’t consider themselves to be “magical,” but they basically are. They simply call their abilities “the small science.” Grisha are born, not made, and there is a ceiling on their abilities. Usually they have the ability to manipulate either the human body, the elements, or materials like metal or chemicals. Based on these gifts they are put into one of three orders.

That said, there is the rare Grisha with an extra special power that defies these normal categorizations. Both the Shadow Summoner and the Sun Summoner are rare types of Summoners, with unusual power and abilities. Then there is the odd “Tailor” like Genya Safin (Daisy Head), who becomes Alina’s best friend in the Little Palace). However, the vast majority of Grisha fall into one of the three major classifications of Grisha in Shadow and Bone…

What are Corporalki, the First Order of Grisha in Shadow & Bone?

The most feared group of Grisha are probably the Corporalki, known as “The Order of the Living and the Dead.” They can be recognized by their scarlet red keftas and unique ability to control the human heart beat or heal the body from injuries.

Within the Corporalki are two different kinds of Grisha…

• Heartrenders: These Grisha can slow or speed up the human heart, giving them both physical and emotional control over others, and can stop (or jump start) a heart. Heartrenders are prized both for their ability to kill as well as calm.
• Healers: Just like the name sounds, Healers can heal folks. That’s extremely useful if you’re fighting in an army that faces down both foreign adversaries and blood-thirsty creatures.

Noteworthy Corporalki in Shadow and Bone: Ivan (Simon Sears), a gruff and intimidating Heartrender whom Alina dislikes; Feydor (Julian Kostov), Ivan’s much-more friendly Heartrender buddy; Nina (Danielle Galligan), a vivacious Heartrender working as a spy.

What are Etherealki, the Second Order of Grisha in Shadow & Bone?

The second major Grisha group are the Etherealki or “The Order of Summoners.” Indeed, they are better known as Summoners. Technically, Alina Starkov and General Kirigan fall into this grouping, although Kirigan wears a black kefta instead of the order’s blue. Barring extraordinary examples like Alina and Kirigan, there are only three sub-groups Summoners can fall into…

• Squallers: Squallers have the ability to control the wind, which they can use to help move sandskiffs across the Fold or blow an opponent back.
• Inferni: The Inferni have the ability to manipulate fire, which makes them extremely terrifying in battle (or fun to watch toss flames around at parties).
• Tidemakers: The final group of Etherealki are the Tidemakers. Per their name, they can control and summon water.

Noteworthy Etherealki in Shadow and Bone: Zoya (Sujaya Dasgupta), a beautiful and haughty Squaller who is immediately jealous of Alina; Marie (Jasmine Blackborow), a sweet Inferni who quickly befriends Alina; Nadia (Gabrielle Brooks), a kind and flirty Squaller who is pals with both Alina and Marie.

What are Materialki, the Third Order of Grisha in Shadow & Bone?

The last and most underrated group of Grisha are the Materialki or Order of Fabrikators. They don purple keftas and are not usually seen on the front lines of combat. That’s because they are makers. They have the power to craft bulletproof fabric (used in keftas) and incredible inventions. Fabrikators, as they are usually called, fall into two categories:

• Durasts: These Fabrikators have power over raw metals and materials.
• Alkemi: These are Fabrikators with the ability to manipulate and craft powders and potions.

Noteworthy Materialki in Shadow and Bone: David (Luke Pasqualino) is the most visible Fabrikator in all of Shadow and Bone. He’s an extremely talented Durast and the object of Genya’s crush.

Who are the Crows in Shadow & Bone? And Why Are They Called Dregs?

Shadow and Bone isn’t just about the Grisha. The series also follows the adventures of Kaz Brekker, Jesper Fahey, and Inej Ghafa of the aforementioned Ketterdam.

Fans will commonly refer to these characters as “Crows.” That’s because they were introduced in the book Six of Crows. In that novel, Bardugo introduces us to the Dregs, a street gang of Ketterdam led by Kaz Brekker. (Well, technically he’s not the gang’s leader, but in practice, he is.)

Kaz and company operate business out of the Crow Club. There they run cons on tourists, make money off of gambling tables, and search out leads on bigger potential heists. Kaz is particularly fond of crows and his cane’s handle is fashioned to resemble one.

What is the Shadow Fold in Shadow & Bone? How Was it Made? And Why is It Called the “Unsea”?

The Shadow Fold is a massive scar upon the nation of Ravka. It’s a great mass of utter darkness and desolation. The only thing that thrives within the Fold are blood-thirsty flying monsters called volcra. Even with the powers of the Grisha, traveling through it is a perilous venture. The problem is the Shadow Fold is so huge that it essentially has cut Ravka in half (and it keeps growing).

The Shadow Fold is also known as simply the Fold or the Unsea. The latter is a nickname that expresses the Fold’s sheer size and depth, while also acknowledging it’s not a real sea.

The Shadow Fold was created centuries before the events of Shadow and Bone by a Shadow Summoner called the Black Heretic. General Kirigan expresses guilt to Alina over the fact that the Black Heretic is supposed to be his direct ancestor. Of course, as viewers will learn over the course of Shadow and Bone Season 1, the origin story of the Black Heretic and the Shadow Fold is slightly more complicated than it first seems…

Watch Shadow and Bone on Netflix