First Shadow and Bone photos bring the Grishaverse to life The YA adaptation hits Netflix in April Share this story The first photos of Shadow and Bone, Netflix’s adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s best-selling Grishaverse books, reveal the main cast in action — as well as a glimpse of the fantasy world. “Think Imperial Russia, not Medieval England, repeating rifles instead of broadswords,” said Bardugo, who also serves as executive producer. The first set of books centers on Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), an orphaned mapmaker unaware of her own great power. The land of Ravka is torn in half by the Shadow Fold, a supernatural barrier of tangible darkness, which is slowly destroying the country’s economy and society. Alina, along with her best friend Mal (Archie Renaux), are members of a dispensable army that the Ravkan government sends through the Fold.