The Ice Court heist has yet to occur in Shadow and Bone, but the series brings the Crows in early. This gives audiences a chance to know the characters, presumably setting up a spinoff of their own. However, it also alters their storylines in pretty major ways. This continues into Shadow and Bone season 2, which shifts key events from the Six of Crows books around even further, bringing in elements of the second book before even delving into the first. As such, there are a few things Shadow and Bone gets wrong about the Crows, from their backstories to the ways their relationships unfold.

Related

Shadow & Bone: 10 Things You Need To Know About The Grishaverse Before You Watch The Show

Based on multiple books, Shadow & Bone is poised to be the next Netflix hit - here's everything new fans should know.

Posts

10 The Crows Aren't Involved In Alina Starkov's Story At All

The Netflix show shoehorns them into it

The biggest change Shadow and Bone makes to the Crows' story — and Bardugo's books in general — is mixing the events of both series together, when the Six of Crows books take place after the events of Shadow and Bone. Needless to say, the Crows aren't involved in Alina Starkov's journey in the source material. There's no mission to kidnap the Sun Summoner, nor is there any reason for Kaz and his friends to venture to Ravka. These characters don't appear in the original trilogy, so they don't interact with most of its characters. While the showdown between the Crows and General Kirigan is exciting, it doesn't happen in the books.

The only Shadow and Bone character who shows up in the Six of Crows books is Nikolai Lantsov, and he does so under very different circumstances. While he tasks Kaz and his friends with finding Alina in the show, Nikolai shows up to negotiate with the Crows in Crooked Kingdom. Their interactions occur to determine the fate of Kuwei Yul-Bo, a character who hasn't been introduced in Shadow and Bone yet.

9 Nina Zenik's Backstory Is Different In The Books

She ends up with the Crows through different means

While Shadow and Bone keeps Nina and Matthias' relationship trajectory mostly intact, the series makes minor changes to Nina's backstory. These exist to make up for the condensed (and controversial) timeline of Shadow and Bone. At the beginning of Shadow and Bone season 1, Nina is captured while on a mission for General Kirigan. In the books, she's captured on a different mission for the Second Army at a later date. However, the end result — her being caught by Fjerdans, falling in love with Matthias, and staying in Ketterdam to free him — is essentially the same.

Additionally, Nina and the Crows meet differently in Bardugo's books than they do in the Netflix show. In the TV series, Nina overhears that Kaz and his gang are looking for a Heartrender and offers up her services in exchange for assistance freeing Matthias. In the source material, Kaz is the one who recruits Nina — though he still agrees to break Matthias out of Hellgate. Most of this also happens off the page, as Nina is already part of the Crows when Six of Crows opens. Shadow and Bone takes viewers further back in time, allowing them to see the beginnings of her relationship with the group.

8 Inej Doesn't Have A Brother In The Books

Shadow and Bone adds this motivation

Shadow and Bone season 1 reveals that Inej has a brother who was taken by slavers alongside her, a motivation that doesn't exist in Bardugo's books. While Inej is still taken from her parents and sold to Tante Heleen in the duology, she never mentions any other family . The only people she's looking to locate are her parents. The introduction of a brother adds a new layer to her storyline, giving her a reason to hunt slavers beyond her own tragic background with them.

7 Wylan & Jesper Don't Get Together So Early In The Books

Their relationship is more of a slow burn

Wylan and Jesper have something of a slow burn relationship in the Six of Crows books, but Shadow and Bone changes this element of their romance. For one, the Netflix series makes it so that they've already slept together once before Kaz brings Wylan onto the team. Although Jesper and Wylan meet briefly before this in the books, they don't have a romantic or sexual history with one another. They also don't immediately develop feelings for each other, nor do they act on them.

By contrast, the pair hit it off right away in Shadow and Bone season 2 and act on those feelings. It's likely the creators wanted to give viewers a chance to see their romance, just in case Shadow and Bone season 3 didn't happen. Still, it's a shame the show takes this route, as the build-up to Wylan and Jesper's relationship is part of what makes it great.

6 Kaz Brekker Is Already The Leader Of The Dregs In Six Of Crows

Shadow and Bone alters his timeline

Although Kaz owns the Crow Club in Shadow and Bone season 1, he isn't the leader of the Dregs when the show opens. This is a big change from the Six of Crows books, which begin with Kaz running the club and serving as the leader of the gang. Prior to leading the group, Kaz was a member of the Dregs — one who eventually led a coup to overthrow its original leader, Per Haskell, before taking his place.

As Shadow and Bone is set before the Ice Court heist, it seems to be building to this point in Kaz's story. He takes over the Dregs in season 2, leaving him in a prime position to take on the Ice Court heist. Like so many Six of Crows storylines, the timing of this one is totally altered in Shadow and Bone.

5 Kaz's Revenge On Pekka Rollins Plays Out Differently

Shadow and Bone leaves the door open for Pekka to return

Given that the timeline of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom is so different in Shadow and Bone, Kaz's revenge against Pekka Rollins comes before the Ice Court heist. In the book, Kaz and Pekka have their final showdown in Crooked Kingdom. Shadow and Bone adds this to season 2, though it also leaves Pekka's story more open-ended than the books. In Crooked Kingdom, Kaz and his gang finally beat Pekka, making the gang leader believe they've killed his son — a move that leads Pekka to leave Ketterdam. In Shadow and Bone, Pekka ends up imprisoned at Hellgate, giving him further opportunities to mess with the Crows later on.

4 Matthias' Hellgate Storyline Isn't The Same

Shadow and Bone makes minor changes

While the Crows break Matthias out of prison in the Six of Crows books, readers don't get to see as much of Matthias' time there. There are some significant changes to Shadow and Bone's take on his Hellgate storyline. For one, Pekka Rollins is behind bars with Matthias, and he immediately stirs up trouble for Matthias and Nina. Nina's unsuccessful attempt to pardon Matthias also doesn't happen in the books. And finally, Matthias winds up killing the wolves he's forced to fight during Hellshow in the books. In Shadow and Bone, he uses his connection with them to escape their fight unharmed — a welcome departure from his book story.

3 The Crows Don't Get A Legendary Sword In The Source Material

Neshyenyer isn't in the Shadow and Bone or Six of Crows books

The Crows' main storyline in Shadow and Bone season 2 is fabricated for the show, as the legendary blade, Neshyenyer, doesn't appear in the Shadow and Bone trilogy or Six of Crows books. This bit of mythos is pulled from Bardugo's book of folktales, The Lives of Saints. Shadow and Bone season 2 uses it to give the Crows something to do, working it into the quest to defeat the Darkling. The crows never get their hands on this legendary item in the books, nor does it make an appearance in the final stand against the Darkling.

2 Inej Doesn't Leave The Crows So Early (Or Have Another Love Interest)

Shadow and Bone puts Inej on a new path

One of the most controversial choices Shadow and Bone makes is having Inej leave the Crows during the season 2 finale. Shadow and Bone season 2's ending sees Inej gaining her freedom and setting sail to hunt slavers — two things that happen in the books, just much later and differently. In the source material, Inej isn't freed until after the Ice Court heist and Kaz's revenge against Pekka. While she does sail away, the ship belongs to her. Kaz gifts her a ship and reunites her with her parents in the source material.

By contrast, Inej becomes a member of Mal's crew in Shadow and Bone. As Mal doesn't become Sturmhond in the books or meet Inej, this isn't possible at the end of Crooked Kingdom. Inej also departs at the end of Crooked Kingdom on much better with Kaz, as the two have already come to with their complicated feelings for one another. In Shadow and Bone, the pair are still struggling with their feelings when Inej leaves — and the show even hints at a dubious love triangle between Kaz, Inej, and Tolya.

1 The Conductor & Milo Don't Exist In Leigh Bardugo's Books

Netflix adds them to get the Crows across the Fold

Perhaps the best change Shadow and Bone makes to the crows storyline is the addition of the Conductor and Milo the goat in season 1. Both characters are absent from Bardugo's books, as the Crows never cross the Fold. Therefore, they don't require the Conductor's assistance to safely reach Ravka. Sadly, this means the most adorable character from Shadow and Bone never makes an appearance in the books. Milo's addition to the Crows' storyline may indicate a divergence from the source material, but it definitely helps make Shadow and Bone more memorable.