Shadow and Bone Is Like Game of Thrones For Teens; Here's What Parents Should Know

Published on 4/23/2021 at 1:01 PM

Avid readers will be thrilled to learn that the bestselling Shadow and Bone book series by Leigh Bardugo has been adapted into a Netflix show! Aimed at teens 14 years and older, the fantasy series follows a young female soldier named Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), who has magical powers. Living in a war-torn society — the setting is an interesting mix between The Hunger Games and an age-appropriate take on Game of Thrones — Alina is forced to voyage into "the fold," a scary middle ground between civilizations.

Chock-full of high-intensity action scenes and sympathetic characters, we have a feeling your kiddos will want to binge this series in one sitting. Although this show is an awesome nod to the young adult books, there are a few things that parents should be aware of before letting their teenagers stream the first season of Shadow and Bone, which is already available on Netflix. Read ahead to learn what to be on the lookout for!

There are a ton of high-intensity fighting scenes

Shadow and Bone will certainly have viewers on the edge of their seats from the get-go. There are tons of fight scenes with a slew of different weapons involved, from guns to swords to throwing stars. In the second episode, we also see some human innards on the ground in the corner of one shot. Although it's not a close-up, it may be a good idea to fast-forward through this part if you have squeamish teens.

Moreover, there are a few scenes that hint at the possibility of torture. Although we don't see anything over the top — other than a few characters tied up and threatened with knives — these scenes could be startling for young viewers.

There are some examples of xenophobia

From the very start, it's clear that Alina and her friend, Malyen (Archie Renaux), had a tumultuous childhood. Growing up in an orphanage, the pair eventually became soldiers together and face many instances of xenophobia. Considered to be a grisha — or a person who practices "small sciences" and has magical powers — Alina and other grishas are frequently the focus of hurtful comments based on their background.

According to an elder educator we meet later in the series, grishas have a long history of being persecuted. At one point, Alina is introduced to another woman who whispers "you stink of the orphanage, half-breed" into her ear. These conversations may prompt older children to ask relevant follow-up questions about xenophobia even after they stop watching.

There are some scary parts — including a monster — that might be tough for teens

Although incredibly intriguing, the fold is a dark place that has danger lurking around every corner. The Volcras — winged, dragon-like creatures that eat humans and moves in big groups — might give younger viewers a jolt, as many characters die early on at their hands. Although you don't necessarily see anything gory, watching people get dragged off a ship into the dark oblivion can be frightening.

There are mentions of selling children into slavery

Throughout the series it becomes clear that a spy, Inej Ghafa (Amita Suman), was sold into slavery at a young age. While on a mission to kill a man known as "The Conductor," we learn that he had a massive hand in breaking up poor families and selling the children into the slave trade.