The Grishaverse is a fantasy universe created by Leigh Bardugo. It primarily consists of bestselling young adult fantasy novels but has also been adapted to a TV series.
A graduate of Yale University, author Leigh Bardugo is most known for the bestselling novels of her Grishaverse world, including the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Six of Crows duology, and King of Scars duology. Her adult fantasy series, beginning with Ninth House, was also a bestselling success. The Familiar, her upcoming historical fantasy, is planned to release in early 2024.
This map depicts the setting of all the Grishverse books. Each country is roughly inspired by a real country: Ravka is reminiscent of Russia; Fjerda resembles Sweden and Norway; Shu Han is China; Ketterdam is Holland. The Fold that bisects Ravka (labeled as The Unsea on the right side of the map) is particularly relevant for the Shadow and Bone trilogy as it centers the series’ main conflict, though it is the primary setting for the King of Scars duology as well. In the bottom middle of the map lies the island of Kerch, with the city Ketterdam labeled next to a four-pointed star. Above Ravka is Fjerda, Matthias Helvar's country and home to the Ice Court in Six of Crows.
The detailed map of Ketterdam is particularly useful for the second book in the Six of Crows duology, Crooked Kingdom, though it also applies to sections of Six of Crows. Ketterdam is the home city (or at least present residence) for most of the Crows. Nicknamed the Barrel, many character conflicts and goals are represented there, specifically rivalries with fellow gangs. The buildings, harbors, and institutions that––pun intended––harbor intense trauma create a vivid, messy setting for the story. Economic disparities establishing world building are marked by the map as well; for example, the Van Eck mansion––where Wylan’s merchant father lives––is located far from those reprobates of the penny-pinching wallet-robbing Barrel.
Six of Crows features the Ice Court. As the setting for the book's complicated heist, the Court serves not only as a source of external tension but a manifestation of internal character struggles. Throughout the Crows’ journey and particularly within the Court, each character confronts fears plaguing them. Matthias faces the amplified strain on his strict values once surrounded by his home culture in the Court; Inej loses her climbing equipment and has to depend solely on her own unassisted abilities, as well as unexpectedly encounter traumatic figures from her past; Kaz is forced into close quarters with other people and must touch them, a highly repulsive act due to his backstory; Jesper’s secret is secret no longer when he manifests immature magic, a difficult reminder of his late mother, in order to participate in the heist; Nina’s new trust in Matthias is challenged as she questions eminent betrayal of those around her, including her relationship with her own magic; Wylan’s secrets are slowly exposed, leaving him uniquely vulnerable. The Ice Court’s structure composed of concentric circles, then, mirrors the heist's rippling effects on these individuals; as they explore the tiers of the Court, they are forced to examine their personal characteristics and reveal, layer by layer, what they fear in themselves, how those fears relate to their fellow Crows, and how they will overcome them for the heist’s good as well as their own.
On April 23, 2021, season one of Shadow and Bone released to Netflix. It was, of course, known ahead of time that the show would take significant liberties with the original plot of the series. Most notably, the characters from the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology would be interacting in the same story, an impossible feat should the show have adhered to the book's canon chronological proceedings. However, there were little complaints since––as a general rule––the Crows are far more beloved than almost any other singular character of the Shadow and Bone trilogy. Other changes include aging up characters (none of them look or act seventeen) and making Alina Starkov of East Asian descent, to mixed responses from Asian viewers. Some critiqued its representation, while other fans used it as an opportunity to celebrate East Asian voices in fantasy. Overall, however, the Grishaverse has taken the internet by storm. Despite the statistics showing its popularity exceeds many other shows, Netflix cancelled both season three and potential for a Six of Crows spin-off. The team already had a Six of Crows script written. Here's the petition to save Shadow and Bone that's got a ton of signatures and the attention of the showrunners, Leigh Bardugo, and (supposedly) some Netflix higher-ups.