Arguably, the best part of any fantasy novel is the sweet map on the first page. When a book comes with one, you know the author has put some extra thought into this world. You also know you’ll be able to reference it when the characters start name-dropping random cities, mountain ranges, and any other bespoke locations.
Unfortunately, in translating books to screen, you don’t get that map on the first page. For Netflix’s adaptation of Shadow and Bone, a series where geography plays an integral role in the political conflict and turmoil across the land, not having a map comes as a bit of a setback.
So here’s some help: the map! Behold it in all its glory.
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Ravka, the country where the series takes place, is smack dab in the middle. Smack dab in the middle of Ravka is the Unsea (aka the Shadow Fold), which splits the nation in two, effectively separating the capital city of Os Alta from the rest of the world. The Shadow Fold is super dangerous because it’s full of creatures called Volcra that like to feast on human flesh, which you can’t see coming because it’s super dark all the time. The only ways to get from East Ravka to West Ravka without crossing it are to go through Fjerda (hostile northern country) or Shu Han (hostile southern country), so your options are pretty limited.
Toward the bottom of the True Sea (the actual ocean), you can see Kerch, which is the island nation that the Six of Crows characters are from. Kerch is the trade epicenter of the world and everyone who lives there is a cutthroat business person. The Crows characters in the show start off in Kerch, but make their way to Ravka.
For more on the geopolitical landscape of Shadow and Bone — and why it matters that Alina is half-Shu — check out our handy-dandy guide to the political machinations at the heart of the series.
All episodes of Shadow and Bone are available on Netflix.
Source: https://www.polygon.com/22397995/shadow-and-bone-map-ravka-grishaverse
