Did you ever read or watched something and kept thinking you were enchanted by the side characters, but the main one sucks big time? I had this experience recently with Netflix Shadow and Bone.
I admit I didn’t read the books, but I enjoyed the first series and decided to give it a go for the second. Still, I must admit I’m a little bit disappointed.
The side characters are delicious, full of wit, sass and humour, and I’m glad the action diverged from the main storyline because the main characters I found insufferable.
Of course, not the Darkling. Not only Ben plays him well, but this character has the motivation, the background and the charisma that makes him a very likeable villain, and frankly, I hope he will get the girl and do whatever he wants to do with the world.
Alina and Mal – should it be a romance? I’m asking because there is no chemistry between the characters. Nothing, it feels like two people forced to kiss in public ( it is kind of true ;p), but there is nothing on the screen that would make it at least a tidbit swoon-worthy.
As for the characters themselves. I am biased. I don’t like YA fiction. The immaturity of its characters rarely gives them a good ARC. This time it is no different. Alina is self-righteous, know it all with a world saviour complex and Mal – he is just a wet rag. Completely forgettable as much as she is irritating. Compared to Capitan Sturmhond, who is such a cookie, I wouldn’t spare Mal a second thought.
Will I be watching the rest of the series – well, yes, for Darkling, smexy Captain, the Crows and the heartrender, because they are the best one can find in fantasy.
Agreed- Mal and Alina are utterly boring. The writers clearly want us to ship them and I’m sorry, but I won’t. The Darkling, on the other hand, is irresistible and if I were Alina, I’d happily support his campaign for world domination.
He also had a good ARC when Alina was a petulant tenager for most of the movie