A WEEK AGO, NONNA OSTROVSKY HAD BEEN A SOLDIER. A mediocre healer and a sub-par heartrender. Now, traveling with the sun summoner, she is one of the few people who could hope to save Ravka. It's all falling into place. The sea whip is somewhere in Novyi Zem and, once Alina takes it as a second amplifier, she may be strong enough to bring down the Fold. Strong enough to reunite their country. Strong enough to be the saint she had been proclaim.

SERAFIMA OSTROVSKY WAS WANTED FOR MURDER. The worst part? She hadn't even done it. While the Crows were away fighting shadow monsters and meeting saints, Pekka Rollins had stolen their home and framed them for the murder of Tante Heleen. Of all people. Now, to survive, they will have to face the full force of Ketterdam and the Barrel — and that's fine by them. They were crows, after all, and crows always get their revenge.

BUT TIME IS RUNNING OUT. The Darkling is alive and the Fold is spreading. Soon it will swallow all of Ravka. All of the world. Once again Ravka is in need of its saints...and its thieves.

Cast

NONNA OSTROVSKY (She/Her)

Seeker of Fate, Builder of Destiny

SVETLANA "SVETA" SHWETZ (She/Her)

Something New, Something Growing

JIP MARQUERING (They/She)

Keeper of Secrets, Keeper of Names

ESBEN "EBBE" SKJEGGESTAD (He/Him)

A Whimsical Friend, A Silent Watcher

SERAFIMA OSTROVSKY (She/Her)

The Sea's Child, The Sea's Rage

MINKE RADEMAKER (He/Him)

A Nameless Boy, The Writer of His Own Song

Updated aesthetics for an updated story. Genuinely so excited to write these characters again. I can't even name a favorite part, there's so much exciting (for me, the author) stuff in store for each of them.

Over time, they've really become important to me. Nonna in particular. When I wrote her, it was temping to make her "the best." A super powerful and justify her being part of the plot. Alina and Mal were destined to save Ravka together...and Nonna's just there.

But I realized that was kind of the point, that was what made her important. Nonna's choices, instead of her circumstances, have driven the story. She chose her powers. She chose to help Alina and Mal on the skiff, and she's been choosing to help them ever since, and honestly that's unique among the Shadow & Bone protagonists (though admittedly the show has given Alina and Mal some more motivation.)

That's sort of the theme of this season, really. Keep that in mind. All of these characters are making their own choices, telling their own stories, and discovering their own futures...whatever that means.

Also, I included pronouns. I'd seen a couple people do this before and thought it was a great idea. Which Jip using different pronouns, I realized this was the perfect time to start implementing it.