PORTRAYAL OF JOLENE

  • In the book, Jolene uses her degree in physical education to aid Beth through her addiction, but does not provide money for Beth to get to Russia.

  • In the show, Beth is indebted to Jolene’s contribution to help Beth get to Russia.

CONSCIENCE V.S COINCIDENCE

  • Tevis proves that conscience will help those going through struggles to continue fighting their battles (as Beth reached out to Jolene at the bottom of her addiction.)

  • Instead, in the show, Jolene coincidentally appears at Beth’s front door right when Beth needs her.

SEXISM IN THE 1950s

  • Lastly, Tevis’s novel highlights the 1950s gender battle for women in academia, depicting the constant sexism Beth encountered with her fellow competitors

  • In the Netflix drama, Beth’s male competitors are surprised by her intellect rather than threatened.

Queen’s Gambit (2020) | Motion Picture Association

Verywell Mind | Conscience vs. Conscious

Queen’s Gambit (2020) | America Magazine

POWER PORTRAYAL

  • In Bardugo’s novel, Alina lacks power when it comes to her relationship with the Darkling. The love/hate relationship follows a typical storyline of the man holding most of the power in a romantic relationship.

  • Heisserer however went for a modern take, making Alina the instigator of the relationship, further highlighting the control she holds over the male antagonist.

DARKLING’S BACKSTORY

  • The Darkling, supposedly had a dark history as a lonely young boy, molding the power-struck antagonist that Bardugo created.

  • In contrast, Heisserer went for a tragic romantic backstory for the Darkling.

MAL AND ALINA

  • Bardugo shapes a relationship between Mal and Alina full of angst, jealousy, and indecisiveness.

  • But instead of this rocky relationship, Heisserer depicted it as stable, loving, and never-dying.

Shadow and Bone (2021) | Netflix Life

Shadow and Bone (2021) | Netflix Life

Shadow and Bone (2021) | Insider

Queen’s Gambit (2020) | Netflix Original

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