A Conjuring of Light: A Novel (Shades of Magic)
ByV. E. Schwab
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Readers` Reviews
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
chris boette
The whole trilogy was addictive and sucked me into the worlds of the multiple Londons. While the concepts the author thought up around "magic" are disappointingly unrealistic (because there is real magic, of course), she does make it work in the context of the narrative. The characters are loveable and none of them are one-dimensional. I would enjoy hearing about how the Black London went dark - I bet that would be an interesting prequel.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
alandra weaver
This series has always been about the characters as much as the plot, and the author continues that with this tale of former enemies and rivals struggling to work together against a common enemy. Trust and responsibility/durty are big themes in this book, and the author handles them well.
But more than anything this book is about Hollande, his tragic backstory and how he was enslaved by the Dane twins is revealed in a series of well spaced flashbacks. His struggle for redemption and acceptance is compelling. Overall the ending wraps up most of the loose ends, I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy.
But more than anything this book is about Hollande, his tragic backstory and how he was enslaved by the Dane twins is revealed in a series of well spaced flashbacks. His struggle for redemption and acceptance is compelling. Overall the ending wraps up most of the loose ends, I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
jamie lynn
Amazing story & a great conclusion to the series!
My only complaint is that after returning my copy (due to mold growing in the back), I still received a copy that had slight damage to the dust jacket. This seems to be a recurring trend, as the past 3 books I've ordered from the store had this issue, and only some of them were resolved with a return & exchange.
My only complaint is that after returning my copy (due to mold growing in the back), I still received a copy that had slight damage to the dust jacket. This seems to be a recurring trend, as the past 3 books I've ordered from the store had this issue, and only some of them were resolved with a return & exchange.
This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity) :: Vicious (Villains) :: Wise Blood: A Novel (FSG Classics) :: A Good Man is Hard to Find :: Nevernight: Book One of the Nevernight Chronicle
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
sam frazier
I'm a bit disappointed by this book and I totally expected this book to be amazing! After an incredible second book, the third fell a bit flat for me. The biggest part of this book was dedicated to Osaron, and Osaron is one of the most boring villains I ever read about.
We met Osaron in the second book, and the first thing I noticed about him back then was that his vocabulary isn't very large. The bad thing about him in the third book: I don't think he uses sentences that he hadn't already used in the previous book. I started to get really annoyed by some of his sentences. I wanted to start throwing and breaking things after the hunderth time I read the same sentences or the same dialogue. A list of 90% of his vocabulary:
Let me in (I'm going to slap the next person who asks to let them in, in the face)
Have you come to bow?
I am a God
It's not enough
let me in
let me in
let me in
let me in
let me in
I really feel like 50% of the dialogues that had Osaron in them could have been skipped. After the first 100 pages we just didn't learn anything new from those conversations, it didn't add any other value to the story. It's actually ALWAYS EXACTLY THE SAME and the book could have been 200 pages lighter and had saved some precious trees without loosing anything that mattered. It was just completely impossible to have a decent conversation with the guy because no matter what you asked him, you got the same answer.
I think every important characters (this book has quite a few important characters) has had a conversation with Osaron in their head at one point in this book and some of them had the same conversation a few times. At one point I contemplated skipping the parts that involved Osaron, but out of fear of missing something important I kept reading them. Now I know I wouldn't have missed a thing, I would have just finished this book a week earlier.
I did miss Lila in this book. She was the most important character in the second book and made that book so amazing. But in this book she becomes a bit more part of the background story, especially in the first part. After her amazing character development in the second book it felt like she took 10 steps back and went back to the not trusting, and sometimes really mean girl she was in the first book.
In the last 25% of the book there is more room for her character and she has some amazing scenes with Kell. Those parts were really enjoyable but there weren't nearly enough of those in this book.
The second half of this book was much better than the first part. Less Osaron and more room for the other story lines. Some really unexpected thing happened and there were a lot more emotions in this part.
To be honest the only thing I really liked about this book were the last 10 pages. The ending closed this series perfectly. It was really nice to see everything come to a close.
I can't say that I didn't like this book. It's a fairly good book, it's just so different from the first two books and I expected it to be better.
I'm a Book Depository affiliate! If you want to buy this book, consider buying it through this link!
We met Osaron in the second book, and the first thing I noticed about him back then was that his vocabulary isn't very large. The bad thing about him in the third book: I don't think he uses sentences that he hadn't already used in the previous book. I started to get really annoyed by some of his sentences. I wanted to start throwing and breaking things after the hunderth time I read the same sentences or the same dialogue. A list of 90% of his vocabulary:
Let me in (I'm going to slap the next person who asks to let them in, in the face)
Have you come to bow?
I am a God
It's not enough
let me in
let me in
let me in
let me in
let me in
I really feel like 50% of the dialogues that had Osaron in them could have been skipped. After the first 100 pages we just didn't learn anything new from those conversations, it didn't add any other value to the story. It's actually ALWAYS EXACTLY THE SAME and the book could have been 200 pages lighter and had saved some precious trees without loosing anything that mattered. It was just completely impossible to have a decent conversation with the guy because no matter what you asked him, you got the same answer.
I think every important characters (this book has quite a few important characters) has had a conversation with Osaron in their head at one point in this book and some of them had the same conversation a few times. At one point I contemplated skipping the parts that involved Osaron, but out of fear of missing something important I kept reading them. Now I know I wouldn't have missed a thing, I would have just finished this book a week earlier.
I did miss Lila in this book. She was the most important character in the second book and made that book so amazing. But in this book she becomes a bit more part of the background story, especially in the first part. After her amazing character development in the second book it felt like she took 10 steps back and went back to the not trusting, and sometimes really mean girl she was in the first book.
In the last 25% of the book there is more room for her character and she has some amazing scenes with Kell. Those parts were really enjoyable but there weren't nearly enough of those in this book.
The second half of this book was much better than the first part. Less Osaron and more room for the other story lines. Some really unexpected thing happened and there were a lot more emotions in this part.
To be honest the only thing I really liked about this book were the last 10 pages. The ending closed this series perfectly. It was really nice to see everything come to a close.
I can't say that I didn't like this book. It's a fairly good book, it's just so different from the first two books and I expected it to be better.
I'm a Book Depository affiliate! If you want to buy this book, consider buying it through this link!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
keri
This review was posted on As The Book Ends blog (asthebookends.com)
When the final Harry Potter book was released in 2007, I vividly remember borrowing $20 from my dad so that I could wait in line at midnight to purchase it. The entire drive home, I found myself hoping I would hit a red light so that I could pick up the book and begin reading it. As soon as I stepped out of my car, I opened the book and spent the next day fully immersed. As the pages flew by, I began to panic – this book marked the end of a series that I had been in love with for years. As much as I wanted to find out what would happen to Harry and company, I was loathe to continue reading, knowing that to do so would mean completing the book. Sure, I could always reread it, but nothing would ever compare to reading a book I loved so much for the first time.
In the 10 years since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was published, I have yet to feel the same way about a book. Even Six of Crows, a duology that will always be one of my all time favorites didn’t stir such feelings. I honestly believed they were reserved for Harry Potter alone and would never return. Somehow, V.E. Schwab has made me feel like a 17 year old girl reading Deathly Hallows for the first time again. Over the last 24 hours I have put down and picked up A Conjuring of Light more times than I can count. I purchased it in both hardcover and on my Kindle. I read it on my lunch break at work, while walking through the grocery store, and during every spare second in between. Around page 500, however, I began to feel that familiar panic again. Although I didn’t want the series to end, I couldn’t put the book down, it had sucked me in completely.
The Shades of Magic series takes place in four different Londons – White London, Gray London, Red London, and Black London. The four Londons contain varying degrees of magic and can only be traveled between by Antari – a rare breed of magician with the ability to perform blood magic. Over the course of the first two books, Schwab introduced her readers to the different Londons and their array of characters. At the end of the second book in the series, A Gathering of Shadows, the main characters were in precarious situations as a seemingly unbeatable villain finally made his big move. A Conjuring of Light picked up right where the second book left off.
The phrase “action packed” took on a whole new meaning when applied to this novel. With the fast pace continuing from A Gathering of Shadows, the book never slows down. Even the flashbacks were thrilling and full of suspense. From one page to the next, I never knew what would happen.
A Conjuring of Light is told from many points of view, something that I normally find frustrating (more than 3 people telling one story gets confusing), but happened to enjoy in this series. Somehow, Schwab managed to make every narrator relatable, even Holland. Though I didn’t love him in the first two books, the glimpses Schwab gives into his past shed some light on his behavior. While books one and two primarily follow Lila and Kell, this book allowed readers to see into the minds of just about every major character, and even some secondary ones. I enjoyed that every story told, each shift in narration, and even every death served a purpose in the overall plot of the book.
The only disclaimer I have to offer is that this is not a series for those who dislike graphic violence. It is not a YA book, but an Adult Fantasy novel.
My Takeaway: A Conjuring of Light made me realize that I have been lax in my ranking system. This novel has set the bar high for 5 star reviews, and will be the standard against which I measure all future fantasy books. For fans of the Grisha trilogy and Six of Crows duology, this series is a must read – Leigh Bardugo herself recommends it.
When the final Harry Potter book was released in 2007, I vividly remember borrowing $20 from my dad so that I could wait in line at midnight to purchase it. The entire drive home, I found myself hoping I would hit a red light so that I could pick up the book and begin reading it. As soon as I stepped out of my car, I opened the book and spent the next day fully immersed. As the pages flew by, I began to panic – this book marked the end of a series that I had been in love with for years. As much as I wanted to find out what would happen to Harry and company, I was loathe to continue reading, knowing that to do so would mean completing the book. Sure, I could always reread it, but nothing would ever compare to reading a book I loved so much for the first time.
In the 10 years since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was published, I have yet to feel the same way about a book. Even Six of Crows, a duology that will always be one of my all time favorites didn’t stir such feelings. I honestly believed they were reserved for Harry Potter alone and would never return. Somehow, V.E. Schwab has made me feel like a 17 year old girl reading Deathly Hallows for the first time again. Over the last 24 hours I have put down and picked up A Conjuring of Light more times than I can count. I purchased it in both hardcover and on my Kindle. I read it on my lunch break at work, while walking through the grocery store, and during every spare second in between. Around page 500, however, I began to feel that familiar panic again. Although I didn’t want the series to end, I couldn’t put the book down, it had sucked me in completely.
The Shades of Magic series takes place in four different Londons – White London, Gray London, Red London, and Black London. The four Londons contain varying degrees of magic and can only be traveled between by Antari – a rare breed of magician with the ability to perform blood magic. Over the course of the first two books, Schwab introduced her readers to the different Londons and their array of characters. At the end of the second book in the series, A Gathering of Shadows, the main characters were in precarious situations as a seemingly unbeatable villain finally made his big move. A Conjuring of Light picked up right where the second book left off.
The phrase “action packed” took on a whole new meaning when applied to this novel. With the fast pace continuing from A Gathering of Shadows, the book never slows down. Even the flashbacks were thrilling and full of suspense. From one page to the next, I never knew what would happen.
A Conjuring of Light is told from many points of view, something that I normally find frustrating (more than 3 people telling one story gets confusing), but happened to enjoy in this series. Somehow, Schwab managed to make every narrator relatable, even Holland. Though I didn’t love him in the first two books, the glimpses Schwab gives into his past shed some light on his behavior. While books one and two primarily follow Lila and Kell, this book allowed readers to see into the minds of just about every major character, and even some secondary ones. I enjoyed that every story told, each shift in narration, and even every death served a purpose in the overall plot of the book.
The only disclaimer I have to offer is that this is not a series for those who dislike graphic violence. It is not a YA book, but an Adult Fantasy novel.
My Takeaway: A Conjuring of Light made me realize that I have been lax in my ranking system. This novel has set the bar high for 5 star reviews, and will be the standard against which I measure all future fantasy books. For fans of the Grisha trilogy and Six of Crows duology, this series is a must read – Leigh Bardugo herself recommends it.
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
rachel wescott
I loved the first book in this Shades of Magic series so much that I pre-ordered signed hardcover copies of book 2 and book 3 to support the author. Unfortunately, they will be going from my recommended reads shelf to the eBay resale pile... In hopes that Victoria will read this review constructively and fellow authors and readers will see it as a warning, allow me to elaborate.
"The king was gone, still gone, and without him, London was getting bad again, getting worse."
This sentence quoted directly from the last book pretty much sums up the series. MIGHT as well have called the fictional world "Chuckaboo" as none of the charms or descriptives of London were present at all.
Lack of world building aside, the writing prose was fine. What wasn't fine was the ridiculous number of times Schwab descibes magic as "humming/hummed" or "singing/sang". The first dozen repeats had me rolling my eyes, another dozen internally screaming why. Then, it got to the point where I had to go and tell somebody. Seriously, for every instance I could think of at least 3 new words to better describe it. Multiply that by the number of occurrences (of which, I eventually I lost count) and you have a truck load of missed opportunities. "Slick" is infinitely used to describe everything under the sun from blood to magic to any kind of liquid substance or bodily fluid on the ground (drink every time the word is used and that might be the last time you ever play that game). I am truly amazed how this book made it past her editor or proof readers for that matter. Did no one suggest using a Thesaurus?! Used sparingly, the voice would have been clever. But the author went with abundance, which quickly turned into overuse. There are many other examples of redundancy throughout all three of the books, but alas these are just a few examples.
If you can forgive the minuscule vocabulary (I understand that it is YA, but c'mon), there were some interesting places the characters visited. Namely, the Ferase Stras. The floating market full of forbidden trinkets woven between docked pirate ships was a neat idea, but short lived. One moment we are being entertained by our beloved main characters having to pay for their last-hope treasure using years of their life as currency, and the next we are witnessing the exact scene from Harry Potter where the enemy is making cracks in the castle's magical forcefield.
So, what are we left with? It's a book series mainly about the characters moreso than anything else. But those same characters betray their own personalities at the most random times, sometimes within the same page, that it just feels hypocritical and unpleasant. Even if that doesn't jarr you out of the story over and over, the pacing sure will. Book 1 was fantastic. Book 2 was pointless and 512 pages too long. I held out hope and even lowered my expectations that Book 3 would redeem this series, but it didn't. Sadly, it's an example of a great idea for a novel that should've been a single, standalone book. I say that because it's a book revolving around magic at its core. MAGIC. You literally have the most endless, infinite, boundless concept for a fantasy setting and this is what you arrive at? For the main characters and the reader, it's continually hinted at that magic is this intricate thing that can be harnessed, given shape. But when it does it disappoints. For all that, why were we never given more of an explanation as to how magic actually works? It could've been worked in to so much of the dialog to make all of it more believable. Nothing wound up being relevant. Trying to make me care solely about the characters does not make the story better. It doesn't make the stakes feel higher unless you do it the other way around.
Except for the first book, are the other alternate Londons actually worthless? The other Londons are used as a token here, mentioned for good measure there, but I'd imagine readers who became interested in the series to begin with for that presentation alone walked away disappointed. I stayed for other reasons. I was par for the course. I wish I hadn't.
The Shades of Magic series was held together by a delicate thread, and in the end, it snapped.
"The king was gone, still gone, and without him, London was getting bad again, getting worse."
This sentence quoted directly from the last book pretty much sums up the series. MIGHT as well have called the fictional world "Chuckaboo" as none of the charms or descriptives of London were present at all.
Lack of world building aside, the writing prose was fine. What wasn't fine was the ridiculous number of times Schwab descibes magic as "humming/hummed" or "singing/sang". The first dozen repeats had me rolling my eyes, another dozen internally screaming why. Then, it got to the point where I had to go and tell somebody. Seriously, for every instance I could think of at least 3 new words to better describe it. Multiply that by the number of occurrences (of which, I eventually I lost count) and you have a truck load of missed opportunities. "Slick" is infinitely used to describe everything under the sun from blood to magic to any kind of liquid substance or bodily fluid on the ground (drink every time the word is used and that might be the last time you ever play that game). I am truly amazed how this book made it past her editor or proof readers for that matter. Did no one suggest using a Thesaurus?! Used sparingly, the voice would have been clever. But the author went with abundance, which quickly turned into overuse. There are many other examples of redundancy throughout all three of the books, but alas these are just a few examples.
If you can forgive the minuscule vocabulary (I understand that it is YA, but c'mon), there were some interesting places the characters visited. Namely, the Ferase Stras. The floating market full of forbidden trinkets woven between docked pirate ships was a neat idea, but short lived. One moment we are being entertained by our beloved main characters having to pay for their last-hope treasure using years of their life as currency, and the next we are witnessing the exact scene from Harry Potter where the enemy is making cracks in the castle's magical forcefield.
So, what are we left with? It's a book series mainly about the characters moreso than anything else. But those same characters betray their own personalities at the most random times, sometimes within the same page, that it just feels hypocritical and unpleasant. Even if that doesn't jarr you out of the story over and over, the pacing sure will. Book 1 was fantastic. Book 2 was pointless and 512 pages too long. I held out hope and even lowered my expectations that Book 3 would redeem this series, but it didn't. Sadly, it's an example of a great idea for a novel that should've been a single, standalone book. I say that because it's a book revolving around magic at its core. MAGIC. You literally have the most endless, infinite, boundless concept for a fantasy setting and this is what you arrive at? For the main characters and the reader, it's continually hinted at that magic is this intricate thing that can be harnessed, given shape. But when it does it disappoints. For all that, why were we never given more of an explanation as to how magic actually works? It could've been worked in to so much of the dialog to make all of it more believable. Nothing wound up being relevant. Trying to make me care solely about the characters does not make the story better. It doesn't make the stakes feel higher unless you do it the other way around.
Except for the first book, are the other alternate Londons actually worthless? The other Londons are used as a token here, mentioned for good measure there, but I'd imagine readers who became interested in the series to begin with for that presentation alone walked away disappointed. I stayed for other reasons. I was par for the course. I wish I hadn't.
The Shades of Magic series was held together by a delicate thread, and in the end, it snapped.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
alan williams
I’ve been putting off writing this review for a month, which is about the same length of time I put off finishing the book itself, because I simply have not been prepared to say goodbye to this trilogy. Reading these three books has been one of the most emotional, anxiety-inducing, and genuinely magical experiences of my entire life. I have so much to say, with no idea how to express any of it.
I can safely say that I have never loved every character in a series the way I do with this one. I mourned every loss, laughed and cried tears of joy over each close call, every triumph, every kiss and reunion. The thing about this trilogy is that there are certain evils which must be faced and conquered, but what really stays with you is the build-up of these characters and their relationships with one another. I can’t even choose a favorite, because I love them all so much, in such different ways.
In typical Schwab fashion, though, the action scenes are downright glorious. I love that, no matter how many moving pieces are in a battle, I never struggle to keep up with exactly what is happening, because her writing is so immersive that it transports you right into the center of the fight. You never know quite what twist or slight of hand to expect next.
Of course, it’s not all war and heartache; there are always these gorgeous moments woven in of bonding, of bickering and playful banter. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much in so many moments of sheer and utter anxiety, but that’s this series in a nutshell—especially the second and third installments. I actually joked recently that I’m so happy there is going to be a spin-off series, but at the same time, I need ample room to recover before putting my heart through the misery of another book with these characters scaring me half to death and breaking my heart every other chapter.
I don’t know what else to say at this point. I wanted this review to be eloquent and thorough, but when I think back on this story, I am immediately pulled into such reminiscence for the feelings it drew out of me that I have a hard time viewing it subjectively and squaring it off into little, easy to describe compartments.
A month after completing it, I feel comfortable in now saying that this is the single greatest series I have ever read in my life, and Victoria Schwab has solidified a permanent place in my heart. I will buy anything and everything she writes in the future, and I will doubtlessly reread this trilogy over and over again. The writing is so flawless, and frankly, you could just tattoo this whole damn trilogy onto my body if there was enough room, and I’d be just fine with that, thank you.
“Anoshe was a word for strangers in the street, and lovers between meetings, for parents and children, friends and family. It softened the blow of leaving. Eased the strain of parting. A careful nod to the certainty of today, the mystery of tomorrow. When a friend left, with little chance of seeing home, they said anoshe. When a loved one was dying, they said anoshe. When corpses were burned, bodies given back to the earth and souls to the stream, those left grieving said anoshe.
Anoshe brought solace. And hope. And the strength to let go.”
I can safely say that I have never loved every character in a series the way I do with this one. I mourned every loss, laughed and cried tears of joy over each close call, every triumph, every kiss and reunion. The thing about this trilogy is that there are certain evils which must be faced and conquered, but what really stays with you is the build-up of these characters and their relationships with one another. I can’t even choose a favorite, because I love them all so much, in such different ways.
In typical Schwab fashion, though, the action scenes are downright glorious. I love that, no matter how many moving pieces are in a battle, I never struggle to keep up with exactly what is happening, because her writing is so immersive that it transports you right into the center of the fight. You never know quite what twist or slight of hand to expect next.
Of course, it’s not all war and heartache; there are always these gorgeous moments woven in of bonding, of bickering and playful banter. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so much in so many moments of sheer and utter anxiety, but that’s this series in a nutshell—especially the second and third installments. I actually joked recently that I’m so happy there is going to be a spin-off series, but at the same time, I need ample room to recover before putting my heart through the misery of another book with these characters scaring me half to death and breaking my heart every other chapter.
I don’t know what else to say at this point. I wanted this review to be eloquent and thorough, but when I think back on this story, I am immediately pulled into such reminiscence for the feelings it drew out of me that I have a hard time viewing it subjectively and squaring it off into little, easy to describe compartments.
A month after completing it, I feel comfortable in now saying that this is the single greatest series I have ever read in my life, and Victoria Schwab has solidified a permanent place in my heart. I will buy anything and everything she writes in the future, and I will doubtlessly reread this trilogy over and over again. The writing is so flawless, and frankly, you could just tattoo this whole damn trilogy onto my body if there was enough room, and I’d be just fine with that, thank you.
“Anoshe was a word for strangers in the street, and lovers between meetings, for parents and children, friends and family. It softened the blow of leaving. Eased the strain of parting. A careful nod to the certainty of today, the mystery of tomorrow. When a friend left, with little chance of seeing home, they said anoshe. When a loved one was dying, they said anoshe. When corpses were burned, bodies given back to the earth and souls to the stream, those left grieving said anoshe.
Anoshe brought solace. And hope. And the strength to let go.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
arachne
I loved this series and this book and give it 4.5 stars! There will be spoilers at the end of this review of A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab. I just couldn't seem to write a spoiler-free review of this book, but I'll warn you before I dive into the "spoilery" stuff below.
This is the first Schwab-penned series I’ve read, and I can’t believe I didn’t pick it up sooner. I knew it was out there and always had a feeling it was something I would enjoy. When I saw everyone raving about the finale, I knew it was time to pick up book 1. And it did not disappoint! I loved the entire series from start to finish.
Schwab is SUCH a gifted writer! Again and again I wanted to just sit back and sigh as certain passages resonated in my mind. She used beautiful turns of phrase with perfect descriptions and tone to build this amazing world and these beloved characters.
All in all, this was a fitting end to a spectacular series. I recommend it to anyone interested in reading a book on the more mature side of YA! (It might actually be categorized as an adult book, but the characters are YA-age.)
****EVERYTHING BELOW THIS POINT IS A SPOILER****
This magical world was unlike any I have read about before. I enjoyed Schwab’s unique take on magic, magicians, and (of course) Antari. The parallel Londons, each with their own set of issues, and the travel between them were particularly interesting aspects. I also enjoyed what Kell did to save Rhy and the connection they shared once the spell was cast. I also thought the spell Tieren used to put the citizens to sleep was brilliant. It was a peculiar yet logical solution to the problem of so many people being polluted/invaded by Osaron. The culmination of the spell, with Tieren falling asleep as well, was really cool.
But for me, the single best part of the story was Schwab’s genuine characters. The four mains were very well-developed. The best authors create characters who seem to truly exist; they literally leap off the page. Two of my favorites are Kaz Brekker and Will Herondale. I feel life in a few of Schwab’s characters, too.
Some of my favorite things about this book/series:
1) EVERY SCENE with Alucard and Lila – This was my very favorite thing about the series! I especially loved all their scenes on the ship in book 2 as well as all the times in book 3 when she flashed back to Alucard teaching her a certain aspect of magic.
2) Kell and Alucard’s bickering/disdain/mock disdain for each other – This was a close second for my very favorite thing! I think I laughed aloud during each interaction.
3) Holland’s story – I did not expect his backstory would be one that would win my sympathy, but it did 1000%. He seemed so awful, but then we learned how much he silently suffered and what he sacrificed. I am so, so happy he ultimately had a peaceful end.
4) The fact that Ned now has the inheriter – Okay, so this one’s a little random. But I think it’s splendid! Ned has been intrigued by and yearning for magic basically his whole life. And he now has the most dangerous piece of magic in any of the worlds buried under his tavern!!! Since Osaron and/or the black magic was not completely destroyed, could he/it resurface at some point? I love this dangling question to tickle the back of our minds!
Other unanswered questions:
1) The most glaring ones = Kell’s and Lila’s backgrounds:
a) Kell knowingly rejected the chance to learn about his parents and (possibly) the first five years of his life. I respect that decision, yet I still wonder what that paper said and what the full story is! (I initially wondered if Tieren was his father. Did anyone else feel like he might be at some point in the series?)
b) I thought Lila’s family, why her eye was plucked from her, why she didn’t remember any of it, and why she was drawn to the Five Stars, seemingly the center of the London connection, would be explained in detail. But we got nothing! Remember when someone (maybe Maris?) mentioned how most memory spells eventually wear off unless the recipient doesn’t want to remember? What do Lila and Kell both apparently want to keep blocked from memory?! This really intrigues me!!!
2) How are the various Londons connected? Furthermore, why were the taverns in each connected and seemingly important?
3) What did Maxim’s spell do? Did it accomplish what he wanted it to? What were his secrets?
4) What were Emira’s secrets?
5) Why did Rhy suspect the Veskan princess was dangerous? (Remember when he told Kell as much in book 2?) It was foreshadowing, for sure. Did Rhy have a reason to suspect her, or was it just a hunch?
6) How/when did Kell and Holland get their black eyes? Were they born with them?
I like a series that keeps me thinking/talking long after I finish it, so I am okay with having several unanswered questions. This book will certainly merit continued thoughts and conversations!
Award for most growth of the course of the series – Rhy
Hall of Fame nomination for best character names – V.E. Schwab
Two minor complaints:
1) I find it a little convenient that Alucard happened upon that ring on Maris’ ship. The ring ended up being vital to defeating Osaron, yet it was something the gang just stumbled upon.
2) I saw so many people dub the ending as bittersweet, which is easily my favorite kind. For me, it was sweeter than I imagined; I was expecting a little more bitter. I can’t articulate what I was hoping for exactly, and there were obviously many tough/sad things that occurred. And I really liked how the series wrapped up; I just didn’t hurt quite as much as I thought I would.
Google “Book Series Recaps” to read all our reviews as well as our full book recaps!
This is the first Schwab-penned series I’ve read, and I can’t believe I didn’t pick it up sooner. I knew it was out there and always had a feeling it was something I would enjoy. When I saw everyone raving about the finale, I knew it was time to pick up book 1. And it did not disappoint! I loved the entire series from start to finish.
Schwab is SUCH a gifted writer! Again and again I wanted to just sit back and sigh as certain passages resonated in my mind. She used beautiful turns of phrase with perfect descriptions and tone to build this amazing world and these beloved characters.
All in all, this was a fitting end to a spectacular series. I recommend it to anyone interested in reading a book on the more mature side of YA! (It might actually be categorized as an adult book, but the characters are YA-age.)
****EVERYTHING BELOW THIS POINT IS A SPOILER****
This magical world was unlike any I have read about before. I enjoyed Schwab’s unique take on magic, magicians, and (of course) Antari. The parallel Londons, each with their own set of issues, and the travel between them were particularly interesting aspects. I also enjoyed what Kell did to save Rhy and the connection they shared once the spell was cast. I also thought the spell Tieren used to put the citizens to sleep was brilliant. It was a peculiar yet logical solution to the problem of so many people being polluted/invaded by Osaron. The culmination of the spell, with Tieren falling asleep as well, was really cool.
But for me, the single best part of the story was Schwab’s genuine characters. The four mains were very well-developed. The best authors create characters who seem to truly exist; they literally leap off the page. Two of my favorites are Kaz Brekker and Will Herondale. I feel life in a few of Schwab’s characters, too.
Some of my favorite things about this book/series:
1) EVERY SCENE with Alucard and Lila – This was my very favorite thing about the series! I especially loved all their scenes on the ship in book 2 as well as all the times in book 3 when she flashed back to Alucard teaching her a certain aspect of magic.
2) Kell and Alucard’s bickering/disdain/mock disdain for each other – This was a close second for my very favorite thing! I think I laughed aloud during each interaction.
3) Holland’s story – I did not expect his backstory would be one that would win my sympathy, but it did 1000%. He seemed so awful, but then we learned how much he silently suffered and what he sacrificed. I am so, so happy he ultimately had a peaceful end.
4) The fact that Ned now has the inheriter – Okay, so this one’s a little random. But I think it’s splendid! Ned has been intrigued by and yearning for magic basically his whole life. And he now has the most dangerous piece of magic in any of the worlds buried under his tavern!!! Since Osaron and/or the black magic was not completely destroyed, could he/it resurface at some point? I love this dangling question to tickle the back of our minds!
Other unanswered questions:
1) The most glaring ones = Kell’s and Lila’s backgrounds:
a) Kell knowingly rejected the chance to learn about his parents and (possibly) the first five years of his life. I respect that decision, yet I still wonder what that paper said and what the full story is! (I initially wondered if Tieren was his father. Did anyone else feel like he might be at some point in the series?)
b) I thought Lila’s family, why her eye was plucked from her, why she didn’t remember any of it, and why she was drawn to the Five Stars, seemingly the center of the London connection, would be explained in detail. But we got nothing! Remember when someone (maybe Maris?) mentioned how most memory spells eventually wear off unless the recipient doesn’t want to remember? What do Lila and Kell both apparently want to keep blocked from memory?! This really intrigues me!!!
2) How are the various Londons connected? Furthermore, why were the taverns in each connected and seemingly important?
3) What did Maxim’s spell do? Did it accomplish what he wanted it to? What were his secrets?
4) What were Emira’s secrets?
5) Why did Rhy suspect the Veskan princess was dangerous? (Remember when he told Kell as much in book 2?) It was foreshadowing, for sure. Did Rhy have a reason to suspect her, or was it just a hunch?
6) How/when did Kell and Holland get their black eyes? Were they born with them?
I like a series that keeps me thinking/talking long after I finish it, so I am okay with having several unanswered questions. This book will certainly merit continued thoughts and conversations!
Award for most growth of the course of the series – Rhy
Hall of Fame nomination for best character names – V.E. Schwab
Two minor complaints:
1) I find it a little convenient that Alucard happened upon that ring on Maris’ ship. The ring ended up being vital to defeating Osaron, yet it was something the gang just stumbled upon.
2) I saw so many people dub the ending as bittersweet, which is easily my favorite kind. For me, it was sweeter than I imagined; I was expecting a little more bitter. I can’t articulate what I was hoping for exactly, and there were obviously many tough/sad things that occurred. And I really liked how the series wrapped up; I just didn’t hurt quite as much as I thought I would.
Google “Book Series Recaps” to read all our reviews as well as our full book recaps!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
malachi
I loved this book with a passionate deep, 1000 stars a million hearts kind of love. I am seriously beginning to believe that V. E. Schwab can do no wrong, and if you do not have a collection of her books in your library then it is terribly lacking. This series could and should be loved by every reader. The adventure is intense, layered, and meaningful, as is the romance and character building. So now just prepare yourself for my sharing of some of my favorite moments.
“‘I was distracted by everything about you, Lila. I still am. You’re maddening, infuriating, incredible.’”
“His copper lashes sank lower over his two-toned eyes. ‘There’s As Travars, to travel between worlds.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘I know that one.’
He lowered himself a fraction, bringing his lips to her ear.
‘And As Tascen,’ he continued breath warm. ‘To move within a world.’
She felt a shiver of pleasure as his lips brushed her jaw. ‘And As Hasari,’ he murmured. ‘To heal’
His mouth found hers, stealing a kiss before he said, ‘As Staro. To seal.’ And she would have let him linger there, but his mouth continued downward.
‘As Pyrata.’
A breath against the base of her throat.
‘To burn.’ ….”
“‘Well, Mother, you got your wish. You simply failed to realize that that kind of love, that bond, it goes both ways. I would kill for him, and I would die for him, and I will protect him however I am able, from Faro and Vesk, from White London, and Black London, and from you.’”
“Standing there on the prow of the Ghost, he realized with startling clarity that death and glory didn’t interest him nearly as much as living long enough to go home. To make sure that Bard was alive, to try to find any remaining members of the Night Spire To see Rhy’s amber eyes, press his lips to the place where his collar curved into his throat. To kneel before his prince, and offer him the only thing Alucard had ever held back; the truth.”
But seriously please just read this series. You really won’t regret it.
“‘I was distracted by everything about you, Lila. I still am. You’re maddening, infuriating, incredible.’”
“His copper lashes sank lower over his two-toned eyes. ‘There’s As Travars, to travel between worlds.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘I know that one.’
He lowered himself a fraction, bringing his lips to her ear.
‘And As Tascen,’ he continued breath warm. ‘To move within a world.’
She felt a shiver of pleasure as his lips brushed her jaw. ‘And As Hasari,’ he murmured. ‘To heal’
His mouth found hers, stealing a kiss before he said, ‘As Staro. To seal.’ And she would have let him linger there, but his mouth continued downward.
‘As Pyrata.’
A breath against the base of her throat.
‘To burn.’ ….”
“‘Well, Mother, you got your wish. You simply failed to realize that that kind of love, that bond, it goes both ways. I would kill for him, and I would die for him, and I will protect him however I am able, from Faro and Vesk, from White London, and Black London, and from you.’”
“Standing there on the prow of the Ghost, he realized with startling clarity that death and glory didn’t interest him nearly as much as living long enough to go home. To make sure that Bard was alive, to try to find any remaining members of the Night Spire To see Rhy’s amber eyes, press his lips to the place where his collar curved into his throat. To kneel before his prince, and offer him the only thing Alucard had ever held back; the truth.”
But seriously please just read this series. You really won’t regret it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
lindsey geller lister
There’s this moment you have when you start a book that you believe will be an amazing and life-altering piece of literature. And then one of two things can happen. 1) It is devastatingly disappointing and forces me never to trust what I know again or 2) It is heart-wrenchingly beautiful and forces me to never trust the author with my heart again because it will be destroyed by his/her words and will probably drag me through the cobbled streets semi-conscious while doing so. Luckily, two fit A CONJURING OF LIGHT.
I regretted not getting into the SHADES OF MAGIC trilogy when it first started. When I finally did, I devoured both A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC and A GATHERING OF SHADOWS in a matter of days and was left with the largest book hangover I had ever had. I fell in love with the Londons that Schwab built and the characters that she grew from the beginning.
Even as I write this review, I feel the unsettling emotional turmoil over realizing that this arc of Schwab's world is over. At least for now. There were a few loose ends in A CONJURING OF LIGHT that cannot be left undone and I hope the return to it is soon. I know that she has a few series that she wants to progress, but goodness, I really really want something else out of this universe!
Every single page of this book was beautifully written. Even new moments (*coughssteamyonescoughs*) that I'm not used to reading in her writing that kept me going to reread after I finished the book.
I fell madly in love with the ginger-haired, black/blue-eyed Antari, the crossdressing knife-wielding pickpocket, the charming and devoted Red London prince, the troubled and tragic White London Antari, and the charismatic and strong privateer. I fell in love with them all over again. The development was beautiful and the growth in every single relationship was perfect and moving and made me want more. I want books upon books written about their everyday lives until they are old and gray. I don't care if they're sitting and having tea. I want to read about them.
I had the delightful opportunity to go to one of V.E. Schwab's events and I don't think it's a mystery that she's said again and again that she loves to write for Holland and I will specifically point him out in this review. He devastated me. The way that you watch a scene that unfolds in a movie and you find your nose stuffing up, your eyes stinging, and then your tears welling up. You don't realize that you are crying until the tears have falling and you feel them on your cheeks, your chin, your neck. It's only when you go to wipe your face that you feel the hot tears turn cold on your hand. He had one of the most wonderful arcs and stories of growth that I have ever read and I fell more in love with his personality as the books progressed. His ending in A CONJURING OF LIGHT left a hole in me, but I could not imagine his resolution being anything else.
KILL ME, KELL AND LILA. I am so happy that there has never been a real threat of a love triangle because this was not a series to put that in. At least with Kell and Lila, of course. I found their relationship so freakin' pure and witty and fun and DAMN, that scene. You know what scene I'm talking about. That scene on the boat...
The ending. Oh my gosh. I remember when I was finishing it and it was late into the night/early into morning that I read that last word - Anoshe. I remember the air being knocked out of me. The way that Kell waved to Rhys. I saw it coming, but it came out of nowhere and knocked me out. Had I not been laying down I would have desperately needed something to sit on and grab something tightly as I processed that it was over. That it was so beautifully written that I was rendered speechless and my heart shook.
I don't think it's a mystery on how I feel about this book. If you need affirmation, please let me know and I'll tell you how I wish there was a legitimate 10-star rating system so that I could give it a 100.
I regretted not getting into the SHADES OF MAGIC trilogy when it first started. When I finally did, I devoured both A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC and A GATHERING OF SHADOWS in a matter of days and was left with the largest book hangover I had ever had. I fell in love with the Londons that Schwab built and the characters that she grew from the beginning.
Even as I write this review, I feel the unsettling emotional turmoil over realizing that this arc of Schwab's world is over. At least for now. There were a few loose ends in A CONJURING OF LIGHT that cannot be left undone and I hope the return to it is soon. I know that she has a few series that she wants to progress, but goodness, I really really want something else out of this universe!
Every single page of this book was beautifully written. Even new moments (*coughssteamyonescoughs*) that I'm not used to reading in her writing that kept me going to reread after I finished the book.
I fell madly in love with the ginger-haired, black/blue-eyed Antari, the crossdressing knife-wielding pickpocket, the charming and devoted Red London prince, the troubled and tragic White London Antari, and the charismatic and strong privateer. I fell in love with them all over again. The development was beautiful and the growth in every single relationship was perfect and moving and made me want more. I want books upon books written about their everyday lives until they are old and gray. I don't care if they're sitting and having tea. I want to read about them.
I had the delightful opportunity to go to one of V.E. Schwab's events and I don't think it's a mystery that she's said again and again that she loves to write for Holland and I will specifically point him out in this review. He devastated me. The way that you watch a scene that unfolds in a movie and you find your nose stuffing up, your eyes stinging, and then your tears welling up. You don't realize that you are crying until the tears have falling and you feel them on your cheeks, your chin, your neck. It's only when you go to wipe your face that you feel the hot tears turn cold on your hand. He had one of the most wonderful arcs and stories of growth that I have ever read and I fell more in love with his personality as the books progressed. His ending in A CONJURING OF LIGHT left a hole in me, but I could not imagine his resolution being anything else.
KILL ME, KELL AND LILA. I am so happy that there has never been a real threat of a love triangle because this was not a series to put that in. At least with Kell and Lila, of course. I found their relationship so freakin' pure and witty and fun and DAMN, that scene. You know what scene I'm talking about. That scene on the boat...
The ending. Oh my gosh. I remember when I was finishing it and it was late into the night/early into morning that I read that last word - Anoshe. I remember the air being knocked out of me. The way that Kell waved to Rhys. I saw it coming, but it came out of nowhere and knocked me out. Had I not been laying down I would have desperately needed something to sit on and grab something tightly as I processed that it was over. That it was so beautifully written that I was rendered speechless and my heart shook.
I don't think it's a mystery on how I feel about this book. If you need affirmation, please let me know and I'll tell you how I wish there was a legitimate 10-star rating system so that I could give it a 100.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kristal dekleer
What I Liked:
Characters. As always, Schwab, brings up the amazing characters we grew to love in the first two novels. This is one of those series where is insanely hard to pick a favorite character, I love them all so much, well maybe Lila can be named my favorite.
Plot/Action. I felt in the book compared to the sequel had so much in it that every page was interesting and propelled the plot forward. I listened to the 19 hour audiobook and found myself constantly listening to because I was so engrossed in the plot.
Twists/Intense. No spoilers, but I did have to turn the audiobook off during work so I would not burst into tears. Yep. Schwab knows just what to write to make your emotions go crazy!
Audiobook. I felt intimidated by how big the print version was, which is why it took me this long to finally read it, but the audiobook helped me overcome that. I loved the audiobook and the narrators, it engrossed me within the world and minds of the characters.
Romance. I'm usually a picky romance person so it was great that I adored the two couples in the novel! :) Plus, I enjoyed the fact that Schwab had very tasteful not over the top romantic content.
What I Disliked:
POVs. The only negative thing I have about this book is the constant switching between different points of view. I feel that without the audiobook it would have been harder to tell who was speaking in each chapter.
I recommend checking out this well-written and intense series! I'm looking forward to the next book the series.
My Rating:
4.5 Stars Out of 5 Stars
Characters. As always, Schwab, brings up the amazing characters we grew to love in the first two novels. This is one of those series where is insanely hard to pick a favorite character, I love them all so much, well maybe Lila can be named my favorite.
Plot/Action. I felt in the book compared to the sequel had so much in it that every page was interesting and propelled the plot forward. I listened to the 19 hour audiobook and found myself constantly listening to because I was so engrossed in the plot.
Twists/Intense. No spoilers, but I did have to turn the audiobook off during work so I would not burst into tears. Yep. Schwab knows just what to write to make your emotions go crazy!
Audiobook. I felt intimidated by how big the print version was, which is why it took me this long to finally read it, but the audiobook helped me overcome that. I loved the audiobook and the narrators, it engrossed me within the world and minds of the characters.
Romance. I'm usually a picky romance person so it was great that I adored the two couples in the novel! :) Plus, I enjoyed the fact that Schwab had very tasteful not over the top romantic content.
What I Disliked:
POVs. The only negative thing I have about this book is the constant switching between different points of view. I feel that without the audiobook it would have been harder to tell who was speaking in each chapter.
I recommend checking out this well-written and intense series! I'm looking forward to the next book the series.
My Rating:
4.5 Stars Out of 5 Stars
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ashlea bowde
(Very high 4.5)
As far as conclusions to trilogies go, this one is absolutely brilliant.
There isn't a whole lot to say about the story since this is the third book and all. If you read the first two then you know what's been going on throughout the series. Just incase you didn't and are looking for a sneaky peek, I'm going to give nothing away! Nothing! (There are enough reviews floating around here though you can probably find another that will give spoilers of some sort) This book follows directly after the second book. That big ol' cliffhanger is taken care of, sort of, quick enough to settle the unease that was left deep down inside from the last one. In this installment of the series a rather big bad baddy is looking to get more than he has and he'll stop at nothing to get it. No one is safe! Friends become enemies, enemies become friends. There are lies and betrayals, love and relationships evolve or perhaps devolve. There are high sea adventures and complications on the lands as well. Magic is in the air and things are going to hit the fan and keep hitting it for a few hundred pages.
This book is really good. The characters are terrific as ever. The old favorites are here as well as some new characters that may or may not be favorites, but they are new. This book made me laugh, yell at it a bit, and let out a few (hundred) tears. Very good conclusion and for me the best book in the series!
As far as conclusions to trilogies go, this one is absolutely brilliant.
There isn't a whole lot to say about the story since this is the third book and all. If you read the first two then you know what's been going on throughout the series. Just incase you didn't and are looking for a sneaky peek, I'm going to give nothing away! Nothing! (There are enough reviews floating around here though you can probably find another that will give spoilers of some sort) This book follows directly after the second book. That big ol' cliffhanger is taken care of, sort of, quick enough to settle the unease that was left deep down inside from the last one. In this installment of the series a rather big bad baddy is looking to get more than he has and he'll stop at nothing to get it. No one is safe! Friends become enemies, enemies become friends. There are lies and betrayals, love and relationships evolve or perhaps devolve. There are high sea adventures and complications on the lands as well. Magic is in the air and things are going to hit the fan and keep hitting it for a few hundred pages.
This book is really good. The characters are terrific as ever. The old favorites are here as well as some new characters that may or may not be favorites, but they are new. This book made me laugh, yell at it a bit, and let out a few (hundred) tears. Very good conclusion and for me the best book in the series!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
lorraine barcant
Another behemoth conquered, but seriously 624 pages? Why? To round up the trilogy that started swimmingly with a much more reasonable page count of somewhere around 364? The sequel was girthy enough at 500 some, but this one just seems indulgent. Either the author was getting paid per page or found herself unable to say a proper succinct goodbye to her characters. Actually not sure the latter even applies, because the ending (after nearly 1500 pages altogether) is left very much ready for future revisits. In fact the ending is very similar to the one from book 1 and in retrospect having read them all, it might have been best to just leave off with the first book. That was the magic would have remained…well, magical and the story didn’t get dragged down by the exhausting serpentine plot twists and overwhelming action sequences and youth specific histrionics of the characters. Not to forget the increasing in frequency homoerotic sequences, seriously what is it with straight women and gay males? What’s the fascination? It is because they are so pretty and unattainable? How many times can the book mention the beauty of Rhy? This is the trilogy of pretty man and manly women, almost exclusively so, weirdly so. Maybe I’m just really not that into fantasy, magical as it promises to be. This one I had to psyche myself up to read and even though I managed to get through within a neat 24 span, it was still technically two days of reading. Originally I started speed reading it out of frustration, but fortunately my dearly beloved made me realize that it’s a certain way to not enjoy the story, so I slowed down and guess what…actually enjoyed the story. For all its shortcomings, it’s still pretty epic. There’s a lot of terrific vivid cinematic scenes, there’s a good amount of genuinely good writing and the pacing is great considering the bulk. The characters are young, one must always remind themselves, so young and thus accordingly overly dramatic and impetuous, at one time one of them trades away 4 years of his life for a magic mirror to show his lover why he had to abruptly leave years ago. Seriously. Ever heard of a freaking conversation based on trust and/or personal integrity? Magical or not, it’s 4 freaking years, who but a young person to whom life seems like an eternal adventure would do such a thing? Schwab is not only a relatively young (although already very accomplished) author, she also got her start in YA, so this is really not that unreasonable. In fact it seems like a natural progression. These brave souls are all of 21 or so, which is for YA considered mature. And yet there’s something inherently likeable about this book, despite all this critique, there’s a charm and energy, it’s imminently readable. For proper fantasy fans I’d imagine this entire trilogy would be quite a feast, a magical extravaganza. For others it might overwhelm, but there’s much to appreciate here, particularly the world building, worlds really. The author has talent which may or may not appeal to all readers, but her imagination is undeniably awesome.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ana valero silva
Well this book is just absolutely everything. LIKE I'M STILL NOT OKAY A DAY LATER.
The ending to the Shades of Magic was absolutely everything you expected it to be and so much more. The plot was thrilling, the action was amazing, the romance was almost swoon-worthy, and the twists oh the twists. My little heart can't take it.
Schwab is offically master of the POV change. We flip through so many Points of View in this book it's amazing. And it was one the great things about this book. It seemed to work so seamlessly, that you had to take a second to realize that it was an addition of X POV. We get insight to so many characters that it seems to add another layer to this amazing book.
The Story takes up right after the killer cliff hanger of A gathering Of Shadows and it doesn't let up until the very last page. There is not a single page of boring or calm in this story. So be prepared for that. It is a 600+ page book of THRILL and ANXIETY. There's betrayal and lvoe and action and back story and just so much amazingness. So many great quotes too. This is one quotable piece of fiction.
I don't know how else to describe and review this amazing piece of story without giving away big spoilers but i can say beprepared for Death, lots of death, and lots of plot twists that will wrench your heart in two.
Do remember that Schwab has said that this ARC has ended, whereas we could easily be given more in this world. Kinda like SOC is post Grisha. So begin praying that we get that world soon because it's barely been a day and I already miss my Londons.
Anoshe
The ending to the Shades of Magic was absolutely everything you expected it to be and so much more. The plot was thrilling, the action was amazing, the romance was almost swoon-worthy, and the twists oh the twists. My little heart can't take it.
Schwab is offically master of the POV change. We flip through so many Points of View in this book it's amazing. And it was one the great things about this book. It seemed to work so seamlessly, that you had to take a second to realize that it was an addition of X POV. We get insight to so many characters that it seems to add another layer to this amazing book.
The Story takes up right after the killer cliff hanger of A gathering Of Shadows and it doesn't let up until the very last page. There is not a single page of boring or calm in this story. So be prepared for that. It is a 600+ page book of THRILL and ANXIETY. There's betrayal and lvoe and action and back story and just so much amazingness. So many great quotes too. This is one quotable piece of fiction.
I don't know how else to describe and review this amazing piece of story without giving away big spoilers but i can say beprepared for Death, lots of death, and lots of plot twists that will wrench your heart in two.
Do remember that Schwab has said that this ARC has ended, whereas we could easily be given more in this world. Kinda like SOC is post Grisha. So begin praying that we get that world soon because it's barely been a day and I already miss my Londons.
Anoshe
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
liz sale
TW: violence, death (including familial death), one sex scene
Okay, I should probably preface this review with the fact that my favorite series used to be The Gentleman Bastard sequence by Scott Lynch, and that since finishing ACoL, TGB has moved to second place, and the Shades of Magic trilogy has becoming the reigning champ.
Let me also say that I am terrified of needles and scared to get a tattoo, but if I get one, I'll be getting one from this book. That's how important this series is to be.
ALSO, Schwab's prose, her ability to jump between POVs, and her sense of a solid story have made her my writing idol. Her style is everything I have ever dreamed of achieving with my own writing, and I look up to her like no one else. It's a strange feeling, but really, really special to me.
And now that we've got all my personal gushing out of the way (which was surprisingly solemn but absolutely sincere, I swear it), let me tell you about the book.
IT'S STABBY.
I'm not kidding. I can think of six major stabbings through the heart just off the top of my head, not including my own heart being stabbed multiple times as the poor reader. SO MANY STABBINGS. Be warned, folks.
But on a more pleasant and less sharp note, the characters are INCREDIBLE. You end up sympathetic for a former antagonist. You come to love Rhy and Alucard a thousand times more both as individuals and as a couple. If you're anything like me, you fall in love with Lila Bard a thousand times over again and decide if you ever have the funds to go to a bookcon of some sort, she's your number one cosplay choice. You love Kell, who's just trying his best to be a good magician, a good brother. You love Maxim, for all the lengths he goes to, and Emira, for all the heart and fear she carries at once, and Hastra for being one of the few unwavering and completely good characters, and Lenos for his loyalty and piety, and even Ned for his earnest wish to know something beyond Grey London.
And then you spend the whole book intrigued but terrified of the villain's reach and power and hunger, because somehow, Schwab gave form to something shapeless and ominous and truly horrifying, something you can't help but feel will never be truly defeated.
On top of that, Kell and Lila are one of my absolute favorite fictional couples of all time. They're competitive (well, mostly Lila is competitive, and Kell knows a bad idea when he sees one, especially when he's too late to stop her from trying it), but they work incredibly well together, and they always make up, always find themselves on equal footing, always move forward. Not to mention their banter is a delight, and any character who genuinely adores Lila Bard as much as I do is exactly what she deserves.
And THE FACT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW TRILOGY? I am NOT ready but I'm SO ready. It's going to be the Threads of Power trilogy (which is an excellent name now that I've finished ACoL), and I believe Schwab has said it's the same world as Shades of Magic, but with a new cast (and some familiar cameos). I'm not ready to let go of this world, not ready for the inevitable last anoshe, so knowing there's more to come brings me all kinds of delight. I'm really hoping it piggybacks off some of the more open-ended parts of the final chapters, and I hope Lila Bard is the fearsome and legendary pirate captain she deserves to be. Plus, the Steel Prince comics are going to tell the story of Maxim Maresh, and I've got to get my hands on those!
Basically, anything Schwab releases in this world has my attention and the contents of my wallet for now and all time. I'm so enamored.
You've probably noticed I don't have anything bad to say in this review. That's because I don't. I was so engrossed in reading this that I barely even took the time to jot down my thoughts, and reviewing what notes I did take and all I remember, I can't spot a single thing I disliked. It's a 600 page read in paperback, I read it all in one sitting, and I left more in love (and crying a little bit) than I had been when I started.
It's my new number one favorite series for a reason now, and I don't think that's going to change for a very, very long time.
Okay, I should probably preface this review with the fact that my favorite series used to be The Gentleman Bastard sequence by Scott Lynch, and that since finishing ACoL, TGB has moved to second place, and the Shades of Magic trilogy has becoming the reigning champ.
Let me also say that I am terrified of needles and scared to get a tattoo, but if I get one, I'll be getting one from this book. That's how important this series is to be.
ALSO, Schwab's prose, her ability to jump between POVs, and her sense of a solid story have made her my writing idol. Her style is everything I have ever dreamed of achieving with my own writing, and I look up to her like no one else. It's a strange feeling, but really, really special to me.
And now that we've got all my personal gushing out of the way (which was surprisingly solemn but absolutely sincere, I swear it), let me tell you about the book.
IT'S STABBY.
I'm not kidding. I can think of six major stabbings through the heart just off the top of my head, not including my own heart being stabbed multiple times as the poor reader. SO MANY STABBINGS. Be warned, folks.
But on a more pleasant and less sharp note, the characters are INCREDIBLE. You end up sympathetic for a former antagonist. You come to love Rhy and Alucard a thousand times more both as individuals and as a couple. If you're anything like me, you fall in love with Lila Bard a thousand times over again and decide if you ever have the funds to go to a bookcon of some sort, she's your number one cosplay choice. You love Kell, who's just trying his best to be a good magician, a good brother. You love Maxim, for all the lengths he goes to, and Emira, for all the heart and fear she carries at once, and Hastra for being one of the few unwavering and completely good characters, and Lenos for his loyalty and piety, and even Ned for his earnest wish to know something beyond Grey London.
And then you spend the whole book intrigued but terrified of the villain's reach and power and hunger, because somehow, Schwab gave form to something shapeless and ominous and truly horrifying, something you can't help but feel will never be truly defeated.
On top of that, Kell and Lila are one of my absolute favorite fictional couples of all time. They're competitive (well, mostly Lila is competitive, and Kell knows a bad idea when he sees one, especially when he's too late to stop her from trying it), but they work incredibly well together, and they always make up, always find themselves on equal footing, always move forward. Not to mention their banter is a delight, and any character who genuinely adores Lila Bard as much as I do is exactly what she deserves.
And THE FACT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEW TRILOGY? I am NOT ready but I'm SO ready. It's going to be the Threads of Power trilogy (which is an excellent name now that I've finished ACoL), and I believe Schwab has said it's the same world as Shades of Magic, but with a new cast (and some familiar cameos). I'm not ready to let go of this world, not ready for the inevitable last anoshe, so knowing there's more to come brings me all kinds of delight. I'm really hoping it piggybacks off some of the more open-ended parts of the final chapters, and I hope Lila Bard is the fearsome and legendary pirate captain she deserves to be. Plus, the Steel Prince comics are going to tell the story of Maxim Maresh, and I've got to get my hands on those!
Basically, anything Schwab releases in this world has my attention and the contents of my wallet for now and all time. I'm so enamored.
You've probably noticed I don't have anything bad to say in this review. That's because I don't. I was so engrossed in reading this that I barely even took the time to jot down my thoughts, and reviewing what notes I did take and all I remember, I can't spot a single thing I disliked. It's a 600 page read in paperback, I read it all in one sitting, and I left more in love (and crying a little bit) than I had been when I started.
It's my new number one favorite series for a reason now, and I don't think that's going to change for a very, very long time.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
vtlozano
VE Schwab owned me with this book. Given the cliffhanger of book two, I knew I needed book three immediately. This is one series that continued to improve as it moved along.
VE Schwab made me cry. She made me cry for Rhy and Kell and Lila. She made me cry for the King and Queen. She made me cry for the Captain. But the thing that surprised me the most, the thing I thought I'd never do after the first book, was that she made me cry for Holland.
VE Schwab painted a London of layers. Red and White and Grey layers. Even a Black layer. She showed us a beautiful White London full of potential and life. She showed us a Grey London full of potential and desire. She showed us a Red London full of pain and loss.
VE Schwab gave me everything in this book. She gave me pain and sadness, laughter and joy, heartache and love. She showed me what it is to do more. She showed me that a King will do everything for his people while sacrificing for those he loves most. She showed me that a Queen can be broken.
Do I wish for the days of dancing with Antari Princes and traveling through worlds? Yes.
Do I wish for the days of sailing on the Night Spire with the Captain? Yes.
But I wouldn't change a thing. I wouldn't change the placement of anything in this series. Absolutely nothing. Because if any of it was change I wouldn't be able to appreciate the perfection of the end.
But I'm secretly hoping she revisits Red London. I'd like to know where our characters are in their lives.
Absolute perfection. If you want a perfect fantasy series, this is the one.
VE Schwab made me cry. She made me cry for Rhy and Kell and Lila. She made me cry for the King and Queen. She made me cry for the Captain. But the thing that surprised me the most, the thing I thought I'd never do after the first book, was that she made me cry for Holland.
VE Schwab painted a London of layers. Red and White and Grey layers. Even a Black layer. She showed us a beautiful White London full of potential and life. She showed us a Grey London full of potential and desire. She showed us a Red London full of pain and loss.
VE Schwab gave me everything in this book. She gave me pain and sadness, laughter and joy, heartache and love. She showed me what it is to do more. She showed me that a King will do everything for his people while sacrificing for those he loves most. She showed me that a Queen can be broken.
Do I wish for the days of dancing with Antari Princes and traveling through worlds? Yes.
Do I wish for the days of sailing on the Night Spire with the Captain? Yes.
But I wouldn't change a thing. I wouldn't change the placement of anything in this series. Absolutely nothing. Because if any of it was change I wouldn't be able to appreciate the perfection of the end.
But I'm secretly hoping she revisits Red London. I'd like to know where our characters are in their lives.
Absolute perfection. If you want a perfect fantasy series, this is the one.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
franchesca
It's here. It's finally (and sadly) here. The awesome and epic conclusion to the Shades-of-Magic trilogy. I don't wanna let go of this series, this world, these characters... I seriously love Victoria Schwab, she is an amazing woman and writer for creating all those books of hers.
The third book starts off very intensely. Like, holy hell guys, my heart was beating so fast. The pace slowed down then but picked up again around the middle and things got even more awesome. Furthermore, Schwab's writing was fantastic as always.
I was so happy to see Lila, Kell, Rhy and Alucard again, and even Holland grew on me. He is indeed a precious cinnamon roll and does not deserve all the suffering he had to endure!
The romance in this book was not overpowering, God bless, and we certainly got some very steamy scenes, God bless! To be honest, I ship everyone with everyone, there's chemistry everywhere! I approve!
But, of course, we also had some action scenes and, thanks to Lila, they were sassy as hell.
The plot was woven tightly, and some plot points just ripped my heart out. Schwab's a queen and a monster at the same time, I love her so much. It's so sad to leave this world, but Schwab's hinted on Twitter that this book concludes the Shades-of-Magic arc, so there might possibly be a spin-off, so to speak. I'm totally down for that. Luckily, I don't have to suffer from Victoria Schwab's amazingness for too long as her next book, Our Dark Duet, comes out in June.
The third book starts off very intensely. Like, holy hell guys, my heart was beating so fast. The pace slowed down then but picked up again around the middle and things got even more awesome. Furthermore, Schwab's writing was fantastic as always.
I was so happy to see Lila, Kell, Rhy and Alucard again, and even Holland grew on me. He is indeed a precious cinnamon roll and does not deserve all the suffering he had to endure!
The romance in this book was not overpowering, God bless, and we certainly got some very steamy scenes, God bless! To be honest, I ship everyone with everyone, there's chemistry everywhere! I approve!
But, of course, we also had some action scenes and, thanks to Lila, they were sassy as hell.
The plot was woven tightly, and some plot points just ripped my heart out. Schwab's a queen and a monster at the same time, I love her so much. It's so sad to leave this world, but Schwab's hinted on Twitter that this book concludes the Shades-of-Magic arc, so there might possibly be a spin-off, so to speak. I'm totally down for that. Luckily, I don't have to suffer from Victoria Schwab's amazingness for too long as her next book, Our Dark Duet, comes out in June.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
quintain bosch
V.E. Schwab
I kept a reading journal of my first experience with this series, available here. What is clear throughout that log is my adoration and connection with Schwab's characters. I fangirled like the preteenager I was well over a decade ago. I failed to continue the series only because I knew the final instalment would be published in late February. I preordered a signed copy of the third book (because I wanted to spoil myself a bit for a successful end of another semester) and set the series aside to return when the last book was released.
I preordered a signed copy of the third book (because I wanted to spoil myself a bit for a successful end of another semester) and set the series aside to return when the last book was released. Two months passed and I got the email the final book had shipped. I ran into my library (a sitting room covered in books and shelves, nothing fancy) and grabbed A Gathering of Shadows. I wondered if, in the two months that had passed, my connection to the characters would still hold, I worried I would no longer find the world as enchanting, I feared the charm would be gone. Carefully and loaded with these concerns, I stepped into Schwab's world on that afternoon. I emerged breathlessly and even more enamoured with the character, the world, and the story than I was previously. The 24 hours between finishing the 2nd book and the arrival of the 3rd book were agonising.
I cannot imagine how it felt for those who read the second book immediately upon its publication.
The final book, A Conjuring of Light, was somehow just more. The entire series is devourable, magical, interesting. Somehow, Schwab gives you more in this novel than she had in the two books prior. (And, she was not holding back in the first two. This one is just that much more.) Everything you have hoped would happen in the series begins to happen, and yet she still surprises you. These novels really were amazing products of a wonderful storyteller.
HOWEVER. Yes, there are glaring and obviously problems with this entire series. (I still love and adore it!) The main female character is strong, independent, who fails the Bechdel Test and is basically an archetype. It pains me to say that because I adore Lila. Yet, she is a female in a man-dominated world with one female relationship (in which they discuss the love interest), with powers and abilities that are above or equal with everyone around her, with a major flaw (stubbornness) which makes her more attractive (Kell adores and is frustrated with her fierce will. She is saved from her fear of intimacy by the intervention of the love interest. While here, the love interest does not have much depth either. He is a partially-developed character who embodies loyalty (to pair with Lila's weakness) and who worries and thinks about either Lila or his loyalty. The lack of depth in this character forces the reader to fill in his depth or accept him as a love-interest and move forward. Again, I hate to say it because the Kell I created while reading was pretty amazing. So, character development is a bit of a weak spot throughout the entire series. The last book helps fill a bit of depth through flashbacks, but I think the characters remain a bit two-dimensional and idealistic, rather than realistic.
Otherwise, I adored the series. The worldbuilding, the adventures, the magic, and the ideas Schwab played with are incredible. I loved the characters despite their impossibility. (Perhaps because Schwab spoke to the optimistic, kind of shallow, preteen that never really leaves us.) I know I will reread this series and keep it close to my heart because even with these criticisms, I love it. I devoured it. I want to spend time in a Red London pub drinking with Kell, Lila, Rhy, and Alucard hearing their stories after the series ended.
-A Bookish Girl
I kept a reading journal of my first experience with this series, available here. What is clear throughout that log is my adoration and connection with Schwab's characters. I fangirled like the preteenager I was well over a decade ago. I failed to continue the series only because I knew the final instalment would be published in late February. I preordered a signed copy of the third book (because I wanted to spoil myself a bit for a successful end of another semester) and set the series aside to return when the last book was released.
I preordered a signed copy of the third book (because I wanted to spoil myself a bit for a successful end of another semester) and set the series aside to return when the last book was released. Two months passed and I got the email the final book had shipped. I ran into my library (a sitting room covered in books and shelves, nothing fancy) and grabbed A Gathering of Shadows. I wondered if, in the two months that had passed, my connection to the characters would still hold, I worried I would no longer find the world as enchanting, I feared the charm would be gone. Carefully and loaded with these concerns, I stepped into Schwab's world on that afternoon. I emerged breathlessly and even more enamoured with the character, the world, and the story than I was previously. The 24 hours between finishing the 2nd book and the arrival of the 3rd book were agonising.
I cannot imagine how it felt for those who read the second book immediately upon its publication.
The final book, A Conjuring of Light, was somehow just more. The entire series is devourable, magical, interesting. Somehow, Schwab gives you more in this novel than she had in the two books prior. (And, she was not holding back in the first two. This one is just that much more.) Everything you have hoped would happen in the series begins to happen, and yet she still surprises you. These novels really were amazing products of a wonderful storyteller.
HOWEVER. Yes, there are glaring and obviously problems with this entire series. (I still love and adore it!) The main female character is strong, independent, who fails the Bechdel Test and is basically an archetype. It pains me to say that because I adore Lila. Yet, she is a female in a man-dominated world with one female relationship (in which they discuss the love interest), with powers and abilities that are above or equal with everyone around her, with a major flaw (stubbornness) which makes her more attractive (Kell adores and is frustrated with her fierce will. She is saved from her fear of intimacy by the intervention of the love interest. While here, the love interest does not have much depth either. He is a partially-developed character who embodies loyalty (to pair with Lila's weakness) and who worries and thinks about either Lila or his loyalty. The lack of depth in this character forces the reader to fill in his depth or accept him as a love-interest and move forward. Again, I hate to say it because the Kell I created while reading was pretty amazing. So, character development is a bit of a weak spot throughout the entire series. The last book helps fill a bit of depth through flashbacks, but I think the characters remain a bit two-dimensional and idealistic, rather than realistic.
Otherwise, I adored the series. The worldbuilding, the adventures, the magic, and the ideas Schwab played with are incredible. I loved the characters despite their impossibility. (Perhaps because Schwab spoke to the optimistic, kind of shallow, preteen that never really leaves us.) I know I will reread this series and keep it close to my heart because even with these criticisms, I love it. I devoured it. I want to spend time in a Red London pub drinking with Kell, Lila, Rhy, and Alucard hearing their stories after the series ended.
-A Bookish Girl
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
helen barr
Despite having pre-ordered this book after thoroughly enjoying the books 1 and 2, I had a tough time getting into it for the first third or so. There didn't seem to be a lot happening and I struggled with the thought of having to read an entire book where people are all trapped inside a castle. It wasn't until the group of Antari (+) left the castle that the book really picked up and got interesting for me. After that it was smooth sailing (yes, there's a pun there), and I couldn't put it down. One of the sweetest sentences was one said by Tieren to Kell on page 614 regarding Hastra's flower. I'll let you discover that one for yourself, but it was so poetic and the symbolism just leapt off the page and got me a little weepy. I also love how Victoria Schwab's writing reminds us that just a little change in perspective makes you see a person in an entirely new light. I found myself a bit sad at one particular character's end of the story; while he had fully redeemed himself in the end, it really didn't change his circumstances at all. Victoria is an amazing character writer in that sense, and also has a great ability to make the reader both sad and happy, satisfied and longing, all at the same time. I look forward to reading some of her other works in the very near future.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
elaine porteous
[this review was originally posted on goodreads on 2/28/17] ok, going to try to do something resembling a review of this. which is basically just 'i loved it all except the lila/kell stuff' SORRY i'm still not into it, but luckily it was only like 2 or 3 scenes and i basically just skipped them.
but anyway this was a perfect closing volume for this series, everyone got good closure, although there was a short time there [SPOILER] where i felt like we were just playing 'kill everyone except the very main characters'. which i mean i get that you have to kill some people to make things feel like they have weight but it just felt like all the extra people got killed off all at once and i was just like ...ok then
also i love alucard and rhy and i'm so happy they are together and happy! and i'm so glad holland finally got a satisfying story arc. those three are my precious children. even though holland is actually quite a bit older than everyone else so i imagine him just being there like 'i cannot believe i have to babysit all these children while they think they're holding me prisoner' snort.
but anyway this was a perfect closing volume for this series, everyone got good closure, although there was a short time there [SPOILER] where i felt like we were just playing 'kill everyone except the very main characters'. which i mean i get that you have to kill some people to make things feel like they have weight but it just felt like all the extra people got killed off all at once and i was just like ...ok then
also i love alucard and rhy and i'm so happy they are together and happy! and i'm so glad holland finally got a satisfying story arc. those three are my precious children. even though holland is actually quite a bit older than everyone else so i imagine him just being there like 'i cannot believe i have to babysit all these children while they think they're holding me prisoner' snort.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
dan brazelton
A delightful conclusion to a marvelous series. In this third book of the trilogy, Schwab pulls out all the stops.
Red London is under siege by a dark, element magic that has a sinister will and a desire to rule. As the citizens fall beneath this shadow, the Maresh king and queen draw on their own steel and water magic to fight back. Rhys, the royal prince, must decide what--and whom--he values most, and which version of himself to be.
And the three Antari, the strongest of the worlds' magicians--Holland, Kell and Lila Bard--must save the world or die with it. Leaving London in peril, they seek out a strange object on a floating pirate market. They battle deadly foes, face betrayal and learn, at last, to work together, harnessing their combined strength for a common goal.
I will remember this world, these books, and all their characters, but Lila really stole my heart -- she's a true marvel, one of those "book friends" you get to keep forever. Thanks for that, V.E. Schwab!!
Red London is under siege by a dark, element magic that has a sinister will and a desire to rule. As the citizens fall beneath this shadow, the Maresh king and queen draw on their own steel and water magic to fight back. Rhys, the royal prince, must decide what--and whom--he values most, and which version of himself to be.
And the three Antari, the strongest of the worlds' magicians--Holland, Kell and Lila Bard--must save the world or die with it. Leaving London in peril, they seek out a strange object on a floating pirate market. They battle deadly foes, face betrayal and learn, at last, to work together, harnessing their combined strength for a common goal.
I will remember this world, these books, and all their characters, but Lila really stole my heart -- she's a true marvel, one of those "book friends" you get to keep forever. Thanks for that, V.E. Schwab!!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
rolando
'A Conjuring of Light' is the third and final volume in Victoria Schwab's Shades of Magic trilogy. All in all it is a good conclusion to the tale of Kell and Delilah. Two Antari with great magical powers. This book picks up the story as Kell has been captured in White London. Holland has brought back the magical demon Osaron who is bent on taking over.
Lila, Rhy, the kingdom of Red London must fight the demon to save everyone. Does Kell have the strength to fight an all powerful demon? Can Lila help? No spoilers here...
I enjoyed the characters that Schwab created. They were flawed, at times helpless, and when needed fierce. I really enjoyed the visit to the floating market of Maris'. I would have liked to read more about who she was, what was her plan, and what other treasures were hidden inside. Schwab left a couple story lines open ended, possibly a future story? One can hope.
Lila, Rhy, the kingdom of Red London must fight the demon to save everyone. Does Kell have the strength to fight an all powerful demon? Can Lila help? No spoilers here...
I enjoyed the characters that Schwab created. They were flawed, at times helpless, and when needed fierce. I really enjoyed the visit to the floating market of Maris'. I would have liked to read more about who she was, what was her plan, and what other treasures were hidden inside. Schwab left a couple story lines open ended, possibly a future story? One can hope.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jacqueline simonds
“Anoshe brought solace. And hope. And the strength to let go.”
Oh my stars, where can I even begin with this review? There are so many scenes I want to mention, so many things I want to say. But there are just never enough words to even begin to explain how much this series, these characters, mean to me. I am so in love with this magical worth that Schwab has created. The world building is just phenomenal and I love learning the new languages that she creates.
I suppose for me it all starts and ends with Kell.
This boy, this beautifully broken, completely selfless, slightly mean, wonderful, frowny boy. I wish I could explain how much I love him. How much his torments tear at my heart, how much his smiles make me so infinitely happy, and how much his growth makes me feel like a proud parent.
Kell has developed so much throughout these books because of his encounters and choices and because of the people around him, namely Delilah Bard. When he meets Delilah Bard his world is shaken with no point of ever returning.
But it is in A Conjuring of Light that Kell becomes not Antari, not black eyed prince, not smuggler, just Kell, dazzling wonderful Kell, brother of Rhy. And I am so proud and happy for him.
It was that scene on the Maris’s boat, where she offers Kell the paper so he can remember his past; a past he so longed to know, but secretly never wanted to remember.
And then once he had in his hands what he thought he always wanted, he burns the paper.
I was a complete mess of tears.
My poor baby, it was such a beautiful scene. Though, I must admit, while I am proud Kell has finally realized family isn’t just blood, I am still extremely curious about his past and wish desperately that Schwab will write a novella for it one day.
I absolutely love his and Lila’s relationship. It’s the kind that doesn’t need flowery words, or many words at all, for you to know it exists. They both just understand each other so deeply. You see it in the subtle way they act around each other, you see it in the small glances and smiles that they share. Those are the types of relationships that I absolutely love and that kill me at the same time. I mean did I want the whole “I love you” spiel? Heck yes I did. But can I will without it?
Yes, I guess I can. Schwab does such a great job developing their relationship. All the tension and built up in A Gathering of Shadows made their A Conjuring of Light relationship even better.
I will admit Delilah Bard makes me so mad sometimes (one example being that scene where she sasses Maxim, I rolled my eyes). I was not really her biggest fan in A Darker Shade of Magic. However, I do very deeply respect and understand her. In certain aspects, we are both so very much alike.
Yes, she is a completely and utter sassy badass, but that is not the reason why I started to like her more. It was her lines that resonate the most with me. I love her passion and her strong will; I love her strength to be better; I love her dreams of becoming a pirate and her thirst for freedom. I love the she is around Kell, and how she always stays true to herself. I love Delilah Bard, despite her flaws and my occasional annoyances. She is a wonderful character.
It’s so extremely hard to choose favorite characters in this series (okay fine, Kell will always be my number one, so my number two is very hard), but I am positive I have to give my second spot to precious little Holland. Oh, my poor baby Holland. This guy needs a protection squad what with all he’s had to endure. Out of everyone, he was the one I most desperately wanted to he have a semi-happy ending.
Because he so freaking deserved one.
Holland gets so much redemption in A Conjuring of Light that, if you're not like me who loved him since the beginning, I highly doubt you won't be able to at least feel for him a little in this installment. We learn Holland's history bit by bit; from his family, to his first love, to his best friend, and every single one of them left me a crying mess.
I love Holland. I live for his dry humor.
While A Darker Shade of Magic was Kell’s story and A Gathering of Shadows was Delilah’s, A Conjuring of Light was without a doubt Holland’s story; just look at the covers. And while I wish I could give him all of the happiness in the world, I will grudgingly admit that his ending, so bittersweet and sad, was perfect for him. Even though it did leave me a sobbing mess.
And, of course, I cannot forget about darling Rhy and charming Alucard. Rhy and Kell’s bond is hands down one of my favorite aspects of this series. I love them both so much. There is something so beautiful and wonderful about the fact that they would literally go to the ends of the earth for each other.
Rhy’s character grows so much in A Conjuring of Light, he goes from that flirty prince to an amazing King, and gosh darn it I am so proud of him.
I loved learning more about the King Maxim and Queen Emira. We learn how kind and caring they truly are, and how much they truly care about their sons; both of them. Their relationship was so sweet and beautiful, it had me in tears. His hot temper to her cold demeanor.
I disliked them so much in A Gathering of Shadows, but damn did they end up capturing my heart and sequentially tearing it apart.
Alucard is an amazing great character, his sass, his wit and his banter with Kell was such a delight to read about. I loved learning more about his family and his past; the reason he left Rhy when it was so clear he was in love with him. And in that moment in the end where he shows with with the mirror, my heart was racing in my chest with happiness. His friendship with Lila is so wonderful, I love how they have each other’s backs.
I will forever still be wishing for a Kell and Alucard bromance scene (because I’m still positive they secretly love each other) though!
This book has its flaws, I am not so blind by my love of these characters to admit it. My biggest issue was that I never really felt the danger of Osaron. For the most part he seemed content to just sit in his pretty little black castle and mind his own business. It soon became apparent to me that he wouldn’t actually do anything major until our characters were ready to deal with him. I did like him as a villain though, but the amount of times he said “let me in” was getting a bit eye roll inducing, even for me.
My actual rating is more of a 4.5, but I am rounding up just because Kell and Holland are some of the best characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about.
And now we get to the ending. I must admit, once I saw that I was nearing the end I practically dreaded reading it. I would sit on my bed, the book cradled in my hands and just stare at it.
It took me hours before I could finally muster up the courage to continue. And even then, as I reached those last few dreaded chapters; I kept stopping.
But that moment when I finally finished it, closing the book with tears flooding in my eyes, I felt so incredibly happy and sad. I do not know how I will ever be able to recover from the ending of a series that means so much to me.
I am going to miss it all so much.
Overall, I just wanted to say that the finale for this series was perfect. It was satisfying, it was heartbreaking, it was beautiful, and it was so magical. But god damn it, is it bad that I just want to stay with these characters forever? That I want to keep reading about their adventures, their heartbreaks, their failures, and all of their successes?
That I never want them to go.
These characters have stolen a piece of my heart, and I know, without a doubt, I will never be able to regain it back.
A Conjuring of Light was everything I look for in an ending, but I want so much more. There’s still questions I have, there’s still more things I want to know about; Kell’s family, Lila and Maris, the aftermath of White London, and Kell’s new issue with magic.
It is such a bittersweet moment because while I am so depressed beyond measure at the end of one of my favorite series, I am also so infinitely happy.
Thank you, Victoria. For bringing us this awesome story, for making me fall so head over heals in love with such wonderfully beautiful and flawed characters. Thank you for the magical ending that left me in a puddle of tears.
If you have not read this series yet then (I have no clue what you're doing on this review, you little sneak) I so highly recommend it. I cannot recommend it enough. It is not without its flaws, but the world is so beautifully built, so full with the wonder of magic, and the characters are so wonderfully flawed and beautiful that it's definitely worth a try.
Anoshe. Until another day.
final rating: ★★★★½/5
“Scars are not shameful, not unless you let them be. If you do not wear them, they will wear you.”
Oh my stars, where can I even begin with this review? There are so many scenes I want to mention, so many things I want to say. But there are just never enough words to even begin to explain how much this series, these characters, mean to me. I am so in love with this magical worth that Schwab has created. The world building is just phenomenal and I love learning the new languages that she creates.
I suppose for me it all starts and ends with Kell.
This boy, this beautifully broken, completely selfless, slightly mean, wonderful, frowny boy. I wish I could explain how much I love him. How much his torments tear at my heart, how much his smiles make me so infinitely happy, and how much his growth makes me feel like a proud parent.
Kell has developed so much throughout these books because of his encounters and choices and because of the people around him, namely Delilah Bard. When he meets Delilah Bard his world is shaken with no point of ever returning.
But it is in A Conjuring of Light that Kell becomes not Antari, not black eyed prince, not smuggler, just Kell, dazzling wonderful Kell, brother of Rhy. And I am so proud and happy for him.
It was that scene on the Maris’s boat, where she offers Kell the paper so he can remember his past; a past he so longed to know, but secretly never wanted to remember.
And then once he had in his hands what he thought he always wanted, he burns the paper.
I was a complete mess of tears.
My poor baby, it was such a beautiful scene. Though, I must admit, while I am proud Kell has finally realized family isn’t just blood, I am still extremely curious about his past and wish desperately that Schwab will write a novella for it one day.
I absolutely love his and Lila’s relationship. It’s the kind that doesn’t need flowery words, or many words at all, for you to know it exists. They both just understand each other so deeply. You see it in the subtle way they act around each other, you see it in the small glances and smiles that they share. Those are the types of relationships that I absolutely love and that kill me at the same time. I mean did I want the whole “I love you” spiel? Heck yes I did. But can I will without it?
Yes, I guess I can. Schwab does such a great job developing their relationship. All the tension and built up in A Gathering of Shadows made their A Conjuring of Light relationship even better.
I will admit Delilah Bard makes me so mad sometimes (one example being that scene where she sasses Maxim, I rolled my eyes). I was not really her biggest fan in A Darker Shade of Magic. However, I do very deeply respect and understand her. In certain aspects, we are both so very much alike.
Yes, she is a completely and utter sassy badass, but that is not the reason why I started to like her more. It was her lines that resonate the most with me. I love her passion and her strong will; I love her strength to be better; I love her dreams of becoming a pirate and her thirst for freedom. I love the she is around Kell, and how she always stays true to herself. I love Delilah Bard, despite her flaws and my occasional annoyances. She is a wonderful character.
It’s so extremely hard to choose favorite characters in this series (okay fine, Kell will always be my number one, so my number two is very hard), but I am positive I have to give my second spot to precious little Holland. Oh, my poor baby Holland. This guy needs a protection squad what with all he’s had to endure. Out of everyone, he was the one I most desperately wanted to he have a semi-happy ending.
Because he so freaking deserved one.
Holland gets so much redemption in A Conjuring of Light that, if you're not like me who loved him since the beginning, I highly doubt you won't be able to at least feel for him a little in this installment. We learn Holland's history bit by bit; from his family, to his first love, to his best friend, and every single one of them left me a crying mess.
I love Holland. I live for his dry humor.
While A Darker Shade of Magic was Kell’s story and A Gathering of Shadows was Delilah’s, A Conjuring of Light was without a doubt Holland’s story; just look at the covers. And while I wish I could give him all of the happiness in the world, I will grudgingly admit that his ending, so bittersweet and sad, was perfect for him. Even though it did leave me a sobbing mess.
And, of course, I cannot forget about darling Rhy and charming Alucard. Rhy and Kell’s bond is hands down one of my favorite aspects of this series. I love them both so much. There is something so beautiful and wonderful about the fact that they would literally go to the ends of the earth for each other.
Rhy’s character grows so much in A Conjuring of Light, he goes from that flirty prince to an amazing King, and gosh darn it I am so proud of him.
I loved learning more about the King Maxim and Queen Emira. We learn how kind and caring they truly are, and how much they truly care about their sons; both of them. Their relationship was so sweet and beautiful, it had me in tears. His hot temper to her cold demeanor.
I disliked them so much in A Gathering of Shadows, but damn did they end up capturing my heart and sequentially tearing it apart.
Alucard is an amazing great character, his sass, his wit and his banter with Kell was such a delight to read about. I loved learning more about his family and his past; the reason he left Rhy when it was so clear he was in love with him. And in that moment in the end where he shows with with the mirror, my heart was racing in my chest with happiness. His friendship with Lila is so wonderful, I love how they have each other’s backs.
I will forever still be wishing for a Kell and Alucard bromance scene (because I’m still positive they secretly love each other) though!
This book has its flaws, I am not so blind by my love of these characters to admit it. My biggest issue was that I never really felt the danger of Osaron. For the most part he seemed content to just sit in his pretty little black castle and mind his own business. It soon became apparent to me that he wouldn’t actually do anything major until our characters were ready to deal with him. I did like him as a villain though, but the amount of times he said “let me in” was getting a bit eye roll inducing, even for me.
My actual rating is more of a 4.5, but I am rounding up just because Kell and Holland are some of the best characters I have ever had the pleasure of reading about.
And now we get to the ending. I must admit, once I saw that I was nearing the end I practically dreaded reading it. I would sit on my bed, the book cradled in my hands and just stare at it.
It took me hours before I could finally muster up the courage to continue. And even then, as I reached those last few dreaded chapters; I kept stopping.
But that moment when I finally finished it, closing the book with tears flooding in my eyes, I felt so incredibly happy and sad. I do not know how I will ever be able to recover from the ending of a series that means so much to me.
I am going to miss it all so much.
Overall, I just wanted to say that the finale for this series was perfect. It was satisfying, it was heartbreaking, it was beautiful, and it was so magical. But god damn it, is it bad that I just want to stay with these characters forever? That I want to keep reading about their adventures, their heartbreaks, their failures, and all of their successes?
That I never want them to go.
These characters have stolen a piece of my heart, and I know, without a doubt, I will never be able to regain it back.
A Conjuring of Light was everything I look for in an ending, but I want so much more. There’s still questions I have, there’s still more things I want to know about; Kell’s family, Lila and Maris, the aftermath of White London, and Kell’s new issue with magic.
It is such a bittersweet moment because while I am so depressed beyond measure at the end of one of my favorite series, I am also so infinitely happy.
Thank you, Victoria. For bringing us this awesome story, for making me fall so head over heals in love with such wonderfully beautiful and flawed characters. Thank you for the magical ending that left me in a puddle of tears.
If you have not read this series yet then (I have no clue what you're doing on this review, you little sneak) I so highly recommend it. I cannot recommend it enough. It is not without its flaws, but the world is so beautifully built, so full with the wonder of magic, and the characters are so wonderfully flawed and beautiful that it's definitely worth a try.
Anoshe. Until another day.
final rating: ★★★★½/5
“Scars are not shameful, not unless you let them be. If you do not wear them, they will wear you.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
babak
Carving out time to read the last thirty days has been a struggle. Doubly annoying because I'd been looking forward to this book a LONG time. I was afraid that only getting to read a few pages a day would make the experience less enjoyable, I wanted to be immersed in the world, not easy to do when so little time can be spent in it.
Thankfully the chapters were short. The characters still came to life for me and I feel even more in love with them. Even better for the last 100 pages I was able to devote two whole days to and finally find out what would happen. Very satisfying read. Lived up to my expectations. Any fan is likely to be well satisfied and secretly hoping it hadn't had to end - but I suppose this journey of their story did have to have a conclusion. Maybe someday, in some form, we'll get to revisit them.
Thankfully the chapters were short. The characters still came to life for me and I feel even more in love with them. Even better for the last 100 pages I was able to devote two whole days to and finally find out what would happen. Very satisfying read. Lived up to my expectations. Any fan is likely to be well satisfied and secretly hoping it hadn't had to end - but I suppose this journey of their story did have to have a conclusion. Maybe someday, in some form, we'll get to revisit them.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
blake larson
I think another reviewer said it best: "Unsurprisingly, I loved it. Surprisingly, it didn't break my heart." So let's get to it, shall we?
A Conjuring of Light is the third and final book in the wonderful Shades of Magic series. I won't bother recapping the whole series, because if you made it this far I am going to assume you read the first two. The third book picks up right after that tortuous cliff hanger in A Gathering of Shadows.
Final books in series make me nervous. The endings are typically either brutal or unsatisfying. This book was neither. It tied up all the endings (though not all end happily), the pacing was awesome, and the dialogue was just fantastic, as always. My only critique is that I wish there was more Lila, but I think the book could be just Lila and I would still want more. I don't want to spoil anything, so I will leave you with this: read this series. Its fantastic.
A Conjuring of Light is the third and final book in the wonderful Shades of Magic series. I won't bother recapping the whole series, because if you made it this far I am going to assume you read the first two. The third book picks up right after that tortuous cliff hanger in A Gathering of Shadows.
Final books in series make me nervous. The endings are typically either brutal or unsatisfying. This book was neither. It tied up all the endings (though not all end happily), the pacing was awesome, and the dialogue was just fantastic, as always. My only critique is that I wish there was more Lila, but I think the book could be just Lila and I would still want more. I don't want to spoil anything, so I will leave you with this: read this series. Its fantastic.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
julie jaffe
Wow. Book three in this trilogy hits early, hits hard, and doesn’t let up. It’s a stunning conclusion to the story that began with a man in a strange coat and a reckless thief, and ended in the battle for more than one world. Schwab has created an amazing universe to explore, one which still has so much to give (which is why I’m so happy she’s signed a deal for a new series set there).
If you’ve followed the series this far, you’ve probably already read the book, because there’s no way you could read the ending of book two and not jump straight into book three. A Conjuring of Light picks up immediately after A Gathering of Shadows. It’s a wonderful, if at times heartbreaking, rollercoaster. My only complaint was I wanted more. In particular, I want a conclusion to the White London story, which I hope will be picked up in the new series.
If you’ve followed the series this far, you’ve probably already read the book, because there’s no way you could read the ending of book two and not jump straight into book three. A Conjuring of Light picks up immediately after A Gathering of Shadows. It’s a wonderful, if at times heartbreaking, rollercoaster. My only complaint was I wanted more. In particular, I want a conclusion to the White London story, which I hope will be picked up in the new series.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
malia
This is the darkest of the three books. It has everything. Drama, romance, adventure, misfortune and everything in between.
The characters are not black and white and I found myself hating and loving them at different parts of the story.
Osaron is the only black one... in every sense of the world. I wouldn't like to be it's keeper.
I would have liked a bit more information about what came to be from white London, I really didn't get that part of the ending of the story... and it left me a bit unsatisfied. Other than that the author managed to wrap everything up tidily and I can say I enjoyed this series very very very much!
The characters are not black and white and I found myself hating and loving them at different parts of the story.
Osaron is the only black one... in every sense of the world. I wouldn't like to be it's keeper.
I would have liked a bit more information about what came to be from white London, I really didn't get that part of the ending of the story... and it left me a bit unsatisfied. Other than that the author managed to wrap everything up tidily and I can say I enjoyed this series very very very much!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
colette gregoire
This series was incredible. It lingers with you long after you have finished it. The characters and world are so vivid, and there is so much creativity in this series. It's action packed and hard to put down. I gave the last book four stars as I preferred the balance of light and darkness she mastered in the first two books, they were so enjoyable. The last book is quite dark, and many secondary characters that you have become attached to do not make it. The main characters that you can't help but love at this point go through a lot of suffering. I love Kell and Lila together, but they only got about five pages where they are able to be happy together. The reader is not given much closure with some key plot points such as Kell doesn't get to resolve issues with the king, Lila doesn't get to have a deeper conversation with Calla, information about Lila and Kell's backstory is not provided. I can't wait to read the next book she writes in this world to learn more! I have been recommending this series to everyone!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
adamk959
For those wondering how I got A Conjuring of Light read so early with a full-time job, it might be worth noting that I was actually able to get this book early from my local bookstore. That said, I still read 1100+ pages since Sunday afternoon finishing this series. That’s how good it is.
[No Spoilers for the third book are in this review. If you read it already and don’t mind spoilers, I talk about some of my favorite moments and things I most appreciated in the hidden section of my review on Goodreads.]
I slept on this series way too long, but I didn’t know that until I read the second book, which is where all of V.E. Schwab’s progress was made. The first book was good but technically wrapped up all its own loose ends. The second is where the work got done. And the third—well. The third. The second book ends on a big cliffhanger, and the third begins exactly where we left Kell, Rhy, Lila. Lila running to Kell. Rhy screaming in pain. Kell struggling against Osaron and Holland.
The third book in the Shades of Magic series is what every finale should be. It stays true to every character, from their faults to their weaknesses to their strengths. It ties up many loose ends, and lets the necessary ones stay free. It wrenches your heart out—Schwab knows how to do what JK Rowling did; she will make your heart burn with the losses of this battle, but only as much as is necessary. This third book is stunning and satisfying, suspenseful and emotional. Very emotional. Let’s just say I yelled in the street this morning walking to work when I reached a twist. During lunch, I muttered, “nononononono” loudly enough and with enough feeling that students a table over looked at me nervously. And I cried in the atrium of my building twenty pages to the end.
So read it, and read it fast, because it’s good enough that you want to get in it pre-spoilers. I might be late to the party, but I am all in now. The Shades of Magic trilogy is a triumph.
And it ends with a bang.
[No Spoilers for the third book are in this review. If you read it already and don’t mind spoilers, I talk about some of my favorite moments and things I most appreciated in the hidden section of my review on Goodreads.]
I slept on this series way too long, but I didn’t know that until I read the second book, which is where all of V.E. Schwab’s progress was made. The first book was good but technically wrapped up all its own loose ends. The second is where the work got done. And the third—well. The third. The second book ends on a big cliffhanger, and the third begins exactly where we left Kell, Rhy, Lila. Lila running to Kell. Rhy screaming in pain. Kell struggling against Osaron and Holland.
The third book in the Shades of Magic series is what every finale should be. It stays true to every character, from their faults to their weaknesses to their strengths. It ties up many loose ends, and lets the necessary ones stay free. It wrenches your heart out—Schwab knows how to do what JK Rowling did; she will make your heart burn with the losses of this battle, but only as much as is necessary. This third book is stunning and satisfying, suspenseful and emotional. Very emotional. Let’s just say I yelled in the street this morning walking to work when I reached a twist. During lunch, I muttered, “nononononono” loudly enough and with enough feeling that students a table over looked at me nervously. And I cried in the atrium of my building twenty pages to the end.
So read it, and read it fast, because it’s good enough that you want to get in it pre-spoilers. I might be late to the party, but I am all in now. The Shades of Magic trilogy is a triumph.
And it ends with a bang.
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
chris cree
A huge disappointment and slightly painful.
Book 1 and 2 were great. Excellent world building, Londons and magic to get lost in, interesting and dynamic characters who actually grow. But this book was a long drawn out nonsensical slog that should have just been 1 chapter at the end of book 2. The book reads like the climax of another book and not in a good way. Very little to no arc for the plot or any of characters. They are constantly engaged with the big baddy in a slow long drawn out “fight” that leaves many characters aimlessly left hanging with little to nothing to do but to make stupid choices and die.
Some of the side storylines are just silly and don’t seem to serve any point but to fill pages. Minor spoilers but the whole book consists of the main heros thinking while the main villain waits to be vanquished. Why the title villain just doesn’t overtake everyone is just plain annoying. Why characters keep making pathetic little attempts against all logic to fight is an insult to readers and characters who seemed so much smarter.
I’m glad this book brought satisfaction and joy to many. For me it was an effort to finish and changed my perspective on the series - for the worse. If only this was just a 10 page last chapter of book 2
Book 1 and 2 were great. Excellent world building, Londons and magic to get lost in, interesting and dynamic characters who actually grow. But this book was a long drawn out nonsensical slog that should have just been 1 chapter at the end of book 2. The book reads like the climax of another book and not in a good way. Very little to no arc for the plot or any of characters. They are constantly engaged with the big baddy in a slow long drawn out “fight” that leaves many characters aimlessly left hanging with little to nothing to do but to make stupid choices and die.
Some of the side storylines are just silly and don’t seem to serve any point but to fill pages. Minor spoilers but the whole book consists of the main heros thinking while the main villain waits to be vanquished. Why the title villain just doesn’t overtake everyone is just plain annoying. Why characters keep making pathetic little attempts against all logic to fight is an insult to readers and characters who seemed so much smarter.
I’m glad this book brought satisfaction and joy to many. For me it was an effort to finish and changed my perspective on the series - for the worse. If only this was just a 10 page last chapter of book 2
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
zanna marie
They say the trick to having a review actually mean anything is to never rate it a 5 star (because you're being too praiseworthy and not critical enough) and never rate it a 1 star (because you're being too clinical and ignoring all that is good/amazing). But with A Conjuring of Light, I cannot NOT give it a 5 star. It delivered everything I wanted to, as I knew this was going to be the final in the saga. V.E. has said that this is for sure the tale end to our beloved three Ansari, however!!! She left so many lovely little hints that the world might be explored again by a new face, maybe in a decade, but if there's even a sliver of a chance to return, I will be the first in line to pre-pre-pre order it and bug her on her Twitter nonstop until she does. But I digress.
This third installment isn't just a wrap up to please the fans. This wasn't a 700 page adventure just to have her character's get ready for bed before she kisses them on the forehead and bids them a goodnight when you read the final word in the final chapter. No, it's so much more to that, but it doesn't leave the reader with their jaw agape screaming into the ink or the pages and asking "BUT WHAT ABOUT _______"!? I was so worried it was going to leave on a bittersweet ending. And to be honest it did. It did however also leave so much hope, not for a squeal, but hope for the characters that they'll be ok in the paths that were built for them. I'm not left guessing 'why', but rather day dreaming about the 'what'. What is to come next, knowing that it WON'T. Because that is how a satisfying end works. I just want to re-read my favorite parts, I want to just flip through the pages and land on a random section and enjoy it for what it is. The writing is so clear and crisp, opening the book up is like flipping on the TV and catching the best part of my favorite show before I flip over to another. I'm insanely bitter about one part, but I think that's more due to me personally getting too attached to a character that I met almost three years ago. Even that's a positive review in itself. V.E. had crafted one character so well, that it mind, I thought about him at least once a day for the past few years. Pretty powerful writing, if you ask me.
Now that this story draws to an end, all these characters will stick with me for years, if not for the rest of my life. And if an author has the ability to make me have an emotional connection to a fictional character and smile when I see a red coat or cry in public is I see a white one, well, I truly believe that deserves a 5 star rating. Don't you?
This third installment isn't just a wrap up to please the fans. This wasn't a 700 page adventure just to have her character's get ready for bed before she kisses them on the forehead and bids them a goodnight when you read the final word in the final chapter. No, it's so much more to that, but it doesn't leave the reader with their jaw agape screaming into the ink or the pages and asking "BUT WHAT ABOUT _______"!? I was so worried it was going to leave on a bittersweet ending. And to be honest it did. It did however also leave so much hope, not for a squeal, but hope for the characters that they'll be ok in the paths that were built for them. I'm not left guessing 'why', but rather day dreaming about the 'what'. What is to come next, knowing that it WON'T. Because that is how a satisfying end works. I just want to re-read my favorite parts, I want to just flip through the pages and land on a random section and enjoy it for what it is. The writing is so clear and crisp, opening the book up is like flipping on the TV and catching the best part of my favorite show before I flip over to another. I'm insanely bitter about one part, but I think that's more due to me personally getting too attached to a character that I met almost three years ago. Even that's a positive review in itself. V.E. had crafted one character so well, that it mind, I thought about him at least once a day for the past few years. Pretty powerful writing, if you ask me.
Now that this story draws to an end, all these characters will stick with me for years, if not for the rest of my life. And if an author has the ability to make me have an emotional connection to a fictional character and smile when I see a red coat or cry in public is I see a white one, well, I truly believe that deserves a 5 star rating. Don't you?
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
bridgett
I devoured this book, staying up late to read it since I had to work and eat during the day. The characters, the plot, the world building, the voice that was sometimes omniscient and sometimes close third drew me in deeper and deeper until after some losses, there was an ending that was happy enough where the characters had all changed so much from who they were in the start of book 1.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
genia none
This was a really great conclusion to the Shades of Magic series. While I didn't need the box of tissues- or any tissues for that matter- that other readers had led me to believe would be a staple while reading this one, I did close the book with a very warm feeling. Schwab's characters are so beautiful and full, and while it was sad to say goodbye to them, their stories and endings all just felt right.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
suzanne pope
A Conjuring of Light Rating: 4.6
A Darker Shade Of Magic Series: 4.7
While not perfect, the Darker Shade of Magic series is perfectly enjoyable throughout. Anyone who is interested in fantasy should check this book out for sure. The first in the series is great, the second is good, and the third is spectacular and action packed. The final book makes the entire series worth reading.
The author is truly talented in the craft of designing complex fantasy worlds that are captivating to the reader. Furthermore, she makes characters that are very dynamic and morally gray which makes for interesting developments. Very, very happy to have had the pleasure of reading it.
A Darker Shade Of Magic Series: 4.7
While not perfect, the Darker Shade of Magic series is perfectly enjoyable throughout. Anyone who is interested in fantasy should check this book out for sure. The first in the series is great, the second is good, and the third is spectacular and action packed. The final book makes the entire series worth reading.
The author is truly talented in the craft of designing complex fantasy worlds that are captivating to the reader. Furthermore, she makes characters that are very dynamic and morally gray which makes for interesting developments. Very, very happy to have had the pleasure of reading it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
patrick malloy
What began in ADSOM comes to a bittersweet, beautiful end in ACOL.
I have loved reading about these characters. I'm going to miss them so much. I cried more times than I have reading a book in a long time. The heartbreaking parts hurt, but they pushed the surviving characters to unite and made them more powerful for it.
Overall a brilliant end to a brilliant trilogy. VE Schwab has become an author I'll trust to take me on any adventure any time.
I have loved reading about these characters. I'm going to miss them so much. I cried more times than I have reading a book in a long time. The heartbreaking parts hurt, but they pushed the surviving characters to unite and made them more powerful for it.
Overall a brilliant end to a brilliant trilogy. VE Schwab has become an author I'll trust to take me on any adventure any time.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
curtis
I loved this last book so much, but there were a few times I started losing a little bit of interest. Some of that might have been the fact that I sometimes had to wait a week or so between reading because life kept getting in the way. Either way, I still LOVED this! And I NEED MORE LILA! I could read about her all day long.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
bridget burke
Carving out time to read the last thirty days has been a struggle. Doubly annoying because I'd been looking forward to this book a LONG time. I was afraid that only getting to read a few pages a day would make the experience less enjoyable, I wanted to be immersed in the world, not easy to do when so little time can be spent in it.
Thankfully the chapters were short. The characters still came to life for me and I feel even more in love with them. Even better for the last 100 pages I was able to devote two whole days to and finally find out what would happen. Very satisfying read. Lived up to my expectations. Any fan is likely to be well satisfied and secretly hoping it hadn't had to end - but I suppose this journey of their story did have to have a conclusion. Maybe someday, in some form, we'll get to revisit them.
Thankfully the chapters were short. The characters still came to life for me and I feel even more in love with them. Even better for the last 100 pages I was able to devote two whole days to and finally find out what would happen. Very satisfying read. Lived up to my expectations. Any fan is likely to be well satisfied and secretly hoping it hadn't had to end - but I suppose this journey of their story did have to have a conclusion. Maybe someday, in some form, we'll get to revisit them.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ramona
I think another reviewer said it best: "Unsurprisingly, I loved it. Surprisingly, it didn't break my heart." So let's get to it, shall we?
A Conjuring of Light is the third and final book in the wonderful Shades of Magic series. I won't bother recapping the whole series, because if you made it this far I am going to assume you read the first two. The third book picks up right after that tortuous cliff hanger in A Gathering of Shadows.
Final books in series make me nervous. The endings are typically either brutal or unsatisfying. This book was neither. It tied up all the endings (though not all end happily), the pacing was awesome, and the dialogue was just fantastic, as always. My only critique is that I wish there was more Lila, but I think the book could be just Lila and I would still want more. I don't want to spoil anything, so I will leave you with this: read this series. Its fantastic.
A Conjuring of Light is the third and final book in the wonderful Shades of Magic series. I won't bother recapping the whole series, because if you made it this far I am going to assume you read the first two. The third book picks up right after that tortuous cliff hanger in A Gathering of Shadows.
Final books in series make me nervous. The endings are typically either brutal or unsatisfying. This book was neither. It tied up all the endings (though not all end happily), the pacing was awesome, and the dialogue was just fantastic, as always. My only critique is that I wish there was more Lila, but I think the book could be just Lila and I would still want more. I don't want to spoil anything, so I will leave you with this: read this series. Its fantastic.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
cori
Wow. Book three in this trilogy hits early, hits hard, and doesn’t let up. It’s a stunning conclusion to the story that began with a man in a strange coat and a reckless thief, and ended in the battle for more than one world. Schwab has created an amazing universe to explore, one which still has so much to give (which is why I’m so happy she’s signed a deal for a new series set there).
If you’ve followed the series this far, you’ve probably already read the book, because there’s no way you could read the ending of book two and not jump straight into book three. A Conjuring of Light picks up immediately after A Gathering of Shadows. It’s a wonderful, if at times heartbreaking, rollercoaster. My only complaint was I wanted more. In particular, I want a conclusion to the White London story, which I hope will be picked up in the new series.
If you’ve followed the series this far, you’ve probably already read the book, because there’s no way you could read the ending of book two and not jump straight into book three. A Conjuring of Light picks up immediately after A Gathering of Shadows. It’s a wonderful, if at times heartbreaking, rollercoaster. My only complaint was I wanted more. In particular, I want a conclusion to the White London story, which I hope will be picked up in the new series.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
niloy mitra
This is the darkest of the three books. It has everything. Drama, romance, adventure, misfortune and everything in between.
The characters are not black and white and I found myself hating and loving them at different parts of the story.
Osaron is the only black one... in every sense of the world. I wouldn't like to be it's keeper.
I would have liked a bit more information about what came to be from white London, I really didn't get that part of the ending of the story... and it left me a bit unsatisfied. Other than that the author managed to wrap everything up tidily and I can say I enjoyed this series very very very much!
The characters are not black and white and I found myself hating and loving them at different parts of the story.
Osaron is the only black one... in every sense of the world. I wouldn't like to be it's keeper.
I would have liked a bit more information about what came to be from white London, I really didn't get that part of the ending of the story... and it left me a bit unsatisfied. Other than that the author managed to wrap everything up tidily and I can say I enjoyed this series very very very much!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
artem
This series was incredible. It lingers with you long after you have finished it. The characters and world are so vivid, and there is so much creativity in this series. It's action packed and hard to put down. I gave the last book four stars as I preferred the balance of light and darkness she mastered in the first two books, they were so enjoyable. The last book is quite dark, and many secondary characters that you have become attached to do not make it. The main characters that you can't help but love at this point go through a lot of suffering. I love Kell and Lila together, but they only got about five pages where they are able to be happy together. The reader is not given much closure with some key plot points such as Kell doesn't get to resolve issues with the king, Lila doesn't get to have a deeper conversation with Calla, information about Lila and Kell's backstory is not provided. I can't wait to read the next book she writes in this world to learn more! I have been recommending this series to everyone!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kaycee
For those wondering how I got A Conjuring of Light read so early with a full-time job, it might be worth noting that I was actually able to get this book early from my local bookstore. That said, I still read 1100+ pages since Sunday afternoon finishing this series. That’s how good it is.
[No Spoilers for the third book are in this review. If you read it already and don’t mind spoilers, I talk about some of my favorite moments and things I most appreciated in the hidden section of my review on Goodreads.]
I slept on this series way too long, but I didn’t know that until I read the second book, which is where all of V.E. Schwab’s progress was made. The first book was good but technically wrapped up all its own loose ends. The second is where the work got done. And the third—well. The third. The second book ends on a big cliffhanger, and the third begins exactly where we left Kell, Rhy, Lila. Lila running to Kell. Rhy screaming in pain. Kell struggling against Osaron and Holland.
The third book in the Shades of Magic series is what every finale should be. It stays true to every character, from their faults to their weaknesses to their strengths. It ties up many loose ends, and lets the necessary ones stay free. It wrenches your heart out—Schwab knows how to do what JK Rowling did; she will make your heart burn with the losses of this battle, but only as much as is necessary. This third book is stunning and satisfying, suspenseful and emotional. Very emotional. Let’s just say I yelled in the street this morning walking to work when I reached a twist. During lunch, I muttered, “nononononono” loudly enough and with enough feeling that students a table over looked at me nervously. And I cried in the atrium of my building twenty pages to the end.
So read it, and read it fast, because it’s good enough that you want to get in it pre-spoilers. I might be late to the party, but I am all in now. The Shades of Magic trilogy is a triumph.
And it ends with a bang.
[No Spoilers for the third book are in this review. If you read it already and don’t mind spoilers, I talk about some of my favorite moments and things I most appreciated in the hidden section of my review on Goodreads.]
I slept on this series way too long, but I didn’t know that until I read the second book, which is where all of V.E. Schwab’s progress was made. The first book was good but technically wrapped up all its own loose ends. The second is where the work got done. And the third—well. The third. The second book ends on a big cliffhanger, and the third begins exactly where we left Kell, Rhy, Lila. Lila running to Kell. Rhy screaming in pain. Kell struggling against Osaron and Holland.
The third book in the Shades of Magic series is what every finale should be. It stays true to every character, from their faults to their weaknesses to their strengths. It ties up many loose ends, and lets the necessary ones stay free. It wrenches your heart out—Schwab knows how to do what JK Rowling did; she will make your heart burn with the losses of this battle, but only as much as is necessary. This third book is stunning and satisfying, suspenseful and emotional. Very emotional. Let’s just say I yelled in the street this morning walking to work when I reached a twist. During lunch, I muttered, “nononononono” loudly enough and with enough feeling that students a table over looked at me nervously. And I cried in the atrium of my building twenty pages to the end.
So read it, and read it fast, because it’s good enough that you want to get in it pre-spoilers. I might be late to the party, but I am all in now. The Shades of Magic trilogy is a triumph.
And it ends with a bang.
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
nicole greaves
A huge disappointment and slightly painful.
Book 1 and 2 were great. Excellent world building, Londons and magic to get lost in, interesting and dynamic characters who actually grow. But this book was a long drawn out nonsensical slog that should have just been 1 chapter at the end of book 2. The book reads like the climax of another book and not in a good way. Very little to no arc for the plot or any of characters. They are constantly engaged with the big baddy in a slow long drawn out “fight” that leaves many characters aimlessly left hanging with little to nothing to do but to make stupid choices and die.
Some of the side storylines are just silly and don’t seem to serve any point but to fill pages. Minor spoilers but the whole book consists of the main heros thinking while the main villain waits to be vanquished. Why the title villain just doesn’t overtake everyone is just plain annoying. Why characters keep making pathetic little attempts against all logic to fight is an insult to readers and characters who seemed so much smarter.
I’m glad this book brought satisfaction and joy to many. For me it was an effort to finish and changed my perspective on the series - for the worse. If only this was just a 10 page last chapter of book 2
Book 1 and 2 were great. Excellent world building, Londons and magic to get lost in, interesting and dynamic characters who actually grow. But this book was a long drawn out nonsensical slog that should have just been 1 chapter at the end of book 2. The book reads like the climax of another book and not in a good way. Very little to no arc for the plot or any of characters. They are constantly engaged with the big baddy in a slow long drawn out “fight” that leaves many characters aimlessly left hanging with little to nothing to do but to make stupid choices and die.
Some of the side storylines are just silly and don’t seem to serve any point but to fill pages. Minor spoilers but the whole book consists of the main heros thinking while the main villain waits to be vanquished. Why the title villain just doesn’t overtake everyone is just plain annoying. Why characters keep making pathetic little attempts against all logic to fight is an insult to readers and characters who seemed so much smarter.
I’m glad this book brought satisfaction and joy to many. For me it was an effort to finish and changed my perspective on the series - for the worse. If only this was just a 10 page last chapter of book 2
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
carrie kimbrough
They say the trick to having a review actually mean anything is to never rate it a 5 star (because you're being too praiseworthy and not critical enough) and never rate it a 1 star (because you're being too clinical and ignoring all that is good/amazing). But with A Conjuring of Light, I cannot NOT give it a 5 star. It delivered everything I wanted to, as I knew this was going to be the final in the saga. V.E. has said that this is for sure the tale end to our beloved three Ansari, however!!! She left so many lovely little hints that the world might be explored again by a new face, maybe in a decade, but if there's even a sliver of a chance to return, I will be the first in line to pre-pre-pre order it and bug her on her Twitter nonstop until she does. But I digress.
This third installment isn't just a wrap up to please the fans. This wasn't a 700 page adventure just to have her character's get ready for bed before she kisses them on the forehead and bids them a goodnight when you read the final word in the final chapter. No, it's so much more to that, but it doesn't leave the reader with their jaw agape screaming into the ink or the pages and asking "BUT WHAT ABOUT _______"!? I was so worried it was going to leave on a bittersweet ending. And to be honest it did. It did however also leave so much hope, not for a squeal, but hope for the characters that they'll be ok in the paths that were built for them. I'm not left guessing 'why', but rather day dreaming about the 'what'. What is to come next, knowing that it WON'T. Because that is how a satisfying end works. I just want to re-read my favorite parts, I want to just flip through the pages and land on a random section and enjoy it for what it is. The writing is so clear and crisp, opening the book up is like flipping on the TV and catching the best part of my favorite show before I flip over to another. I'm insanely bitter about one part, but I think that's more due to me personally getting too attached to a character that I met almost three years ago. Even that's a positive review in itself. V.E. had crafted one character so well, that it mind, I thought about him at least once a day for the past few years. Pretty powerful writing, if you ask me.
Now that this story draws to an end, all these characters will stick with me for years, if not for the rest of my life. And if an author has the ability to make me have an emotional connection to a fictional character and smile when I see a red coat or cry in public is I see a white one, well, I truly believe that deserves a 5 star rating. Don't you?
This third installment isn't just a wrap up to please the fans. This wasn't a 700 page adventure just to have her character's get ready for bed before she kisses them on the forehead and bids them a goodnight when you read the final word in the final chapter. No, it's so much more to that, but it doesn't leave the reader with their jaw agape screaming into the ink or the pages and asking "BUT WHAT ABOUT _______"!? I was so worried it was going to leave on a bittersweet ending. And to be honest it did. It did however also leave so much hope, not for a squeal, but hope for the characters that they'll be ok in the paths that were built for them. I'm not left guessing 'why', but rather day dreaming about the 'what'. What is to come next, knowing that it WON'T. Because that is how a satisfying end works. I just want to re-read my favorite parts, I want to just flip through the pages and land on a random section and enjoy it for what it is. The writing is so clear and crisp, opening the book up is like flipping on the TV and catching the best part of my favorite show before I flip over to another. I'm insanely bitter about one part, but I think that's more due to me personally getting too attached to a character that I met almost three years ago. Even that's a positive review in itself. V.E. had crafted one character so well, that it mind, I thought about him at least once a day for the past few years. Pretty powerful writing, if you ask me.
Now that this story draws to an end, all these characters will stick with me for years, if not for the rest of my life. And if an author has the ability to make me have an emotional connection to a fictional character and smile when I see a red coat or cry in public is I see a white one, well, I truly believe that deserves a 5 star rating. Don't you?
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ketan
I devoured this book, staying up late to read it since I had to work and eat during the day. The characters, the plot, the world building, the voice that was sometimes omniscient and sometimes close third drew me in deeper and deeper until after some losses, there was an ending that was happy enough where the characters had all changed so much from who they were in the start of book 1.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
lennick
This was a really great conclusion to the Shades of Magic series. While I didn't need the box of tissues- or any tissues for that matter- that other readers had led me to believe would be a staple while reading this one, I did close the book with a very warm feeling. Schwab's characters are so beautiful and full, and while it was sad to say goodbye to them, their stories and endings all just felt right.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
susan e
A Conjuring of Light Rating: 4.6
A Darker Shade Of Magic Series: 4.7
While not perfect, the Darker Shade of Magic series is perfectly enjoyable throughout. Anyone who is interested in fantasy should check this book out for sure. The first in the series is great, the second is good, and the third is spectacular and action packed. The final book makes the entire series worth reading.
The author is truly talented in the craft of designing complex fantasy worlds that are captivating to the reader. Furthermore, she makes characters that are very dynamic and morally gray which makes for interesting developments. Very, very happy to have had the pleasure of reading it.
A Darker Shade Of Magic Series: 4.7
While not perfect, the Darker Shade of Magic series is perfectly enjoyable throughout. Anyone who is interested in fantasy should check this book out for sure. The first in the series is great, the second is good, and the third is spectacular and action packed. The final book makes the entire series worth reading.
The author is truly talented in the craft of designing complex fantasy worlds that are captivating to the reader. Furthermore, she makes characters that are very dynamic and morally gray which makes for interesting developments. Very, very happy to have had the pleasure of reading it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
eric manthey
Anoshe
My love for thee is infinite
like the glistening stars in the skies
the billowing waters in the ocean
and light looming over the horizon line
My love for thee would cross
Grey London
Red London
White London
and Black London alike
to prove that thine love is true
Dearest
Kell
Delilah
Rhy
Alucard
Ned
and Holland, too
To those who have changed my life
my love is deep for you
~
This book is absolutely wonderful, a thrilling conclusion to this series filled to the brim with heart. The depth of these characters are unmatched by any series I have EVER read. Highly recommend. Please pick this series up. You won't regret it.
My love for thee is infinite
like the glistening stars in the skies
the billowing waters in the ocean
and light looming over the horizon line
My love for thee would cross
Grey London
Red London
White London
and Black London alike
to prove that thine love is true
Dearest
Kell
Delilah
Rhy
Alucard
Ned
and Holland, too
To those who have changed my life
my love is deep for you
~
This book is absolutely wonderful, a thrilling conclusion to this series filled to the brim with heart. The depth of these characters are unmatched by any series I have EVER read. Highly recommend. Please pick this series up. You won't regret it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
m fadli
What began in ADSOM comes to a bittersweet, beautiful end in ACOL.
I have loved reading about these characters. I'm going to miss them so much. I cried more times than I have reading a book in a long time. The heartbreaking parts hurt, but they pushed the surviving characters to unite and made them more powerful for it.
Overall a brilliant end to a brilliant trilogy. VE Schwab has become an author I'll trust to take me on any adventure any time.
I have loved reading about these characters. I'm going to miss them so much. I cried more times than I have reading a book in a long time. The heartbreaking parts hurt, but they pushed the surviving characters to unite and made them more powerful for it.
Overall a brilliant end to a brilliant trilogy. VE Schwab has become an author I'll trust to take me on any adventure any time.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kriselle pentecostes
I loved this last book so much, but there were a few times I started losing a little bit of interest. Some of that might have been the fact that I sometimes had to wait a week or so between reading because life kept getting in the way. Either way, I still LOVED this! And I NEED MORE LILA! I could read about her all day long.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
callie leuck
I didn't know what to expect when I picked up A Darker Shade of Magic last year, but I flew through book one and read book two, A Gathering of Shadows very shortly after. The wait for A Conjuring of Light has been entirely worth it as this trilogy comes to an end with a most intense start to a heartbreaking, yet uplifting finish.
This story picks up right where AGOS leaves off - with Delilah Bard taking one of the biggest gambles of her life, attempting to travel from Red London to White London on her own in order to save both Kell and Rhy, two brothers with a life now bonded together by magic. The chapters are short, and in the usual fashion of the Shades of Magic series, with the focus of each chapter constantly changing. This added in a level of intensity because the story was never just focused on one character for too long before the story shifted again. We see the story from many characters' viewpoints, and my favorite part of all this is that we finally get a glimpse into Holland's past. We see the person he was before the Dane twins in White London, and chance to compare it to the kind of man is he today.
A Conjuring of Light brings a sinking feeling, or at least one of dread, when reading this book. This book isn't short by any means, but the only thing that made me put the book down was the need to take a break. A break from the utter despair and darkness befallen on these characters with Osaron, the magic entity, the shadow king, the demon, who saw itself a god, threatening to take control of the Londons.
This book is packed from beginning-to-end with fast-paced action, and a shroud of mystery surrounding characters who will make you question their intentions. This book doesn't shy away from death. Life is precious, and death comes from all corners trying to kill characters we've known from the beginning, and those we've really only just met. This book is one that will devastate you and yet manages to keep hope alive. There are moments of dry humor that are hilariously delightful to read (essentially wherever Kell and Alucard are) and it's a nice break from the otherwise bleak nature of Osaron's actions.
I think there are enough open-ended questions lingering after reading A Conjuring of Light that this opens the door for more stories set in this universe, but, overall, the Shades of Magic series closes up nicely.
This book is a long one, but it's also one I didn't want to finish. I will miss all of these characters so much. It's been a journey to read their stories and where they've ended up in the world - starting when Kell was just an Antari messenger with a peculiar coat and a penchant for trading, Lila was just a thief, Rhy was a boy playing at being prince, Alucard was a jokester of a captain, and Holland was nothing more than a cold-hearted Antari. Maybe the only way to get over this inevitable book/series hangover is just to re-read the series again and again. So, this isn't truly a farewell to the series. This has been a grand adventure and a story that will always be waiting to be re-read. The Shades of Magic series has been nothing but timeless and enchanting.
This story picks up right where AGOS leaves off - with Delilah Bard taking one of the biggest gambles of her life, attempting to travel from Red London to White London on her own in order to save both Kell and Rhy, two brothers with a life now bonded together by magic. The chapters are short, and in the usual fashion of the Shades of Magic series, with the focus of each chapter constantly changing. This added in a level of intensity because the story was never just focused on one character for too long before the story shifted again. We see the story from many characters' viewpoints, and my favorite part of all this is that we finally get a glimpse into Holland's past. We see the person he was before the Dane twins in White London, and chance to compare it to the kind of man is he today.
A Conjuring of Light brings a sinking feeling, or at least one of dread, when reading this book. This book isn't short by any means, but the only thing that made me put the book down was the need to take a break. A break from the utter despair and darkness befallen on these characters with Osaron, the magic entity, the shadow king, the demon, who saw itself a god, threatening to take control of the Londons.
This book is packed from beginning-to-end with fast-paced action, and a shroud of mystery surrounding characters who will make you question their intentions. This book doesn't shy away from death. Life is precious, and death comes from all corners trying to kill characters we've known from the beginning, and those we've really only just met. This book is one that will devastate you and yet manages to keep hope alive. There are moments of dry humor that are hilariously delightful to read (essentially wherever Kell and Alucard are) and it's a nice break from the otherwise bleak nature of Osaron's actions.
I think there are enough open-ended questions lingering after reading A Conjuring of Light that this opens the door for more stories set in this universe, but, overall, the Shades of Magic series closes up nicely.
This book is a long one, but it's also one I didn't want to finish. I will miss all of these characters so much. It's been a journey to read their stories and where they've ended up in the world - starting when Kell was just an Antari messenger with a peculiar coat and a penchant for trading, Lila was just a thief, Rhy was a boy playing at being prince, Alucard was a jokester of a captain, and Holland was nothing more than a cold-hearted Antari. Maybe the only way to get over this inevitable book/series hangover is just to re-read the series again and again. So, this isn't truly a farewell to the series. This has been a grand adventure and a story that will always be waiting to be re-read. The Shades of Magic series has been nothing but timeless and enchanting.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
tina cady
This is my favorite book out of all of V Schwab’s yet! And that is saying a lot because I adored A Gathering of Shadows. ACoL throws us into a bright adventure filled with the characters we’ve come to love and hate. The world building is unique and the shades of good and bad within certain characters really upped the experience for me. You need this book in your life.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
christian hamaker
THIS DESERVES ALL THE STARS! TAKE THE GALAXY.
Honestly the best ending to a trilogy ever. I still want more though, maybe I'm just greedy.
I was a nervous wreck the entire time but it was so worth it.
I need Schwab to never stop writing. Her work is magic itself.
Honestly the best ending to a trilogy ever. I still want more though, maybe I'm just greedy.
I was a nervous wreck the entire time but it was so worth it.
I need Schwab to never stop writing. Her work is magic itself.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kristian
This was probably my most anticipated release of the year, and it did not disappoint. I cried, laugh, and craved for more. As a conclusion, it works perfectly both when it comes to the the themes and the characters. I was not expecting to become so invested in Holland’s story, which makes this one of those rare series where I loved every single main character. The atmosphere of the whole book was also superb in a way that only a series finale can be. It was far darker than its predecessors but it never felt forced or grimdark because it was earned. This is how you end a story.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
dan matso
Every book that Schwab writes I always think that there's no way she can top her previous book, but then there she goes, always surprising me in new and different ways. A CONJURING OF LIGHT is no exception. I believe this is the first series that she's completed and she did it well. All of the loose ends were tied up, every character had a character arc, and this is the first time in a long time that I can remember being this satisfied with a conclusion to a series. Highly recommend.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
darlene wilson
VE Schwab spins an incredible web of worlds and magic, the characters are richly developed and unique, the various settings are striking and the plot is engaging. All 3 in this series are addictive, i couldn't put them down! Definitely in my list of new favorites
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
austin keller
This entire series is amazing: suspense, sarcasm, love, magic, humor, and grief. Each sentence carved out such a visual, such a brilliant way to see each place and character, I couldn’t put it down. A must read- all three.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
aimee long
This is probably the best ending of a series EVER and definitely my favourite trilogy of all time! I'm so in love with Schwab's writing and the way she creates and writes her characters, you fall in love with them from the very first moment. So just go ahead and read everything this woman has published because all of her books are amazing. Especially Vicious!!!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kelly reed
A CONJURING OF LIGHT was everything I wanted it to be, and more. Even though it was over 600 pages, I flew through it, and ended up wishing it was longer. The writing made me cry, the characters made me cry, basically I just cried for 600 pages. I loved A CONJURING OF LIGHT and thought that it was the perfect ending for a perfect series.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
lily at bookluvrs haven
Perfection, my favorite fantasy writer! As a bookseller this is my must stock item and first to grab when someone is looking for the perfect series. What a gem in a sea of repeats and over used themes, cannot say enough positive things!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
maximilian
Oh, what a beautiful book. I absolutely adore this world that Schwab has created, and it was very hard to let go of it. If you haven't picked up this amazing series full of magic, pirates, knives, and interesting characters - what are you waiting for?
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
evelyn hadden
This is probably the best ending of a series EVER and definitely my favourite trilogy of all time! I'm so in love with Schwab's writing and the way she creates and writes her characters, you fall in love with them from the very first moment. So just go ahead and read everything this woman has published because all of her books are amazing. Especially Vicious!!!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
mholland
A CONJURING OF LIGHT was everything I wanted it to be, and more. Even though it was over 600 pages, I flew through it, and ended up wishing it was longer. The writing made me cry, the characters made me cry, basically I just cried for 600 pages. I loved A CONJURING OF LIGHT and thought that it was the perfect ending for a perfect series.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
amanda harbin
Perfection, my favorite fantasy writer! As a bookseller this is my must stock item and first to grab when someone is looking for the perfect series. What a gem in a sea of repeats and over used themes, cannot say enough positive things!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
salacious bee
Oh, what a beautiful book. I absolutely adore this world that Schwab has created, and it was very hard to let go of it. If you haven't picked up this amazing series full of magic, pirates, knives, and interesting characters - what are you waiting for?
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
mary allen
AND obviously my favourite ones died. No but seriously, why did he have to die to return white London to light? I know he was broken, but god, it's just so unfair?
Other than that, an endless list of plot twist that I saw coming and were well written, but the rest made pretty boring: the romance and sex made me cringe, and god spare me from the main couple.
Other than that, abrupt end where everything is up in the air and /he dies to make white London live/.
Other than that, an endless list of plot twist that I saw coming and were well written, but the rest made pretty boring: the romance and sex made me cringe, and god spare me from the main couple.
Other than that, abrupt end where everything is up in the air and /he dies to make white London live/.
Please RateA Conjuring of Light: A Novel (Shades of Magic)