A Conjuring of Light
Ratings313
Average rating4.2
Well, this is a terrific trilogy of books. V. E . Schwab, where have you been all my life.
The book begins immediately from the end of the second book and then gallops along at breakneck pace.
You do think that this pace cannot be maintained and it does slow down.
One of the things that is really good about Schwabs writing is that her world building skills are really impressive. Rather than bogging down the reader with complicated prose that describes the world, Schwab moves her characters through the world as part of the story.
She also has a brilliant skill of expanding the characters and she does with the minor characters as well as the major characters like Holland and Alucard.
The relationship between Rhy and Alucard is explored further, and one of the best things about this is that it is completely natural and there is no fuss about it.
Definitely, one of my favourite fantasy series.
“I'm beginning to think that thrones make tyrants of us all.”
It's 1:37am and ten minutes ago, right as the clock transformed from 1:26 to 1:27, I finished this book. Sleep is calling for me so heavily right now, but I won't be able to rest until I type up all these words that are ricocheting inside me are transferred into a review. I took over 100 notes with this book. (I never take notes. I think the last time I took a note on a book was when Matthias's ghost wouldn't associate with Kaz's ghost.) But it is beyond past my bedtime and I am not going to try to make sense of sober Emi's thoughts. I think half of my notes were inside jokes I am too tired to understand right now anyways. So let's just give this review a go. It's going to be sloppy, but when I'm awake later I'll organize everything.
[b:A Darker Shade of Magic|22055262|A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1)|V.E. Schwab|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1400322851l/22055262.SY75.jpg|40098252] has been one of my favorite book series, if not my favorite series. I fell in love with this world Victoria had created so quickly that I almost didn't know what to do with all her words. I waited impatiently for [b:A Gathering of Shadows|20764879|A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, #2)|V.E. Schwab|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429627728l/20764879.SY75.jpg|43242915] and started it as soon as I got my hands on it. History repeated itself with [b:A Conjuring of Light|29939230|A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic, #3)|V.E. Schwab|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1464017758l/29939230.SY75.jpg|44752519]. Before the clock even struck midnight on the day of its release, I was tearing through the ebook. I was nervous going in. Victoria hasn't blessed us with that many series finales (cough Archive #3,[b:The Returned|20799109|The Returned (The Archived, #3)|Victoria Schwab|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|40143005], which I am very bitter about *cough). But I was blown away.
And now it's over. And my entire mind and body feel empty right now, but in the most satisfying of ways.
I know these characters aren't dead. The live on the pages of the books that decorate my shelves, pages that I can read over and over and over again (and I know I will). Yet part of me knows that I can never go back to reading this series with a fresh mind. I can't turn the pages and experience the streets of Red London. All the words are forever tattooed onto my soul. (And tired Emi is so inspired by that sentence she had just written that she actually started to cry. God look at what this book as done to her.) The last time I finished a book series I loved so much, and was unsure if I'd ever be able to explore the world again, was almost eight years ago. I don't know what to do with this feeling of desire and longingness.
A Conjuring of Light was everything I hoped it to be. It didn't start out with a spark like the previous books did, but instead with an inferno that managed to keep its flame the entirety of the book. I know I reread the previous two before jumping into this one, but even at the first line, I still felt welcomed back into the story like an old friend.
Not to mention this book was so funny. There were multiple scenes where I felt like I should be screaming or crying, but I couldn't express those emotions because I was laughing so hard. It takes true talent to put humor in the most inconvenient of times, but Victoria is full of talent.
Kell. Let's talk about him. If you didn't know, he is one of my favorite fictional characters. Though his coat does give him an unfair advantage over other characters. I remember, during my first read of AGOS last year, mentioning in an update that if Kell asked me to jump off a bridge, I'd do it. That still hasn't changed. It probably never will. Kell is one of those people I trust completely. He is so consistent and loyal and caring. I have never felt like he was going to betray me. Kell went through so much character development this entire series, yet he still didn't change from that boy in a peculiar coat that we met on the first pages of ADSOM
My one hope for Kell was to find his family in this book. He came to the palace as a young boy, with no past and no memory. I wanted for him to know where he came from. And he did. Perhaps not in the way that I was hoping, but in the way that both he and I deserved. He found his peace as a member, as a brother, as a son of the royal family. And though a subtle message, it really showed that it isn't your origins that define you, but the path that lives takes you on. So while I really did want to know what K.L. stood for (in my mind it's Kyle for some reason? I know it's not Kyle but I've thought this for a year and a half now and Kyle isn't going anywhere.), I am actually glad we didn't find out.
Lila. Lila, Lila, Lila. She never changes either. My one hope for her going into this book was for her to become a badass pirate. Yet, that was an impossible hope, considering she already was a badass pirate. Lila has always been a very stereotypical YA heroine (the one that hates pretty dresses and loves pretty weapons), but I never even cared. She was done right.
Rhy. Rhy, my precious baby who will probably have sex with anything that moves. I love him so much. He is so strong, funny, and confident with his sexuality. He also finds love in this book Bless that lord. I am so glad my baby can be happy. Rhy is the easily the best character in this series.
Holland. Holland's story line in this book was my favorite. His past was explored. His motives were explored. And though he died in the end, I was okay with his death. In fact, his death scene (chapter IX of part fifteen) was the most beautiful piece of writing I have ever had the opportunity to read. In fact, I read it multiple times over and over again before moving onto the final chapter. I am glad that he is at peace.
Alucard. He grew a lot on me in this book. His character definitely didn't go in the direction I expected when we first met him in AGOS and I am glad it didn't. His relationship with Kell was one of my favorite aspects of this entire book. Every conversation they had, I loved. I am happy he found love with Rhy and I wish both of them nothing but the best
I've read a lot of books in my life. And along with that, I've read many conclusions. The very last part of this book, Part Fifteen, was what left me so satisfied. Victoria closed so many gates for the characters, and opened up so many others. It's everything that I desire in a conclusion.
It's 2:41am right now. I've been typing this for over an hour. In the morning, when I am awake and possibly recovered from this book, I'll edit this review into something that makes a lot more sense.
Anoshe.
The final installment in the Shades of Magic series was a pure ride of joy. This might be my favorite book for 2017, considering I enjoyed and loved Six of Crows and Red Rising series just as much. But the characters from this book spoke to me on a whole different level.
Lila and Kell were my favorite characters. Every interaction and dialog they had was amazing. They weren't perfect. Both had their flaws which made them very realistic. Lila didn't want to be bound to any person or place so she always ran. Kell, on the other hand, had the power to be anywhere, in any world, yet he chose to stay by Rhy's side.
Rhy and Kell's relationship was very intriguing. All past stories and the present one. The line “Kell wanted to wring Rhy's neck made me chuckle considering it came during a serious moment. Brotherly banter was good and so was their unconditional love for each other. Even though the king and queen tried hard to make Kell into Rhy's shield and not his brother, it was Kell's love for his brother which saved Rhy.
Alucard was a good addition to have since the second book. Because of him we got a lot of insight into Lila, and I personally liked his interactions with Kell.
Now for the controversial character, Holland, I have only one thing to say, what the hell was that?! I wanted to kill him in the first book but then again none of the things he was doing were his choice consciously. Bound in the first, binding others in the second (yet still bound), redemption in the third by being bound again? There was so much backstory for him. There was more Holland than Kell. Honestly, I felt his story could have ended a bit differently, but I took it as an open ending. The last sentence for White London was “Holland breathed out and the world breathed in.” which I take it meant that White London did somehow maybe heal, a tiny possibility. As all the “The king is coming” could have been foreshadowing that Holland's presence somehow does heal White London.
There were a lot of open endings. We never get an explanation to Ned getting powers as he was nipped by the shadow in the first book, Vitari. And what happens to King George after Osaron invades his mind. Maybe Grey London also gets some of its magic back, but can't say for sure. Or does the insane king end up wreaking havoc?
One thing I can say for certain that I did like was that in the end, Kell was finally able to be free. Even though he was still bound to Rhy, he never thought of it as a burden. And Lila finally becomes the captain of a ship. Rhy becomes the king with Alucard by his side.
So all the characters were able to achieve the things they wanted.
Things specific to this book that I liked:
Lila's fight in the alleyway.Lila's bargain for the inheritor.
The three Antari practicing their magic with the rings.The final battle with Osaron.
How Kell consciously chooses to burn the key for removing the memory charm on himself. Character development. It doesn't matter who he was before coming here, who he is now matters.The author did not always throw the characters motivations in our faces and we had to think like them and decide why they did what they did.
Also a thing I liked about this series, the words always painted a crystal clear picture in my mind. Whether it be fight scenes or still ones, I was never confused with the movements the characters made, or the background setting, the place, the people, the emotions.
Longest book read in 2017 and by far the best one.
Anoshe.
I have many feels about this book and that ending and they can be properly summed up with 😊
“When it came to parting ways, they sometimes said vas ir, which meant in peace, but more often they chose to say anoshe – until another day.”
It took me a very long time to start this book and an even longer time to finish it. But that is simply because I did not want to say goodbye to these characters and this world. V.E. Schwab has crafted this amazing world full of magic and daring characters. This book added a lot of new POVs which was “annoying” at times because I wanted to get back to Lila, Kell, Rhys, and Alucard, but I can see the importance of those POVs now that the trilogy is complete.
Knowing the Threads of Power trilogy is coming, I'm not sure exactly where Schwab plans to take this world but I know I cannot wait to be back in the world of Antaris!
As Travars.
As much as I liked the two first books of this serie, the third one was the best.
The first third is a bit slow but the rest is just pure adventure. I couldn't stop reading and just devoured the 400 last pages and wasn't able to disconnect from the story.
I will for sure keep the character and the story in my mind for a long time. Highly recommend.
This was the last book from the trilogy A Darker Shade of Magic.
Even though I had some problems finishing this book I admit that it isn't that bad. It gives a good closure to the story. I think that the book is too long and it has too much not important information for the storyline. Also, I thought that the MC had too much luck, because plot!
Overall, this series is solid 3 stars for me.
And finally thebstory ends. I liked many of the characters and much of the story. It surely doesn't shy away from killing of major characters neither which I always think is a good thing in trilogies.
I do wish there would be more stories tied up. This started out as a story about 3 different Londons. Expect in the end it was really only about red London. The stories in the other colours where almost abandoned is briefly mentioned. I had hoped to see more of their future as well.
Oh Lord help me I loved these books so much. Now that I'm finished I feel like something important has been torn away from me. Must find another book to fill the void. I feel like this series was just beautifully done. The story, the writing, the concept...it was all so clean. The bond between characters brought me to tears, they were so real to me.
Anoshe ❤️
3.5 but rounded up to 4. I am happy with where the story left the main characters. The villain in the final novel wasn't all that interesting to me. He was an entity and not a person so he felt one dimensional and I didn't find his POV interesting at all. However I loved Lilah, Kell, Rhy and Holland so they made up for those chapters.
I slightly regret this reread because I had very fond memories of this series that had made it remain my favorite all time series. Until now.. Idk it's a fine series, but unlike say the Greenbone saga it's no masterpiece. Plot wise it's very basic and I think the villain is not at all compelling. I do have a particular fondness for the characters though, and the world itself, so I will be reading Threads of Power.
A good ending to the series. Although it took a bit long to get there.
3,5 sterretjes
Hmm, ja, toch precies niet 100% tevreden over hoe deze serie beëindigd werd.
Begrijp me niet verkeerd, er was niks mis met dit boek. Ik heb het graag gelezen en de verhaallijnen werden mooi afgesloten, zoals ik verwacht bij een finale, maar ik bleef precies toch nog wat op mijn honger zitten.
Deze recensie is lang in de kladmodus gebleven, omdat ik echt worstelde met wat ik nu echt vond. Ik wou zo graag dat ik dit boek (en deze serie) kon bejubelen en lauweren, maar helaas is de overwegende emotie, twee maanden na uitlezing, toch teleurstelling.
De ontwikkeling van de personages in dit laatste boek was enerzijds bevredigend en anderzijds een gigantische ontgoocheling. De uitdieping van Holland bijvoorbeeld, vond ik bevredigend. Hoe daarmee om werd gegaan in het algemene plot eerder ontgoochelend.Als we Holland eerst leren kennen is hij gewoon een rotzakje, maar in dit laatste boek leren we zoveel over hem, zijn achtergrond en motieven, waardoor ik echt sympathie voor hem had. Maar met die verlossende eigenschappen van Holland werd eigenlijk in de hoofdverhaallijn en naar de andere personages toe niks mee gedaan. Kell weet bijvoorbeeld dat alles wat Holland deed onder invloed van de Danes niet zijn schuld was, maar hij doet daar niks mee en laat Lila en de rest van Rood Londen blijven het slechtste over hem denken.Dan Lila, jezusmina, wat werkte die soms op mijn systeem. Die groeide precies niet in het verhaal, maar bleef dezelfde Lila, die zonder nadenken gewoon overal haar goesting doet. Ik weet dat we in haar een sterke, vrouw moeten zien, maar voor mij is ze soms gewoon een roekeloos kind...En dan krijgen we bevestigd wat we eigenlijk al allemaal wisten: zij is ook Antari. Maar daar houdt het op. We leren niet hoe ze haar oog kwijt raakte, hoe ze in Grijs Londen terecht kwam of wie ze is. En ook zij is er niet in geïnteresseerd. Ze aanvaardt het feit gewoon, vervangt haar glazen oog door een zwarte oogbol, want dat ziet er zo cool uit, en dan vooruit, verder met het hoofdverhaal!Kell, argh, de grootste frustratie in gans dit boek voor mij. Over Kell leren we absoluut niks, nada, noppes. En dit is niet omdat het niet ter sprake komt. Integendeel, we krijgen de antwoorden verleidelijk voor onze neus gewapperd in de vorm van een brief. Een brief die al Kells, en onze, vragen kan beantwoorden: wie hij is, waarom zijn herinneringen afgesloten zitten, hoe het komt dat hij kan doen wat hij doet, hoe hij bij de Koninklijke familie terecht kwam, etc. En wat beslist Kell met deze brief te doen, nadat we meer dan twee boeken op het antwoord zitten te wachten, nadat hij meer dan twee boeken zijn geheugenverlies beklaagt? Hij verscheurt die godverdomse brief, want opeens maakt het niks meer uit. Wablief? Komaan zeg, dat is toch echt slordig en extreem gemakzuchtige afwerking van die plotlijn. Vanaf dat punt verloor ik eigenlijk een beetje mijn interesse in het verhaal, want ook al is de wereld uniek en zijn de personages interessant, we komen niks meer van waarde te weten en het verhaal neemt geen wendingen meer, behalve de verwachte. Naast de reeds gekende personages, leren we ook een aantal nieuwe personages kennen of worden vorige nevenpersonages wat verder uitgediept. Die geven wat extra variatie en bieden interessante nieuwe perspectieven, ware het niet dat ze voor mij de indruk gaven dat de enige reden waarom ze aan het verhaal waren toegevoegd was om te sterven, zodat de hoofdrolspelers het niet zouden moeten doen.Echt, voor mij was het precies voor elk nevenpersonage zo. Van zodra ik begon warm te lopen voor het personage en nieuwsgierig werd naar zijn of haar verhaal, werden ze zonder ceremonie afgemaakt. Jammer, en niet omdat ik per se wou dat de hoofdpersonages stierven –het enige hoofdpersonage dat dan wel stierf is net dat personage van wie ik dit absoluut niet wou – maar omdat het zo gekunsteld en vooropgezet spel leek.Er wordt ook heel veel informatie gedeeld en plotlijnen geïnitieerd, die dan uiteindelijk allemaal op niets uit draaien (e.g. de perspectieven in Grijs Londen of die van het meisje in Wit Londen). Dit voelde op het einde een beetje als verloren energie aan, gezien ze echt niks extra bijdragen aan het verhaal en dus gemakkelijk geschrapt konden worden om het boek iets minder lijvig te maken.Al deze extra dingen wakkerden gewoon mijn nieuwsgierigheid over deze werelden meer en meer aan, om me dan ontgoocheld achter te laten dat het eigenlijk gewoon maar vulling was zonder diepgang of vervolg.Het hoofdverhaal zelf dan, dat begint razend snel, precies daar waar het vorige boek eindigde, valt dan voor een lange tijd stil om gevuld te worden met alle neveninformatie die wel interessant zou zijn geweest als het iets had bijgedragen, om dan op het einde terug aan snelheid toe te nemen, om dan precies zo te gaan zoals verwacht: iedereen overleeft, behalve de nevenpersonages en de zogenoemde slechteriken, de grote gemene dreiging is weg en jeij, het einde.Wie of wat die grote gemene dreiging nu echt is of wat de verdere mythologie van de werelden is, dat wordt onder de mat geveegd, want kijk, we hebben een gelukkig einde en iedereen die er toe doet leeft en kunnen van koppeltje spelen! Hartjes en bloemetjes voor iedereen! Poeh, het liet me eerlijk gezegd een beetje verweesd achter.Ik weet dat deze recensie nu precies lijkt alsof ik het boek complete bagger vond, maar dat was zeker niet zo. Ik heb deze en de overige boeken in de trilogie heel graag gelezen, maar hoe meer ik er bij nadenk, hoe meer ik ontgoocheld ben, hoe meer ik meer wil. Misschien was dat het opzet? Polsen wat de interesse is voor een grotere reeks dan een enkele trilogie? Maar dan nog vind ik het toch een beetje een bedriegde boel en weinig respectvol naar de lezers.Misschien moet ik zelf gewoon meer mijn fantasie gebruiken, dan de antwoorden zwart-op-wit te willen lezen? Maar dan is dit toch wel gemakzuchtig van de schrijver, niet?Maar bon, het is wat het is.
A Conjuring of Light - en bij uitbreiding de volledige Shades of Magic-trilogie - was voor mij uiteindelijk een heel vlot geschreven, plezante reis met een schat aan interessante ideeën en een plezant, mild spannend avontuur als zijn kern. Op het einde van de rit echter ben ik toch teleurgesteld door het feit dat het verhaal en de interessante ideeën zo oppervlakkig bleven, terwijl er zo veel meer inzat.
que feo es no tener tiempo para leer D:
Original de: El Blog del Gato - El Extraño Gato del Cuento
El romance, la aventura y la angustia por el destino de nuestros personajes favoritos está bien balanceado, un excelente final para una de mis trilogías favoritas.
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Fantastic read, perfect ending to this trilogy. Love the characters, the worlds, the writing......everything!
This whole trilogy was a blast. Fun, quick, packed with style, and full of enough ideas to separate it from the bulk of the genre. There were a few twists without it feeling too arbitrary, and I appreciated how her attention to detail wound a lot of the plotlines together. There were also a handful of places where her prose rose to a level of beauty not often found, reminding me of Name of the Wind or Night Circus. I'm a fan.
A Darker Shade of Magic ???????????????A Gathering of Shadows ???????????????A Conjuring of Light ???????????????
Obviously as this is the third book in the series I won't be doing a full review with spoilers, but I have a lot of feelings to write out.
As much as it looks like I am disappointed by this series based on my ratings I adore Schwab's writing and would genuinely read thousands of pages about these characters. My main complaint about this series is that I feel short changed by the lack of plot. This book I personally feel delivered the most plot and really kept me more engaged than the second. I wish the series had been a duology and the plot relevant parts of the second had been moved to the first book.
I was ready to give this book five stars for a long period, but I found the conclusion to be weak and rather “neatly tied”. That isn't a fair opinion if I was to be considering it objectively, but the sacrifices made and difficulties felt like the minimal that could be done to prevent a neat ending that had no consequences. I'm possibly just bitter about how hyped this series was and how much I felt let down.
My eye is twitching because yet ANOTHER powerful being had their power dimmed/removed for the sake of an ending....but they could never make me hate my boy Kell
4.5 stars
I loved this series. V.E. Schwab's writing really works for me.
I was invested in the story, the action (there was a lot going on!), and the characters. Especially the characters! Kell, Rhy, Alucard, Lila, and Holland were excellent characters. I really enjoyed the ending.
At some points, this book didn't feel like the last book.
(Apparently, there's going to be another book(s) in this series which is intriguing. Excited for it!)
Still not a fan of the “not like other girls” vibe that Lila maintains throughout the series.