A Conjuring of Light: A Novel (Shades of Magic, 3)

It’s taken me longer than anticipated to finish this series mainly because I didn’t really love the second book in Shades of Magic as much as I did the first. Certain main characters in the second book just really got on my nerves, and we’ll leave it at that. So “A Conjuring of Light” sat on my shelves, waiting ever so patiently, for me to stop being petty and just finish the series. The third book picks up immediately after the second book, so if you’re like me and waited a while to return you’re going to need a bit of a refresher and recap before diving in, because the story doesn’t really allow for that right off the bat. But our main characters know from the start (or close to it) just what they face, and what will happen if they don’t deal with this threat, and atone for their own mistakes. Cue redemption arcs for everyone! Sure, some characters are redeemed more than others but I always love a good redemption. I love watching characters face the consequences of previous actions, and I love having those characters grow from the experience and strengthen their own relationships in the process. So, in a nutshell: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially compared to “A Gathering of Shadows”.

I love Schwab’s emotive writing, always have, always will, but it is one of those styles that you either love or hate and I get that. I personally tend to love it. Her writing is always emotional without coming across as redundant and I find that to be truly lovely, especially given all the POV characters we get in this book. We get more backstory of what Holland endured before the Dane’s got to him and I loved seeing the brutality that is White London through his eyes before he became an unwilling puppet to Athos and Astrid. For a character who really messed up in his desire for freedom, these tiny flashback moments really helped to show just how tragic Holland always was and made him facing his consequences all the more impactful. Even Lila deals more with her grief this time and I really enjoyed watching her mature emotionally. She’s always been this “devil be damned” type character, but after my issues with her in book 2, let’s just say she really needed this character growth. Then there is poor Kell and Rhy, ugh, RHY. My heart constantly aches, breaks, patches itself up, and then breaks all over again for these brothers. Schwab has never been kind to them and the things they live through in this book is no different. So be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster this relationship will put you through. We also learn more about King and Queen Maresh and while I loved learning about the king and the sacrifices he made for his people, I can’t say the same thing for the queen… Either way, I can confidently say that this book is the most character driven of the three, which obviously shows in the sheer length of the story.

The plot can be a bit slow at times because of the POV shifts, some of which were not really that necessary, let’s be honest, but I didn’t mind them either. There are still some lingering questions about Kell and Lila’s origins which, now that Schwab has announced more books in this series may actually get answered. I think if I had read this earlier, when that new set of books in this world hadn’t been announced, the open-ended questions about these two main characters would probably bother me more, but such is my faith in Schwab that I trust her to not just leave those things open forever especially given where both Lila and Kell are at the end of this book. Additionally, Osaron didn’t feel as menacing as he was in “A Gathering of Shadows”. There was more tension prior to the final showdown with him then during the actual altercation which has me wondering if Schwab is up to something there was well, but we’ll see!

Was this book perfect? No. Was this series without its flaws? Also no. But does Schwab know how to write an amazing character driven novel full of rich personalities and emotive writing that can leave you gutted? Yes, an emphatic yes! Ultimately, that’s what makes me love this book in particular: Schwab’s writing and the way she made me care for characters like Holland with an intensity I didn’t think was possible. I still think I may wait a bit to see what’s up with the new books in this series before diving in, because if certain arcs don’t get more attention, and certain questions aren’t answered, I may come back and change this rating. But for now, this is a very comfortable 5 star read for me with a satisfying conclusion to the first trilogy in this series.

"Love and loss are like a ship and the sea. They rise together. The more we love, the more we have to lose. But the only way to avoid loss is to avoid love. And what a sad world that would be" - Tieren Serense

All my homies hate Cora [two faced], whatever her brothers name is [loser], coras mom [terrible mother] and her dad [he aint do nothin but screw him]. Jastra as well, she was annoying from the jump.

I love me some Alucard [remarkable magician, ate down], Rhy [stunning, charming prince], Kell [amazing antari], Lila [A1 character development fr, she eats]. I love me some Tieren and Hastra as well ugh. And my poor baby HOLLAND✨️ [He deserves paradise]

This entire series was like watching a shonen anime. With different arcs and each book being a different season. It had lots of fights and magic that translated so well from the pages to my imagination. All

The this book was a great ending to the series. I went through almost all of my feelings reading this..happiness, sadness, grief, excitement, exhaustion, anger...etc. The way she writes is very descriptive so that you understand and its not word vomit. Anyways this book eats down!

Perspective is everything. You really can’t judge another person until you walk a mile in their shoes. I was upset with Holland in the last book but I sort of understood where he was coming from. In this book though when you get flashbacks to his life in White London and the tragedy of it along with how much he wanted to save it only too know it was doomed, well it gave me perspective. After that I really couldn’t help but like the guy most of the time and hope that he made it out alive and might save his beloved home. Did he???? Well to find that out and more you will have to read the book.

We hit the ground running pretty hard in this book and it really only let up a few times for us to catch our breath.

Overall for this series I really enjoy the writing and the way the story is conveyed. The present and flashback scenes work for me as a reader to give more depth to the characters and the motivations they have. The prose is something that I really enjoyed as well statements like

*** In palace balls and tournament games they were mismatched, awkward, but they understood each other here and now, surrounded by danger and death.***

And

*** Now that Alucard was alive and more or less upright, Rhy couldn’t bring himself to look at his lover, and couldn’t bear to look away, so he ended up doing both and neither. It had been so long since Rhy’d been able to study his face. Three summers. Three winters. Three years, and the prince’s heart still cracked along the lines Alucard had made. ***

This was not a happy tale. There are happy parts but with that thing that came from Black London there is so much death everywhere. So many moments where someone I had come to like ended up dying. Some of those deaths were heroic and some shocking and devastating. This is not a book where in the middle you are sure that the hero will make it to the end. This is a story where you are pretty sure that at least one of the characters you have become extremely attached to will not come out of the other side alive.

*** “Myths do not happen all at once. They do not spring forth whole into the world. They form slowly, rolled between the hands of time until their edges smooth, until the saying of the story gives enough weight to the words—to the memories—to keep them rolling on their own.” ***

I would say that this is a very good wrap up to the initial story that was presented to the reader. BUT…I think that maybe we could see some more in this world as some various interesting things were opened up by the end. I for one really wanted to know more about the magic across the different Londons and if there could be a way to find a balance for it. Is White London really as doomed but in a different way than Black London? Is Gray London getting some seepage of magic into it since Ned is now able to do very limited magic where there should be none? Did Red London do something to siphon the magic into that world and that is why there isn’t a balance? Just so you know none of those questions were answered and I’m totally fine with it since that wasn’t what the story was about but if there are more books in this world I hope that is covered.

I really like all the character connections in this story. Rhy & Kell’s brotherly love for one another, Holland & Kell with their begrudging respect of the other, Kell & Lila and their acceptable of exactly who the other is and Rhy & Alucard for the love affair they once shared and the hope that they can find that once again. And then of course there is the relationship of all of them against the big bad that is the sentient magic from Black London. Each relationship got at least one shining moment in this if not more and it was enough for me. Rhy & Kell’s bond is so special though

*** Rhy shook his head, exasperated. “Kell isn't the only one you fail to understand. My bond with him didn't start with this curse. You wanted him to kill for me, die for me, protect me at all costs. Well, Mother, you got your wish. You simple 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.” ***

Overall as a series I really enjoy how this all played out. There are some HEAs, there are some consequences to live with and there are some heroic deaths but all in all every main character had their moment in the spotlight to really shine with what they were capable of doing and I feel like this story completed itself very nicely. That said I’m hoping for some other stories set in this world.

I loved the first book in this series and I was less than enthusiastic about book two. My main problem with book two was the magic tournament. I just wasn't interested in this as a major event in the book; instead, the events happening behind the scenes, so to speak, were much more interesting. Thus, I was still excited to read this novel, book three. Because there can't be TWO magic tournaments in one series, right?

And this was definitely better than book two, though, at least to me, probably not as good as book one. If you are a fan of the series, definitely read it. If you were put off by book two, I'd still encourage you to read this one -- it is much better, plus you get some resolution. If you haven't started the series at all, go back to book one. This won't make the least bit of sense without it. (Also there are minor spoilers for books one and two here.)

There aren't really any new characters introduced here. All the major players were in books one and two. They may have had minor roles in the previous books (e.g., some sailors) but they are familiar faces. (I kind of think the second book, in addition to having the magic tournament, was an excuse to introduce a bunch of minor players for a side-plot that occurs near the end of this book.) Anyway, our main characters are Kell, an Antari (basically a top-level magic user) who has been adopted into the royal family of Arnes (where a parallel London exists), Lila, a thief from this book's equivalent of our world, Rhy, Kell's adoptive brother, Holland, Kell's Antari nemesis from yet another parallel London, and Alucard, a noble from Arnes who has been a mentor to Lila, an adversary to Kell, and a lover to Rhy.

I'll be honest, I didn't like Holland in the previous books. I think we weren't supposed to. We find out a lot more about him, about what's been driving him, here, and he becomes much more sympathetic. Holland's backstory is a good way to work in character development in a book with no new characters. (We also get a little background on Rhy's parents, as they get a few POV scenes. I found it difficult to identify with Emira, Rhy's mother, but Maxim, his father, was a bit easier to understand. I am going to have to take these bits about them and go back and think about their parts in books one and two now, to see if their actions make more sense. It is a little odd placing these bits of information here, near the end of the series, with Rhy really coming into his own. But if you like character studies, there is something for you here.)

I'm going to take a detour here and talk about what I didn't like. There were a couple of mysteries hinted at in earlier volumes that weren't resolved to my satisfaction. We learned earlier on that Lila was missing an eye and had a glass eye, but we never find out the circumstances surrounding the loss of her eye. We can speculate based on what we find out about her abilities in this book, but that is not quite the same as getting actual answers. Also, Kell wonders a lot about his past in the previous books; even his name comes from initials carved into his arm (KL). The speculation about Kell's past is at its highest point when he is on the outs with the royal family in Arnes in book two, but he gets a little more information here and then just kind of drops it. It's almost like the author remembered she hadn't handled this at the last minute and inserted the bit where he is given key information at the last minute. It's not really believable to me that someone who spent all of book two feeling put out that he had basically been used as a possession by his adoptive family, never allowed to leave the city, etc., suddenly accepts the Arnesian royals and forgets about everything else. In the scope of things, I guess these are minor, but they stand out to me, nonetheless.

Anyway, another thing I didn't care for was the main antagonist (Osaron). Although he does have some flaws that are, of course, exploited by the good guys, he is just too one-dimensional for me. He is a creature of magic and although it is tempting to read human motivations in him, he doesn't really have human characteristics. (On the other hand, I generally like the strategies the "good guys" come up with to deal with him. There are some successes -- including by members of the royal guard, priests, and other everyday people, not just the powerful main protagonists. But there are also some failures.)

One final complaint: at multiple points in the book, an object that was desperately needed by the characters to further the plot was mentioned. Once, it was a map. Another time, it was a particular artifact (the name of which escapes me). The map, at least, had been mentioned going all the way back to book one, though Lila, to whom it used to belong, didn't know what its purpose was. But in any case, each time the existence of such an object was mentioned, some character knew exactly where to find one. (One could make a similar argument about some rings found by Kell at the equivalent of a magic flea market. Although in that instance, he didn't even know what he needed and it still fell into his lap.)

What I did like: I was just more interested in reading this book than book two. I got through it a lot faster, chose to read instead of doing other things, etc. That is nearly always a good sign for me. Events surrounding Holland kept me guessing, too. Holland was actually a big strength for me in this book. He's a tragic character, but he and Kell are also stand-ins for their respective societies' treatment of magic and Antari and the struggle to survive. Holland knows more but he had to know more to get by. He's broken inside by what he's had to do, but he retains a bit of the idealism or optimism of his past.

A lot more was at stake in this book than just bragging rights for a tournament winner, and that was also appreciated. Plus, we get to see a little more of the world here. (What we see fits nicely with what we already know about Arnes and the surrounding lands and sea.) Despite some heroic efforts, everyone takes losses.

Other aspects of the book -- the writing style, the worldbuilding, etc. -- fit right in with everything developed in the previous two volumes. There are a few made-up words, but they generally fall under two categories (1) describing things that don't exist in our world or (2) activate spells (e.g., for the Antari to travel), so these don't bother me overly much. Other than that, honestly, the writing is not so noticeable. It simply fades to the background as it does its job of telling the story.

Even though I had a lot of issues with this book, I'm inclined to go easy on it as far as a star rating goes. I feel that it does need more stars than I gave book two, but not as many as I gave book one, and that leaves a 4. This is probably more of a 3.5 for me, but I'll round up.

I’m sitting here staring at a blank screen, completely unsure of where to start. I came across the first book of this series, A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab, only last month. I devoured it and the second book, A Gathering of Shadows, in three days. I couldn’t get enough. The characters were diverse and had depth and the story was completely engrossing. So, of course, I immediately got on Amazon and pre-ordered the third book which came out Feb 21st, 2017. The thing is that when it was delivered I postponed starting on it. I didn’t want the story to be finished. This world Schwab created had gotten to me and I knew that once I read this book it would be over. Sure, you can go back and re-read a book as many times as you like but there is only one first time. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to that magic.

Obviously, I finally gave in. I was not disappointed.

“Love and loss,” he said, “are like a ship and the sea. They rise together. The more we love, the more we have to lose. But the only way to avoid loss is to avoid love. And what a sad world that would be.”

We return to the story exactly where A Gathering of Shadows left off. Kell has been captured and taken to White London where he is being mercilessly tortured. Because of their magical bond that means every pain inflicted upon Kell is felt by his brother, prince Rhy. Lila understands what is happening and takes off to save Kell. Go Lila! It is difficult not to love such a strong, determined character. She takes matters into her own hands and usually comes out on top. If you are the kind of person that looks for a a strong female lead in literature you could do a lot worse than Lila Bard.

Kell’s capture is the beginning of a devastating time for Red London. The city is under siege by an ancient enemy. Osaron, the dark king of Black London, has invaded Red and seeks to claim it for his own. Every citizen is at risk of being consumed by Osaron and precious few are able to avoid his dark grasp. It spreads through the city quickly and there is no one able to stop the onslaught of this black plague.

Once Lila succeeds at rescuing Kell they both return to their home in Red. Despite valiantly trying to save as many citizens as possible they are forced to retreat to the palace. The palace has been warded against Osaron’s onslaught and for now those few who are within it’s walls are safe. Now they must find a way to combat this usurper and save their citizens.

Kell, Lila, Alucard, and (surprisingly) Holland take on this task and work tirelessly to defeat Osaron once and for all.

This book has everything. A motley cast of characters that you can’t help but love and root for, the arch villain (who oddly reminded me of Ultron from The Avengers) set on destroying everything they hold dear, and the perilous task to stop him. Will the three Antari’s magic be enough?

Schwab’s conclusion to her Shades of Magic trilogy is wonderful and (shall I say it?) magical. She gives us something to root for while systematically breaking your heart. The writing is full of lovely details and has excellent flow. I will admit that it didn’t grab me as much as the first two books did but maybe that was just me avoiding the inevitable end to a fantastic story.

“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.”