tsar's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“She bent most of the rules. She broke the rest.”
Many might wonder the fate of the secondary antagonist introduced in the first book, and what kind of danger brewing to devastate Red London as the characters try to move on from the destructive infiltration ensued before that. As the Element Games are announced in A Gathering of Shadows, which slightly transforms the second novel into some sort of a filler arc between large conflicts, Schwab discreetly pulls those strings of mischief and misery under the facade of a euphoric, cityscape celebration of magic.
Instead of traveling between multi-verses, Schwab settles the setting almost exclusively in Red London where the Maresh brothers are in the process of emotional healing. This decision to stick in one world proves to be an effective channel to reintroduce the original London as well as explore the parts of both places and characters that we have yet to see because we are too fixed with the tighter conflict in keeping the worlds in balance. For the first time, we're given a close look at how the royal family quarrels with one another; how their family dynamic affects the way Kell and Rhy see the world, especially after the traumatic effects of Rhy's death and revival bound by the life of his adoptive brother. Schwab illustrates the brothers to experience self-doubt and anger, stemming from the fact that Kell is unable to give his brother freedom to live untied from him while Rhy curses himself for lacking the right power to defend and stop himself from dying in the first place.
Like a fish out of the water, Lila Bard exudes a different kind of self-trouble upon entering the new London beyond her common own: neither life nor power there is in her expectation, particularly after the sort of treacherous adventure that she accidentally joins in the haze. Schwab turns her ball of confident yet arrogant energy into a collection of anxiety and uncertainty as ways of entertainment don't come easily as the way she wants them. Introducing a new character like Alucard Emery that has specific chemistry on each one of the characters could be said as the right catalyst for the three mains that struggle to overcome their frustration. Sure, Alucard is a broken person himself who has run away from his problems, but his reappearance is a step to reconcile those issues of himself, which could serve as motivation for the brothers and Lila to do the same.
In conclusion, whether it is a bridge or a story of its own, A Gathering of Shadows has a singular charm that brings the readers in to anticipate the dreary future ahead. It cajoles the readers into false insecurity of reading about found family conception before it explodes into a twisted game of void and darkness. Such an excellent second novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Torture, and Self harm
greenrequiem's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: War and Child abuse
Minor: Self harm and Xenophobia
sealbrecht's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Torture
pagesof_autumn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Homophobia
mpbookreviews's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
saurahsaurus's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Alcohol, and Blood
Moderate: Cursing, Confinement, Violence, Torture, Slavery, and Physical abuse
theslowreadernumber5's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Stalking, Torture, War, and Addiction
oliverreeds's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Death, Kidnapping, and Violence
escapismforlife's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book. THIS BOOK.
Can you hear me almost falling to grab the third off my shelf?
I haven't felt like this since reading the Legend trilogy Marie Lu back in high school. Or even finishing Ember in The Ashes Series just last year. I've got through this series quicker than both. It's taken me a month. And I am eager to see what happens. Though I think its already been told shown to me in this. <spoiler >Something to do with a dark Lila shown to her. By a dark mirror in a illegal market.
Can you hear me almost falling to grab the third off my shelf?
I haven't felt like this since reading the Legend trilogy Marie Lu back in high school. Or even finishing Ember in The Ashes Series just last year. I've got through this series quicker than both. It's taken me a month. And I am eager to see what happens. Though I think its already been told shown to me in this. <spoiler >Something to do with a dark Lila shown to her. By a dark mirror in a illegal market.
Anyways, I'm wrecked because of the ending. Delilah Bard is the true antihero/thief/magician of London. And the fact she's the strong one in the kind of relationship with Kell is the best thing ever. I love seeing an average woman do extraordinary and dangerous things. And I'm ready to see things take a left turn for once.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Confinement, Murder, Self harm, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
reddeddy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
i am just *inhales*……Delilah Bard…..you are insane….but you’re also a fucking badass…..i had some issues with this book through the middle and towards the end, but that ending….i’m kinda shook…..that final line gave me literal chills.
overall a solid sequel, and im so looking forward to the last one, especially after that cliffhanger…i mainly had issues with some of the character development, especially Lila, because i feel like she doesn’t get the same kind of nuance as Kell or even Rhy, especially with everything going on, it feels like she doesn’t ever get the same emotional depth the others do, but hopefully in the next book she will!
overall a solid sequel, and im so looking forward to the last one, especially after that cliffhanger…i mainly had issues with some of the character development, especially Lila, because i feel like she doesn’t get the same kind of nuance as Kell or even Rhy, especially with everything going on, it feels like she doesn’t ever get the same emotional depth the others do, but hopefully in the next book she will!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship, Body horror, Self harm, Emotional abuse, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Death
Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Classism, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Ableism, Confinement, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Cursing, Dysphoria, Grief, Torture, and Sexual assault
Minor: Mental illness, Religious bigotry, Bullying, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Dementia, Misogyny, and War