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softwindflower's review against another edition
adventurous
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Torture
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual content, and Alcohol
bootrat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I enjoyed the Shades of Magic series, but liked the final book the least so I was really excited to come back to the world in the hope that this book would be better - and I wasn't disappointed!
I loved Tes and Kosika so much, their characterisations and their storylines really helped to draw me back into the world. I also really loved seeing where the original characters have ended up 7 years later, and how that time has helped them change and grow. The story and the mystery itself wasn't too complex, and didn't feel particularly sinister or pressing, but I expect that will develop more in the next book.
Overall I just really loved this book.
I loved Tes and Kosika so much, their characterisations and their storylines really helped to draw me back into the world. I also really loved seeing where the original characters have ended up 7 years later, and how that time has helped them change and grow. The story and the mystery itself wasn't too complex, and didn't feel particularly sinister or pressing, but I expect that will develop more in the next book.
Overall I just really loved this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse and Death
kathrynok's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
missmali's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Self harm, Violence, and Blood
barda's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
shadowspinner's review
adventurous
dark
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Child abuse
scrubsandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
5.0
This book was indeed like coming home. The beginning was a pretty slow start, constructing the stage, bringing us back to our favorite characters, and introducing the newer ones. V.E. Schwab's writing has always been one of my favorites and this one was no different. The transitions between past and present scenes were so seemless and helped the flower of the narrative for each character and what they had been up to in the past seven years... or how the newer players obtained their role in this story.
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, because if it's anything like the previous Shades of Magic trilogy, the story is just going to get better and better!
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, because if it's anything like the previous Shades of Magic trilogy, the story is just going to get better and better!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse and Homophobia
CW not listed under the storygraph choices: mentions of terrorism and terrorist attackslittletiramisu's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
slow-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, and Grief
stormeno'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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Blood
Minor: Cursing and Alcohol
deedireads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
TL;DR REVIEW
The Fragile Threads of Power is everything I hoped it would be. V.E. Schwab is a master plotter, a master of the details, a master of sentences — just a master of everything
For you if: You read the Darker Shades of Magic trilogy (start there!).
FULL REVIEW
The Fragile Threads of Power was possibly my most anticipated book of the year. It has a LOT to live up to, kicking off a new trilogy that follows the bestselling (and a personal favorite) Darker Shades of Magic trilogy. I’m happy to report that I absolutely loved it.
The Fragile Threads of Power is set seven years after A Conjuring of Light, and it heavily features the characters we love most — Kell, Lila, Rhy, Alucard — while also introducing several new (excellent) characters. I don’t want to tell you much more, because I really enjoyed reading this without knowing any of the plot beats, but rest assured that it earns all of its 600+ pages and then some.
Darker Shades readers know this, but V.E. Schwab is a master plotter, a master of the details, a master of sentences — just a master of everything. Our beloved characters are seven years older and seven years harder. They’ve been through it — there was healing to be done after Conjuring that’s largely still in progress — and she’s matured them in a way that can sometimes feel not quite like what you expect, but always feels realistic and true.
I will warn you: There are a few places in the beginning, as she’s piecing together the events of the past seven years, when she tries to stress you out. But have faith, dear readers, she will not forsake you. I also counted two instances where the original canon was slightly broken (I reread Shades immediately before reading this, so it was very fresh), but they are things I can ultimately forgive.
Finally, what an ending!! Thankfully not as much of a cliffhanger as A Gathering of Shadows (IYKYK), but it’s a great setup for more books to come and I cannot WAIT for the next one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse and Homophobia
Minor: Suicidal thoughts