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imds's review
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
aruthj's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
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
4.75
HOW DO V.E. SCHWAB’S BOOKS JUST KEEP GETTING BETTER?!! This was amazing. I loved the continuation of the story from the Darker Shades series while also having a new plot that’s just as engaging. I loved the development of the old characters and LOVED meeting the new characters!! Tes has my heart 🥹
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Blood
Moderate: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Trafficking, Grief, and Abandonment
sabrinz's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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
3.75
Seven years have passed since the last book - and it was great (and sometime very surprising) to see what had happend to Kell, Lila, Alucard and Rhy. But we also get to follow along some new and intriguing characters.
The fact that the book is divided into different (shorter) parts made it quite fast to read. At the beginning we only have an inkling of how the parts may converge (i.e. the Hand) and there are already the first threads for what is to come, and it was great to see most plot lines collide - there were some surprises, confirmation of what I had assumed and great plot points that I can't wait to see where they are going.
I also love the main themes of the this story - family and all the shapes and formes it comes in.
The fact that the book is divided into different (shorter) parts made it quite fast to read. At the beginning we only have an inkling of how the parts may converge (i.e. the Hand) and there are already the first threads for what is to come, and it was great to see most plot lines collide - there were some surprises, confirmation of what I had assumed and great plot points that I can't wait to see where they are going.
I also love the main themes of the this story - family and all the shapes and formes it comes in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture, Blood, and Death of parent
gl00p's review
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
4.5
The characters are more complex than in the original series. I liked the original series but I think this is better !
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism and Homophobia
Moderate: Grief
bkwrm1317's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
Schwab brings readers back home to the world of multiple Londons. Red London’s original Antari, Kell Maresh has been unable to access his power for seven years (since he, Holland, and Lila fought back the literal darkness of Osaron and Black London). Lila trains him in other ways in the meantime aboard her ship, the Grey Barron.
Meanwhile, a young child queen, Kosika, takes power in White London and foreshadows much to come in this new trilogy.
In Grey London, things are much as they once were, although Tes, our newest beloved character, gets to meet Ned Tuttle and experience Grey and White London briefly herself as she fights against a coup planned by an organization calling itself the Hand, hoping to murder Red London’s king, Rhy Maresh.
More swashbuckling, elemental and Antari magic, and adventures through and across the varied Londons will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Meanwhile, a young child queen, Kosika, takes power in White London and foreshadows much to come in this new trilogy.
In Grey London, things are much as they once were, although Tes, our newest beloved character, gets to meet Ned Tuttle and experience Grey and White London briefly herself as she fights against a coup planned by an organization calling itself the Hand, hoping to murder Red London’s king, Rhy Maresh.
More swashbuckling, elemental and Antari magic, and adventures through and across the varied Londons will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Self harm, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Kidnapping, and Grief
Self harm CW is not a traditional use of this CW but is somewhat apt. Ditto for grief and kidnapping.maddiebusick's review
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Medical content, and Grief
g_monaghan's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I adore the characters in the darker shades of magic trilogy however I was slightly disappointed with this book - I thought this novel was a final installment and not the beginning of a new series set in the same world. This is my own misunderstanding but I think the expectation ruined my reading experience slightly, despite this some interesting characters have been added to the mix and the storyline is now set up for a 2 or 3 book installment.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Classism
martinatan's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I am so so glad I got a hold of this at my library! What an electrifying return to one of my favorite series. I loved that we got the perspectives of known characters and new ones with a really interesting plot that delves further into this universe’s magic and politics. The writing style is just endlessly compelling and one of my favorite things about the fantasy genre crossed with these characters. They’re so dramatic and sharp-witted!
My favorite character coming out of this was Tes though I’m a long-time Lila stan. I really enjoyed her personality and the choices she made that felt true to her background. There were so many intriguing hooks for the next installment to build on and I am really interested to see where everyone ends up—hopefully coming together to overcomesome combination of The Hand + some more sinister eldritch magic power as alluded by Holland’s speech and the door to the space between worlds ? Or is that too cliche?
Some things I’d really like to see developed in the next book:What Holland’s actual physicality and presence is made of. How is his spirit and supposed ongoing life mission still intact and developing if he is … dead ??? How much is he just a part of Kosika’s head? Can he live on in her through his magic? I am sure this could be addressed if Tes and Kosika were to ever meet.
Also, something I was a little dissatisfied with at no real fault of the author is the “disabled guy gets healed” plot that played out with Kell’s arc this book. I am much more satisfied these days by stories that don’t post the potentially forever-injured hero as someone who needs to be cured. It felt wrong to see Kell sort of revert to his normal power at the end—even if he went through such undeserved and intense pain throughout the book. More to the point of what disability could look like in this amazing world Schwab has created, what does it look like for an Antari to never be quite physically recovered from a traumatic event? I hope we explore more of the consequences and changes to Kell’s outlook, since it would also feel wrong for him to not have learned anything about himself or how he thinks about magic from having lost his own powers.
That kind of leads me to one last thing I liked along the lines of disability/neurodivergence in this book: Tes! She really resonated with me as a character because of how neurodivergent-coded she was. It hit me so hard when I read one line about her devising techniques over the years to mask her own power—and then to have her suddenly recognized for that gift, albeit by very powerful and ambitious people who perhaps are reluctant to release or distribute their power (royalty kind of sucks that way). I am interested to see if Schwab picks up on any of these narrative themes that interest me because they hold so much space in my head in the real world. I don’t need to see a complete replication of all the power dynamics in my world in this one, but it is a really fun thought exercise for me to imagine how social justice and disability representation would play out.
Anyway great book! I love fantasy dawg
My favorite character coming out of this was Tes though I’m a long-time Lila stan. I really enjoyed her personality and the choices she made that felt true to her background. There were so many intriguing hooks for the next installment to build on and I am really interested to see where everyone ends up—hopefully coming together to overcome
Some things I’d really like to see developed in the next book:
Also, something I was a little dissatisfied with at no real fault of the author is the “disabled guy gets healed” plot that played out with Kell’s arc this book. I am much more satisfied these days by stories that don’t post the potentially forever-injured hero as someone who needs to be cured. It felt wrong to see Kell sort of revert to his normal power at the end—even if he went through such undeserved and intense pain throughout the book. More to the point of what disability could look like in this amazing world Schwab has created, what does it look like for an Antari to never be quite physically recovered from a traumatic event? I hope we explore more of the consequences and changes to Kell’s outlook, since it would also feel wrong for him to not have learned anything about himself or how he thinks about magic from having lost his own powers.
That kind of leads me to one last thing I liked along the lines of disability/neurodivergence in this book: Tes! She really resonated with me as a character because of how neurodivergent-coded she was. It hit me so hard when I read one line about her devising techniques over the years to mask her own power—and then to have her suddenly recognized for that gift, albeit by very powerful and ambitious people who perhaps are reluctant to release or distribute their power (royalty kind of sucks that way). I am interested to see if Schwab picks up on any of these narrative themes that interest me because they hold so much space in my head in the real world. I don’t need to see a complete replication of all the power dynamics in my world in this one, but it is a really fun thought exercise for me to imagine how social justice and disability representation would play out.
Anyway great book! I love fantasy dawg
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
littletiramisu's review
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
chronicacademia's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Alcohol
Minor: Animal death