A review by vader
A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

“Crossing worlds, killing royals, saving cities. The marks of every good courtship.”

And so much more! Ms. V. E. Schwab is unable to disappoint!

In A Gathering of Shadows the stakes are higher than ever. Lila Bard, Kell Maresh, Rhys Maresh and our brand new sweetheart Alucard Emery embark on new adventures that will keep even the most desinterested readers on the edge of their seats.

While the preparations for the Element Games -sort of an Olympic Games, but with magic- are taking place, Rhys and Kell get used to their new life bond, and Lila takes to the seas and gets magic lessons by one Captain Alucard, the most arrogant pirate in all four worlds, and a total babe.

The first part of the book goes a little slow compared to the final half, but that’s only because so much happens, there’s so much world-building, we learn so many things about Holland, White and Black London, and what dwells in the last, that it’s impossible to put the book down once you reach it. All the badassery taking place is just mind-blowing. This is one of very few series in which the actions of the protagonists have tangible consequences. The danger is real. The possibility of everything going terribly is real. This is life-or-death, and you know it.

The characters are very well developed, they are not bland, one-dimensional cut-outs. Kell keeps defying the odds, Holland still breaks our hearts, and Rhys gets a much more important role in this one, we get to see everything he struggles with. But most importantly, we have Lila. Guys, I love Delilah Bard so much. It’s so refreshing to see GNC women who don’t tear themselves down, who don’t feel like they are less because they are “different” to the other girls, or more importantly, because they are different to what’s expected of women in general. “Masculine” ladies deserve love, people! Disliking dresses is not a crime, and it sure as hell is not sexist.

All in all, Schwab’s imagination is most definitely bottomless. The already original idea of “four different, magical Londons existing in parallel” is turned up to eleven, and -knowing what happens in a conjuring of light- I. Just. Love. It.

“Kell would say it was impossible. What a useless word, in a world with magic.”