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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
adventurous
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
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:
Yes
adventurous
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I enjoyed re-entering the Shades of Magic world. But why not just call this #4? Where Terry Brooks or Brandon Sanderson breaks the mini-series of the larger theme by many years, this was only 7 years after, and having so many of the same characters but shifting to new ones with less depth was the slightly annoying part. Because I enjoyed the Shades of Magic trilogy, I was engaged, but not desperate for book 2.
so good to return to this world again!! felt like coming home fr. I missed Lila and Kell so much I genuinely think about them all the time. So glad that this was a banger and did all the characters justice!!!
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Fragile Threads of Power is an overall enjoyable return to Schwab’s Shades of Magic series.
New characters like Tess and Kosika are complex, interesting, and fit well into the world of the series. There’s also added cool world building elements in how the threads of magic work in these worlds and the main plot leans into the best magical political thriller bits of the first series.
It is a book that’s too long for itself, though. Most of the front half of the book is loaded with flashbacks rather than getting the plot in motion. They aren’t uninteresting, but they really slow the pacing. (Kel’s training montage is particularly unnecessary.)
And though I enjoyed Kosika, the White London sections don’t really dovetail with the rest of the book until the very end. I anticipate she might’ve been served better being introduced in the next book.
If you really love the characters, it probably won’t bother you, but this really is a book that demands reading the prequel series and enjoying some self indulgence in exploring where everyone is seven years later.
New characters like Tess and Kosika are complex, interesting, and fit well into the world of the series. There’s also added cool world building elements in how the threads of magic work in these worlds and the main plot leans into the best magical political thriller bits of the first series.
It is a book that’s too long for itself, though. Most of the front half of the book is loaded with flashbacks rather than getting the plot in motion. They aren’t uninteresting, but they really slow the pacing. (Kel’s training montage is particularly unnecessary.)
And though I enjoyed Kosika, the White London sections don’t really dovetail with the rest of the book until the very end. I anticipate she might’ve been served better being introduced in the next book.
If you really love the characters, it probably won’t bother you, but this really is a book that demands reading the prequel series and enjoying some self indulgence in exploring where everyone is seven years later.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Death
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved this book! Very fun and adventurous!
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes