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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hi, yes, this book/series is so so so gorgeous and I'm pretty devastated that it's over (I guess that means I just have to read it again, right?) I just tore through the last couple hundred pages of A Conjuring of Light in one sitting and I'm feeling all types of emotions so get ready for a scattered but loving (bordering on obsessive... but damn I love this book) review.
To start off, this entire series is breathtaking and each book is better than the last. I didn't think anything could beat A Gathering of Shadows, but this book blew it out of the water (not that A Gathering of Shadows was lacking in anything by any means). A Conjuring of Light took all of the lovely settings and characters and conflicts from the first books and amplified them. I absolutely love the characters in this series, and this book just solidified that. Not only do we get to continue following Lila and Kell, but Rhy, Alucard, and Holland all gained a much larger voice and presence. (I won't spoil anything, but I loved reading Holland's chapters so much... getting to see inside of his mind and read about his past added a completely new dimension to both his character and the story as a whole). The series really felt like it was coming together--all of these storylines, worlds, and people thrown together against the evil that has been growing since book one. The new perspectives introduced in this book--Maxim, Ojka, Osaron, Emira, Ned... I could go on and on--brought the story and its people to life. I enjoyed reading Ned and Nasi's chapters... while they were short and rare, they offered unique glimpses into Schwab's world.
Speaking of the world, A Conjuring of Light allowed the reader to explore distant lands alongside the characters. Every setting in this book (and the previous ones) is creative and feels so real and so impossible at the same time that my only explanation is magic (are we sure Schwab isn't an Antari? Or at least a mage?). The contrast between the vibrant Red London and the Red London under Osaron was also stunning and terrifying and I swear I was there the whole time. Just like I feel like I know the characters, just like I feel like I experienced their pain with them. When you're reading this book, you're not just reading the words, you're living them.
I could ramble on for hours, so I'll keep it short. I can't recommend this series enough (I've already texted all of my friends asking them to read it). Especially if you love fantasy, magic, badass women, badass men, a beautiful world, and characters that you feel for and root for and cry for (there were many many tears shed at the end of this one, let me tell you). So yes, five out of five stars. Can't wait to pick up some other Schwab novels, although I think I'll have to take a little break after this one to collect my thoughts (right now, they're scattered all across Vesk and White London and the wreckage of a pirate ship).
Oh, and can we talk about the covers? So freaking gorgeous--shoutout to Will Staeble for the design.
To start off, this entire series is breathtaking and each book is better than the last. I didn't think anything could beat A Gathering of Shadows, but this book blew it out of the water (not that A Gathering of Shadows was lacking in anything by any means). A Conjuring of Light took all of the lovely settings and characters and conflicts from the first books and amplified them. I absolutely love the characters in this series, and this book just solidified that. Not only do we get to continue following Lila and Kell, but Rhy, Alucard, and Holland all gained a much larger voice and presence. (I won't spoil anything, but I loved reading Holland's chapters so much... getting to see inside of his mind and read about his past added a completely new dimension to both his character and the story as a whole). The series really felt like it was coming together--all of these storylines, worlds, and people thrown together against the evil that has been growing since book one. The new perspectives introduced in this book--Maxim, Ojka, Osaron, Emira, Ned... I could go on and on--brought the story and its people to life. I enjoyed reading Ned and Nasi's chapters... while they were short and rare, they offered unique glimpses into Schwab's world.
Speaking of the world, A Conjuring of Light allowed the reader to explore distant lands alongside the characters. Every setting in this book (and the previous ones) is creative and feels so real and so impossible at the same time that my only explanation is magic (are we sure Schwab isn't an Antari? Or at least a mage?). The contrast between the vibrant Red London and the Red London under Osaron was also stunning and terrifying and I swear I was there the whole time. Just like I feel like I know the characters, just like I feel like I experienced their pain with them. When you're reading this book, you're not just reading the words, you're living them.
I could ramble on for hours, so I'll keep it short. I can't recommend this series enough (I've already texted all of my friends asking them to read it). Especially if you love fantasy, magic, badass women, badass men, a beautiful world, and characters that you feel for and root for and cry for (there were many many tears shed at the end of this one, let me tell you). So yes, five out of five stars. Can't wait to pick up some other Schwab novels, although I think I'll have to take a little break after this one to collect my thoughts (right now, they're scattered all across Vesk and White London and the wreckage of a pirate ship).
Oh, and can we talk about the covers? So freaking gorgeous--shoutout to Will Staeble for the design.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Second read, 2021:
still great.
First read, 2017:
I don't even have words for how amazing an experience it was to read this book. I'm just. Wow.
Please do yourself a favour and read these books if you haven't already.
The world building really opened up in this book, and although it was the final book in this arc of the Shades of Magic, it certainly left the world open to a companion series! There's so much to explore, and I hope we get to see it all.
still great.
First read, 2017:
I don't even have words for how amazing an experience it was to read this book. I'm just. Wow.
Please do yourself a favour and read these books if you haven't already.
The world building really opened up in this book, and although it was the final book in this arc of the Shades of Magic, it certainly left the world open to a companion series! There's so much to explore, and I hope we get to see it all.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
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:
No
A Conjuring of Light was probably my favorite of the trilogy, but damn this was a fine conclusion to the tale.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced