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claudiamacpherson's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
4.5
Lila has managed to find her way aboard a privateer’s chip (naturally, she is very disappointed that it isn’t a real pirate ship) and convince the charming Captain Alucard to give her lessons in elemental magic. When Alucard turns his ship back towards London for the Essen Tasch tournament, Lila begins to hatch a daring plan. Meanwhile, both Kell and Rhy are chafing against their new bond. Desperate for his brother to let off some steam and stop treating him like glass, Rhy enters Kell in the tournament under a false name. In another world, someone believed to be dead makes a deal with a power older and more dangerous than they can imagine.
It’s rare that a sequel captures the magic and heart of the first book, and rarer still when it improves upon it. This is one of those books. I enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic, but I really loved A Gathering of Shadows. The expansion of the world—both with Lila’s adventures and the new nations introduced during the tournament—made the story feel richer and deeper. Alucard was a great addition to the cast of characters, and definitely gave me Sturmhond (of Shadow and Bone) vibes with his humor and cunning.
Happy ending meter (no specific spoilers, just the vibe of the ending): Cliffhanger, which is to be expected from the second book in a trilogy. Hopefully I can get my hands on the next book soon!
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
angela_geraci's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
Terrible pacing, but I'm reading the last book because it's exciting and I need to know what happens
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol and Murder
Minor: Kidnapping
jinglesmell1337's review
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Cursing
burnsie's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Blood and Torture
Moderate: Death, Gore, Homophobia, Self harm, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Murder, Outing, and Suicidal thoughts
jackiepreston's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-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? No
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
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