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18k reviews for:

Shades of Shadows

V.E. Schwab

4.21 AVERAGE


★★★★☆

Como siempre esta reseña está libre de spoilers, os hablaré de lo que me ha hecho sentir este libro más allá de revelaros del contenido de sus páginas.

Han pasado cuatro meses desde el final de «Una magia más oscura» en el que Lila y Kell toman caminos distintos tras la emocionante conclusión de la primera parte. En él viviremos aventuras de mano de estos magníficos personajes que me tienen el corazón robado.

Tengo que decir que a pesar de ser un libro bastante lento y en el que no sucede nada relevante hasta la página 200 (más o menos) me ha conquistado. Mantiene la atención del lector y embarga esa sensación de magia constante. No quiero decir con esto que sea un libro aburrido porque en absoluto lo es.

Una vez comienza la acción es poco probable que puedas dejar de leer. Y es que la trama adquiere unos giros sorprendentes y que no se pueden prever con antelación. La trama coge mucha fuerza acompañándola de nuevas apariciones de personajes que le dan mucha vida.

Hablando de estos últimos, sin duda todos los personajes ganan en esta segunda parte, descubrimos nuevas facetas que no conocíamos de ellos y se perfilan extraordinariamente bien. Lila es una protagonista que entusiasma con su actitud ante las adversidades y enamora con su carácter. Kell es fascinante, sigue en su línea pero cada vez vamos conociendo más sus sentimientos. Por otro lado debo confesar que Holland es el personaje que más me llama la atención y del que necesito saber más.

Hay varios momentos épicos, descripciones que ponen el vello de punta, situaciones que vives en tu propia piel y todo acompañado en una narración acompasada, exquisita y plagada de magia. Sin duda merece la pena leer a la autora en este género en el que espero que centre más de sus futuras obras.

Pienso que esta novela es un puente para ponernos en situación en la conclusión de esta trilogía. Victoria nos deja con las ganas tras un final cuanto menos inquietante. Estoy deseando descubrir cómo finalizará la trilogía que tanto me está agradando.

adventurous dark funny mysterious medium-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

Incredible sequel with a lot of further world building and characters development. The worlds are not what they seem. 
adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
sofia_guks's profile picture

sofia_guks's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 40%

If I continue, I will either be bored to death or overwhelmed by cringe. Look, I KNOW this is a YA novel from 2016. But I love YA novels from 2016–and I can forgive a lot out of nostalgia. But this book suffers from every 2016-YA pitfall. It’s the second book in a trilogy (wherein the first book was a self-contained narrative and now we’re ramping up into…something, I guess, but taking FOREVER to get anywhere). The characters don’t feel like characters, they feel like fanart-bait trope machines. The MMC has a tortured relationship with his brother and he’s sooooo powerful that it’s like, a burden. And he frowns a lot. The FMC has a bunch of knives and is afraid of connecting with people. There’s a character named “Alucard.” Like, “Dracula” backwards?? Did you realize that before you chose the name?? Is there a Dracula story in Red London??? 200 pages in and absolutely NOTHING has happened except they’ve spun in silly little circles and had repetitive angst about absolutely nothing. Oh no, I’m too powerful, I’m going to cry about it. Oh no, I have friends, so spooky. Give me a break. It feels like this series wasn’t thought out in the slightest, and I’m over reading low-effort YA schlock. This is my second attempt reading Schwab and I fear it will be my last. RIP my special editions of these books, too bad they didn’t even bother to properly crop the fanart they slapped on the endpapers. 

Can't believe I had these books rated at 4 considering how much I love them. I may love them more after this reread. Can't wait for Threads!
adventurous dark emotional 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

3.5 ⭐️

there were like three pages of this book where I was super into it, other than that it was, you know, pretty good but nothing too special

somehow I feel like almost nothing happened except for at the very end

what the hell was the tournament for?

also I am so sick of how 'not like other girls' Lila is that I'm practically on it
dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes

My reading experience for this one was a little upsetting, but this book was still worthy of all five stars!

V.E. Schwab knows how to make interesting characters and her writing style is a definite work of art. The plot-line is impeccable and the pacing of the story is one to marvel. There are nearly no flaws about this novel and I can not wait until the next book is released... I feel like I deserve it.

FYI: This novel does not have the same closing resolution that the first novel has and it is easier to see the direction the next book is going to take, but this also leaves for a higher desire to have the next book in my hands.

I can't wait to see how this story is going to take shape and I recommend this series to absolutely everyone.
adventurous dark emotional 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: Complicated