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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Did not know what to expect how this story woul go but i did enjoy this slightly more than book 1, so maybe like a 3.25 ⭐️
Was hoping to get more depth into characters especially fmc. I appreciate the additional few new characters and the edition of elemental magic. Last quarter of the book felt rushed and somewhat unsatisfying
Was hoping to get more depth into characters especially fmc. I appreciate the additional few new characters and the edition of elemental magic. Last quarter of the book felt rushed and somewhat unsatisfying
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I definitely think that A Gathering of Shadows stepped it up from A Darker Shade of Magic! The Games added an extra element of entertainment that kept me interested and I loved the addition of Alucard as a character—can’t wait to start number 3!
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
this was the most absurdly 'second book of a trilogy' second book of a trilogy i have ever read. it's a testament to schwab's skill that i didn't entirely hate it, but i do feel a bit tricked because... there was only a crumb of actual plot, there is no satisfying conclusion that occurs within the book itself, and a lot of it felt like unnecessary filler.
that being said! here is what i did enjoy:
- kell. i wasn't that sold on him in the first book but i liked him here so much!
- the introduction of alucard. thank you for giving us some fun dynamics. i have been... bereft.... of them
- my boy holland is back!! and actually giving us that crumb of plot! thank you sir i owe you my life
- schwab's writing is excellent. her dialogue! her action scenes! her description of tightly-coiled angry emotion!
things i did not enjoy:
- ... wow you made me go from liking lila a lot in the first book to being completely Over her here. i battled against this, i really did, i tried to tell myself it was internalised misogyny, but you know what? it isn't. lila is a dick to so many people. she is not kind. she is not a fun person to be around. and while i am fully on board her potentially being an antari, i was not convinced by her ability to swindle her way into this Tense Political Competition and not immediately be kicked out in the first round
- the contest. it was so dumb. it was so unnecessary. it would've been really fun if it took up the first half of the book! but there was literally no point to it as far as i can see beyond being an obstacle for lila and kell meeting earlier and giving an excuse for kell to defect from the royal family
- rhy is even more detestable and irritating here. jesus christ. i'm so sorry alucard you have to be in love with him, he is an absurdly selfish overblown caricature and this is coming from someone who Loves fraught royal brotherly relations!
will i read the third book?... yes, if i can get it through my library, bc i have a feeling it will be crammed full of the plot this second book failed to include. but i wouldn't pay for it.
that being said! here is what i did enjoy:
- kell. i wasn't that sold on him in the first book but i liked him here so much!
- the introduction of alucard. thank you for giving us some fun dynamics. i have been... bereft.... of them
- my boy holland is back!! and actually giving us that crumb of plot! thank you sir i owe you my life
- schwab's writing is excellent. her dialogue! her action scenes! her description of tightly-coiled angry emotion!
things i did not enjoy:
- ... wow you made me go from liking lila a lot in the first book to being completely Over her here. i battled against this, i really did, i tried to tell myself it was internalised misogyny, but you know what? it isn't. lila is a dick to so many people. she is not kind. she is not a fun person to be around. and while i am fully on board her potentially being an antari, i was not convinced by her ability to swindle her way into this Tense Political Competition and not immediately be kicked out in the first round
- the contest. it was so dumb. it was so unnecessary. it would've been really fun if it took up the first half of the book! but there was literally no point to it as far as i can see beyond being an obstacle for lila and kell meeting earlier and giving an excuse for kell to defect from the royal family
- rhy is even more detestable and irritating here. jesus christ. i'm so sorry alucard you have to be in love with him, he is an absurdly selfish overblown caricature and this is coming from someone who Loves fraught royal brotherly relations!
will i read the third book?... yes, if i can get it through my library, bc i have a feeling it will be crammed full of the plot this second book failed to include. but i wouldn't pay for it.
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
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:
Complicated