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bibi_reads_writes's review against another edition
3.0
“Strength and weakness are tangled things. They look so much alike, we often confuse them, the way we confuse magic and power.”
Soooooo… A Darker Shade of Magic left me slightly disappointed. Then I was more disappointed by this one. I enjoyed reading it, I really did, but I feel like it could have been sooooooooo much more. And some parts, and characters, really annoyed me.
There were some nice surprises though, like the addition of the Sarows songs at the beginning, and the way magic is described. I enjoyed reading the flashbacks about the lessons Alucard gave Lila back on the boat.
Plot:
This book happens 4 months after the events of A Darker Shade of Magic. Lila is off on her adventure! She has everything she ever wanted, but it’s not hers so she wants to take it and she doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process! And she wants to be the BEST at magic! One of a kind! (Yes, yes, we get it, there’s no need to repeat it 734908 times.) Meanwhile, Kell does nothing but disobey, fight dummies, and sulk. And Rhy organizes a magic competition, which is meant to be huuuuuge. So, most of the book is preparing for the tournament, and then the tournament is over in a few chapters – not quite the climax I was expecting. Now, THEIR part is intriguing. But 80% of the book takes place in Red London. And most of that follows Lila around. Disappointing.
Characters:
Kell went from an interesting protagonist that I wanted to get to know better to a spoiled brat who is angry all the time because there were consequences to his actions. He disobeyed his parents, broke the law many times, and almost destroyed their world, and he’s angry because they are disappointed in him, have trouble trusting him again, and don’t show him enough love. They used to show him plenty, but he threw it all away. And somehow, he thinks he’s the only victim. Then there is Lila. She annoys me even more than in the first book – which is saying something. She is reckless in an exhausting way, selfish, and self-centered. Most of her achievements are not realistic, and that there are never any consequences to her actions made me angry. She is not likeable, and the pull between her and Kell feels forced. I also hate how she toys with him. The only characters I really liked were Rhy and Alucard – hopefully the next book is about them, because I won’t live through another book centered on Lila.
Writing:
Lovely here and there, but mostly a little flat. Plus, there were a few typos and it drove me nuts. Once again, I feel like a "Show, Don't Tell" approach would have been more effective and would have helped me connect more with the main characters.
Anyways, I’ll read the third one. And maybe even the upcoming sequel series, but I’m still waiting to be impressed and see what all the hype was about.
Soooooo… A Darker Shade of Magic left me slightly disappointed. Then I was more disappointed by this one. I enjoyed reading it, I really did, but I feel like it could have been sooooooooo much more. And some parts, and characters, really annoyed me.
There were some nice surprises though, like the addition of the Sarows songs at the beginning, and the way magic is described. I enjoyed reading the flashbacks about the lessons Alucard gave Lila back on the boat.
Plot:
This book happens 4 months after the events of A Darker Shade of Magic. Lila is off on her adventure! She has everything she ever wanted, but it’s not hers so she wants to take it and she doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process! And she wants to be the BEST at magic! One of a kind! (Yes, yes, we get it, there’s no need to repeat it 734908 times.) Meanwhile, Kell does nothing but disobey, fight dummies, and sulk. And Rhy organizes a magic competition, which is meant to be huuuuuge. So, most of the book is preparing for the tournament, and then the tournament is over in a few chapters – not quite the climax I was expecting.
Spoiler
Oh, and there’s Osaron and his pet Holland escaping from Black London to bring White London back to life.Characters:
Kell went from an interesting protagonist that I wanted to get to know better to a spoiled brat who is angry all the time because there were consequences to his actions. He disobeyed his parents, broke the law many times, and almost destroyed their world, and he’s angry because they are disappointed in him, have trouble trusting him again, and don’t show him enough love. They used to show him plenty, but he threw it all away. And somehow, he thinks he’s the only victim. Then there is Lila. She annoys me even more than in the first book – which is saying something. She is reckless in an exhausting way, selfish, and self-centered. Most of her achievements are not realistic, and that there are never any consequences to her actions made me angry.
Spoiler
(Remember when absolutely no one mentioned or investigated the gruesome murder of one of the tournament contenders?)Writing:
Lovely here and there, but mostly a little flat. Plus, there were a few typos and it drove me nuts. Once again, I feel like a "Show, Don't Tell" approach would have been more effective and would have helped me connect more with the main characters.
Anyways, I’ll read the third one. And maybe even the upcoming sequel series, but I’m still waiting to be impressed and see what all the hype was about.
lilyyyyyyyyycs's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
francesfincher's review against another edition
5.0
"People survived by being cautious, but they got ahead by being bold."
My five-star ratings for V.E. Schwab are now, satisfyingly, five for five. Resna tav, Victoria, oh casero mas casero.
My five-star ratings for V.E. Schwab are now, satisfyingly, five for five. Resna tav, Victoria, oh casero mas casero.
ladygeekface_'s review against another edition
4.0
I'm so attached to these characters and Red London. I saw that ending creeping up throughout the book and dreaded it so. These books really draw you in!
tomasthanes's review against another edition
5.0
I almost think that I like this second book in the Shades of Magic series better than the first.
The first book was a bit tentative. This book was more like Lila Bard. It was going for it, looking for trouble, not letting itself be limited by what people around it thought.
Lila and Kell were both wandering, distant, at the beginning and the author took a fair amount of time to get them back together (not time wasted).
Meanwhile, the Essen Tasch was like a magnetic beacon, summoning everyone important to itself. Early on, there was some resonance of this magical tournament with the Triwizard tournament from the fourth Harry Potter novel, but they have as much in common as the World Series and Quidditch Cup.
Meanwhile, swirling around in the foggy alleys of the plot is White London, its new king, and his messenger, Ojka. They neatly setup the third book in the series which I'm looking forward to.
The first book was a bit tentative. This book was more like Lila Bard. It was going for it, looking for trouble, not letting itself be limited by what people around it thought.
Lila and Kell were both wandering, distant, at the beginning and the author took a fair amount of time to get them back together (not time wasted).
Meanwhile, the Essen Tasch was like a magnetic beacon, summoning everyone important to itself. Early on, there was some resonance of this magical tournament with the Triwizard tournament from the fourth Harry Potter novel, but they have as much in common as the World Series and Quidditch Cup.
Meanwhile, swirling around in the foggy alleys of the plot is White London, its new king, and his messenger, Ojka. They neatly setup the third book in the series which I'm looking forward to.
faithtrustpixiedust's review against another edition
4.0
The Writing
While I found many a typo (at least in my copy, idk about all of them), I was still very pulled in by Schwab's writing style, and she has definitely solidified a permanent place in my favorite authors list.
The plot was slower, a lot slower than A Darker Shade of Magic was, and that was kind of disappointing and annoying at times, because the scenes I wanted weren't always the scenes I got, and the scenes I got likewise weren't always the scenes I wanted. However, the last part—and that cliffhanger!!!!!!!!!—really saved this book, as it brought together all the plot threads and reinvigorated me, definitely insuring I will be continuing this series.
The Characters
Kell: As usual, he was my favorite character. His alterego as Kamerov was exciting and explored a whole new side of his character. The injustices against him by the king and queen, as well as Arnesian society as a whole, were very upsetting and I really empathized with him. It gave me some serious Jace in City of Ashes vibes.
Lila: I actually liked her in the first book, but she was just so dang annoying in this one. She was constantly doing things only for herself, without any regard for others (specifically Kell), and her recklessness and narcissism really got on my bad side. She did, however, get more interesting abilities and a more important role in the plot.
Alucard: Basically everything that was wrong with Lila was partially learned from him, and in case it isn't clear, I really don't like this guy. He's a douchebag.
Rhy: I loved getting to learn more about Rhy, with him finally playing an important role in the story. His struggle with the effects of the soul-seal was very well-executed and effective.
Holland: I had a dream while reading this book that I fell in love with him and he brought me to White London, so I think that explains how much I love this character. Everything that was effective in the last book was ten-times as effective in this one, and I lived for his perspective/the White London scenes!!! They kept me reading, honestly, when so much of the book was just Lila being a brat.
Osaron: Heck yeah, big bad's back and he's better than ever, this time with the name Osaron and even more magical schemes, as well as an entire burnt-out parallel universe he calls home sweet home, but he wants more! And he's gonna do whatever it takes to get it!
Ojka: She was so interesting to read. From the moment she appeared, I was totally invested in her. I'm so very excited to see what she does/becomes of her in the next book!
Hastra: My baby Hastra was so sweet and I just loved him so much. Kell needed him. Everyone needs a Hastra (an Hastra? idk English is weird).
Conclusion
It was a somewhat stormy ride, but I'm very glad I read it, because that last chapter was fantastic! This book really felt more like the first book in a series, with ADSoM its prequel, because of the pacing, the characters, and the conflicts. While I didn't like it nearly as much as I loved A Darker Shade of Magic, I still really enjoyed it and highly recommend it!
While I found many a typo (at least in my copy, idk about all of them), I was still very pulled in by Schwab's writing style, and she has definitely solidified a permanent place in my favorite authors list.
The plot was slower, a lot slower than A Darker Shade of Magic was, and that was kind of disappointing and annoying at times, because the scenes I wanted weren't always the scenes I got, and the scenes I got likewise weren't always the scenes I wanted. However, the last part—and that cliffhanger!!!!!!!!!—really saved this book, as it brought together all the plot threads and reinvigorated me, definitely insuring I will be continuing this series.
The Characters
Kell: As usual, he was my favorite character. His alterego as Kamerov was exciting and explored a whole new side of his character. The injustices against him by the king and queen, as well as Arnesian society as a whole, were very upsetting and I really empathized with him. It gave me some serious Jace in City of Ashes vibes.
Lila: I actually liked her in the first book, but she was just so dang annoying in this one. She was constantly doing things only for herself, without any regard for others (specifically Kell), and her recklessness and narcissism really got on my bad side. She did, however, get more interesting abilities and a more important role in the plot.
Alucard: Basically everything that was wrong with Lila was partially learned from him, and in case it isn't clear, I really don't like this guy. He's a douchebag.
Rhy: I loved getting to learn more about Rhy, with him finally playing an important role in the story. His struggle with the effects of the soul-seal was very well-executed and effective.
Holland: I had a dream while reading this book that I fell in love with him and he brought me to White London, so I think that explains how much I love this character. Everything that was effective in the last book was ten-times as effective in this one, and I lived for his perspective/the White London scenes!!! They kept me reading, honestly, when so much of the book was just Lila being a brat.
I am in everything. I am as old as creation itself. I am life and death and power. I am inevitable.
Osaron: Heck yeah, big bad's back and he's better than ever, this time with the name Osaron and even more magical schemes, as well as an entire burnt-out parallel universe he calls home sweet home, but he wants more! And he's gonna do whatever it takes to get it!
Ojka: She was so interesting to read. From the moment she appeared, I was totally invested in her. I'm so very excited to see what she does/becomes of her in the next book!
Hastra: My baby Hastra was so sweet and I just loved him so much. Kell needed him. Everyone needs a Hastra (an Hastra? idk English is weird).
Conclusion
It was a somewhat stormy ride, but I'm very glad I read it, because that last chapter was fantastic! This book really felt more like the first book in a series, with ADSoM its prequel, because of the pacing, the characters, and the conflicts. While I didn't like it nearly as much as I loved A Darker Shade of Magic, I still really enjoyed it and highly recommend it!
slowpoke's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 rounded up
A very good sequel and is VERY character driven. If you did not love the characters when you finished the first book…tread carefully into this book as the plot is very low and its mainly character development and pushing towards the plot that will be the third book. But since i love the characters i loved this one
A very good sequel and is VERY character driven. If you did not love the characters when you finished the first book…tread carefully into this book as the plot is very low and its mainly character development and pushing towards the plot that will be the third book. But since i love the characters i loved this one
iluxia's review against another edition
1.0
Unfortunately, this book was a prime example of an instance when I should have known better than to hold such high expectations. The first book was a fair enough attempt at fantasy, and while it had its flaws, the world V.E. Schwab built held so much potential that I felt justified in my optimism as I began this one. A Gathering of Shadows was a disappointment, so much so that I required two- or three-day long breaks in between reading it because it got so. painful. At about 300 pages in, I resorted to just skimming through chapters (especially those written in Lila's POV) to get the gist of the story without having to suffer the whole thing in its entirety. It took an immense amount of self-discipline to force myself to finish this book instead of rage quitting midway. I only pushed through because of my own morbid curiosity: I wanted to see if it would get better. (It didn't.)
Okay, what did I find so horrible about it? (SOME INDIRECT SPOILERS BELOW)
1) Lila Bard. I could already tell there was something off about how her character was written from the first book, but it wasn't until this book that it slapped me in the face. (Maybe because Kell had more chapters in the first book?) Contrary to some popular opinions out there, she is NOT a feminist icon or a strong female character. If you consider her so, then perhaps you might need to reconsider what you consider to be female strength. She is entirely selfish, reckless, self-sabotaging, dangerously ignorant, and unwilling to accept advice from those who have more experience or different perspectives than her UNLESS she likes them (she took what she wanted from Emery but ONLY what she wanted). Those are not traits of a person I would consider as a feminist icon. Sure, she has a mind of her own (so does my cat), she has agency (so does my cat) & her own brand of valor & the willingness to get her hands dirty - but didn't someone once say, "Discretion is the better part of valor"? Where is the discretion in her actions, the consideration of consequences, or the self-awareness a feminist icon should have? She shanked a dude she didn't even know, essentially put him in prison although he was innocent, and took his name & belongings in order to be able to compete in the Games... because... she wants to... and what Lila wants, Lila gets. Fuck the consequences. What? ... She frustrated me so much that I had to force myself to step back & examine if my intense dislike was an unfair one, stemming from some sort of hitherto unexamined internalized misogyny on my part. I even listed her characteristics on a piece of paper and told myself to imagine if she was instead a male character lead: would I hate her so much? The answer is yes. 100% yes. Because, of all the things I hate about characters in stories, I hate it the most when they're written to be like this for absolutely no good reason. NONE of her actions in this book drove the plot or had a purpose beyond her own entertainment (unlike the first book, where her stupidity was somewhat instrumental).
I will give V.E. Schwab kudos, though, for writing an annoying character so convincingly that I wanted to throw the book away. If she intended for Lila Bard to be that kind of infuriating thorn under the reader's skin the entire time, she certainly succeeded. The last time I felt this level of intense dislike was Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix, more than a decade ago.
2) The supposed highlight of this book was the Essen Tasch (The Elemental Games). V.E. Schwab spent nearly 400 pages of the book foreshadowing & leading up to the games, only to blast through it in less than a hundred pages - and for what? Nothing. The games were not at all, in any way or form, integral to the progression of the actual plot. Meanwhile, we have a barely explored new antagonist the author spends maybe six (very short) chapters on. It's fair to say that V.E. Schwab could have been using the Essen Tasch as distraction or to build tension, but she spent too much time building tension on something that ultimately wouldn't matter, and then ended the book with the climax of the antagonist's barely expounded plot much too quickly. If the author didn't spot this lack of balance in the flow & layout of her story, her editor should have.
3) The author spends soooo much tiiiiiiime (chapters upon long chapters) exploring characters like Lila Bard and Rhy, but spends so little on characters that deserved a bit more backstory & screentime, like Holland. As a character, he had so much (wasted) potential. His actions in this book fail to be convincing because V.E. Schwab spent so little time showing us WHY he made such decisions; instead, she just tells us he has changed & therefore he is doing x, y, and z. What happened to "show, don't tell"?
And why??? Why would you not examine him? I think I speak for the vast majority of readers when I say that one of the greatest advantages literature has over other forms of storytelling media (like film or theater) is its capacity to spend pages expounding and examining the inner workings of a well-built, realistic character. We are, in one sense, allowed an opportunity to reflect upon the motivations & dreams of humanity through the window a fictional character affords us. None of that kind of nuance in this book. The characters are so cardboard-hollow & clichéd that you could probably predict the progression of each chapter from only the opening scene. I expected that kind of depth & sensitivity from a book that is so highly lauded, well-reviewed, and aggressively marketed, but that was my mistake. Perhaps I was misled by how this series sat next to Dan Simmons & Orson Scott Card on the Fantasy shelves.
All in all, a disappointing read & sadly a waste of my time. I'm glad I finished it just to sate my own curiosity, but I'm undecided if I want to torture myself enough to even attempt the final book. I will, however, try out V.E. Schwab's other series (Vicious & Vengeful) to see if those come up to their glowing reviews. Hopefully I won't be disappointed there.
Okay, what did I find so horrible about it? (SOME INDIRECT SPOILERS BELOW)
1) Lila Bard. I could already tell there was something off about how her character was written from the first book, but it wasn't until this book that it slapped me in the face. (Maybe because Kell had more chapters in the first book?) Contrary to some popular opinions out there, she is NOT a feminist icon or a strong female character. If you consider her so, then perhaps you might need to reconsider what you consider to be female strength. She is entirely selfish, reckless, self-sabotaging, dangerously ignorant, and unwilling to accept advice from those who have more experience or different perspectives than her UNLESS she likes them (she took what she wanted from Emery but ONLY what she wanted). Those are not traits of a person I would consider as a feminist icon. Sure, she has a mind of her own (so does my cat), she has agency (so does my cat) & her own brand of valor & the willingness to get her hands dirty - but didn't someone once say, "Discretion is the better part of valor"? Where is the discretion in her actions, the consideration of consequences, or the self-awareness a feminist icon should have? She shanked a dude she didn't even know, essentially put him in prison although he was innocent, and took his name & belongings in order to be able to compete in the Games... because... she wants to... and what Lila wants, Lila gets. Fuck the consequences. What? ... She frustrated me so much that I had to force myself to step back & examine if my intense dislike was an unfair one, stemming from some sort of hitherto unexamined internalized misogyny on my part. I even listed her characteristics on a piece of paper and told myself to imagine if she was instead a male character lead: would I hate her so much? The answer is yes. 100% yes. Because, of all the things I hate about characters in stories, I hate it the most when they're written to be like this for absolutely no good reason. NONE of her actions in this book drove the plot or had a purpose beyond her own entertainment (unlike the first book, where her stupidity was somewhat instrumental).
I will give V.E. Schwab kudos, though, for writing an annoying character so convincingly that I wanted to throw the book away. If she intended for Lila Bard to be that kind of infuriating thorn under the reader's skin the entire time, she certainly succeeded. The last time I felt this level of intense dislike was Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix, more than a decade ago.
2) The supposed highlight of this book was the Essen Tasch (The Elemental Games). V.E. Schwab spent nearly 400 pages of the book foreshadowing & leading up to the games, only to blast through it in less than a hundred pages - and for what? Nothing. The games were not at all, in any way or form, integral to the progression of the actual plot. Meanwhile, we have a barely explored new antagonist the author spends maybe six (very short) chapters on. It's fair to say that V.E. Schwab could have been using the Essen Tasch as distraction or to build tension, but she spent too much time building tension on something that ultimately wouldn't matter, and then ended the book with the climax of the antagonist's barely expounded plot much too quickly. If the author didn't spot this lack of balance in the flow & layout of her story, her editor should have.
3) The author spends soooo much tiiiiiiime (chapters upon long chapters) exploring characters like Lila Bard and Rhy, but spends so little on characters that deserved a bit more backstory & screentime, like Holland. As a character, he had so much (wasted) potential. His actions in this book fail to be convincing because V.E. Schwab spent so little time showing us WHY he made such decisions; instead, she just tells us he has changed & therefore he is doing x, y, and z. What happened to "show, don't tell"?
And why??? Why would you not examine him? I think I speak for the vast majority of readers when I say that one of the greatest advantages literature has over other forms of storytelling media (like film or theater) is its capacity to spend pages expounding and examining the inner workings of a well-built, realistic character. We are, in one sense, allowed an opportunity to reflect upon the motivations & dreams of humanity through the window a fictional character affords us. None of that kind of nuance in this book. The characters are so cardboard-hollow & clichéd that you could probably predict the progression of each chapter from only the opening scene. I expected that kind of depth & sensitivity from a book that is so highly lauded, well-reviewed, and aggressively marketed, but that was my mistake. Perhaps I was misled by how this series sat next to Dan Simmons & Orson Scott Card on the Fantasy shelves.
All in all, a disappointing read & sadly a waste of my time. I'm glad I finished it just to sate my own curiosity, but I'm undecided if I want to torture myself enough to even attempt the final book. I will, however, try out V.E. Schwab's other series (Vicious & Vengeful) to see if those come up to their glowing reviews. Hopefully I won't be disappointed there.
agiraffereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Lila bard is pretty awesome lol
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Blood, and Alcohol