Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Fragile Threads of Power

Revisiting a series can be a tricky endeavor for an author but Schwab absolutely nails it with this one. It was such a treat to return to the Londons to check in on all our favorite characters from the original series. The introduction of the new characters was excellent too - they get their own time to shine but interwoven with Kell, Delilah, and the gang from the original Shades of Magic series. I can't wait to see where those characters will take us through Red and White (and maybe more of Black and Grey?) London in future books!

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bookedandbusy's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? No

5.0

This book was incredible and I didn’t realize how much I missed this world and the characters, how reading this book felt like coming home, this entire series just feels like a warm hug and I love it.

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littletiramisu's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious slow-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? Yes

4.5

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chronicacademia's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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theespressoedition's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Nearly all readers share one major dilemma. After finishing a book or series that we love with all of our hearts, there's an intense desire to revisit it for the first time all over again. However, that's an impossible task--or is it? I think V.E. Schwab made the impossible possible when she decided to write The Fragile Threads of Power, giving us all the chance to visit Red London for the first time... again.

While the author has mentioned that this book can be read as a starting point, I personally believe this book should only be read after completing the Shades of Magic trilogy. Without the original story to preface this one, there would be a great deal missing, both emotionally and in relation to the plot. Aside from a handful of new faces, the cast remains the same (and their history is intrinsic to this story--from the names they've given their ships to the "jewelry" they wear).

I was lucky to buddy-read this ARC with a friend of mine. I say that I was lucky because sharing this experience with someone else who loves this world as much as I do was such a blast! Between our constant late-night texts and the ridiculous number of comments in our buddy-read chat, we probably sent over 350 notes to one another about our thoughts as we read. It definitely brought out the "chaotic reader" side in both of us! If you have the ability to read this one with a fellow Shades of Magic lover, I highly recommend it for the peak reading experience.

Since this is the first in a continuation, there were a few new characters that have yet to be fully fleshed out. While I had hoped that we would learn even more about them in this book, I'm excited to continue getting to know them as the series goes on. I have a feeling there will be a lot of great character development as the story unfolds. Tes is absolutely fascinating to me and I just know that she's going to blow us all away (I mean, she already did in this initial book, so I can only imagine that there's plenty more where that came from).

If you think you're ready for the emotional rollercoaster that is The Fragile Threads of Power, I can assure you that you're not. In the span of one chapter, you will be giggling and kicking your feet at something adorable, then proceeding to want to throw the book across the room, and finally, you'll be sobbing and thinking your heart is actually being wrenched out of your chest. It's a lot... but in the best way. Schwab never fails to astound with her stunning writing and storytelling abilities.

The only real "critique" I have about this book is actually a spoiler, which is quite frustrating. However, if you are a disabled person, you may want to know about this ahead of time.

There is a magical cure trope in this book. Now, I struggle with this one, because to a degree, it felt as though it fit the story. Kell's magic has been broken and it's causing him pain, therefore, the ideal thing would be to find something that heals him. However, the way that it's approached felt slightly insensitive and made me a little bit sad to read, as Lila really pushes it on him and seems to only care about his magic, rather than caring about him as a whole individual.

Take this one with a grain of salt, folks. I know everyone stands in a different place when it comes to this topic, but seeing as this is my review, these are my thoughts on the matter.

I'm writing this review a full two months after reading the book and I can say that, without a doubt, it is still a 5-star read. I know I will be rereading this one again and again in the future, just as I have with Shades of Magic. It felt like it was perfectly in sync with the original story and brought me so much excitement and happiness. I look forward to seeing what V.E. Schwab has up her sleeve for the coming books in this series. I know there will be even more creativity and adventure to come!

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kari_f's review against another edition

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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

5.0

You know how when you find a series you adore, you can come back to it over and over and find new things to love about it each time? And you wish that there was more to devour, but you also worry that any continuation might not live up to the magic of the original?

I’ll admit I felt just a smidge of that, because The Shades of Magic trilogy was my gateway into fantasy and has remained my favorite fantasy series. With each read I love it even more, and diving back into this world of four Londons felt a bit like coming home. When I found out there would be a continuation series in this world, I felt all of the above. That tiny, niggling worry was pretty much immediately squashed once I started reading, though, and I was sucked into just as I had been before!

The world-building Schwab is known for continues to blow my mind, as well as the layered cast of characters, plot stories, and threads (see what I did there?) that will tie into the upcoming books. Not only do we get more of our favorite characters from the previous series, but we are treated to several new ones across the Londons, who will become important as we continue. I was a bit worried that our favorite four would be relegated to side character status in the new adventures of this series, and I was so glad to see that each of them plays an important role throughout the book. Each new character perfectly complements the storyline, and the addition of new people in no way diminishes the storytelling. In fact, I think that since we got the opportunity to know each one of the original four so well in the original series, adding new characters to the cast was a perfect writing choice here. I love that Schwab trusts her readers to think and remember instead of spoon feeding us character details like many other fantasy authors tend to do.

There are several references and nods to the first three books, with allegiances and rivalries of the past becoming important plot points in the present. I’m not sure if this continuation was always a plan, or if the idea for it came much later, but the way the two parts have come together feels altogether seamless.

The magical system is as whimsical and complex as always. I really love the blending of technology, science, and magic that was explored through this book. I’m very excited to see how this progresses down the line, especially considering the ethical dilemmas that tinkering with magical limits will pose.

All in all, the only complaint I have is that I’ll have to wait who-knows-how-long for the next installment! If you loved the Shades of Magic series, you’re going to want this book for your collection!

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