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A review by willowbiblio
A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"I didn't know why, but I thought of who I'd been, those years before they stripped me down to hate, of what I'd wanted for my world. That's what drove me home. Not fear of death - death is gentle, death is kind - but the hope that I was still capable of something more. And the idea of being free - " He blinked, as if he'd drifted.
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This was a sort of complicated read for me. I loved certain things like Holland's POV and history and some of the ongoing intrigue at the castle. Also, Ned's character was so wholesome and entertaining. I felt like the king and queen's attitude to Kel was incongruous from the first 2 books - now they were suddenly tender. I thought Schwab built fear well when Alucard & Rhy were first out in the darkness, she would have been a good horror author.
I truly believe that fantasy books are good enough on their own and they don't have to rely on scenes that are effectively soft core porn. It was so discordant with the tone of the rest of the novel and made me mildly uncomfortable. Lila's character was finally becoming tolerable, but then Schwab started writing her as a kind of awful person- especially toward Holland. I really didn't love the inclusion of her making fun of his abuse and the way the other characters sort of accepted it.
Hastra's death felt unnecessary - we already cared enough and to lose so many secondary characters in quick succession was emotionally numbing to read. It sort of lost me in the last quarter.
I can see how this book has been left open for a continuation of the series and I'll probably read the new book at some point.
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This was a sort of complicated read for me. I loved certain things like Holland's POV and history and some of the ongoing intrigue at the castle. Also, Ned's character was so wholesome and entertaining. I felt like the king and queen's attitude to Kel was incongruous from the first 2 books - now they were suddenly tender. I thought Schwab built fear well when Alucard & Rhy were first out in the darkness, she would have been a good horror author.
I truly believe that fantasy books are good enough on their own and they don't have to rely on scenes that are effectively soft core porn. It was so discordant with the tone of the rest of the novel and made me mildly uncomfortable. Lila's character was finally becoming tolerable, but then Schwab started writing her as a kind of awful person- especially toward Holland. I really didn't love the inclusion of her making fun of his abuse and the way the other characters sort of accepted it.
I can see how this book has been left open for a continuation of the series and I'll probably read the new book at some point.