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A review by cellyphane
A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Currently grappling with the hole in my heart that this trilogy is going to leave.
I truly don't know what to say after having finished A Conjuring of Light. It has broken me and remade me in many ways. I added this series to my TBR so long ago, so having finished it I thought I would feel very accomplished, but instead I feel empty yet complete.
In a lot of ways, I am impressed by Schwab's writing. She does an excellent job at gripping you with gorgeous and heartbreaking prose, while also leaving room for exciting action and compelling romance. I cried (a lot) because her depiction of grief is especially gut wrenching and personally meaningful to me.
As I think about it more, there are certainly flaws, all of which make me feel that this book is closer to a 4 star rating. Admittedly, I can personally overlook some of those flaws more than others can, though I'll be transparent about my thoughts on them.
For one, I think the romance could have benefitted from more character development. While it certainly made me squeal, I still felt the romance was lacking because much of it depended on a natural chemistry rather than deeper emotional connection. We see our characters have vulnerable moments, yet when it comes to the romantic pairings specifically, that vulnerability is far less salient in their interactions, particularly between Kell and Lila.
That is, in large part, a result of their own character arcs. I've seen many already discuss it, but Lila's arc is somewhat disappointing. As someone who really enjoys character driven plot and development, Lila deserved more. Her arc is littered with themes of belonging, home, freedom, vulnerability, etc. yet they aren't explored. It's especially apparent when you compare the arcs of more minor characters to hers. They recieve heartwrenching flashbacks, giving us more insight into who they are, but Lila's arc isn't given quite the same effort beyond the same grief she's already been dealing with.
That brings me to discuss Schwab's use of death. For the most part, I think Schwab handles it well, describing death, grief, and mortality in beautifully heartbreaking prose. However, I must ask as to whether some of it is necessary.Some minor character deaths were more obvious than others, and while they need not always serve a purpose, it becomes excessive when all they add is grief rather than any development, not to mention how much of it is soon forgotten.
That being said, I still strongly feel that this book deserves at least 4 stars, and I'll be honest: I am definitely being more subjective here. I described many flaws, yet much of them are ones I personally overlook while others many not. From start to finish, I was immersed. Despite my thoughts on the romance, it was still exciting and squeal-inducing. The action and adventure was phenomenal, alongside the impending sense of doom. The multiple perspectives are ultimately something I really enjoyed and valued, and they all maintained purpose, which isn't always easy to do. Lastly, the world-building and magic remained absolutely gorgeous and was easily one of the best parts of this series.
Overall, I felt satisfied with the ending, as well as the entire trilogy, and I will miss it dearly. I have no regrets about investing my time into this series, and I strongly believe many others would benefit from reading this wonderful end to the Shades of Magic trilogy.
I truly don't know what to say after having finished A Conjuring of Light. It has broken me and remade me in many ways. I added this series to my TBR so long ago, so having finished it I thought I would feel very accomplished, but instead I feel empty yet complete.
In a lot of ways, I am impressed by Schwab's writing. She does an excellent job at gripping you with gorgeous and heartbreaking prose, while also leaving room for exciting action and compelling romance. I cried (a lot) because her depiction of grief is especially gut wrenching and personally meaningful to me.
As I think about it more, there are certainly flaws, all of which make me feel that this book is closer to a 4 star rating. Admittedly, I can personally overlook some of those flaws more than others can, though I'll be transparent about my thoughts on them.
For one, I think the romance could have benefitted from more character development. While it certainly made me squeal, I still felt the romance was lacking because much of it depended on a natural chemistry rather than deeper emotional connection. We see our characters have vulnerable moments, yet when it comes to the romantic pairings specifically, that vulnerability is far less salient in their interactions, particularly between Kell and Lila.
That is, in large part, a result of their own character arcs. I've seen many already discuss it, but Lila's arc is somewhat disappointing. As someone who really enjoys character driven plot and development, Lila deserved more. Her arc is littered with themes of belonging, home, freedom, vulnerability, etc. yet they aren't explored. It's especially apparent when you compare the arcs of more minor characters to hers. They recieve heartwrenching flashbacks, giving us more insight into who they are, but Lila's arc isn't given quite the same effort beyond the same grief she's already been dealing with.
That brings me to discuss Schwab's use of death. For the most part, I think Schwab handles it well, describing death, grief, and mortality in beautifully heartbreaking prose. However, I must ask as to whether some of it is necessary.
That being said, I still strongly feel that this book deserves at least 4 stars, and I'll be honest: I am definitely being more subjective here. I described many flaws, yet much of them are ones I personally overlook while others many not. From start to finish, I was immersed. Despite my thoughts on the romance, it was still exciting and squeal-inducing. The action and adventure was phenomenal, alongside the impending sense of doom. The multiple perspectives are ultimately something I really enjoyed and valued, and they all maintained purpose, which isn't always easy to do. Lastly, the world-building and magic remained absolutely gorgeous and was easily one of the best parts of this series.
Overall, I felt satisfied with the ending, as well as the entire trilogy, and I will miss it dearly. I have no regrets about investing my time into this series, and I strongly believe many others would benefit from reading this wonderful end to the Shades of Magic trilogy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death