A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab

Genre: Fantasy  

Publishing Info: Audiobook by QUEST from W. F. Howes Ltd, narrated by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer

Star Rating: 4.5/5

Back Cover Summary:

Kell is plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, he is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila.

As Red London prepares for the Element Games – an extravagant international competition of magic – a certain pirate ship draws closer. But another London is coming back to life, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning.

Black London has risen again – and so to keep magic’s balance, another London must fall.

It’s been nearly two years since I read the first Shades of Magic book, and I’m not entirely sure why it took me so long to pick up the sequel, but I’m very glad I did. I didn’t write a review of A Darker Shade of Magic, so can’t remember how I felt about it at the time, but I have the feeling that A Gathering of Shadows has left a greater impression. This is quite unusual, as I often find sequels don’t quite hit the same note as the first in a series. I liked the first book, but I loved this one.

As soon as I stepped back into the world of Shades of Magic, with its multiple Londons and intriguing magic system, I remembered why I found the imaginative world building of A Darker Shade of Magic so captivating. This book felt magical, and I was happy to be swept up in it. As Lila learns to use magic, we also learn more about how the magic in this world works, and getting to see it used for combat in the element games was great fun. I love competition stories and though this one did feel a little random, I think it worked well as part of Lila, Kell and Rhy’s development.    

While the first book was more plot driven, the sequel focuses more on character development, exploring the impact the events of the first book have on the three central characters. There are also new cast members to meet, with Alucard Emery making a welcome addition.

In many ways, not much happened in this book, yet it didn’t feel slow or boring. Schwab’s writing always draws me in, and her style in this book really shone through. I was hanging on every sentence, desperate to devour the essence of this world and story that each and every word breathed into being.

A Gathering of Shadows ends on a huge cliff-hanger and I’m sure it won’t be long before I pick up the third and final book in the trilogy.