A Gathering of Shadows by V E Schwab

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, #2)

by V.E. Schwab

Kell is one of the last magicians with the ability to travel between parallel universes, linked by the magical city of London. It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into his possession and he met Delilah Bard. Four months since the Dane twins of White London fell, and the stone was cast with Holland's dying body back into Black London.Now Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila. And as Red London prepares for the Element Games-an international competition of magic-a certain pirate ship draws closer. But another London is coming back to life. The balance of magic is perilous, and for one city to flourish, another must fall...

Reviewed by Joséphine on

5 of 5 stars

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Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Initial thoughts: Schwab has a way of putting words to a page that is incomparable to other authors. The wit that underpins her snarky characters is first class, and Lila is a prime example. What makes it so great is that Lila doesn't try hard — it's who she is. A Gathering of Shadows increased my love for her, Kell, and Rhy manifolds, and also sucked me right into the spheres of Alucard and Tieren. Lila, Kell, Rhy and Alucard each have massive flaws, and yet, I couldn't help but root for them. Their levels of recklessness are mind boggling but it's that which makes the plot unpredictable and all the more entertaining.

Before picking up A Gathering of Shadows, I saw many exclaim over the ending. Given the sinister undercurrents that were building up on the sidelines, I fully expected the outcome. Still, I must say, it especially demonstrates Schwab's ability to tell the pressing story while keeping in mind the larger picture of a series. With regards to the overarching tale, however, there were some things that confused me a little. My questions will probably be answered in the next book but I did find myself rereading some sections, wondering if I missed out on some details.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 1 March, 2017: Finished reading
  • 1 March, 2017: Reviewed