I was counting down the days to the release of this book- the third in the Shades of Magic series by the absolute goddess V.E. Schwab- and then it took about a million years to arrive because I foolishly preordered it on Amazon like a total dafty. So I was very excited when it was finally in my hands and I could see for myself how huuuuge it is.
I love the world Schwab has built. The piratey parts of A Gathering of Shadows, part two in the series, were so vivid for me, as were the busy, bustling Night Market scenes during the magical tournament, which reminded a lot of the feel of the Quidditch World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I guess it is extra magical as multiple world have been built. There is Red London, Grey London, Black London, and White London, each with their different feels. Kell is one of the last travellers or Antari, a type of magic person who can travel between these worlds.
A Conjuring of Light gives us Red London, directly after the magical fighting tournament it has hosted, under siege from an evil magical force, Osaron, with the royal palace at the centre of all the how-do-we-defeat-Osaron planning. The palace is packed with various visiting members of royalty, noblemen and tournament magicians with Prince Rhy, his brother Kell, Lila (who is also an Antari, it turns out), Alucard, Alucard's cat, the King, the Queen, all strategising ways to save the people of Red London and defeat the evil magic.
Schwab is just an incredible crafter of scenes, each chapter with its own arc, and not very long chapters too, keeping the pace up and giving us various different points of view. You really should just read this if you haven't yet. Also if you haven't read any of the trilogy yet, please forget all of the above so you are spoiler free!
Schwab had hinted that this isn't the end for this incredibly built world. I'm keeping my fingers crossed she brings us more of Lila and Kell. And Rhy and Alucard. I'd take an Alucard's cat story too.
