A Gathering of Shadows By V. E. Schwab Book Review

 A Gathering of Shadows 

(Shades Of Magic #2)

By V. E. Schwab 

Published Year: 2016

Page Count: 512 pages 

Medium Used: Oneplus Nord Ce6 

Genre: High Fantasy, Fantasy, Action, Magic and Sorcery, Multiverse, Romance,Romantasy, LGBTQ, 2026-read. 

Rating : 5/5 😎 😎 😎 😎 😎 

Absolutely digged this! Schwab is a gifted, brilliant writer that her prose and narration kept me hooked through out. In the first book, there was too much happening. We were introduced to this world of magic and sorcery. We saw the main characters - Kell from Red London and Lila from Grey London - overtake evil kings and queens and save a world from consumption by black magic. Then Lila leaves Kell in pursuit of an adventure and thrill. She doesn't want to be bound to anyone or anything and wants instead to have some risk in her life. Doesn't want to be saddled to a boring and secure life. She is a different creature as everyone agrees. A girl cast from a different mold. At the end of book 1,in order to rescue Rhy, the prince and foster brother of Kell, from a certain death, Kell forms a life tether with him. Neither of them can die while the other lives.  They share pain, pleasure and life with each other. 

This book is the continuation and takes off seamlessly from there.  Lila has chosen a ship on which to render her services as a thief. It is a privateering ship, called Night Spire, belonging to the kingdom of Arnes (Kell and Rhy's kingdom in Red London) and captained by Alucard Emery. This Emery bloke is a former lover of Rhy, a noble prince from Arnes. Over four months that Lila and Emery get to know each other, they conceal much and reveal very little - about their pasts. She helps them obtain the treasures of pirate ships and snag more riches than what they would have won without her. Emery kisses her to obtain her secrets in one desperate moment. But she is too smart to be so easily overtaken. At this point, i wondered if the author is gonna spin this into a love triangle between Lila, Kell and Emery because she hasn't forgotten Kell or their chemistry from the past. But I was wrong and this seemed to be a one time thing. 

Most of the book covers a tournament where best magicians from the three kingdoms - Arnes, Faroe, Vesk - compete to take the winning crown for the best and most eligible magician. Both Lila and Kell enroll(illegally) into the sport under different names. Kell has been living in a prisoner like hell these past four months because the king keeps him under guard at all times, now that his life is tied to the crown prince. So to blow off some steam,he joins the fray. Eventually, Kell and Lila both escape the punishment from discovery, discover and reintroduce themselves to each other and also share a steamy, super hot kiss. I didn't feel bored or distracted even if there are so many games and maneuvers described between the participants. Only thing that mattered was that they were engaged fully - just like the reader - in this ostentatious display of magic and power. While these games were taking place in Red London, there is some evil that is taking over in White London. Someone that must have better stayed dead comes back alive. The danger that Kell and Lila have averted(or thought they did!) in book 1 comes back haunting. 

Even if there is not as much tension or pressure in this one as the first book, it is still well written and very gripping. It is an easy read. It forms a perfect bridge between book 1 and book 3 without revealing on how the story would turn out later. Just loved it. Give it a try. 🥂  Where Kell was well regarded and even worshipped by the people of Red London in book 1, here he is treated a traitor and feared because he almost destroyed the world by bringing in the black stone, even if done innocently. The king and queen too treat him differently. I felt pity for him. He did save the world at a price for him self. And his freedom, right.