Lila smiled at that, one of those smiles that made Kell profoundly nervous. The kind of smile usually followed by a weapon.
A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3)
V.E. Schwab | 2017 | 642 Pages
The Plot
She discovered the existence of parallel worlds. She learned magic and competed with the best of them. Now Delilah Bard is on the front line to save all of the worlds from a power she had known nothing of until a few months prior. Oh, and Kell and Rhy and the rest are there too. But we all know who the main badass is. How will our motley crew get out of the horrors that Black London has unleashed upon them? It’s the closing of the trilogy, and there is no holding back.
Highlights
I think my favorite thing about these books is that they manage to be very adult, but not overtly so. They saddle this line between YA and High Fantasy, making themselves incredibly accessible while not falling prey to so many of the tropes that can plague either of those bookends, especially by this third installment. While the first book was a little thin on character, by now we have very real, very fleshed out personas that could each stand as the hero of their own solo adventure. The world, likewise, has expanded out to create something that is familiar with its magic and its grounding in real places, but that is unique in the way that parallel dimension Londons should be.
The story itself caps off the trilogy in a great way, working to further the greater plot, but to also bring more to the personalities and relationships that have been previously introduced. A villain gets a new perspective. A prince has to make a major life change. A pirate discovers who she really is. Everything fits in the established world, everything has a purpose, and it all concludes in a way that I couldn’t be happier about.
Downsides
I’m sad that it’s over? It’s always a wonderful experience when a story finishes and you are happy with it. yes, I’d love more. I hope Schwab continues with this world in the future. Though there is absolutely room for more adventure with the current cast, and even for countless spinoffs, this arc has closed.
Should You Read This?
You should probably read the first two installments since this won’t make much sense without the previous stories. That said, if you’re a fan at all of fantasy or adventure stories, absolutely jump into this trilogy. And if you enjoyed the first two books already you’ll love this as well.
The Laurenest 