A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab on February 23, 2016
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
Pages: 512
Format: Paperback
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“I gave him my life, but you cannot ask me to stop living.”
Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London. In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games, an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries, a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port. But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again, and so to keep magic’s balance, another London must fall…
This is the sequel and the second in the series following A Darker Shade of Magic. I just love everything about this world and I need to know more! I want exciting world-building, strong characters and good pacing that doesn’t sacrifice depth. And I feel like Schwab totally gets that. I enjoyed Kell’s new experiences, as he comes to term with the lasting effects of what happened in the last book. I enjoyed all the backstabbing, cross-dressing and thievery. This one makes with the action right away and doesn’t stop! While all this is taking place in Red London, we get some hints of what’s been happening in White London since the events of the last book. Trouble is a brewing…
I gave this one four stars. I am still left with questions unanswered and am ready for them to be answered! This book ends on a corker of a cliffhanger, and I’m so glad I kept on with this series, because I am eager to see what happens in book three.