A Gathering of Shadows

Today’s  post is on A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab. It is 509 pages long and is published by TOR. The cover is an illustration of Delilah Bard in black with red hands reaching for her. As it is the second on her Shades of Magic trilogy, you need to have read the first novel to understand the story. There is mild foul language, mild sexuality, and mild violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who likes character driven fantasy novels. The story is told from third person close following the main characters. There Be Spoilers Ahead. 

From the back of the book- It has been four months since a mysterious obsidian stone fell into Kell's possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Prince Rhy was wounded, and since the nefarious Dane twins of White London fell, and four months since the stone was cast with Holland's dying body through the rift--back into Black London.
Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as 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.
And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.

Review- This novel picks up about four months after the first one with some jumping back in time to show what happened in Lila in particular. Kell is now more of a prisoner than son, Rhy feels guilty for what happened, and Lila is having the time of her life. With a big magic part coming to town all our characters are back in Red London and getting into trouble. Plus Holland isn’t as dead as Kell thinks and is coming for his old friend. At times I found this second novel a bit slow and Lila a bit annoying with her need to push everything to extremes but overall a very strong middle volume. The characters have room to start growing in new ways and the reader discovers more about the world that they live in. The ending was strong with a cliffhanger about Kell and if Lila can rescue him. I am curious about how everything is going to end. 

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I bought this book with my own money.