Continuing on my V.E. Schwab kick, I recently completed the Shades of Magic trilogy: A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows, and A Conjuring of Light.

In this series, we meet an incredible cast of characters: Kell, Lila, Rhy, and Holland, and several additional essential players. Kell, one of the last Antari, travels between three Londons: Grey, Red, and White. But, when a magical remnant of the long-fallen Black London finds its way beyond the doors sealing Black London off from the other three, Kell must ensure this remnant doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Those wrong hands may belong to Lila Bard, who pickpockets Kell’s magical coat while in Grey London. Now, the Antari and the unassuming, non-magical thief from non-magical Grey London must work together to protect Red, White, and Grey London from being consumed by the magic which gave Black London its name.

We see several themes in this book: duty, honor, faith, and love. Love is the strongest of all, and each character wrestles with it in some way. You see romantic love, familial love, love of country, love of self, and love of faith. As with Schwab’s other books, the Shades of Magic series is thoughtful, well-written, and without superfluous stuff. Every character has meaning, and every scene has a purpose.

I enjoyed this series immensely, and I hope to see more of the Londons and worlds in the future. There is something in each of the characters we can connect with: Holland’s resilience, Kell’s discipline, Rhy’s unflinching love, and Lila’s adaptability. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the series.

“Hesitation is the death of advantage.”

“I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”

“People survived by being cautious, but they got ahead by being bold.”

“It doesn’t matter what someone is. Only what they think they are.”

Happy Reading!