A Conjuring of Light Series: Shades of Magic #3
by V. E. Schwab
Published by Tor Books
on 02/21/2017
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure
Format: Audiobook
Pages: 624
Length: 19 hours 3 minutes
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Witness the fate of beloved heroes and notorious foes in the heart-stopping conclusion to V.E. Schwab’s New York Times bestselling Shades of Magic trilogy.
*Kirkus' Best Fiction of 2017*As darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire, the once precarious balance of power among the four Londons has reached its breaking point.
In the wake of tragedy, Kell—once assumed to be the last surviving Antari—begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. Lila Bard, once a commonplace—but never common—thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry.
An ancient enemy returns to claim a city while a fallen hero tries to save a kingdom in decay. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.
Shades of Magic series
1. A Darker Shade of Magic
2. A Gathering of Shadows
3. A Conjuring of Light
We pick up with Lila actually making her way to White London to rescue Kell. She goes up against Ojka and beats her. She is able to free Kell and heal him from his battle against Osaron.
While Lila and Kell are in White London, Osaron makes his way to Red London. As soon as Kell is well again, they hurry back. All of a sudden, the royal family is all welcoming of Kell and treat him as part of their family again. Kell is able to tell everyone about Osaron and all that he knows/has been through.
Osaron starts his attack and Kisimyr (previous ET winner) is one of the first to go against him and die. Osaron eventually sheds Holland’s body and in his non-corporal body, dives into the river and contaminates it. Surpringly, Holland survives the hostile body takeover.
With the help of the priests, they’re able to secure the palace and everyone inside. Meanwhile, Holland and Kell come up with a plan to get Osaron to possess Holland again so that Kell can kill him the only way an Antari can be killed and hopefully take Osaron with him. Sadly, their plan doesn’t work and Osaron is more interested in Kell than Holland.
Tieren and King Maxim are both working on individual solutions. Tieren tells them about a special device called Inheritor, which allows magic to be transferred from one person to another. Turns out that Aulucard once had an Inheritor that he then sold it in the black market. The Inheritor is still where Aulucard left it BUT they need special map to find the black market which happens to be on a ship.
Turned out that Lila actually had that special map needed back in Grey London but left it behind when she left. To
her surprise, Kell took the map on his last trip to GL. With map on hand, they set out to find the Inheritor.
So things get really interesting once they reach the ship. A lot of secrets, they didn’t know they were searching for are revealed. It was very emotional for me to see Kell finally learn about some of his past and how he decides that it no longer matters, his current family does. When it’s finally acknowledged that Lila really is an Antari, it was a bit of UGH moment for me. I like her and all but she really really got on my last nerve on how she just TOOK magic.
The last book in the trilogy is filled with betrayals, deaths, sacrifices, acceptance, and how one can find their family even if they’re not blood. With each book, I loved Kell more and more and with all that he goes through in this one, he has cemented himself in my heart and absolutely loved that at long last he was able to free himself of the leash that the royal family had put him in.
Safe to say, I’m super excited that Victoria is going back to the Shades of Magic world and can’t wait to see what happens next!
About V. E. Schwab
Victoria “V.E.” Schwab is the #1 NYT, USA, and Indie bestselling author of more than a dozen books, including Vicious, the Shades of Magic series, and This Savage Song. Her work has received critical acclaim, been featured by EW and The New York Times, been translated into more than a dozen languages, and been optioned for TV and Film. The Independent calls her the “natural successor to Diana Wynne Jones” and touts her “enviable, almost Gaimanesque ability to switch between styles, genres, and tones.”
