A Conjuring of Light
V.E. Schwab
In Victoria Schwab's Shades of Magic trilogy there are four worlds, identified by the color of their Londons: Black (a dead world), White, Red, and Grey (ours). The only people who can travel between the worlds are powerful magicians called Antari. In the previous two books of the trilogy we met three Antari: Kell (from Red London), Lila Bard (from Grey London), and Holland (from White London). Book 1, A Darker Shade of Magic is mostly about Kell, although we also meet Lila and Holland. Lila is the subject of book 2, A Gathering of Shadows. Book 3, A Conjuring of Light tells Holland's story. I am not going to say that Conjuring IS Holland's story, because there is so much going on here, with the roles of Kell, Kell's brother Rhy, and Lila also very active. Still, Holland is at the center of this story.
Of the three Antari, Kell is the Saint. Lila is the Thief. Holland is the Badass.
At the end of A Gathering of Shadows Lila and Kell abandoned Holland in Black London. In Conjuring Holland returns with a passenger -- as the publisher's blurb has it, "An ancient enemy returns to claim a city." Our friends have to fight it.
This is a good plot, fundamentally simple. I think that if Schwab had told just that simple story it would have made an elegant novella. But it is bulked up to novel length with a whole lot of complications. Tastes vary -- you might like the complications. You will have surmised already that I did not.
Comments
Post a Comment
Add a comment!