Lin's Perspective

I lost count of how many times I’ve reread this book already, just kidding I know it is 3 times haha 2016, 2019 and now 2024 and guess what, my opinion of it has not changed one bit!

Victoria, for me, is an amazing writer who can literally transport you into her world and make you fall in love with the characters, even the bad ones. Although I loved the first book I am still to finish this series just waiting on my library for the second book A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, #2) so I can finally complete it and find out what happens. I mean I have been stuck on the first book for 8 bloody years!!

So… yeah… I kind of need to move on hahha this is my objective for this new year finish the series that I never got around to finishing, even though I loved the first and the second and the third book and so on. Has that ever happened to you? You read the first and the second book of a series that you end up liking and for some unknown force, you just dump it and never complete it?? Or is this just me??

Anywho back to the review. It might contain spoilers so read at your own discretion!

What I found myself really appreciating in this book was not only the writing style but also the world-building and its political and magic issues and systems if you will. From the very beginning, your attention is there, you just want to know more and more and what is happening and most importantly why it is happening. I appreciated the humour in it as well as the characters, and their flaws, they feel like real people this is how good of a writer Schwab is.

Kell, is great I adore his personality and his abilities as an Antari. Lila is a wild card that one, she can be a tad annoying but you eventually end up getting attached to her there is just no escaping it! We have other characters that play vital roles, some bad some good and I am curious to find out how their relationship and interactions will develop in the next books.

I am engrossed by the black London and what secrets it hides. Additionally, I do like the subtle flirting kind of thing going on between Kell and Lila it is just there to add up a bit of flavour but not enough to make you sick of it. Unfortunately, many writers concentrate on romance and it is usually the main subject, so thank you Victoria for not being like the rest!

Currently still waiting on my library for the next books.

Have you read the series? Do you like it and which London and character/s is/are your favourite?