“People survived by being cautious, but they got ahead by being bold. “I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.” Here are some of my favorite quotes from the series. 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. I enjoyed this series immensely, and I hope to see more of the Londons and worlds in the future. Every character has meaning, and every scene has a purpose. As with Schwab’s other books, the Shades of Magic series is thoughtful, well-written, and without superfluous stuff. You see romantic love, familial love, love of country, love of self, and love of faith. Love is the strongest of all, and each character wrestles with it in some way. We see several themes in this book: duty, honor, faith, and love. 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. Those wrong hands may belong to Lila Bard, who pickpockets Kell’s magical coat while in Grey London. 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. Kell, one of the last Antari, travels between three Londons: Grey, Red, and White. In this series, we meet an incredible cast of characters: Kell, Lila, Rhy, and Holland, and several additional essential players. Schwab kick, I recently completed the Shades of Magic trilogy: A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows, and A Conjuring of Light. The Shades of Magic Wiki is a collaborative community website about the best-selling Shades of Magic series by V. The ending is clearly leaving space open for future comic runs, tying up this arc but leaving space for more stories with the final panel introducing a glimpse of a shadow-y figure. I don’t know if it’s a common art style or not for comics, but it seemed a little odd to me to be so obscuring when the visuals are a key part of the story telling in this medium. It could make it quite tricky to work out who was who (or what exactly was going on) when everything was vague outlines. Having just re-read the previous two and then this one, I noticed how dark the colour palate was at times. it was a nice way to round the series off, with a real cost for Maxim, rather than just another blood bath – the villain does really push him and takes the “fullness” of the victory away. The final instalment (Goodreads here) brings back a villain from the previous comic, giving it the most continuity of the lot – and adds more emotional weight to the showdown than the other two got.

Shades of magic series