A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 4/5 cats
Lila shrugged. “Everyone’s immortal until they’re not.”
this is one of those crossover dealies that isn’t marketed (or priced, unfortunately) as YA, but there’s no reason for it not to be in the YA section, from a reader perspective. from the publisher’s perspective, obviously it’s always better when you can set your cover price in the ten bucks higher adult-market range, but since this is such a pretty book, i’m okay with that THIS TIME, even though it’s such a fast read, you’ll tear through it like you’re at a cookie party. (please invite me to cookie parties)
i was not crazy about the first book in this trilogy. it was fine – i liked the world in which it was set, and i loved the character of lila, but it seemed to be doing a lot of buildup and stage-setting without delivering much actiony payoff. however, when i read the synopsis of this one, promising an international magic-based tournament, i thought, “oh, yes – that will have some action for sure!”
and it’s great – it starts off great and it continues to be great the whole way through. need more details than me mumbling “great” through a mouthful of cookies? fine.
this one makes with the action right away, in an opening scene revealing lila in a perilous situation, and loving every minute of it. kell was the primary focus in the first book, but here, lila has sidled her scrawny ass into the limelight and she’s not giving it up for anything. kell and rhy will get their POV-time, but lila steals the show, as well as everything else that isn’t nailed down.
there’s just something about her i love. sure, she’s the archetypal badass chick whose hardscrabble background has taught her that no one’s coming to her rescue, emotions are liabilities, and knives are wonderfully persuasive, which tough-girl attitude should be totally cheesy:
Tieran fixed her with his gaze. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re too sharp for your own good?”
“Too sharp. Too loud. Too reckless. I’ve heard it all. It’s a wonder I’m still alive.”
but for some reason, i just adore her. with her wolfish smile and her terrible decisions and her knack for getting into and out of danger, everything she’s done to leave behind her unsatisfyingly grey life and launch herself into a world of magic and adventure – she’s neither infallible nor completely guarded, and there’s a perfect balance to her character – she’s able to walk away from someone without looking back, but she’ll still daydream a little.
and she gives herself awesome daenerys-caliber pep talks:
Dangerous.
Reckless.
Foolish.
Mad.A chorus of doubt so loud her boots took a step back of their own accord.
In one of the other stadiums, the crowds cheered as an Arnesian emerged victorious.
Lila retreated another step.
And then she caught sight of the flag – her flag – in the stands, and her steps ground to a halt.
I am Delilah Bard, she thought. Pirate, thief, magician.
Her fingertips began to thrum.
I have crossed worlds and taken ships. Fought queens and saved cities.
Her bones shuddered and her blood raced.
I am one of a kind.
she definitely is one of a kind View Spoiler »
lila aside, there are excellent developments in the rest of the world. that thing kell did in the last book for rhy has consequences both physical and psychological, and has caused a great deal of tension in his relationship with the king and queen. kell spends a lot of this book moping around in a daze of “why are ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy’ so mad at me and will i ever see lila again and woe woe woe,” until rhy comes up with a wonderful diversion for him, to take his mind off of his emo crap and also relieve a lot of pent-up aggression. (and please tell me there is rhy/kell fanfic out there, because there needs to be, right?)
we also get a better, more focused view of the politics of red london this time around. in the first book, we were bouncing around between the various londons and learning about their relationships with each other, but here we get a more detailed look at red london – its history and the rivalries between the different cultures and lands making up the kingdom, and the intricacies of its power structure, which playboy rhy will one day have to navigate
“Ruling is a delicate affair,” his father had chided. “Every gesture carries purpose and meaning. This tournament is not only a game. It helps to maintain peace with our neighboring empires, and it allows us to show them our resources without implying any threat. The king had laced his fingers. “Politics is a dance until the moment it becomes a war. And we control the music.”
the tournament itself is fun, but lower-stakes than i had anticipated. this isn’t The Hunger Games or Battle Royale; it’s more diplomatic; it’s entertainment, and the participants are carefully selected and matched to deliver a good show without killing anyone, like a magical pageant designed by jane austen. however, that careful plan has had a monkeywrench thrown in by a couple of dark horses. and kidnapping. there’s always gotta be some kidnapping.
we get a new character in alucard, who – despite that stupid gothy name, is very likable. not so much to kell – there’s some history there, but to me. and to lila.
oh, and what will become of lila and kell?? will there be unbearable tension?? will every time they say “hello” read like barely-restrained pornography, like in those very rare moments when felicity lets down her emotional guard on The Americans and a touch of the hand comes across as unspeakably intimate? will lila finally find a dress to wear?
“What’s wrong with black? It’s the perfect color.”
“For hiding. For blending into shadows. For storming castles. Not for balls. I let you go to the last one in black, and it has bothered me all winter.”
“If that’s true, you don’t have enough things to worry about.”
Calla tsked and turned toward the collection of dresses. Lila’s gaze raked over them, and she cringed at a yolk-yellow skirt, a velvety purple sleeve. They looked like pieces of ripe fruit, like decadent desserts. Lila wanted to look powerful, not edible.
woe to the person who tries. this is a girl with many knives strapped on under her gowns.
while all this is taking place in red london, we get some hints of what’s been happening in white london since the events of the last book. trouble is a-brewing. this book ends on a corker of a cliffhanger, and i’m so glad i kept on with this series, because i am eager to see what happens in book three.
bring it on!
***************************************
this one is SO MUCH better than the first book. what a relief! thanks for making me stick with it, machalo buddies!
