Five Reasons To: Read Shades of Magic
Five Reasons To is basically my way of convincing you to love the same things I do. Because I love a lot of things for a lot of reasons. Hopefully my powers of persuasion will work their magic on you, and you can find new things to love!
Today, I am going to give you five reasons to:
Read the Shades of Magic Series by V.E. Schwab
1. The Characters
The characters in this series are just amazing. Every single one of them, even the ones you’re not even sure you’re supposed to love but do anyway (looking at you, Holland). Which I guess speaks volumes for the characters you are supposed to love. Meaning: you will adore them. Especially Kell. Or perhaps that is just me.
2. The World Building
To be entirely honest I am not huge on intense fantasy world building. It usually entails large info-dumps that go over my head and just bore me. And then I end up being confused later on when I’m supposed to understand some intricate magic system that I didn’t bother paying attention to. In the Shades of Magic books the world building is incredible. Because not only does it explain the worlds and the magic and political systems with flow and ease, it’s also so easy to wrap your head around. There are no info dumps. The world building is just clear and makes sense. It’s also really good.
3. The Storyline
It was so clear that Schwab intended this to be a trilogy from the start. Because when you read A Conjuring of Light there are references to things that happened in the first book, and it’s just like one of those woah moments. I absolutely adored the fact that the plot, whilst broken up into three arcs, was overarching and brought together three books so incredibly well.
The storyline is also complex and harrowing, and will have you desperate to know what happens.
4. The Ships (and other relationships)
Could this be a recommendation post from me if there wasn’t something about ships? The answer would be ‘no’. Now, don’t get me wrong, these books are certainly not all about the romance. The magic and politics and world are definitely the forerunners of the trilogy but I also think that makes the ships even more special because they’re only present in tiny amounts.
The friendships in this book are also amazing, as are the family relationships. Kell and Rhy are love each other so much it hurts. I really like reading (and writing) brother relationships, and it warmed my cold, cold heart to see these boys love and care for each other so much.
5. The Exteriors
I am shallow when it comes to books. Of this I am well aware. But in this particular case I think the Shades of Magic books were very lucky in the cover department, both in the UK and the US. I do prefer the hardbacks, but I also like the paperbacks. I think both designs represent the books really well, and they make for lovely pictures, too.
So these are five reasons for you to read the Shades of Magic series! I hope I have convinced you.
Ta ta for now,
I just recently read A Darker Shade of Magic and I really need to get my hands on the next two. I love Kell – he’s just great. I’m glad that this is a case where the series is MEANT to be a trilogy and you don’t feel like one of the books is too much filler or anything like that. I also really love these covers too. :)
-Lauren
http://www.letsgetbeyondtolerance.blogspot.com
You do, Lauren! They are so worth it. Yes, the middle book didn’t feel like a filler – it had its own story and set up the final book really well. The covers are divine! Some of my absolute favourites.
I finished ADSOM not too long ago, and you make me want to jump right back into the series right away! The books are so immersive, though almost exhausting to read in the best possible way. You’re definitely not alone in adoring Kell — I don’t know how Schwab does it, but it’s impossible not to love him so! I’m so curious to learn more about his past, too.
Yay! I’m glad :D They are quite intense to read, and I found myself capping out at about one hundred pages every time I sat down to them. But since they’re so long that didn’t add up to much headway, haha. Kell is just so lovable! Easily one of my favourite characters. I want to know more about his past as well!
I’ve heard so many good things about these books and your post only made me want to read them even more! If only I had more money and time haha
YESSS. True, they are quite expensive, although the UK PBs are not too bad! And because they’re so enjoyable I found that I pretty much flew through them, haha XD
Beautiful photos, Chiara! <3 And excellent reasons. I still have yet to read the series (as I have so many other series I still need to finish!) but this one is high up on my list of series to start in the future. :)
Btw, I tagged you in the Aussie book tag. :) http://wordsonpaperya.blogspot.com/2017/06/book-tag-aussie-book-tag.html
Thank you so much, Cass! This series is so worth it, and a bonus is that it’s completed so no more waiting :D I hope you like it when you get around to it!
Aw, yay :D I am getting back into doing tags recently, so even though it will be SUPER late, I will get around to it!
I read ADSOM when it first came out and didn’t enjoy it as much as everyone else seemed to, that being said, it’s been top of my list for a reread since the second I even put it down (mostly because I feel like I didn’t give it a fair enough shot) and now that I’ve gotten all of the books I can’t wait to have a completely free weekend so I can just marathon read them all.
Oh no! I’m sorry you didn’t adore ADSOM :( I can say that the third book is the best (at least, it was for me), and I hope that you get around to it eventually! There’s so much to love, and reading them one after the other was great for me :D