A Gathering of Shadows
- 528
- Pages
- about 10 h
- Reading time
Affiliate link: buying through it supports BookRank at no extra cost to you.
Our view
The middle volume of “Shades of Magic” trades urgency for atmosphere and character. Much of it shows how Kell and Lila have changed since the first book, with a magical tournament as the frame, and Schwab’s feel for mood carries those chapters. Some readers find the first half slow and the stakes low until late, and feel the whole is a bridge to the finale. Those who come mainly for the characters may mind less.
The view of the BookRank editors, written from readers’ ratings and comments. It does not affect the score or the book’s place in a ranking.
About the book
Kell is plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, he is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila. As Red London prepares for the Element Games - an extravagant international competition of magic - a certain pirate ship draws closer. But another London is coming back to life, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning. Black London has risen again - and so to keep magic's balance, another London must fall.
Reading order · Shades of Magic
Full order & progress →- A Darker Shade of MagicStart here
7.97.9 / 10 - A Gathering of ShadowsThis book
8.08.0 / 10 - A Conjuring of Light
8.28.2 / 10
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.1 across 833 ratings. With that many, the reader vote carries 85% of the weight and the score stays at 8.0 — the Fantasy average of 8.0 barely moves it.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 8.3 | 29 | 4% |
| Hardcover | 8.0 | 804 | 97% |
Frequently asked
How long is A Gathering of Shadows?
It has 528 pages — shorter than 52% of the ranked books in Fantasy.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
The same shelf — Fantasy — and a score of 8.0, the closest to this book.
