Fast paced and utterly brilliant. Schwab doesn’t disappoint by taking back into the Shades of Magic universe. Cannot wait for the next instalment!

A truly masterful blending of all our favourite characters with a totally new storyline and new characters. All the relevant information is repeated, but so by the way, that it didn't feel like repetition. I'm definitely curious, if there will be more from that particular world.

Thank you for my earc of this book. I’m always excited but apprehensive when there’s a new book exploring a beloved world. I think this was a worthy addition, though I did find myself struggling to get back into it at times

This and Gallant from V E Schwab have been very poor in my opinion. I loved her foray into adult writing which produced the invisible life of Addie Larue - an absolute work of art. However, her continued work in the YA genre is just stale and feels like a retelling the same story over and over - the fragile threads of power may think of itself as for the adult audience but it is definitely young adult.

I absolutely loved being back in this world! The Darker Shades of Magic trilogy is one of my favourite series and it felt really comforting to be back with the same characters Inknow, and seeing their new adventures, years in the future.

I also loved getting to know the new characters, and how the world has changed since the third book in the original trilogy.

THE FEELS! This book had me feeling every emotion there is, I was happy, I was sad, I was screaming. VE Schwab knows how to write a book!

I loved this book and I am really looking forward to seeing what Schwab comes out with next!

I will begin by saying the Shades of Magic series is one of my favourite worlds to be in. I can read that trilogy endlessly and wish I was there, but unfortunately I struggled with the set up of this one a bit, though I did love where it went.

That said, I now that we're on the other side of book 1, I can't wait to see where Schwab takes this!
Highlights:
Kell & Lila's exploration of the world (and each other)
Kell's training montages
Rhy & Alucard as fathers
and their daughter is adorable
Tess- a brilliant new character, with a fantastic power.

Like putting on an old favorite pair of fuzzy socks you thought you’d lost.

V. E. Schwab’s newest addition to her formidable oeuvre delighted me. The Fragile Threads of Power is a follow-on of her wildly successful Shades of Magic series that follows the four Londons seven years after Lila, Kell, and Rhy save Red London from the encroaching terrors of Black London. Now, seemingly, the Londons have gained a new balance and the trio’s biggest problems are healing from the trauma of an inter-dimensional war and interstate politics. They are, however, about to be thrown back into a cauldron of turmoil.

The mix of new characters interspersed with familiar favorites keeps the narrative from feeling stale. The characters we know from the original trilogy still have immense growth ahead of them (processing all that trauma – if you know, you know) and it never feels like they or Schwab are coasting on previous books. The two main additions are Kosika, the young new queen of White London, and Tes, a shopkeeper who fixes magical items. They both have a rich backstory that we have hints about in this book and will [presumably] be explored as the series continues.

“The threads of power shone so bright that no place in the world was ever truly dark.”

I was sad to see this book did not perform as well as I had hoped, but for those of us who love the original trilogy, this book brought back the world-building we already love with a new threat to the balance of power. The origins of the new threat are different to that of the first trilogy, but the origins of the political movements that oppose the Maresh dynasty in Red London can be traced back to the internal politics during Shades of Magic, giving continuity to the fantasy world’s politics. I am also impressed that the inter- and intra-state politics feel so real and relatable to me – I have a degree in international relations and often feel that fictional politics, especially in fantasy, should be fleshed out more.

I won’t elaborate further for spoiler purposes, but I am ready to be emotionally toyed with and devastated again. Book 2 isn’t out until 2025.

The Fragile Threads of Power" by V.E. Schwab is an absolute gem in the realm of fantasy literature. Schwab's masterful storytelling weaves a tapestry of intrigue, magic, and unforgettable characters that will keep you utterly captivated from start to finish.

One of the most striking aspects of this novel is Schwab's ability to create a rich and immersive world. From the intricate political machinations to the vibrant magical elements, every detail feels meticulously crafted, drawing readers into a world that feels both familiar and wholly unique.

But it's not just the world-building that shines in "The Fragile Threads of Power." The characters are truly the heart of the story. Schwab has a gift for creating complex and multifaceted characters that leap off the page, each with their own motivations, flaws, and inner conflicts. Whether it's the cunning protagonist navigating the treacherous waters of court intrigue or the enigmatic mage with a mysterious past, every character feels fully realized and utterly compelling.

Beyond its immersive world and captivating characters, "The Fragile Threads of Power" also delivers a riveting plot that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With twists and turns aplenty, Schwab keeps the tension high and the stakes even higher, ensuring that you won't be able to put the book down until you've reached the breathtaking conclusion.

In short, "The Fragile Threads of Power" is a must-read for any fantasy fan. With its lush world-building, unforgettable characters, and gripping plot, it's a book that will linger in your mind long after you've turned the final page. I love returning to this universe after the Shades of Magic trilogy. Oh I've missed so much Kell, Lila, Rhy and Alucard ! Thank you, Victoria.

Rhy sits on the throne of Red London with his queen and his consort at his sides, Kel and Lila sail the seas, a child queen sits on the throne of White London, and a powerful object capable of unimaginable destruction falls into the hands of a young runaway with a rare power to manipulate the threads of magic.
I went into this cautiously optimistic as the Shades of Magic trilogy is one of my all time favourite fantasy series and its characters are very dear to me, but this honestly exceeded my expectations. It wasn’t a gratuitous continuation of this series for no other reason than just to continue it, it had real substance.
Schwab does such justice to the characters of the original trilogy while also managing to introduce and make integral to the narrative a number of new characters - a tricky balance but it really pays off.
Returning to this world and its characters years after the ending of Conjuring of Light was honestly a wonderful experience. The characters have matured and settled into their lives in the aftermath of the events of the Shades trilogy, and Schwab weaves in little glimpses of the interim years to see how they’ve come to be where they are now. All of their interactions with each other had me absolutely enthralled, I was savouring each and every fleeting glance and word.
The expansion on the magic system in this book was expertly handled. I came into this fresh off a reread of the original trilogy, so seeing the little hints there at the potential for more, beyond our characters abilities, knowing it was going to be explored here was really satisfying.
Which brings me to Tes, the young runaway with the ability to manipulate the threads of power of this world. The sequences where she uses her abilities to construct and deconstruct magical objects were so vivid and enjoyable to read. I thoroughly enjoyed her character and am very excited to see what her powers and personality are going to bring to this new trilogy.
Overall, what really shone for me in this story is that it is so clearly a labour of love. Schwab’s love for these characters and this world is so apparent in every single detail, which makes reading it just an absolute joy.
A worthy instalment to an already incredible fantasy world, and I’m already impatient for the next.
Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for my e-arc of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

V. E. Schwab never misses. Haven't yet read a book by her that did not became one of my all time favourites. Again, highly recommend.

Seven years after the Shades of Magic trilogy finale, we return to Red, White, Grey and Black London.⁠
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In Red London, the reign of Rhy Maresh is threatened by the elusive organisation called the Hand, which is concerned with the vanishing of magic, which they blame on Rhy’s lack of magical talent. At the same time, a young girl with incredible abilities gets into possession of a device that can alter the fate of the worlds.⁠
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Meanwhile, in White London, a new queen rises, willing to bleed to restore her city…⁠
Reading The Fragile Threads of Power was a fantastic opportunity to revisit one of my favourite fictional worlds. VE Schwab left a door open in the Shades of Magic series, allowing a smooth transition into this new trilogy. I loved finding out what happened to the characters after the finale of A Conjuring of Magic. The novel also adds some fascinating new characters and an exciting storyline. It is filled with action and magic. Despite many retrospectives and introductory information necessary in the first part of the series, the pacing was perfect. ⁠
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I cannot wait for the second book in this series.

I love VE Schwab, and I love this series of books, so had been looking forward to reading this. It did not disappoint. Loved it. Very well written

Absolutely loved this! A super exciting continuation of The Darker Shade of Magic series - I'm so excited to see all the characters again. This is a fantastic start to the next few books and I'm excited to see what happens next - so many cliff hangers! What's going to happen?

I'm grateful to Titan Books for letting me have an advance e-copy of The Fragile Threads of Power via Netgalley to consider for review.

I was glad to see Schwab return to Grey, Red, White and (shudders) even Black London, the variously magic (or not) settings for her magnificent Darker Shades of Magic trilogy.

Glad - More Lila! More Kell! - but also slightly apprehensive because, and we've all seen them of course, I didn't want this to be another example a of writer returning to familiar ground when they should have left alone and done something new instead.

I needn't have worried. Schwab is canny enough to not simply repeat what worked so well before, and bolsters the book with new characters who intrigue the reader while the central quad - Lila, Kell, Ray and Alucard - settle down, as it were, and focus. Those familiar with that group will though recall that they're a pretty awkward, intractable lot who aren't going to behave and pay attention at the snap of the author's fingers and indeed, we have Lila Being A Pirate, Kell Sulking, Rhy Kinging and Alucard, well, Alucarding.

This first half of the book serves as a helpful reminder of just what went before and how each of the four stands in relation to the others, but Schwab doesn't have the story on pause - as the four sort out their issues, or not, we're also introduced to new comers Tesali, a sparky young runaway who has some serious magical abilities and runs her own repair shop in red London, and Kosika, the new Queen in White London. Both are outsiders, living on their wits and having to make sense of a dangerous world. Both have a lot of backstory, which Schwab allows to unfold slowly - if ever tempted to hurry this, she resisted and rightly; there is a lot to tell and both women are fascinating. They are destined, it's clear, to attract trouble and we begin to see that for Tesali (for Kosika I think it's looming in the next book).

(Apart from Tesali and Kosika, Rhys' new Queen, Nadia, an enchantress with her own underground lab, also intrigued me. She's clearly up to something more than simply defending her family, but what?)

Of course once trouble starts, Lila won't be far away and the really good news about this book is that as things heat up, with the sinister rebel faction The Hand making its move, Lila gets REALLY knife-y and plunges into the thick of things. This is what I was waiting for. Red London is absolutely made for sinister plots, for skulking figures glimpsed in dark alleys, strange conspiracies and for treason. And there's plenty of all these. (Yes, treason - there is a traitor in this book, in fact more than one, and you'll be smart if you can spot them - I didn't).

It all creates an engaging, fast-paced and pleasingly complicated story that benefits not only from those new characters but from the returning, somewhat older (I won't say, more mature) cast from the earlier books. As established figures, it's good to see them bickering away but even better to see the impression they make on the newcomers. I didn't think Tesali was actually very impressed by Lila, and The Fragile Threads of Power sets up some dynamics that it will be fun to see play out in future books.

A strong followup to Darker Shades that definitely avoids all those "second trilogy blues".

I was so happy when I realised a new book in it Darker Shade of Magic series was being written.

Set seven years after the last book ended it picks up the story of all your favourite characters,

Also introduced are some new characters and if this is your first look at the Four Londons then you can easily read this before the Darker Shade of Magic series.

It did not disappoint.

What can I say??!! I was so excited to be back in this world and it was so good.

The book picks up a significant number of years after the events of A Conjuring of Light - we meet up with all the major players from The Shades of Magic series but everything has changed, nothing is as it was - the powerful are now powerless and are having to make some major changes in order to adapt.

We also meet some new characters who definitely bring a new dimension to this world and I am excited to see where we go in the next books. 



I love the idea if I’ve understood correctly that you can eventually read this series or shades first or read either as a standalone if you choose to leave it there but honestly I have no idea why you’d do that - I can not wait for the next book.

Anything V E Schwab writes goes straight onto my TBR and this was no different. A brilliant revival into the Shades of Magic world featuring the characters we know and love as well as some exciting new additions, It was exciting returning into the brilliantly written world and having the addition of flashbacks helped me relate back to the previous books.
As always, a great read from V E Schwab!

I absolutely loved being back in this world again, getting to see the characters we got to know and love from the original trilogy, as well as meeting new characters. I really appreciated how there was a significant amount of time that had passed between the end of A Conjuring of Light and this book, and how we got ‘flashbacks’ to see all the important moments that we need to know in that time. Schwab never fails to pull me into a story and this one was no exception

Reading anything V E Schwab writes is like wearing Kell's coat - it just fits perfectly. We return to familiar Red London and its familiar characters, all of whom have grown up (in theory) since the last trilogy ended. But a new threat is approaching, one that they slowly discover, in combination with some interesting new players, as well as insights into the other Londons. It didn't entirely blow me away, but I loved returning to a familiar story told well.

This book follows on from The Darker Shade of Magic trilogy. We see old characters and what they are up to since the end of those books while also being introduced to new characters.

I really enjoyed being back in this world with these characters. I really like the new character of Tes. Seeing her particular skills at work was so interesting.

I am very interested to see how this series continues.