“As far as she was concerned, family had nothing to do with proximity or blood. Family was a chosen thing. A label earned,” (Schwab).
Seven years after the three Antari, magicians who can control all elements and move between realms, Kell Maresh, Lila Bard, and Holland Vosijk defeated Osaron and stopped the poisonous Black London magic from infecting the other worlds, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other threats to their worlds. In White London a new Antari, Kosika, has been crowned Queen and will do anything to keep the magic flowing in her world, even if that means giving her own blood and the blood of her people as an offering. In Red London a terrorist organization is rising up and threatening to kill King Rhy Maresh, and then there is Tes, a young girl who can see and repair the threads of magic that make up her world. When a strange man brings her a box that needs repairing Tes does as she always has, fix it and makes it better, not knowing what trouble will follow in her wake.
I adored the Shades of Magic series and was so excited to learn that Schwab was continuing it on in the Threads of Power series. It was such a joy to return to these worlds, to see how the characters in the first series have grown and changed since the last book, and getting to know the new characters that were introduced in this book. I’ve always thought the magic system in this series was intriguing and Schwab just has this way of writing such layered and loving characters that returning to this world was an easy thing to do.
It was interesting to see how Kell, Lila, Rhy, and Alucard’s characters had developed since the last book ended. I particularly enjoyed seeing Kell and Lila’s life at sea and how Kell was learning to adjust to life without being able to rely on his magic. I loved meeting Kosika in White London and am very curious about where her story is going to lead. I have some theories, but I’m really enjoying the pieces that Schwab is leaving out. And Tes was such a joy to meet, her power is so interesting and I can’t wait to see how she continues on throughout this new series.
One of my favourite things in Schwab’s writing is how she tends to use a lot of POV’s, even for characters who may only survive a chapter, but how each of these parts (or threads, ha) weaves together to create a rich story is truly marvelous. Seeing the story all come together is one of my favourite parts of a Schwab novel and I can’t wait to see how some of the loose threads in this book are woven in to the rest of the series.
The Fragile Threads of Power is an excellent continuation of an already unforgettable series. I can’t wait to see where the magic will take us next!
Publication: September 26 2023
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 648 pages (Hardcover)
Source: Library
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
My Rating: ⛤⛤⛤⛤
Summary:
Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast, and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory―Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London.
But barely a glimpse of them have been seen in the last seven years―and a new Antari named Kosika has appeared in White London, taking the throne in Holland’s absence. The young queen is willing to feed her city with blood, including her own―but her growing religious fervor has the potential to drown them instead.
And back in Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rising rebellion, one determined to correct the balance of power by razing the throne entirely.
Amidst this tapestry of old friends and new enemies, a girl with an unusual magical ability comes into possession of a device that could change the fate of all four worlds.
Her name is Tes, and she’s the only one who can bring them together―or unravel it all.
Sarah O'Connor 