A Conjuring of Light, written by V.E. Schwab and published in 2017, is the explosive conclusion to the Shades of Magic trilogy, a beloved fantasy series that explores parallel Londons and the fragile balance of magic across worlds. Picking up directly after the events of A Gathering of Shadows, this installment thrusts readers into chaos as an ancient and powerful magic threatens the very fabric of existence. With worlds collapsing, loyalties tested, and personal sacrifices demanded, this novel brings the saga of Kell, Lila, Rhy, and Holland to its grand and emotionally resonant finale.

Plot Summary

In the heart of Red London, the city thrummed with celebration, the Essen Tasch tournament reaching its triumphant close. Fireworks painted the sky in streaks of gold and crimson, but beneath the revelry, darkness stirred. Prince Rhy Maresh lay dying, his life tethered to Kell, the last of the Red London Antari, who himself was falling into the grip of betrayal. Far across the worlds, Holland Vosijk – once feared, now broken – knelt before a dark throne, offering his body to a force older than empires: Osaron, a shadow king born of magic and hunger.

Lila Bard, once a thief, now a magician, burst through the fragile veil between worlds, reaching for Kell with raw power and bleeding hands. She had stolen magic and now demanded its obedience, stepping alone into the madness of White London, transformed and blooming, as if painted anew by a power too immense and too wrong. Inside the stone walls, Kell suffered, bound by metal and spell, stripped of his magic and pinned like a specimen. Holland, possessed and drowning inside his own skin, watched helplessly as Osaron wore him like a mask.

Kell, ever defiant, broke free with Lila’s aid. She shattered the spellwoven collar choking his magic and stood her ground against Ojka, Osaron’s deadly messenger. Knives flew. Fire caught. Flesh tore. In the end, bloodied and breathless, Lila emerged victorious, dragging Kell back from the brink. Together, they fell through worlds, returning to a city unready for the storm to come.

Rhy’s life hung by a thread, his heart stilled, his soul slipping. Alucard Emery, the champion of the tournament and once Rhy’s beloved, knelt by the prince’s side, helpless to stop the unraveling magic that bound him to Kell. In silence, the queen sang an old lullaby, her voice trembling, refusing to mourn. And then – breath. A gasp, soft as a prayer. Rhy lived, not by miracle, but by the ferocious strength of the bond Kell had forged in blood and soul.

Osaron, denied possession of Kell, tore himself from Holland and slipped into Red London, a formless storm of ambition and fury. He whispered to magicians, offered them power without cost, magic without restraint. Many bent the knee. Those who didn’t, perished. Red London darkened. The palace trembled. The river turned violent. Osaron demanded worship, a god without mercy. And Holland, freed from his cage of flesh, staggered into Red London, begging for a second chance.

Trust was a fragile thing. Kell, still nursing wounds both fresh and old, resisted. But the truth rang too loud to ignore. Holland had suffered beneath the Dane twins, had bled for his dying city, had become the vessel of a god to save his home. He was not blameless, but he was not Osaron. The four – Kell, Lila, Rhy, and Holland – stood together, unwilling allies against an unstoppable force.

Osaron descended on the city like a storm, his voice a chorus, his will a tide. He swept through the streets, turning the people into husks, gifts of magic turning swiftly to curses. The sanctuary fell. The palace burned. The floating market crumbled into the river. Rhy, now king, refused to bow. His crown meant more than gold. It meant standing, even when all seemed lost.

They sought to trap Osaron, to cage a being of raw magic in a vessel of their own design. Elemental sigils were carved. Ancient rituals were invoked. But Osaron was not born of flesh. He was air and shadow, rage and hunger. He laughed at their efforts, shattering the fragile prison with ease. Hope faltered. Blood spilled. The city bled.

Lila, whose past had always been a mystery, stepped further into her power. Her eye, a shard of black glass, marked her as something more – something other. Not merely a magician, but Antari, born not made. She wielded steel and fire and chaos, but even her strength waned in the face of a god.

Then came the reckoning.

They built a box, forged of spells and will and sacrifice. To trap Osaron, one of them must hold the door from within. Holland stepped forward. His debt was deep. His sins heavy. This, he said, was his end and his beginning. He faced Osaron alone in the heart of darkness. The others watched as magic collapsed inward, a second sun swallowing the king of shadows.

The spell held. Osaron was caged. Holland, broken and bloodless, fell.

The silence after war is a heavy thing. Red London mourned. Streets once lit by celebration now bore scars. The king was crowned again, this time in truth. Rhy stood taller, shadows behind his eyes, wisdom in their place. Alucard stood beside him, not as consort, but as anchor.

Kell stood on the docks, coat whipping in the wind, the taste of salt and endings in the air. Lila stood at the helm of a ship, her compass pointing not north, but forward. She was a thief, a magician, and now, a pirate. She offered him a place beside her – not a promise, but a possibility.

He stepped forward, and the sails caught the wind.

Main Characters

• Kell Maresh – A red-haired Antari magician from Red London, Kell serves as the adopted prince and the linchpin of the world’s stability. Driven by guilt, loyalty, and love, Kell faces immense trials in A Conjuring of Light. Stripped of his magic at a critical moment, imprisoned and broken, he still fights to save his brother and his world. His internal struggle between duty and identity makes him a complex and compelling protagonist.
• Delilah Bard (Lila) – Once a thief in Grey London, now a powerful magician and would-be pirate, Lila embodies reckless bravery and fierce independence. Her growth is striking, especially as she steps fully into her powers as an Antari. She risks everything to save Kell and the world, embracing both love and magic with equal tenacity. Her unwavering courage anchors much of the novel’s emotional weight.
• Rhy Maresh – The charismatic prince of Arnes and heir to the throne, Rhy undergoes one of the most harrowing arcs. Bound to Kell by magic and sustained by it, Rhy dances constantly with death. His resurrection and the toll it takes on his mind and body reveal his resilience and depth, and his evolution from flirtatious royal to war-ready leader is powerfully rendered.
• Holland Vosijk – The Antari from White London, Holland is a tragic figure marked by trauma, loss, and a desperate desire to save his decaying world. Once an enemy, now a reluctant ally, Holland’s arc is one of painful redemption. He willingly offers himself to the shadow king Osaron in a bid to protect his world, making devastating sacrifices in the process. His complexity and layered motivations make him one of the trilogy’s most compelling characters.
• Osaron – A disembodied force of pure magic and malevolent will, Osaron seeks to consume and control all worlds. As the main antagonist, he offers a terrifying vision of unchecked power, manipulating and possessing others to achieve domination. Osaron is not just a villain but a reflection of what magic becomes without balance or soul.

Theme

• Power and Corruption – The novel explores how power, especially magical power, can both create and destroy. Through Osaron’s descent into tyranny and Kell’s restraint, Schwab contrasts different manifestations of power and its ethical use.
• Identity and Transformation – Every major character undergoes a profound transformation. Lila embraces her identity as an Antari, Kell grapples with what it means to be more than a tool of the crown, and Holland fights to reclaim control over himself. Their arcs are woven with questions about self-worth, choice, and destiny.
• Sacrifice and Redemption – Sacrifice forms the backbone of the narrative. Holland sacrifices his body and soul to save his London. Kell suffers physical and emotional torment for the safety of his brother. Rhy dies and returns, scarred by the cost of his life. Redemption is hard-won, especially for Holland, whose pain and atonement give his arc a haunting beauty.
• Love and Loyalty – Deep love—platonic, romantic, familial—binds the characters together. The bond between Kell and Rhy, the evolving romance between Kell and Lila, and even the rekindled affection between Rhy and Alucard Emery form emotional anchors in the face of chaos.
• Balance Between Worlds – The idea of harmony, both magical and political, is a core motif. The parallel Londons must coexist in balance, or risk falling into ruin. Osaron’s disruption underscores the delicate equilibrium necessary for survival.

Writing Style and Tone

V.E. Schwab’s prose in A Conjuring of Light is lyrical and cinematic, marked by visceral imagery, emotionally resonant dialogue, and sharp internal monologues. Her language weaves beauty into brutality, reflecting the world’s fractured magic and the inner turmoil of her characters. Action scenes are tightly written and swift, pulsing with urgency, while introspective moments delve into emotional intricacies with poetic finesse.

The tone of the novel oscillates between despair and hope, intimacy and epic scale. Schwab excels at layering scenes of personal agony against sweeping threats to nations and realms. Her narrative voice is confident and evocative, striking a balance between the fantastical and the deeply human. Whether through a whispered spell, a desperate kiss, or a dying prince’s breath, she makes every moment feel essential and alive.