#adsom spoilers

[untolduttering]

It absolutely kills me to think of this, but now that it’s taken root, it will not leave: I believe that there was a true gentleness Holland. One that he could never act on, indulge in, and one that was foreign even to himself.

Because why are you, in death, seeing your attempted murderers on the other side, and hoping that they are truly there? He doesn’t see them like that, no, he sees his brother and his lover, and although I doubt he truly forgave them, it’s clear he understands them. He regrets killing them. But he lives a life of necessity and knows what desperation does to a person. All he wanted was that mundane life, one as a younger brother, as a husband. Even taking his role as knight was a step toward the simple life he wanted. He never wanted for power, to be king. And he knew that magic was at the root of all of it. They would not have tried to carve his heart out of his chest if they were not suffering for more, if he were not a blessed man. If those damned doors weren’t shut and White London left to die.

And so of course he wants them waiting on the other side, because he knew and loved them for who they were, and not what desperation made them into. What circumstance made them into. Because he certainly becomes familiar with circumstance making a reluctant monster of someone; the Danes made sure of that.

It’s also interesting to compare the gentleness of all three Antari. There’s not a gentle bone in Lila, Kell is, almost painfully so at times, and Holland had some even though everyone tried to rip it from him. You don’t keep count and memorize the face of every person you killed if you’re not. Lila is a great example of that. And you don’t believe in a someday king and do everything you can to save your world without it.

There were just so many moments were he could have become a truly vile person and he just didn’t. Why? There probably a lot of reasons that had more weight, but I think gentleness might have to do with it.

[vagorsol]

a story in two parts.

[shouldprobablybereading]

halfway-ish through threads of power, documenting my thoughts because I hope they change.

overall feeling so far is sadly quite meh, like I enjoy it but it's not nearly as exiting to read as the previous in the series.

it's the typical fantasy curse where you get a bit too many plotlines so it takes way too long between character chapters. I'm almost 300 pages and the plot has just barely started.

I also don't think most of the flashbacks so far where necessary, this coming from someone who adores flashbacks. Especially the kell and lila ones give me a similar feeling to the alucard novella, which is that they just do exactly what was eluded to in the regular chapters in the exact way i would have predicted anyway. You can just say "since kell doesn't have powers lila taught him how to use knives/swords", that was really obvious and I did not need multiple chapters of them sparring to communicate that. They worked really well when introducing the new characters tho, especially nadia, so I don't think they shouln't be there at all I just think more editing was needed. Also in general when catching up with characters through flashbacks I really prefer it to be big stuff, like rhy introducing ren to kell and lila for the first time or tierens death (which we did kinda get but only with rhys feelings).

I also hope lila will have a little more character develpment before the book ends, I never had issues with her in the original series the way most do but that's in big part because she was a teenager and it felt kinda fitting then. That same behavior gets tired really fast coming from what is supposed to be an adult woman.

to end on a good note tho (I promise I do actually like the book), the new characters are really interesting and I enjoy them so far. Especially tes powers are really cool, I was a bit scared she would feel too overpowered but it feels very even so far. I also don't like holland so I was scared of kosikas plot being too much about him, but she really stands well on her own. The situation with nadia seems a little too perfect for everyone involved, but I love her relationship with rhy and alucard so I don't really care.

[ramblings-of-lola]

I love the iconic Lila Bard, she's just so awesome and confident. Of course she can singlehandedly take down a vicious pirate crew in a land she's not from, she's Lila Bard. Of course she can compete in a tournament in the same country when she hasn't mastered her magic yet, and keep winning the rounds, she's Lila Bard.

[pocket-goose]

thinking abt lenos and hastra rn.

[resentful-reads]

A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

[wtf-is-a-frog]

[shrews-art]

Pain reminds us that we are alive or something I guess

[crookedcrowclub]

this entire scene fucking hell 😮‍💨 right before he eats her out

[purplebass]

2023 books - the fragile threads of power by v.e. schwab A thing taken by force would always be a pale shadow of something given freely.

[untolduttering]

“How does it feel?” he asked. “To know you’re not the best at something? That there’s someone out there who can actually put that power to good use?”

Alucard glared at Kell. It was worth opening his eyes for that. It made him feel just the slightest bit better.

Kell. Kell you absolute bitch, there was no need, that isn’t the topic at hand. And to say it just to make yourself feel just barely better, only momentarily???

God I love him for that. Just tearing into someone for the sake of it. He sounds like a petulant little brat and I’m living for it. Do it again.

[starsailores]

whatever you do, don't think about how the synopsis for a conjuring of light describes holland as 'a fallen hero desperate to save a dying world'. don't think about how the only thing he ever wanted out of life was the opportunity to protect his home, and make it whole again; he never wanted to hurt anyone, and so he remembers every single life he ended.

don't think about how, when he was finally able to bring life back to white london, he was still unable to truly enjoy it, or feel at peace, because he sacrificed his body and soul for his home. because using his body as a prison for osaron, an oshoc constantly vying for control over holland's mind, was a worthy price to pay.

don't think about how, ultimately, holland had to die to achieve his only dream. and he died a hero.

[ghoulorghost]

I have an inkling possession is going to make an appearance in the next two books. Specifically Kosika being possessed by Holland's supposed ghost.

Also the idea that she has his magic seems to be a lie to me, to keep her compliant with whatever comes next. If she was chosen that obviously means she was done a favor, so she's virtually indebted to him and White London, and she'll be obligated to follow, no matter what he asks of her. I feel like she's being manipulated, her belief in the Saint and the respect she has for him being weaponized against her.

That's why it seems to me that the apparition is just someone masquerading as the real Holland. And the piece of dialogue about bringing something back from Black London? I think she already did, just nothing solid.

And the mention of the pull the magic in the Inheritor has over Tesali, Osaron attempting to grab at people even when sealed away, makes me theorise Kosika might have pulled on that magic when she tried to grow the plants in the courtyard and consequently fell ill for a week. Some part of him might have latched onto her, and activated the moment she made contact with Black London. He is sealed away together with the magic Holland lost so maybe he cloaks himself in that? Pretends to be someone that he is not? Puppeteering what's left of Holland in this realm?

And rekindling the magic in Black London sounds like a trick.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

[shouldprobablybereading]

Did they retcon this as the reason rhy is an only child? Because in acol it says that maxim wanted more children but emira didn’t and was too scared to go through another pregnancy. Which implies they had a choice

Either way it’s a stupid rule for a royal family, they clearly die like flies since neither nokil or maxim are around for their grandchildren, hell rhy has died multiple times already

[typingwithmyhandstied]

Tes's characterization, storyline, and backstory has parallels and similarities to almost every other major character in The Fragile Threads of Power. (CONTAINS SPOILERS)

Kell: Kell's parents traded him in for his powers. That's probably very similar to what Tes's father would have done to her if she hadn't gotten away. Both Kell and Tes want to be viewed as a human being and something beyond their powers. Neither really are. Both feel like people look at them and see their power not a person. They also seem to both have the urge to hide it as a means to not be viewed that way.

Lila: Lila's father sold her to pay off his debts. Tes fears---or really knows---that if her father knew her power, he would try to do something similar. He made use of all her sisters in similar ways. Both Tes and Lila had to leave and fend for themselves on their own because of this. They just did so in different ways.

Alucard: There's the very obvious fact that both Alucard and Tes can see the threads of magic, but both of them also have a bad relationship with their siblings. Obviously not exactly the same, but it is still very reminicent of the other.

Rhy: Tes and Rhy seem to share the same core goodness. Both of them are the kind of characters who don't seem to believe that their survival is anymore important than anyone elses.

Nadiya: Tes and Nadiya are both inventors to a certain extent.

Kosika: They are the two youngest characters. Kosika also had a parental figure that was ready to sell her for her potential power (maybe that is really just the repeated pattern throughout the books). Both were also thrust into a situation where they had a lot of independence at a young age.

Holland: He's the only character I can't really think of anything for.