I have found the Holy Grail of fantasy authors, and not enough people are talking about her. After picking up "A Gathering of Shadows" last year, Victoria Schwab quickly became one of my all-time favorite authors, and this woman does not get enough appreciation, in my opinion. In honor of the release of her final book in the "Shades of Magic" trilogy last week, I only found it fitting to make sure more people hear about someone who has helped me love reading even more.
Of course, as the utterly unbiased writer that I am, I feel the need to tell you that if you have not read anything by Victoria Schwab, you are missing out on all the important parts of life, and unless you start reading right now, your life will quite possibly amount to nothing.
Too much? Still not convinced? Well, let me give you some reasons why Victoria Schwab is worth a trip to the bookstore or library.
1. There is something for everyone
The great thing about Schwab is that she has published middle grade, young adult and adult books. There is honestly something for every fantasy loving age group. She’s also made it simple to determine what you’re looking for. If the author is listed as Victoria Schwab, it’s either young adult or middle grade, while her adult series is under V.E. Schwab. Still, I've read almost all of her books, and as a 25-year-old I've loved them all. She has a way of creating something for everyone.
2. Plot with a purpose
If there is anything that makes me put a book down and stop reading, it’s an excessive amount of unneeded information that makes a plot boring. Schwab is an expert in fast paced and engaging storytelling, making every line of dialogue or storytelling have a purpose, to move the plot forward. There are no boredom moments or waiting around for the next bit of excitement. Every word is used to inform, entice and build the story to the very end.
3. Unique storylines
As a young adult reader, it’s hard to get passed every book that feels just like "Divergent" or "The Hunger Games." Yet, Schwab is far from typical. As I’ll explain in a second, her combination of world building and her ability to push romance aside gives her a one up on every other young adult, and even adult, book. There’s no dystopian, special snowflake, romance story. But you can definitely expect imperfect characters, tons of action, and worlds you’ve never seen before.
4. Killer world building
If there is anything Schwab was born to do, it’s world building. "The Shades of Magic" series features four different versions of London, each parallel world differing only in how it interacts with magic. Our main character, Kell, is one of the only people who can travel between these worlds, which ends up causing a great deal of trouble.
Then there is the world of Verity in Schwab's "This Savage Song" (Monsters of Verity #1). In the inner ring of the city, the wealthy pay for protection from monsters that are created from crime. While on the outskirts of the city, some monsters and men are willing to fight side by side to bring peace to Verity.
I can promise you that in any book you pick up by Schwab, you won’t find another world like it. She always creates something unique and new, breaking the redundant dystopian/romance cycle.
5. Romance takes a backseat to action
You can read an entire book by Victoria Schwab and only get a hint of something budding between characters if even that. Schwab has destroyed the notion that a book can only survive with a love story woven into its plot. Yes, Schwab does provide some couples to ship, but her focus is always on the plot, and romance is definitely not the focus of her stories. She would much rather have fight scenes than make out sessions and I love her for it.
6. She is the Queen of villains
Victoria Schwab has a unique way of making you feel something for her villains. You absolutely love to hate them. In her book "Vicious" there aren’t even good guys, the characters are all villains! In "Shades of Magic" our villain is evil without having a choice, and the ones that do have a choice are dark and ruthless. It’s hard to hate the villains because they are so bad it’s good.
7. Badass female characters
Who doesn’t love a story with some really killer female leads? "Shades of Magic" features my spirit animal and all time favorite character Delilah Bard. She’s a thief, a murderer, a wanna-be pirate and so much more. Kate Harker from "This Savage Song" is just as ruthless and cunning as her heartless father. Her characters, both male and female, are far from perfect. And her female leads are far from weak. They are strong, independent and willing to do whatever it takes to survive.
8. There is more to love than just her books
Schwab is amazing, apart from just her books. I’ve had the privilege of hearing her speak, and she’s genuine when it comes to her writing. She makes it a point to let aspiring writers know how hard life can actually be as a writer, and that being an author is far from glamorous. She carries this over to Twitter, where she documents the process of her writing and editing in a hilarious, and almost sad, way. As an aspiring fantasy writer, I appreciate her honesty on the writing process. And as a reader, I appreciate her way of creating something far from typical.
