#tesali ranek

[purplebass]

shades of magic & threads of power color palettes

[happygirl2oo2]

And ofc I had to make one for the Threads crew as well x

[inspo]

[antaripirate]

[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.

[clockworkbee]

When Holly Black said, “It turns out that men have more authority, even when they're not real,” and V. E. Schwab said “apparently a man half in his cups still inspired more faith than a sharp-eyed girl who looked even younger than her age,” it really hit.

[ramblings-of-lola]

The way Tes and Alucard see magic in colors and textures is so interesting. I have synesthesia so I see music, words, and sounds in color and textures. When I first read Shades of Magic, I loved Alucard's ability to see the threads of magic in colors and textures because it was similar to how I see the world in a way. I was also really happy when Tes was introduced with having the same ability in Threads. I wonder if V.E. Schwab meant for the ability to represent synesthesia?

[mercurialskiies]

Threads of Power spoilers below the cut, but

———

Lila’s willingness to go so far just to get Kell’s magic in working order without causing him so much pain makes me so sad.

She doesn’t show it in the typical doting way, but it’s so obvious that watching Kell suffer the way he does PAINS her (to the point of threatening Tes to fix Kell’s magic).

And I understand why Kell doesn’t want to even risk Tes fixing his magic because of what could happen to Rhy if she fails.

Lila hates that he has a point and it irritates her because she just wants Kell happy ☹️

And what’s really funny is that it reminds me so much of this exchange from AGOS between Lila and Rhy

Because, in this regard, Kell and Lila (at least in the last seven years) are really similar.

Kellila my beloved ☹️☹️

[ghoulorghost]

I think there's a possibility that Kosika hasn't yet developed her own Magic.

She met Holland when she was 7 years old and hadn't yet showed any proficiency towards any of the Elements, which is late by the standards used in Red London, but not by the ones in White, considering the whole situation there. He chose her and tied his Magic to her, which makes me think that this whole process might've blocked her own developing ability, since she had no need for additional Magic.

Which brings me to five possibilities:

-she is the same way Rhy is, and doesn't have any Magic whatsoever;

-she has some Magical ability, but nothing special;

-she is actually an Antari, but hasn't had the time to grow into it;

-she has a similar talent to Tesali, in terms of Magic, which would end up connecting the two at some point in the trilogy;

-she has something not yet brought up in the series.

I feel like the moment she lets go of/loses Holland's Magic, she might develop her own or maybe the stress of something might end up triggering a new development in her.

[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.

[purplebass]

Each of the new younger female characters in Threads of Power is a fan of the original Antari trio and I think it's funny and could also be foreshadowing, I don't know Kosika admires Holland and she is dedicating her life to accomplishing what he couldn't do. Tes' owl has a black eye and a blue eye and is called Vares after Kell. Ren is enamored with how Lila uses her magic and seems to hang on her every word.

[antaripirate]

I think there’s something really powerful about the way Tes thinks of Kell…

About the way she never sees him as anything other than a person. The way she has to actively force herself to think of him as an object in her shop when she tries to fix him.

Kell has spent his whole life being seen as something to be used. An object. A weapon.

His birth parents saw him as something to be sold - he was simply a currency used to remove a pair of limiters.

His adoptive parents saw him as something to be wielded - he was the prince’s protector, and then his life force. He was a way of communicating between worlds. A symbol of power for Vesk and Faro to see.

Aside from Rhy and Lila, no one had ever seen him for himself.

And then we meet Tes, who clearly has some form of admiration for Kell - having named her bird after him - and she can touch the threads of magic. Manipulate them. And yet she never once sees Kell as just his magic. Never sees him as a test subject or a source of magic to tinker with, despite the fact that of any magic she could ever touch or handle, the type he possesses is the most rare, the most unique.

I think the fact that she always sees him as a person, more than she sees him as an antari is really important.

She wants to help him because she can see he’s hurting, can see he’s broken, but refuses to reduce him to something to be tinkered with. And even after copious threats from Lila, who wants nothing more than for Kell to just be ok again, and being asked by the King, and seeing what she was really capable of, she still has to force herself to see him as anything other than a person.

I just think it’s really powerful when you consider how he’s been treated his whole life by literally everyone but his partner and his brother.

Tes, Lila, and Rhy always see Kell as Kell. Magic or no magic. He is a person, and not something to be used or exchanged for personal gain.

[typingwithmyhandstied]

TESALI RANEK. send post. done.

[purplebass]

Lila and interactions with animals

Lila being afraid to ride a horse in acol will always amuse me. It's an interesting quirk which reveals more about her character and her trust issues. Animals, unlike people, are unpredictable. She doesn't trust people, how can she trust a horse she can't even control? She didn't even pretend to know how to ride because she knew that the odds that she would lose control and fall were high, and she valued her life too much to even attempt it. She could have gone by foot, but if she did, she'd be left behind, and the situation in that part of the story didn't allow Lila to be picky. So she got on the horse with Kell and trusted him because he was an expert rider, unlike her. And he probably felt her discomfort and tried to offer his support, which was nice.

Another instance where Lila seems uncomfortable with animals is in tftop, when she finds Tes' dead owl Vares and asks what is it. She yelps when the owl comes to life, because she didn't expect it to be "alive". Lila mistrusted Tes as well, and her older sister calls her "little rabbit," which is symbolic of how Tes is a bit of a threat to Lila as well but also the only one who could help them. Ren also has a pet rabbit and Lila creates a little rabbit figure when she shows her magic tricks. It all comes back full circle because after Tes fixes Kell's magic, the first thing he sees it's Ren's rabbit Miros, which again is possible because Tes the "little rabbit" fixed him like she fixed Vares. Rabbits mean fertility and new beginnings so it fits.

Lastly... cats. Lila and Esa don't seem to like each other and she often thinks the cat is glaring at her. Lila is often compared to cats throughout the story, because cats represent mystery, cunning and independence and are also considered sacred and linked to magic. I think Esa might've been a hint about Lila being aven in agos, so the cat perceived her being special just like Alucard could see the silver threads before she even knew she was antari. In tftop, Lila and Esa continue to regard each other warily but you can see that there is a certain degree of distance between them, as the cat is protective of Ren and of course, her fathers. It's like they don't like each other much, yet there is mutual respect because they have the same goal (Lila also cares about Ren's well being).

As usual, if you have any thoughts, please share <3

[typingwithmyhandstied]

fragile threads of power spoilers maybe? also I have 120ish pages left so no spoilers

I want to give Tes a really big hug and place a kiss on the top of her head. I love her so much.

[purplebass]

I agree that Holland is mega sus! Kosika's trust is instantaneous and though she comes off quite maturely - she is still a child and has this quite romanticised view of him. What will rekindling the fire do? Although part of me hopes they are successful - i'm rereading ADSOM and even that brings up the lack of balance between the worlds. I think Black London is such a cool concept and i'd love to see more of it. How can they prevent a repetition of Black London's fall once the gates are opened? What will that mean for Antari?

I also really like your idea of Kell and Lila's link, a more organic version of the sharing of power. Perhaps reflecting their relationship too, Schwab is setting up this need on Kell's part to be explicitly told that Lila loves him. A balancing of power and also expectations.

I do wonder about Tes though, it seems she'll reinforce the wards - and make the better, so will it be easy for someone to steal her? Although, she does give us a closer view into what Maris has going on. An opportunity to know her backstory. And i agree we're definitely seeing Serival.

Bex and Calin feel like they've been put on a bus, it'll be interesting to wonder where the portal to *nowhere* is. Last time someone got yeeted through a portal, they came back alive so!

Another reply under the cut because of spoilers lol (sorry again for the length but when I start to ramble about things I like no one can stop me... XD) I've divided it in paragraphs with titles so the navigation is easier lol

-> Kosika/Holland... and the parallels with Kell/Rhy

Yes, Kosika is a loose cannon imo. Quiet but powerful. While she seems to listen to what "Holland" says, she's in that phase of life when she is curious about the world. Maybe he pretends to act all "Kosika don't do this" but it is just his way to push her to do things because he sees that while she is loyal, she is also tempted.

I don't know why, but Kosika reminds me so much of how Kell behaved in ADSOM before he met Lila. A loyal dog until he met someone who made him realize that he could be/do whatever the heck he wanted. In fact Kell has his rebellion at the end of AGOS - maybe that's what will happen with Kosika in Threads #2? Funny that their name also starts with the letter "K": hint?

Going back to "Holland", I've also noticed how he's theoretically "acting" thanks to Kosika. And to keep the parallels with ADSOM and with Kell, don't you think he is behaving like the black stone? I mean the way the black stone influenced Kell. So it might reinforce the idea that "Holland" isn't the real Holland but a presence that comes from Black London, maybe. Because the stone was the reason the og Holland survived at the end of ADSOM. Maybe that's how the real "Holland" could survive and give his power to Kosika. Because it was something inside of him that corrupted the order (since Kosika shouldn't have been Antari, if magic could chose).

I've realized they have the same "bond" Rhy and Kell have: "Holland" (and his power) is "alive" only because Kosika is alive, just like Rhy is "alive" because Kell is alive. Maybe by killing Kosika, "Holland" and whatever is attached to him, will die... or even the opposite. By killing Kosika, "Holland" may be revived, but he needs to make White London powerful again. It would be a problem for "Holland" if Kosika loses her loyalty to him.

-> How can they prevent a repetition of Black London's fall once the gates are opened? What will that mean for Antari?

These are interesting questions and I think we may find the answer in the past. I believe that the only way to prevent the repetition is not to be tempted by the black magic. Resistance? Even if it seems silly, it's also a parallel to ADSOM (when Kell/Lila have the black stone and they are tempted but they try to resist) or ACOL (when Osaron tries to possess people and they fought the darkness). Maybe this darkness will be too strong and it may change Antari's existence for good. I wonder if Lila "losing" her powers when she was kidnapped and Kell "losing" his powers after (when they had to close the door) could be foreshadowing of a future where they might have to use all their power to fight the dark from Black London and all of this may change the world forever. Maybe everyone will lose their magic or maybe they will lose their Antari status? Because it's a blessing/curse. As if magic chose the people who became Antari and "knew" they could fight the duality of what that status entitles. Perhaps that's why the black eye? Antari have great power that, in the wrong hands, could be used to destroy (much like happened in TFTOP with Berras) instead of being positive/blessed people the people could "venerate" (pass me the term lmao) as examples on how to handle magic and use it ad an advantage and not a way to hurt others. Examples on how magic should be handled with care and again, not abused. The keyword is always balance. lmao. The whole "from great powers come great responsibilities" bla bla bla. Oh, and this reminds me that we will probably see Nero the bone magician again. He might be related to someone at court. He knew about Tes and her special power so he might've become her friend but maybe he wanted to betray her. I don't know.

-> The link between Kell and Lila and Kell wanting to know her feelings

Yeah. I've wanted this for so long. I remember the first time I read the trilogy I was a little sad that none of them says the three words even if it's clear they feel them (and Kell repeats it more than once). I told myself "it's more realistic this way," and I still think it is. Love is not just expressed with words but also with actions and we see that during those seven years of flashbacks. However... I see how a character who fears abandonment like Kell just wants to hear those words (and I do too lol) even though he KNOWS she loves him. He could've told her first, yes, but I think he is scared that would scare her and she might act impulsively or worse. She may run away. Kell has shit self esteem, he probably believes that Lila would survive without him, so he tries to protect himself by not confessing (even though Lila knows). So he wants her to confess first, maybe. It would be safer if she does, for him, too, to confess. She panicked when he wanted to give her the ring that was just a ring, so that's why he's having cold feet. However, the ring issue was solved. Now Lila is wearing the ring and that is a step ahead in their relationship. And Kell is whole and fixed, so it's another solved "issue". Lila has her own ways to show love, and it's not with words. She finds it difficult to open up and she does have an avoidant personality when it comes to emotions. I've noticed that Lila cries when she can't keep her feelings inside anymore. Crying is her emotional response to near death/death experiences, because death/being unresponsive is a point of no return. No way to express what she feels to those people. She cries when Barron died (her father figure). She cries when Calla died (her mother figure). She cries when she almost dies in ACOL. She cries when Kell's magic is severely damaged and he is in pain. So all of this to say that... there are the grounds to say that after the events of Threads, Kell and Lila are more connected emotionally, thus we are on the way to a confession. No idea if it will happen in Threads #2 (bc I think they'll have to face other things first) but surely in Threads #3.

-> Tes

I think Tes is just like Kosika. They are both promising characters, and Tes is surely good at what she does, but she is still a teenager. We see how she is easily manipulated sometimes (even though, to her credit, she is witty) but she's only 15 so it makes sense.

-> Bex and Calin

This is something I forgot to say in the previous ask. I'm so curious about them, because they might've ended up to Black London! Maybe that's where Tes opened the portal, but she was unaware. I liked their dynamic and they can become the kind of characters who are on the villain's side that decide to come to the heroes' side and still manage to be morally grey. One thing I liked about this book was that there were more female characters than ADSOM, so I'd love to see more dynamics between Bex and Lila. I believe they'd get along well lol

Also - so sorry for the length! But as you can see I love talking about this so you can send more questions if you want :)

[purplebass]

What are your predictions for Threads of Power #2 & #3??

Hi anon :) let's see if my thoughts are coherent because every time I rethink about something Threads related, I get a new idea haha I will try to guess from a critical point and I'll try to be general. If you want to know about a specific character(s) ask away! It's a bit long so I'll write it under a read more - SPOILERS for those who haven't read Threads of Power, ofc.

Berras' death restored the original order, just like, at the end of ADSOM, the Dane twins are dead and Holland is believed to be dying when he's sent to Black London. We all know Berras is a red herring, just like the Dane twins might've been. They're not the real "head", just hands. The real "head" in ADSOM was Osaron when he possessed Holland, so we might have something like this here, because I believe that the Holland we see in Threads isn't the real Holland, but just an illusion created in order to be trusted because of his previous role in White London. It is likely that the Hand might be tied to both Red and White, in a way. So likewise at the end of ADSOM, everyone is probably going to believe they have it under control. Until...

Ezril is on the side of the Hand but she might not be the Hand. She's from the third family in line for the throne (her motive to support the Hand), and she's hiding under the perfect cover of the palace and she also built trust with Rhy. I believe she might lay low in Threads #2 (the second book is often a filler) and something might happen during the celebration they've waited for so long. They might think they can do it because Berras is dead and everything is quiet, but I think something important is going to happen there. Ezril might even try to seduce Rhy (parallel with Cora) because she thinks that she might break his family with betrayal. She probably knows that Alucard was uncomfortable because of Nadiya, so she might try to break the royal family from the inside. I also believe she might use the help of the Veskan prince who is living at the palace after ACOL. She might want to fuel his revenge against the royal family as well, and no one would expect it. So Threads #2 may end with a bang but it will mostly be "quiet" imo, since it might be a filler book with a main storyline that would distract the reader and surprise them when they least expect it.

I'm a firm believer that someone is going to find Tes and kidnap her from Maris' ship. Connecting to the previous point, I imagine that Ezril, as the Aven Essen, knows that Tes has a special power and she might use this info to her advantage. Taking Tes to Maris was smart, it's a better place to hide than the palace, but how safe? It can still be reached by patrons who know where it is and considering Tes' rare power, she is special. Let's not forget that Tes has a sister who deals with rarities and I bet we will see her again in Threads #2 and she might work for the Hand. After all, the Hand knows what they will have to face to get rid of the royal family: not only they would have to kill Kell to kill Rhy, but they would also have to defeat Lila and Alucard who might not be an Antari but is very powerful nonetheless. It's not an easy feat so the Hand will may streak deals with anybody who is willing, even the dark side. Maybe they wanted the persalis to call on forces from other worlds. I have no idea if they know about Kosika. So far, only Lila knows, but maybe somebody else had a persalis and they went to White London just like Tes did when she first tried the thing. The Hand might also be Holland's ghost. Like I said above, I don't believe he's the real Holland, just someone who took on his appearances so that Kosika would trust him. Don't you find it suspicious that he doesn't want Kosika to go to the other Londons? I also believe the power Kosika is using to make White London flourish may come from Red and Black, and that's why it seems like there's a tip in power in Red London.

I believe Lila giving a thread of her magic to Kell will be important in Threads #3 aka when things will fall apart in Red London and they might have to fight for real when they find out who their enemy is. It might act like the infamous three rings they used in ACOL because they're mentioned more than once. They are in Nadiya's workshop after all! They would not be negative like the golden bands she created where one took all the power from the other so the power relationship was unbalanced. On the other hand, since this series emphasizes on the concept of EQUILIBRIUM and BALANCE so much, this might positively affect them in the way that Lila's thread in Kell binds their powers in a way that they can "share" them just like they did when they used the rings in ACOL. They might find out randomly but it won't be easy because they'll have to match each other so that the other person won't have a power unbalance. Again, it all comes back to balance, and something like this would echo so hard what happened to Kell in ACOL, but unlike then, it won't have a negative outcome. If any, it will be a way to strengthen their relationship on the magical side as well. During the seven years after ACOL, Lila was decidedly more powerful than Kell in the magic sense (bc his magic was broken hence he couldn't give his full potential) but Kell gained power in the other side, the physical, so he matched up Lila but they weren't still "equals" when it came to power. The end of Threads #1 restored Kell's magical power so he is now once again balanced with Lila and this imo will be a key point to defeat whatever is trying to sabotage their London.

Sorry lol this was long and I have more things to say but I can't write anymore right now so feel free to send me detailed asks about someone you're curious about :)