V.E. Schwab Talks Writing Fantasy That Lights Up the World

V.E. Schwab’s first adult novel, Vicious, debuted to critical praise and reader accolades, and her Shades of Magic trilogy, which concludes today with A Conjuring of Light, gained a passionate fan following few books can hope to match. She is also the author of YA and middle grade novels, including the acclaimed The Near Witch. The Independent calls her “the natural successor to Diana Wynne Jones” with “…an enviable, almost Gaiman-esque ability to switch between styles, genres, and tones.” On the eve of her latest, momentous book release, we had a chance to sit down with her to pick her brain about writing, truth, and monsters.
Fantasy is often a way for a writer to illuminate a truth in our world–what truths are you hoping to illuminate with your writing?
Way to kick it off with a hard question, huh? I don’t ever sit down with a truth in mind. I usually learn it along the way. But I suppose one of the threads in my work is the idea that, more often than not, the world doesn’t hand you a path, you have to be willing to carve your own.

I’ve been to a few of your book events, and one of the topics that’s come up is the theme of all of your work—the idea of the monstrous. Can you tell our readers a little bit more about that?
Well, I’m fascinated by the idea of the monstrous, yes, but digging down, what really intrigues me is simply the other. The outsider. At the heart of every one of my stories are two kinds of outsides–those born into a society who don’t feel they fit, and those who enter a society and are told they don’t fit. I love the differences and similarities, the interplay between people and place, and the inherent tension that outsiders bring to a tale.
What inspired each of the Londons in the Shades of Magic series?
Instead of playing on the idea of totally disparate worlds, I wanted to play on the idea of different bodies crafted on the same bones. Grey London obviously needed to be rooted in reality, but Red London drew inspiration from Eastern Europe, while White London was inspired by the harsh climes of Scandinavia. I wanted to design worlds that were distinct, but inextricably tied, not only by those bones I mentioned, but by the presence of magic, though the philosophies differed in ways powerful enough to shape the worlds themselves.

You’ve published 12 novels in 6 years. Where have you hidden Hermione’s time turner, and may I borrow it? But seriously, how do you manage your time so well? Especially considering you were in graduate school for some of that time.
See, I’m not nearly as productive as most people think, but I do work almost constantly. There is no point at which I’m not working on a book, and it turns out you can be quite bad at managing time if you’re also incapable of not doing something. Or in my case, several somethings. I would simply be overwhelmed than under-worked.
How do you think the current political climate might influence your future work?
I mean, one of my recent books, This Savage Song, is all about a world in which violent acts start breeding monsters, and the Shades of Magic series has a strong political aspect, too, when it comes to abuses of power, so I think it’s safe to say that the current climate will always be on my mind when I work.
Some writers might find it difficult to be creative while mass protests are now the norm. What advice can you give to writers/creators on pushing through with their work when it might seem frivolous next to the strife others are experiencing?
Oh man, I’m certainly right there with them. These past several months have been a struggle for focus, but I try to remember that there is power in art, and that when I do not use my voice, when I let these trying circumstances silence me, I am the one who loses, not the forces I fight against. There is room in us for anger and action and art, and all are valid.

Returning to your recent master’s degree—I believe you said you focused on depictions of the monstrous in medieval art—if you were to teach a class on depictions of the monstrous in fantasy, sci-fi, and/or horror, what would be on your required reading list?
What a fabulous question. I would have to say Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Cat Valente’s Deathless, and Naomi Novik’s Uprooted.
And here are a few quick fill-in-the-blanks, just for fun:

Hogwarts House: Slytherin.
Favorite tea: English Breakfast.
Favorite place you’ve visited: Edinburgh, Scotland.
Which of your characters would you want to have tea with? Victor Vale or Rhy Maresh.
Who inspires you? Neil Gaiman.
A Conjuring of Light is available now in an exclusive signed edition from Barnes & Noble.