A Darker Shade of Magic: A Novel (Shades of Magic)

This is an excellently dark story butt not my cup of tea. I can't read fantasy gothic novels if they lack an regular element of delight or humour and this book is consistently distressed. Unlike gaiman novels or many others, it was too unrelenting, too much one side of life,I couldn't read it.

This author italicizes words on nearly every page of this book, which is extremely annoying and distracting. For that reason I will not be ordering the next book in the series, even though the basic story line was ok.

Review not reflection of authors work.

Great book so far... right as I was getting into it, my book jumps from page 160 to 193! Sadly I’m missing out on this little chunk of the book, so I have no idea what happened there... they weren’t ripped out or anything - the pages simply weren’t put in. I bought it last year and just got around to reading it. Bummer.

Cool premise wasted on a bad story and poor characters. Lyla and Kell (especially Lila) are unlikable. The writing style is decent but Lila killed the story for me. In an attempt to make her the strong female character, she was impulsive and made stupid decisions to prove her bravery

Feedback from a fan of Schwab's work lead me to update my review:

This book will look great on your shelf but that's about it. Pass this one up, or keep it for the cover art like I did

- You won't care about the characters
- You'll never really get a sense of uniqueness from the multiple worlds, despite their overwrought 'differences'
- You'll be annoyed by the protagonist, who is (intentionally?) presented as a Mary Sue, but doesn't actually fare that well when challenged
- You'll notice the similarity to LoTR's "power corrupts" themes and wonder if there's any fantasy story without that theme in it
- You will wish that you had been reading something else when none of the issues are addressed and the plot goes deus ex machina on you
- You'll ultimately console yourself with the fact that book is very pleasing to the eye and leave it on your shelf as a reminder to leave juvenile fiction alone

Ok but let's have some fun here instead of just being a gripe. Here are some suggestions for how it could have been better. (lots of spoilers)
- Introduce quotes about magic at the beginning of every book or chapter to flesh out the lore a little (there is one at the front of the book and I wish that there were more) because Kell doesn't give us much to go on
- Actually have Kell go to Black London, even if it's very brief, and when Kell is there have him change somehow
- Get a little more magical realism with the alternate Londons. I wanted to see some weird stuff going on that we would have been astonished to see, and instead we had the magical party city (red) and the druggie zombie soviet russie city (white).
- Allow for more dialogue regarding red london's 'betrayal' of white and make that more important to the resolution of the plot
- Save the 'reveal' of Lila's eye for the next book so that there's only the one mention of it by Kell. That way, when Lila is inevitably revealed as having some connection to magic (even if she's not Antari) it will be more of a hint instead of a heavy blow over the head with a mallet
- Figure out a better way to deal with the magic. A one-word spell was very anti-climactic and was my least favorite part of the plot. If Kell had had to spend time searching for old scrolls and finally found something that gives him the insight to fight the magic then maybe it would have been ok. Instead he just bombs around like an idiot for the whole book, then suddenly realizes it. Part of this is how it felt like Phantom Menace where all the droids suddenly turn off as soon as the control ship is done in. Maybe it's just me, but that was fun as a kid and since then has always felt like a cop-out solution to facing a more numerous enemy.

Not worth the read. If you're used to beautifully descriptive and concise writing, this is not the novel for you; Schwab style is childlike, inserting redundant description and remarks into every sentence. With a proper editor, this verbose novel could've easily be reduced to two-thirds its length; or kept at its current length but included more moving language. The plot is fairly boring and predictable, its characters are archetypal, and the description of everything feels typical of any lay imagination. If this had been Schwab's first novel, I doubt any publisher would have let it see the light of day. Truly uninspired.

It would make a nice fairy-tale if the author wouldn't feel the necessity of adding a couple of poorly-written sex scenes. Definitely doesn't live up to its genre: the characters and their actions are way too plain to be an adult book. Mediocre plot, really nice setting.

This is, by far, one of the most hyped books I have on my shelves, which is something that would normally scare me off. However, this book beyond lived up to the hype. It promised action, thrilling adventures through parallel worlds, and of course, plenty of magic. Victoria Schwab once again proves herself to be one of the most brilliant and talented writers out there. She is resourceful and exceedingly unique in every detail that she writes. Between her beautiful writing, intricate descriptions, and skilled characterization, she has created a vivid and heart-pounding journey through the magic of London.

In this novel, we follow two main characters—a traveler named Kell and a thief named Delilah “Lila” Bard. Kell, hailing from Red London, is an Antari (one of two) who possess potent blood magic that allows him to cross through the doors between each of the three Londons—the regal and magical Red London, the dimmed and magic-less Grey London, and White London, rendered colorless and menacing by its abuse of magic.

Red London lives in harmony with its magic, respecting it as much as it does them. White London sees it as something to be controlled, turning it into something ugly and terrifying. However, this pales in comparison to the magic of Black London, the world that has been locked away, hidden and mute—that is, until a remaining piece of it’s dark past, in the form of a stone, unexpectedly falls into the hands of Kell. The only remnants of a history preferred to be forgotten, it sets off a chain of horrible events as Kell struggles to contain it and return it to its proper place, even if that means sacrificing himself in the process.

Along the way, he obtains an unusual companion, the tough and courageous Lila Bard, who becomes involved after she pickpockets the Black London stone off of Kell when they encounter each other in the streets of Grey London. Always seeking adventure, she forces Kell to take her along on his journey to return the stone and save the three remaining Londons from this all-consuming dark force. What starts for Kell as a reluctant pairing turns into a surprisingly strong partnership as they navigate treacherous obstacles on their quest.

Despite the complexity involved in the unique details of the various Londons, not once in this entire novel is it difficult to understand, nor will it leave the reader feeling lost. Schwab depicts each setting with such care and skill, sweeping her readers into the worlds. Rather than giving an information dump of all the necessary facts, she shows the reader by pulling them straight into the action, conjuring a clear picture through descriptions and tone. Not only is it easy to imagine what every feature of this narrative looks like, she also evokes the specific feelings of each setting in the reader.

One of the aspects of this novel that first caught my attention was how unique it sounded. I’ve read a lot of fantasy books and this one was unlike any I have encountered before. This is due in part to the highly unique magic system that is primarily demonstrated through our main character, Kell. The power of blood magic is a unique and intriguing system that I have not come across in any form before. That, combined with the specific language used by the Antari to conjure the power, had me completely hooked. It was—no pun intended—absolutely spellbinding.

This book was absolutely action-packed. The fight scenes were epic, magic-filled battles, featuring struggles involving both the characters that are advantageously powerful and the characters that fight simply using the strength and willpower they have inside them. I was fully caught up in every second, tearing through page after page.

Schwab is known for writing very character driven novels, and this one was no exception. From the very start, I completely fell in love with the characters she created for this story. Kell is an incredibly brave and selfless hero. He is willing to sacrifice himself to protect the three worlds and all those in them. Lila is headstrong and sassy; she is a skilled thief that has a certain distinctively human magic about her. Hilarious and strong-willed, she has definitely become one of my favorite female literary heroines.

As always, Schwab makes her characters vivid, realistic, and three-dimensional—loveable for both their strengths and their weaknesses. Kell and Lila together are one of the best pairings I have ever come across in literature. They are two halves of one amazing whole. Even the characters that lingered at the edges of the main plot were as equally three-dimensional as the protagonists.

The writing in this novel was absolutely enchanting. Schwab has a natural talent for weaving a complex storyline into a fluid narrative that easily carries her readers from page to page. The detailed world building and fleshing out of her characters are some of the most breathtaking elements of the story. She builds each world, each setting, right up around the reader, clearly defines the class system of the various Londons, and pulls the reader alongside Kell and Lila in their adventures. It is as if you are standing right in the middle of things, feeling the pull of the magic, which is both bright and foreboding.

At this point, I think the fact that I completely and utterly fell in love with this novel is fairly clear. This is basically the epitome of my literary-loving heart and soul. I would very highly recommend this story to everyone, especially if you love magic, parallel worlds, and magnificent writing. Victoria Schwab has an unbelievable amount of natural talent, and is a superb figure in the current literary world. There is no cliffhanger ending for this novel, but it will still leave you craving further installments.

3 stars

“I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”

A Darker Shade of Magic is a book I've seen around a lot, and now that the third book is out I thought I would give it a shot. The fantasy genre is my first love, even though I review more romance and YA now. I found myself homesick for a wonderful fantasy novel and decided to give this one a chance. I enjoyed it, but something in it just didn't quite click with me and I cannot put my finger on what it is.

In this book, there are 4 Londons. Grey, Red, White and Black. Kell has the ability to travel to 3 of them, since Black London has been forever cut off. Grey is closest to our real one, but 200 years ago. the other ones are more magically influenced. Kell is an ambassador of sorts, but what he also is, is a smuggler. One day, Kell gets himself into something way bigger than himself, and he's the only one who can set it right.

“Sure I do,” countered Lila cheerfully. “There’s Dull London, Kell London, Creepy London, and Dead London,” she recited, ticking them off on her fingers. “See? I’m a fast learner.”

This book is a fast and easy read, the writing flows really well. For some reason tho, I really didn't connect with it and I don't know why. I liked the characters, and the setting. But the plot seemed like one long exposition, setting things up for a future book and not really focusing on this one. I don't know if that makes any sense.

I can see why readers love this book, it's definitely a unique and original story and a great contribution to the fantasy genre. I just failed to connect personally to this book and probably won't read the others in the series.

“You know so little of war. Battles may be fought from the outside in, but wars are won from the inside out.”

4.5/5 Stars

This review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

I really don't know how to put my thoughts into words right now. This book was amazing! I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have high expectations going into this one, what with all the hype surrounding this series. There is such high praise for it, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I think that the hype, in the end, kind of tainted my expectations a bit. Don't get me wrong because I loved this book. But I feel that without all the heightened expectations I may have enjoyed this book more.

Expectations aside, this is one fantasy world that you won't want to miss out on experiencing, that's for sure. The world building in this is phenomenal! It was so atmospheric and complex. The magic system in this book is very distinct and alive and interesting. I am still in awe of Schwab's flawless, imaginative world. I very much loved the way that fantasy was woven into history to create this unbelievable world.

I think that the area where I had the only disconnect was with the characters. Which is odd for me to say because I loved the characters. I loved them, yet I felt very detached from them at the same time. I don't even know how that is possible, but that is how I felt while reading this. I think that the characters were very real. They had flaws, problems of their own, and they could stand on their own in terms of the story. I think that what made them feel so isolated from me was the way they interact. I think that if there were more emotion between the characters then I would have felt more invested in them. The relationship between the two main characters just felt underdeveloped. Though, the author must have done something right because they are also extremely likable.

The plot was convincing enough as a whole. There were many moments that I felt compelled to know what happened next, but there were also moments that I wasn't. The story didn't exactly stand still though. It kept moving and the pace was adequate. There were definitely plot twists that I didn't expect, so things stayed interesting. I felt that the ending could have used more fire behind it. It felt like it just stopped at the end without any reason to go on to the next book.

Overall, this is definitely a book to be experienced! Despite my personal disconnect with the characters, I highly recommend this read. Even with that disconnect, I absolutely loved this book! Schwab is a remarkable storyteller and a skillful weaver of worlds. I am excited to continue this series and experience more worlds by this author!

"Three very different Londons, in three very different countries, and Kell was one of the only living souls to have seen them all."

Welcome to the Darker Shade of Magic realm, where parallel Londons exist in very different countries and outside the understanding of all inhabitants save royalty and a select few. Long ago travel between the Londons was possible, but the doors have long since been closed to all but the two remaining Antari - rare magicians with the ability to travel between the Londons. A Darker Shade of Magic is the first installment to the Shades of Magic trilogy and I am excited for more!

What a roller coaster of emotions this book was for me! I was instantly hooked with the opening lines, was bored with the pacing and repetition, and then was completely sucked in again. It was really weird and while I have my conversation with my buddy reading partner Sam about how we struggled with the pacing in the beginning, I still do not really know how to adequately describe the disjointed feelings that I had during the exposition. I love flowery writing and expansive worldbuilding, but there was something that didn't quite jive with me for the first 5 or 6 chapters of the book. I wrote to Sam, "Imagine if this wasn't pages of descriptions" and she agreed.

But then something changed. It wasn't Schwab's writing style because it was consistently descriptive, and it wasn't that the plot took off because it was captivating from the first page. Suddenly I was devouring each page gleefully and loving every bit of the story as it unfolded; my best guess is that I struggled with the way exposition was laid out in the book and once I got through the most 'info-dumpy' parts I really settled into the narrative. I am really glad that I stuck with it because I was very close to a DNF.

Anyways. I love the characters so much and Lila is welcome to join my fictional girl gang anytime. Kell is such a love character, and I really appreciated the limited glimpse of Rhy (I hope he gets more exploration in the rest of the triology!) There is diversity in this book and loved the bi representation with Rhy. The freedom of sexuality and fluidity here across all three Londons was really refreshing to see.

?‍☠️ Delilah (Lila) Bard is a pirate without a ship, desperate for adventure from her drab and meager existence in Grey London. Scrappy, hilarious, and strong.
? Kell is one of two remaining Antari, lives in Arnes - what he refers to as Red London. He travels between the Londons with messages from the rulers, acting as a magical courier of sorts, but also has a treasonous hobby of collecting trinkets from the other worlds.

'I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still.'

The majority of the narrative is told from Lila and Kell's perspectives, both of which I enjoyed equally (which is rare for me). However, I did struggle a bit with a couple narrative shifts that went to random side characters as they weren't notated and I found it to disrupt the narrative flow.

I have to say that Holland is one of the best, most well-rounded villains that I have read in a long time. I like my antagonists to be sympathetic, complex, and dark and twisty with the lines between good and evil definitely blurred. I definitely want more of his story and what went down. The Danes are creepy and just outright evil with their bloodlust and their juxtaposition with the other characters makes for an interesting shade of morally gray.
Antari could speak to blood. To life. To magic itself. The first and final element, the one that lived in all and was none.
Really cool elemental magic system - earth, air, fire, water, bones (people). It seems that people have an aptitude for one, and the Antari can command over all of them plus blood (which enables their London travel). A lot of time in fantasy I am left wanting more explanation of the magic system - oftentimes I feel like its glossed over because 'magic needs to explanation' - but Schwab took care to think about and explain how magic works... and that ties into the very being of every character in the book. It made for more opportunity for conflict and I look forward to seeing that exploited.

"If red was the color of magic in balance - of harmony between power and humanity - then black was the color of magic without balance, without order, without restraint."

The fact that Red London is thriving with magic while Black London crumbled under its weight, and White London seems to be infected with Black while Grey has none makes for an underlying theme of power and corruption. I cannot wait to learn more about Black London and what happened there.

I love this world and what I feel like is an expansion of our world (are we living in the world of Grey London?)! The world that Schwab created is vast, detailed, and comes alive on the page - just as her characters do. Even though this book is first-in-trilogy, it comes to a satisfying ending and could be read as a standalone - no cliffhangers here! This was my first book of Schwab's and I can see why she her work is so coveted. Looking forward to continuing on with this series.

My Experience: I started reading A Darker Shade of Magic on 4/24/17 and finished it on 5/8/17 at 12:18AM. I love the fantasy and the writing in this book! I like that it’s unlike any other fantasy I have read. The blood magic, to be honest, makes me cringe every time it is being used, but it’s different and I welcome the change! I do like the world building and I absolutely love the humor in this book!

“I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”

In this book, readers will follow the point of views of Kell, a magician who can travel between worlds and Lila (Delilah) Bard, a cutthroat and a thief who is looking for freedom. The world building is a bit complicated at first, but as the story progressed, it became clearer. There are 4 Londons: Grey, Red, White, and Black. It’s in a row where Black London has dark magic and Grey London is lacked of magic. Kell is mysterious in this book because he doesn’t know his birth parents. He likes to trade and collect forbidden objects with collectors seeking objects from other Londons and at one point, he ended up with a dangerous magic that he must take it upon himself to get rid of. The mission is nearly impossible to achieve because powerful bad guys are after him for this dark magic and he has to die trying to prevent it from getting into the wrong hands. At the same time, the dark magic is calling to him, and at times, he is cornered to utilizing the magic himself in order to stay alive. This dark magic, however, is looking for a host and Kell has to fight against the magic before it controls him. It’s intense reading this book because it seems like Kell is at a dead end.

“I apologize for anything I might have done. I was not myself.”
“I apologize for shooting you in the leg.” said Lila. “I was myself entirely.”

I love the two main characters in this book, Kell and Lila. I enjoy their bickering a lot! I really like Lila because she’s so independent and badass. I like her positive attitudes, confidence, and self-reliant. She lives alone and has to be a thief to survive. She lives in Grey London but always wanted something more. For whatever reasons, she ended up crossing paths with Kell and it brought her the adventures she’s least expected but fully embraced. It’s really awesome following her train of thoughts. There may be no romance in this book but the fun banter makes up for it. I also enjoy Parrish and Gen’s third person point of views of the happenings out on the town when the black magic was spreading. I am so excited to read the next book and find out what Lila is up to. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Pro: mystery, suspense, humor, intense, adrenaline rush, magic, fantasy, page turner, fast paced, action packed

Con: a bit complicated in the beginning

I rate it 5 stars!

***Disclaimer: I borrowed this book from my local public library and my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine at howusefulitis dot wordpress dot com

This is the first book I have read by this author and it won't be the last. I thought this one was pretty good. I didn't even think I would like it at first and I'm not sure why, but I did. There were some parts that got on my nerves here and there but that's the way that goes right?

The idea of Kell being able to walk into different parts of London was totally cool! You have Grey, Red, White and Black <----but no one goes to black for reasons I will not name.

They have some nutzy cuckoo people in White London. A king and queen that are evil incarnate.

Kell goes around and takes messages to other parts of London. He lives in the Red part with the royal family there. But I'm telling you if someone asked me to take a message to the white part, I would tell them to stick it up their arse! Read the book and you will understand. I like Kell's character, he's really nice. He has one black eye though and that would be freak me out just a wee bit at first. Kell also smuggles things for people and collects some cool things. He's a cool magician that travels to these parallel worlds that I find so bizarre and cool at the same time. Well, okay not to the White London... just no!

Some things go down and Kell ends up in Grey London and he meets Lila Bard. I love Lila! She is a pickpocket and pretty much lives her life that way. But she secretly wants to be a pirate and have her own ship!

Lila and Kell becomes friends after a little bit of arguing and what not. I think they are cool together and Lila is very fierce for a human =)

EXCERPTS

Lila Bard lived by a simple rule: if a thing was worth having, it was worth taking.

She held the silver pocket watch up to the faint glow of the streetlamp, admiring the metal's polished shine, wondering what the engraved initials--L.L.E--on the back might stand for. She'd nicked the watch off a gentleman, a clumsy collision on a too-crowded curb that had led to a swift apology, a hand on a shoulder to distract from a hand on the coat. Lila's fingers weren't just fast; they were light. A tip of the top hat and a pleasant good night, and she was the proud new owner of a timepiece, and he was on his way and none the wiser.

••••••••••••••

"Lila," said Kell gently. "I'm sorry."
Her fingers curled tightly around the timepiece as she rose to her feet. Kell rose with her, and even though she would not look him in the eye, he could see the anger and pain written in the lines of her face.
"When it's over," she said, tucking the watch into a fold of her cloak. "I want to be the one to slit his throat." And then she straightened and let out a small, shuddering breath. "Now," she said. "which way to Fletcher?"

END EXCERPTS

I really wonder what is in store in the next book because of the way it ended.

♥ Thank you all for taking the time to read my reviews. I know they are not that great ♥

Here is Grey London, a dirty and boring city with no magic and a mad king. Then there is Red London, a city of excitement where life and magic are revered. There is also White London, a city slowly dying from being drained through magical war. Once, there was a Black London, but no one speaks of that land now.

Kell is from Red London. He is one of the last magicians that is able to travel between worlds. Officially he acts as ambassador and messenger, moving between the different Londons in service of the Maresh empire. Unofficially, he is a smuggler; a dangerous hobby that becomes even more so when he comes across a forbidden token from Black London.

Fleeing in to Grey London, Kell runs in to Delilah Bard; a thief with aspirations of her own. First she robs him, then she saves him, and finally she forces him to take her to another world for what she believes will be a proper adventure.

A Darker Shade of Magic is one of those books that several people, both online and offline, had recommended to me. With my love of fantasy type stories, I knew it would simply be a matter of time before I eventually read it.

Oh, dear reader, I do not know why I waited so long.

From the first page where we are introduced to Kell and the multiple Londons to the last page when we are forced to part ways with him, I was enraptured.

Schwab does a most admirable job in creating a world that is both familiar and new. Those who have been to London will recognize some of the places she describes; because even though they are in an earlier time, many of these places stand today. The Grey London she describes is the London of the early 1800's, it is messy and dark and it isn't always pleasant. But it is real.

The same can be said of Red London and White London as well. There is the air of familiarity but there is also the foreign. The people who inhabit these places are a result of the realms they live in and it is evident when Kell and Lila interact with them.

At times the background characters can come across as a little one dimensional, but this is often the case. Because they are often deemed as not important, the author often gives only the most basic of information to us, the reader. I am not terribly affronted or concerned with this as it happens quite often.

A Darker Shade of Magic is one of those rare books that I eagerly recommend to all of my followers. I am quite sure every one will find something in this book to love. Personally, I am looking forward to getting the next book in the series to read and review.

I’m not going to putz and pontificate here, just get right to the point. I loved this book. Adored it. My fondness for it knows no bounds. If it were a type of cookie I would eat them until I was sick. If it were a sweater I would wear it every day. If it were a color I would paint my walls with it. If it were a person I’d marry them. I think you get my point…

Usually when I read a fantasy book I have a difficult time getting into it. The world just seems fuzzy and not quite clear so the story doesn’t suck me in. With the world that Schwab created that was simply not the case. I was completely sucked in within the first few pages. The world she crafted was so clear in my head, the characters so vivid, and the story so full that I couldn’t put it down. I can’t remember the last time that I was so thoroughly engrossed.

"A sharp, elegant fantasy thriller – a breathless journey in the company of characters you can only trust to charm you." -Delia Sherman, author of Young Woman in a Garden

We begin with our dashing hero, Kell. Kell has the special ability to pass between realities. There are four realities which Kell explains as being stacked together like pages in a book. They are Grey, Red, White, and Black. You can’t cross from Grey to White without passing through Red. A lot of detail gets put into the world building but I’ll try to sum it up as best I can.

Grey gave me the impression of being based on our own 17th century. A little dark, not much in the way of technological advances, and a certain brand of lawlessness. Red is bright, vibrant, rich, and full of magic. Red is Kell’s home where he is an unofficial part of the royal family. White has been sucked of all color and vibrancy and is ruled by violence and terror. It is a horrifying place and is home to Holland, the only other person that can go between worlds besides Kell. There is very little known about Black. Black had been completely consumed by magic. No one was spared. The other worlds feared that they would be consumed as well so they cut themselves off and Black was locked away. Nothing could leave that fallen world. Any artifacts from Black that had gone to the other worlds were destroyed in fear that their disease would spread.

Kell begins as mostly just a glorified messenger between worlds as he and Holland are the only two that can pass between them. He delivers notes and messages and meets with the rulers across the worlds. He does, however, have an unfortunate habit of trading small items from one world to another which is strictly forbidden. It’s mostly just little things like music boxes and games. However, he finds himself accidentally transporting a dangerous package to his home of Red.

It is a surviving artifact from Black.

With the help of a girl, Lila, from Grey he tries to rid the worlds of this dangerous item. The influence of the dark magic from Black leaks from the artifact and begins polluting anyone who touches it and the world around it. Kell is determined to save the surviving worlds with great personal risk to himself. Lila is in it for the adventure and fun but finds something more of herself. She is strong and determined and you quickly find yourself rooting for her.

I was completely absorbed the entire book. There are twists and turns that take you by surprise, evil doers you aren’t expecting, bravery, sadness, and magic. It is all woven together into a wonderful story that is difficult to put down. I plowed through all 400 pages in 24 hours. I am so happy that I stumbled onto this book and can’t wait to read the others in the trilogy.

This was an awesome book! Much better than I thought it would be. I was a bit scared that it would be boring. Sometimes non romance fantasy books about bad ass wizards can get a bit emotionless. They become so bad ass that they don't need human companionship and feel to good about themselves (definitely not my kind of books). I don't need romance to find a book good, but I NEED EMOTIONS. Thank God, because this book had real "human" wizards! The characters where bad ass and cool, and they still felt human enough.

Lila is one of my all time favourite characters. I love her awesome pirate mentality! She doesn't let anyone decide for her and she is unstoppable. She just does her thing and makes sure she survives.

It was really well written. It read like a fairy tale, all the descriptions about the different Londons were so magical and creative. This was clearly my favourite thing about the entire book. I love books where you can really see the while city before you, this book came pretty damn close.

some notes of critique: For a long time I was wondering why the neighbouring Lodons would bother sending letters to each other. For the last couple hundredths of years there are only a handful of people would could cross, so why bother even getting people who are so important to other more dangerous Londons? At some point it got more clear, but I feel like there would have been so much less danger if you just ignored the other Londons. But of course there wouldn't be a story if they just lived there own lives in there own Londons. It just seems that two people is not a good reason to keep the whole communication thing going. (If I see this wrong, or someone looks different at this, please tell me. I really want to know)

Something else that bothered me was that there tended to be huge enormous problems that got fixed really fast and easy. I can't give many examples because that would spoil everything. But I can give one example. At one point the white queen sits on her throne and she's only protected by a spell around the dais. Lila can just end this spell by erasing one mark with her knife. Why would someone go trough all that trouble of drawing all those symbols if it's that easy to end the spell? Those mistakes where made more toward the end of the book.

I can't wait to start with the next book in this series!

A Darker Shade of Magic is a complex and intricate high fantasy, where there are four types of London. Red London is a place where magic is common, appreciated and praised. Grey London is devoid from a single trace of it, and most citizens doesn't even know the existence of it. White London craves it, where control is in a brink and power is dangerous. Black London is extinct, where the darkness of magic, has consumed the city and its inhabitants.

Each London is separated from each other, via figurative doors, through which only two people can ever travel, one of which is our MC - Kell. His eventful life turns chaotic when he comes across an object that shouldn't exist, travels with a person he shouldn't hang out with and fights against a force which will most probably consume his own life.

One of the most beautiful things about Victoria's books is that they deal with a thin line - the grey area- between two contrasting forces. In The Archived, it was the line between what should be remembered and what's best left forgotten. In Vicious, it was the complex grey area between good and bad - a villain and a hero. Like wise, A Darker Shade of Magic dabbles with balance. The balance between power and darkness, and portrays the harsh reality of how easy it is for power to be consumed by darkness, greed, hunger and insanity.

The world building of ADSOM is terrific! The whole concept of different Londons and the different shades of magic which was portrayed in the book was beautifully written. Victoria has a way of explaining her world without info dumping, which I've never seen any other author pull off so effortlessly. By the time you finish the book, you'll know every single nook and corner of ADSOM's world building, but at the same time, not a single moment while reading the book, would you have felt like she's stuffing you with information. Every single revelation is carefully timed and worded, which is a trademark of her books, which I adore.

Moving on to the characters, there were a couple of them who made a mark in me. First of all, we have Kell, our MC. He's an Antari - one who can perform blood magic, and he dwells in Red London, where he is considered as an adopted prince, and is admired as well as feared. I loved his character so much! He reminded me of Victor from Vicious - who is one of my all time favourite character - but he was a less nefarious and more arrogant version of Victor. Plus, by the latter half of the book, he was engaged in an intense war within himself, hanging onto the threads of balance while he tried so hard to keep his powerful soul away from darkness. It was a hard battle for him to win, and his slow but steady victory was beautiful to read about!

Lila - a brave, defiant, amazing, cross dressing, aspiring pirate and current thief/cutthroat/pickpocket - is Kell's companion when he drags himself into some sticky business. This girl was absolutely amazing! I loved how she had a thirst for adventure, and never backed out of a challenge or said no. Her fierce protective nature towards Kell, her determination and her carefree attitude towards life, all made her a favourite of mine!

Rhy - the prince of Red London - was adorable! He was a flirt and a laid back character, but his unconditional love for Kell, his sense of loyalty and most of all, his empathy and forgiving nature, made me admire him quite a lot! His bromance with Kell was adorable as well!

I'd also like to mention Holland here - who was an antagonist, but he made a lasting impact in me. It's hard to describe him without spoiling anything, but his last scene in the book made me cry a lot!
Two more terrific characters are Athos and Astrid Dane! Woah, I was petrified of these villains! I wish they had more screen time though, they were two of the best villains I've ever come across!

Romance always take a backseat in Schwab's books, which was the same case in ADSOM. Kell and Lila had a wonderful companionship, and they have a potential romance which is hinted by the end of the book. Plus, I also loved the fact that Rhy is bisexual - it's not everyday that there's a LGBT character in a fantasy book - and I am looking forward to see what Victoria has planned for him as well!

A Darker Shade of Magic was a fast paced story! I finished it in one sitting, as it kept me engrossed, and the writing just flowed through me, and there's never a dull moment in the book. I also loved the fact that everything was chaotic in the story, as nothing went as planned, characters made mistakes, had epic failures and went to the brink of death and came back. It's such an eventful book that you can't have the liberty of breathing a sigh of relief, because the next moment, there'll be something to keep you worried again!

Overall, A Darker Shade of Magic is a book which you SHOULD read! ASAP! And if you haven't read this one or any other book by Victoria Schwab, go remedy that soon because her books are awesome! THEY ARE THE BEST!!!! I am dying to read the sequel, A Gathering of Shadows, counting the days painfully until February 2016.

I was very. very, VERY apprehensive about starting this trilogy due to the hype surrounding it and the fear that I would be attacked with pitchforks by the fandom if I did not like this read.

Luckily, that was not the case! I really enjoyed this novel. I have to admit that the first half was a little 'slow' but only in the aspect that it was introducing the different worlds, the characters, the magic system, etc. With that being said, there still seemed to be enough going on that I didn't get bored and remained interested. Personally, I liked the pace in which the story was unfolded because I felt that was a major benefit of this book. Sometimes, in other books, it feels like a new world and magic system can be thrust at the reader with no explanation which then gets confusing and hard to understand.

Now, in total contradiction to the first half of the novel, the last quarter of this book........OH MY GOODNESS. So many things! So many feels! So much action! Seriously. My eyes felt like they couldn't read the pages fast enough because some of the action scenes/fighting scenes were SO GOOD! Honestly, this last quarter is what made the novel amazing and that is what pushed it to a 5 star from a 4.

I cannot wait to read the next novel! I am loving the main characters with their unique personalities and I'm really interested to see where the story goes on from here because I don't really have any idea where it could go. Definitely a recommended read in my books!

"Death comes for everyone," she said simply. "I'm not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of dying here."

Stars (Out of 10): 10/10 Stars

Overall Thoughts: My main interest in this book was in the cover. I’m just gonna be honest and put that out there. I thought this would veer too much towards Urban fantasy (a genre that can easily suck, and I just rarely have good luck with), so I was a tad wary. But I loved it! The beginning reeled in me and left me unable to read anything else, as it stole all my interest. It flew by, and the only reason it even took me three days is because I honestly had too little time for it in the beginning.

The Good: My favorite thing was definitely the characters, and how well the world was built. Even the evil characters were written fantastically, and I felt myself either liking or being intrigued by each and every one. (Also the plot was fantastic and well rounded, and leaves me wondering where the rest of the series is going to go!)

SPOILERS BEGIN HERE

The Characters: Ahhh I ended up loving everyone, for different reasons. We have Rhy, our kind-hearted prince that just wants the best for his people (how can you not love him?) Then we have Kell, who’s an altogether unique main character compared to other’s I’ve seen, yet still likable and admirable. We can never forget about Lila, who, while frustrating at points, ended up being a super strong female character and extremely detrimental to solving the plot. And then we have the super evil twins, who written so well that I was even fearful of them at points!

The Plot: While this was probably the weakest of the three categories I talk about, the plot was still fantastic. There was tons of great build up and foreshadowing, and I kept getting surprised at how the book continued. I love how, while there was evidence for everything, it was revealed slowly, and after our main crew was already ensnared in the trap of White London. Additionally, things were never easy for Kell and Lila, which made it more realistic than them just blasting through enemies. They constantly had to work together to solve their issues, and I like the balance of importance that brought to the two characters.

The World Building: I loved the Londons, and the story that went along with it. Each one seems to have their pros and cons, and overall it felt pretty balanced. Not only that, but we actually were given enough information at the start to fully understand the motives of the characters and the plot, and in a way that didn’t make it overbearing. Additionally, it was also just a super interesting world! Magic was shown as being different, not just a tool but a living thing of nature, and the way it interacted to humans treating it differently, and how that shaped each London, was just super cool to read about.

The Favorite Character: My heart belongs to Rhy

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3.75/5
I went into this book not really knowing anything about the story other than there were these different Londons. There are some aspects I want to change about this books. I originally thought that it would take place in present day, but this is like a timeless novel. There is no definite time period. Some spot of the novel felt like a present day setting, while others felt like another period all together. At the end of the novel, Kell says the Lila sailed into the dock, so to me that says this isn't taking place in 2015.

With that being said, I guess I was just expecting a different book. The world building is great. I really wanted to travel and see what Black London... I totally thought we would go there with this first entry in the trilogy. To me this "Black London" is what outside the wall is to Divergent. The theories are going through my head and I really want to get my hands on the second book. I also really want to read all the other books that this author has put out.

This was the first book that I tabbed and highlighted and I think that made for a great reading experience. There were so many great quotes, character development, AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT WONDERFUL DIALOGUE THAT KELL AND LILA SHARED. AMAZINGGGGGGGG.

Yes, you should get familiar with this book before it gets big and gets a movie deal. I would Love to see this film adaptation because that would be EPIC.

I’m a little late to this series, but I read A Darker Shade of Magic for the first time recently and I really enjoyed it! I’m actually planning to start in on the second book very soon (I already have it checked out of the library).

They got to their feet, neither willing to walk away just yet, and Kell looked down at Delilah Bard, a cutthroat and a thief, a valiant partner and a strange, terrifying girl.
The characters are wonderful. Kell is incredible and I kind of ended up falling in love with him. He’s a little bit of a rule-breaker, and can be a little obtuse, but he was so endearing and the love in his heart really got to me. Lila is amazing. She’s kind of your typical badass fantasy girl: a rogue, independent and stubborn to a fault, and very good with a knife. She also talks really negatively about other women, which got on my nerves. In spite of that, I really liked her.

It was nice to have a canonically lgbtqia character, Rhy, but he also felt like a negative bisexual stereotype. One of the most prevalent stereotypes about bisexual people is that they’re greedy and will sleep with anyone and that’s basically 90% of Rhy’s personality. All we really see him doing is flirting with people or talking about flirting with people and it’s heavily implied (if not outright said, I didn’t write the quote I’m thinking of down so I can’t remember) that he’ll sleep with essentially anyone. Like, that’s basically how his character is introduced. And that’s pretty much all I remember about him, except for some important plot stuff toward the end.

Overall, the plot was good. The writing was good. I definitely had a good time reading this book. I gave it four stars instead of five because it just didn’t pull me in like a five star book. I’m intrigued to see where the rest of the trilogy goes and I’m glad y’all got me to read it!

In Red London where magic flourishes and the kingdom prospers, Kell is unique. While those gifted in magic have the ability to manipulate one of the elements, as an Antari, Kell is able to manipulate them all. He also possesses the rare ability to travel from one world into another, for there is more than one London. Grey London, White London, and the mythical Black London all have their own dangers and it is Kell’s job to carry messages between the crowns. When a long forgotten artifact falls into his hands and is then stolen by the pickpocket Lila Bard, Kell must get it back and find a way to destroy it before the dark magic within it consumes him and destroys his home.

V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic is a story of adventure, family, and the thirst for power that resides in each of us. With its contrasting Londons, the novel explores each world’s relationship to magic and how none are truly separate from the others in consequence. Red London welcomes magic, but regulates its use, guarding against the darker forms. Grey London is much like our own world, without magic, where most have forgotten it existed at all. White London is a volatile place, where the people are willing to do anything to control magic. Black London has become a fable, a world that collapsed under the greed for more magic, a warning to those who seek a darker shade.

Raised alongside Prince Rye since he was a small boy, Kell is pulled between two different realities, one in which he belongs and another that says he doesn’t. Despite his extraordinary abilities and the awe that comes with it, Kell is not content and knows there is more to his past than the king and queen of his world are willing to tell him. Lila Bard, hailing from the streets of Grey London, longs for adventure, for more than living day-to-day, struggling to survive. While one fears the family he does have is an illusion, the other fears having one will weaken her. Kell’s good intentions and conscientiousness are nicely balanced with Lila’s bravado and cleverness.

Kell and Lila’s journey is not an easy one and while the two do not start off with the same goal, a mutual respect develops between the two over the course of the story that eventually has them working together. Evil characters like the Dane Twins, who rule White London, are a jarring example of magical corruption, whose vile acts will give the reader chills. If you are a fan of magical fantasy, you won’t regret picking up A Darker Shade of Magic which enchants from the very first page.

Picking up a book by an author that I've never read before can be a little daunting sometimes. However, there is enough love over this one that I went into it with really high hopes. And now I wish I had A Gathering of Shadows in my hands, right this second.

I don't think this book is what I really thought it'd be, though. Maybe I thought it'd be your typical YA romance/fantasy/sci-fi extravaganza. It really wasn't though.

This story is original and clever. The characters (at least the three that I have attached myself to, so far) are all so endearing in completely unique ways. And I feel like even though there was character growth, there's just so much more to parse out for these heroes.

Magic, is actually its own character in this story. And I have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of it. The only reason I didn't give this one a "5" is because I did struggle to connect to the story in the first few chapters. Other than that, this is a solid story by Schwab.

My TBR list is long. But, I'll be breezing through, hoping to get to Gathering much sooner.

Victoria Schwab has done it again. She has created a wonderful book that I fell in love with. On one hand I can’t believe that I waited this long to start this book, as I wanted to read it since it was announced. On the other hand I’m glad that I waited this long, as it means I don’t have to wait for the sequel to come out – I already own it and plan on starting it as soon as I finish this review. Plus the third book comes out relatively soon and that makes me very happy.

THE WORLD:

The whole concept of parallel worlds and parallel Londons was simply fascinating. Especially since they are all very different from each other, yet similar in some ways. I loved learning more about them as the story progressed and Kell traveled through them.

Red London seems magical…for the lack of better world. Everything just seems beautiful and fascinating. I would love to explore that London and see everything that it has to offer. Especially since magic is a norm there, I would love to experience some grand event (like the one we had in the book). White London honestly scares me. Everything about it, from the way it looks to the people. I just find it creepy and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near it. Grey London I imagines as our world but in the past. (Which I think it also is.) It was the easiest one to imagine, for obvious reasons and one I was interested by, but not fascinated as with the others. I think it’s simply because it resembled our world and I was already familiar with that. I would have loved to learn more about Black London. The whole story with it interests me a lot and I loved hearing about it, but I wish there had been more.

I’m really glad that this is a series and that I’ll get to explore more of the world in the following books. There are definitely many more things I would love to learn about it. And Victoria Schwab is a master at world-building, so I’m even more exited because of that.

THE CHARACTERS:

Kell was my favourite from the first page to the end. I just adore him. (You can guess who has a new fictional crush.) He was basically perfect and everything I love in a character. Not that he doesn’t have his flaws or anything like that, because he does. I love the fact that he messes up big time, but takes the blame and does everything in his power to fix said mistake. (I can’t go into that, because spoilers!) I love how sassy he is as well, his comebacks were amazing. Can we also talk about his magical coat? Because that’s amazing and I seriously want one of my own! Plus his whole Antari magic is fascinating, I really want to know more about that as well.

Lila I didn’t like in the beginning. I don’t really know what it was, it seems thats she just rubbed me wrong when she introduced herself. (So to say.) I really can’t explain it. But as the story progressed and I got to know more about her I liked her more and more. And by the end I found myself loving her! She really is amazing and I love how ruthless she is. Not that I expected anything less from her, after all she is a thief who has to survive on her own. I love the fact that she wants to be a pirate and cross-dresses and everything. Lila is wonderful character. Plus I love her and Kell’s relationship and how it progressed (from somewhat enemies to friends), plus it was amazing to see them saving each other.

Rhy is a potential favourite of mine. I say potential because we didn’t get to see enough of him for me to consider him a favourite. But I still loved what we got to see of him. He is overconfident and spoiled, as you would expect from a prince – but he is also very kind and caring and wants the best for people. I really can’t wait to find more about him! (And I’m hoping that there is a lot more of him in the next book.) Plus I love that he treats Kell like a brother and their relationship is amazing.

Holland is an Antari like Kell, which means he can travel to the other Londons as well. (I though I would mention him as well.) But Holland is seriously creepy, he unnerved me from the first page he was introduced in. Everything about him simply unsettles me. I did feel sorry for him and I was sympathetic towards him, but then he does something bad and I really hate him for it. But then he is tragic again and I don’t know. (Well, I do but I can’t mention it because of spoilers.) I’m very conflicted with my feelings towards him.

THE STORY:

Okay. I really feel the need to talk about a lot of the things that happened in this book. But I CAN’T because it’s all spoilers!! And I don’t want to do that. So I’ll try and be vague as possible. If you have read this book, then you probably understand my struggle with this.

The story starts out rather slow, the world being introduced through Kell and his traveling to Grey London. It also continues being slow, with things happening but they are not crucial towards the main story, so to call it. That’s not a bad thing in my opinion, I do love it when fantasy stories start out slower as it allows me to get to know how the world works and in this case magic as well. But I know some people don’t enjoy books that start out slow, so I thought I should mention that here as well.

Once things started moving and some rather bad things happened, the action didn’t stop. Everything was happening all the time and the story was moving very faster. There were many twists and turns, and I was surprised by quiet a few of them (which is always wonderful). I like the direction the story took and I just flew through the second half of the book, it was impossible to put down.

OVERALL:

If you have read through my review and gotten this far you would know that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book! ❤ As simple as that. The characters are wonderful (both the good and bad ones – in different ways obviously), the world fascinating and the story compelling as well. So obviously I can only recommend it! And I would definitely urge you to read it as soon as possible! This book has definitely become one of my new favourites.

Let me start by saying that not only was I very excited to read this book, I was convinced I was going to be in love with it. I wouldn't say it was hyped up, but everyone loves it and everyone loves Schwab, and it is just in every way my thing, so I was expecting magic.

A Darker Shade of Magic was a little lackluster for me. I enjoyed it, but I didn't really connect with the book or the characters.

For one thing, I didn't really like Kell. He is a fairly one-dimensional character, and he didn't grow much throughout the novel. His vanity was off-putting since he didn't have the arrogance to go with it really, which made him feel kind of wishy-washy. And he came off a little whiny. Not cool.

I almost liked Lila, but then I didn't. While she more than compensated for Kell's lack of swagger, it just came off as immature and childish on her. Maybe it was because she wanted to be a pirate. I mean, what is she, eight? (To be fair, I probably felt this way because I recently finished Beauty Queens, which featured a girl who wanted to be a pirate back when she was eight.) I think Lila was supposed to be a bad-ass, and I rather loved that she preferred dressing in men's clothes, but I just wasn't feeling it.

Now, I loved the four Londons. The world building in A Darker Shade of Magic was VERY well done, if not sometimes excessive. Hey, you'll never hear me complaining about excessive world building! The four Londons really hearkened back to His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, but I think only four worlds is, in a way, more interesting than infinite choices.

I also enjoyed the magic lore. I've always been very interested in elemental magic, but I've never seen it especially well done the way it was here. My only complaint with the magic was that there wasn't more of it. Schwab did such a great job explaining it and how it works, and introducing it, then we barely saw any. Only one little scene where Prince Rye is getting tutored. I WANT MORE.

Before I scare you away, there was plenty of magic. Oh yes. But not the nice, elemental magic. Most of the magic was of a darker sort. Hence the title. A dangerous kind.

The ending. Kind of anti-climactic. Didn't love it.

So I'm a little disappointed, but I still very much enjoyed this book and will probably read the rest of the series. I'm not just going to run out and get them immediately or anything.

Confession: I only picked up A Darker Shade of Magic because of the hype and because I had a credit on Audible. I don’t regret it.

Slow Beginnings

I had actually got this from the library but couldn’t get into it when I was reading. To be fair, I didn’t have a lot of time or try very hard. That said, once I started actively using audio books, I decided to give it another chance. I figured that I would slowly chip away at it and finish it eventually.

It took me a long time to become invested in the story and the characters. Honestly, I was probably well into it before I started really caring about what was going on. Before I was listening because I knew a lot of people liked the book, and I wanted to know why. I felt like I was missing something – that I wasn’t understanding why people loved the book so much. (And continued to feel this way for quite some time.) I’ve never read any of Schwab’s previous novels (she also writes as Victoria Schwab), so this was my first foray into anything she’s ever written.

The audiobook is 11.5 hours. It took me about six hours to really start enjoying the novel. None of it was bad, I just felt like it took a long time to get going. Don’t get me wrong, things were happening I just felt like the story was waiting to get started. There was a lot of set up in the first half of the book. You learn a lot about how things work in this world. It’s different from anything I’ve ever read. I honestly can’t compare this novel to anything else I’ve ever encountered while reading.

Raw Emotion

Kell and Lila are frustrating but very raw characters. Actually, Schwab’s writing comes across as raw, not just her characters. By that I don’t mean that she’s tackling sensitive topics. It’s raw in the respect that when a character is feeling something, it almost triggers a physical reaction for me. Kell gets the crap kicked out of him a lot. He goes through quite a bit of pain and Schwab doesn’t shy away from that. She’s not gruesome and gory in her descriptions – they’re emotionally vivid. Instead of connecting the events on a physical level with how they look, she connects them on a more emotional level with how they feel. It’s difficult to describe.

Lila is a no nonsense type of person. She says what she feels. She does what she wants. And she owns it. She doesn’t apologize for anything. Lila is who she is. She doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do or hold her back. She is a great companion for Kell, who is extremely cautious. I’ll admit it: from about hour 7 and onwards, I wanted them to finally kiss. Oh, how you tease me, Schwab.

Each character in the novel had a distinct personality. The King and Queen of White London were cruel and annoying. As some villains would say, they were wasteful. They were cruel for the sake of being cruel and that increased my annoyance with them. They were appalling. I was waiting for them to get their comeuppance from the very moment they were introduced.

Magic

The magic system is simple and intricate at the same time. The commands are simple but the emotional connection and effort required makes the experience feel much more complex. Schwab has definitely spent a lot of time creating the details of this novel and it really shows and shines through with how the magic works. Sometimes magic can be a little dorky, but Schwab avoids that completely in A Darker Shade of Magic.

Sequel?

I’d have to say that I’m intrigued and emotionally invested enough with the characters that I would use another audible credit to get A Gathering of Shadows. By that I mean that I’ve already pre-ordered it on Audible.

A Darker Shade of Magic has a really interesting concept. There are four London’s in alternate universes. The darkest, black London was given up as lost long ago because magic took it over. The danger was so great that the next London, Grey, (I hope I get these in the right order!) shuts itself off and loses all of its magic. The third London, white, has strong magic, and its citizens view that the more you have the higher in hierarchy you are in society. The strongest citizens rule. Last is red London. Red also has magic, but is ruled by peaceful people, and its citizens are happy and pretty normal. Kell, an Antari, can travel between all of the London’s, and he does, delivering messages to all of its rulers (except black as it is shut off.) Until one day, the rulers of white London try to rule them all.

I realize that the above explanation is very simplified, but without copying and pasting a synopsis from Goodreads on my blog, I thought a simple explanation in my own words is better than he back of the book. OK, on to the book review. Kell, as the hero, is not without his faults, but we can see past the jealousy he feels towards his brother to the insecurities of the little orphan boy that was taken in by the King and Queen. He is resentful that he is being used as a messenger, but also reliant upon the gift of his Antari blood to go between worlds, when there are only two people who can. His smuggling between worlds is a way for him to make himself feel important, even though it is that which puts his own world in danger.

Delilah Bard, our heroine, is completely without magic as she is from the grey London. However, her skills as a thief are what entangles her with Kell, putting her in dangers path and ultimately lets her raise herself from her poor station in her life because Kell can’t leave her to face danger alone. Together, the two of them make a great pair! One in emotional turmoil, and the other with a nonchalance and excitement for the unknown. That combination made for a great story! An action adventure novel with heart.

I can understand why everyone raves about this series, but am only giving it ❤❤❤❤because I want Kell’s character to have a little more growth. I loved Delilah though.

Where are my words for this one? I expected adventure, tension, magic, fights, and a lovable cast in an grand plot. That is what I received even if it came about awkwardly. So let's dissect this book a bit more.

Firstly, this book is good in a sense that, once you're into it, the pages whiz by. It misses one of my marks for being a favorite by not having a lot of quotable goodies, but this is a personal preference. The writing itself builds. It's a lot of information and very exact descriptions. No flowery words or embellished imagery. And that's ok! It's a tad funny even because as it jumps from the different characters, Kell and Lila mostly, so too does the writing. Kell seems to over explain things where as Lila lives in a moment and you're just there to run along with her. Which is so them.

The beginning for me was really slow. It delivered A LOT of world building at once. Really shoved it down my throat. Some of it was really technical too, so even though Kell was so nicely overly explaining it, it wasn't stuff I truly understood until a few repetitions of action later. As this a good chunk of beginning, I naturally started biting my lip wondering if I was missing the boat on this one. I'm very keen on getting character descriptions over world building, or at least a healthy balance. But alas, the action and fun picks up after the 100th page or so.

Then a funny thing happened. I passed the 50% mark and suddenly the pages kept turning. When the last chapters started I was actually TRYING to read slower. Although I do think some parts resolved a bit too easily, I still didn't want to leave the world or the characters.

And now here we are, what I really want to talk about. The characters. Three of them mainly.

Firstly, Kell. This darling boy who took some time in making me warm to him. Kell is book smart and experienced in magic, but lacks fighting instincts. He has all this power to use (and then gains MORE) and yet….nothing??? It's actually really disappointing. The whole time I was waiting for him to whip out some cool spell or trick, but nah. In a sense he’s a weak hero. Or starts out as one since I expect there to be character development.

Plus, he willingly admits that he is terrified of dying, yet he sets out to do what’s right. (He's scared and admits it, someone protect this innocence.) BUT his "weakness" makes sense, as Holland points out time and time again. Kell *IS NOT* a fighter. When he does fight, he fights defensively or to protect. Before this mess he was a messenger and a smuggler and had no need for the solider mindset. Even in the last battle he uses his mind to lay a trap rather than a deathly blow.

(Which, side note, there's a lot of blood loss and injuries going around but not enough rest time in between to make it realistic. Pretty sure magic or not it's gonna be awhile before you're able to get back up and run around after bleeding out or being shot.)

Meanwhile, Lila is the classic hero who wants adventure, knows her way around a fist fight, and has seriously nothing to lose. This contrast/balance between them is great. If they could banter a bit more I think I'll fall in love.

Also, it's pretty set for you to expect them to be a couple. HOWEVER, this whole book has refused to give a moment where Kell or Lila made a comment on the other's looks. So zero attraction based thoughts or descriptions. Everything they think is purely fact and accessing. Like Lila had Kell half naked on her bed and there was no mention to things like abs or anything that typically gets reused whenever a shirtless boy is around. I believe there was a time Kell might have noted that Lila was ‘pretty’ but it was more in a sense to heighten him figuring at that she was a girl rather than a guy, cause the rest of the time he's going off on her stubbornness. And this is so important??!! Can we talk about that? A NOVEL THAT DOESN’T HAVE THEIR HEROS PINING OVER THE OTHER’S LOOKS RIGHT FROM THE START? ((Edit: originally I thought this was a YA novel, however the author said it's not. I don't see why it couldn't be but I suppose there's time to disprove that))

And then their sense of protection for the other building up?! I'd really love to see how this builds out, it'd be wonderful to have a sense of demisexual representation here.

Lastly, I just want everyone to know I love Holland and his villain-not villain- but villain-ness thing. It's like wanting to cuddle a hungry wolf I'm sure but here I am doing it.

There's probably more I want to talk about but really, the book is worth reading so go read~

[this review is also posted on my goodreads and tumblr account sarahocha]

To see my original review, visit my blog. Link in profile.

The book takes place in the Londons of 1819. No, that is not a typo, Londons is plural, as in multiple versions of London. I adored the setting of A Darker Shade of Magic. Schwab forges such an originative and inventive world. I was fully immersed in the world that it felt so real. I could see it, smell it, hear it, touch it… The world came alive. Schwab really dedicates a lot of the book to the setting, which suited me just fine since I’m the type of reader that likes to get lost within the pages of the book I am reading. However because of this, I wouldn’t classify A Darker Shade of Magic as a fast paced read, but rather, an illuminating story that unfolds slowly.

I loved how the characters were so multifaceted. I enjoy when the line between good and bad is blurred and not simply black and white. Schwab does just this with her motley group of characters. Kell, one of our protagonists, is the last of the Antari, a person with the ability to travel between the worlds. Essentially he is the liaison between his adoptive family, the monarchs of his London, and the other monarchs of the other Londons. Kell spends most of his time brooding and struggling with inner turmoil. He feels like he doesn’t fit in anywhere. As much as I liked Kell’s character, Delilah was by far my favorite. Delilah Bard is such an interesting and entertaining character. I particularly enjoyed her cheeky humor. She is such a sassy little thing! Schwab shows us that a hero can come in unlikely forms, like a pick-pocket who aspires to someday be a pirate. Lilah is looking for an adventure, because she does not simply want to live, she wants to experience EVERYTNG life has to offer. I admired her gumption. The antagonists, Astrid and Athos, will stop at nothing to quench their thirst for power. They seek to control magic, and use it for their own political agenda. Finally, we come to Holland. Holland who is both the villain AND the victim… Will we ever learn more about the mysterious Holland?

V.E. Schwab… Wow. I bow before greatness! Her writing is absolutely exquisite. This woman has more talent in her pinkie finger than many authors only dream of possessing. It is not often that I am blown away by an author’s writing, but I was 100% swept away. I think I’ve found a new favorite! I will absolutely be looking into the second novel, as well as her other novels.

Bottom line: A Darker Shade of Magic is the total package, enthralling setting, complex characters, impeccable writing, and a brilliant story line.

Noteworthy Quotes:

“I’m not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of dying here.” She swept her hand over the room, the tavern, the city. “I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”

“I’m not going to die,” she said. “Not till I’ve seen it.”
“Seen what?”
Her smile widened. “Everything.”

“You know so little of war. Battles may be fought from the outside in, but wars are won from the inside out.”

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

pooled ink Reviews:
4.5 Stars

I’ve heard so many steady and fantastic reviews that it’s been on my TBR list for a while and at last I’ve found the time to read it and I must say I was not disappointed!
The world-building is absolutely gorgeously crafted, it was stunningly unique and wisely simplistic and somehow it felt true and familiar. From the very first page I was transported into this world of magic, blood, and adventure, following Kell as his life falls off a cliff. The world of this series won me over completely as did its characters, pacing, and plot.

If you’re in search for a fantasy book that will lure you in with a world sung like a lullaby, thrum in your veins with a plot thick with darkness, and halt your breath as each page escalates and excites, then A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC should be on your list. Incredible world-building, characters that feel true, and stakes that rise higher with every twist, this is a series you can’t miss.

**Read the full review on Wordpress: Pooled Ink

I listened to the audio book of this. The narration was good, but this is a book that I feel needs a lot of focus while listening to it or it is very easy to get lost and confused. That being said, I think I would recommend reading this rather than listening to it.

Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black.

Kell works for the royal family delivering messages between the different Londons. Kell is also a smuggler. That is, until he ends up with something that shouldn't exist and it gets him into all kinds of trouble. Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, who at this point in the series is definitely my favorite character. She robs him, then saves him, then refuses to leave his side even when he desperately wants her to. She is looking for adventure and with Kell she definitely finds just that!

What is it about?

Kell is one of two blood magicians called Antari. Antari are the only ones who can walk between the different worlds which are linked through "London". Kell is from red London, and his job is to deliver letters between the different royalties of the neighboring worlds. Smuggling objects between Londons is illegal, so Kell should probably stop doing it before he gets into trouble or worse. 

Oops, too late. 

Was it good?

This was a fantastic story, with the perfect amount of action, mystery, and adventure. The progression of the story was brilliant, with enough time to think about what's happening in the story without losing any interest. The characters learned about themselves and each other and the relationship building felt natural. 

The narrator has a nice angry growly voice, which works well as most of the story is from Kell's perspective. I did feel that his female impersonations left something to be desired, but overall I don't think it took away from the story. 

Originally reviewed at http://www.shaelit.com/2015/06/review-a-darker-shade-of-magic-by-v-e-schwab/

Okay, fast and dirty rundown: Once upon a time there were four magical worlds that touched, all in a city called London. One of the Londons, Black London, became overrun with dangerous magic, so the other three Londons locked their “doors” and disconnected from Black London. Now there are only three Londons, and only blood magicians, called Travelers or Antari, can pass between the worlds, and only to carry correspondence from one throne to another. White London, ruled by the vicious twins Astrid and Athos Dane, is in the cruel and hungry kingdom of Makt and is served by the Antari Holland. Red London (in the kingdom of Arnes) is bountiful in magic and prosperity, is ruled by King Maxim and Queen Emira, and is served by the Antari Kell. And Grey London is our London of Great Britain, currently under mad King George and Prince Regent George in 1819 A.D. They have no magic, but they do have an exceptionally clever thief named Lila.

Guys, the world-building is sooooooo good. The author does a great job of keeping the three Londons distinct from one another in ways that make sense. Each world has its own customs, culture, language, problems, and even its own smell. Not only are the worlds distinct, but they’re also individually really cool. There are magic coats (that reminded me of Howl’s door, actually), fixed points that reappear in all of the worlds, and magic. Lots of magic. Magic that requires blood and words and power.

Even better than the world-building, though, are the characters. I love Kell. Boy’s got swagger like nobody’s business, and he’s powerful, smart, and charming. Of course, he’s also got the hidden angst thing going on that I love, and his big ol’ heart for his brother Rhy is just… too precious for words. Rhy, though not in the story as much as the others, is also wonderful. He fills one of my favorite character roles, that of the frivolous, light-hearted jokester with the secret noble streak. As silly and immature as the prince can be, he also desperately wants to be a good king someday. The villains—Astrid, Athos, and their puppet, Holland—are chilling, with Holland filling the role of the chilling-yet-sympathetic lesser villain. Astrid and Athos literally walk across the bones of their victims every day. They’re cruel, cold, and cunning and nigh on unstoppable. It’s delightful. Even the minor characters were sympathetic. Beloc is a personal favorite of mine, and I cared possibly more than I should have about Rhy’s private guards, Gen and Parrish. Though honestly, [see original review for spoiler.]

But the best character, hands down, is Lila Bard. She is not a nice little orphan. In Grey London, Lila makes her living by robbing people while dressed as a gentleman and isn’t afraid to kill. In her own words, she’d choose wrong over right any day if wrong means staying alive. This girl has dreams. Though “merely” a thief, she longs to captain her own pirate ship, which is an ambition I can certainly endorse. And though Lila never loses her edge for a second, she does change some as she gets mixed up with Kell. She learns to trust and to think beyond herself, all while outfitted in some of the coolest fictional clothes I’ve ever dared to envy. I do love proper character growth. Also, may I just say that while I totally guessed pieces of the puzzle that is Lila (CAN’T SLIP NOTHIN’ BY THIS GIRL, SCHWAB), the setup is so subtly constructed that I felt pleased with myself for being clever rather than irritated at the story for being guessable.

I wish I could be eloquent enough to explain how much I enjoyed this story. I can’t. I’ll let Victoria Schwab handle the responsibility of wording and I’ll content myself with wishing I could get Lila’s pirate outfit while I wait for the sequel.

Points Added For: Rhy, Kell, Lila, Holland, the twins, Beloc, the world-building, Kell’s cloak, Lila’s twist, clever writing.

Points Subtracted For: I reeeeeally don’t think the attempted rape was necessary. Not even a little.

Good For Fans Of: Pirates, thieves, sadist kings, alternate dimensions, magic, trickery, bromance.

Notes For Parents: Language, blood, torture, drinking, murder, kissing, attempted rape.

Well guys, I finally did it. I finally read, A Darker Shade of Magic. It’s kind of embarrassing really. I had this book sitting on my shelf since 2015 and I have not picked it up due to the cover. It’s a terrible thing to judge a book by its cover, but this was one of those instances that I did. But, I was watching a ton of book wrap ups on youtube and this book kept appearing and it just had so many glowing reviews from booktubers, that I decided that I was going to go and give it a chance.

So this story follows Kell, who lives in Red London and is one of a very rare and dying breed of magic user (as far as he could tell). Kell can travel through doors into other Londons, or as he calls them, Gray, White and Red Londons. There is a mention of Black London, but due to its complicated history – no one travels there.

Kell likes to smuggle and collect objects from other Londons, so when he accidentally accepts a job and smuggles something he shouldn’t into Red London, he brings danger right into his back yard.

The story also follows Laila, a cross dressing girl who wants something more out of her life. She wants a ship and she wants an adventure. So when she stumbled into Kell and steals a black stone from him, she ends up attaching herself to him and the danger in hopes of finding something more to her purpose in life.

This book was actually pretty good. It was an interesting read. As far as fantasy books go this was was easy, cozy, page turning and not at all intimidating. If you are the type of person who wants to try fantasy, but find it a bit intimidating I feel like this book is for you. It really was just an easy read.

I liked Kell. I liked him even if he had that special factor to him, but he was just a really good character. He wasn’t perfect, which made me happy and his love for his brother – Rhys just go so deep, it’s fantastic.

I didn’t find myself as attached to it as I wanted to. I didn’t love it. I liked it well enough, but I didn’t love it. It was a good book for me to read, while reading some of the other things that I wasn’t necessarily into. I didn’t read it in one sitting, it did take me a couple of days to get through. I liked the fact that it mostly follows just two people, so your head isn’t swimming with too much information and the author gave us just enough for it to have great world building and great character building. The book was very creative, I really enjoyed the world a lot. There is obviously a lot more that we are still waiting to discover, but book one is solid, the writing was really good and I am looking forward to reading book two – hopefully soon.

I do totally recommend this book because I believe there are people that will love it and I do find it a must read if you like great writing, interesting characters and worlds.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

As big a fan as I am of Victoria Schwab, it’s taken me ages to get around to reading A Darker Shade of Magic for the simple fact that the hype surrounding this book was freaking insane. And yeah, I don’t cope that well with hype. But I should know by now that when V Schwab’s books get hyped, it’s for a good reason. A Darker Shade of Magic is OUTSTANDING.

Whenever I get into an adult fantasy book there’s always a few expectations I need to manage. World building is gonna be intense, so I can set my standards for them to be pretty high. But you can also reasonably expect that as a result of that world building focus, the story won’t be fully action packed right from the start. The thing about V Schwab though is that she tackles all the challenges of every genre with finesse. She creates not one, but three distinct worlds in A Darker Shade of Magic and weaves them together in such a fluid way that you’re sucked straight into the story even though the action takes a bit to get going. I could just bathe in the beauty of her words forever and always.

But you know that for me it’s usually all about characters. And outside of YA, it’s not always guaranteed that they’ll be fleshed out enough for me. But with V Schwab, again, not an issue. Kell, Lila, and Rhy – arguably the three main characters – are amazing. Even though the book is written in third person, she loads these characters with so much voice, it’s like they’re real people you wish you could hang out with and call your friends. Seriously. That sounds so corny, but seriously. Kell is so grumpy, but smooth and powerful. Lila is reckless, but so charming and kick-ass awesome. And Rhy is the embodiment of charisma that you can’t help but love. And the relationships between them are even better than that.

Real talk: there’s not much romance here to speak of – arguably, there’s pretty much none at all. But it is oh so shippable. Seriously, Lila and Kell have a chemistry that I just can’t even get into right now – but I love the fact that though nothing very serious happens between the two romantically, you see them slowly gaining fondness, respect, and caring for each other. They become a dream fighting team that I would gladly let rule my world. Seriously, if they’re not endgame my heart may break forever.

And the story… wow. Well I’ve said before that V Schwab is a master storyteller, and she’s just proven that reputation once again. Honestly, she builds up the world perfectly, intriguing you with her magic, enchanting you with the elements, and then unfurls a plot line that is both classic and new. The characters really seal the deal though – you get invested in them and their perfectly characteristic ways of interacting with each other and the drama that occurs. You’re swept through highs and lows and when the climax arrives (with stakes that are unbelievably high – SRSLY THE PAIN), you try your absolute best to tear through the pages at a speed that is not even human. And honestly, what more could you possibly want from a book?

Summing Up:

Victoria Schwab is brilliance in human form and absolutely shaping up to be one of my top 5 favorite authors of all-time. Yeah, I’m not kidding around. A Darker Shade of Magic is creative, exciting, thrilling, compelling, and brilliantly devised and executed. Schwab has crafted amazing characters, amazing worlds, and an amazing story. I can’t say much more than that I loved this book and am so stoked to see where the series will take us. I’m down for more magic, thievery, battles, and courtly intrigue any day. A Darker Shade of Magic has something for everyone. It’s across the board awesome.

Recommended To:

Everyone who likes fantasy even a little bit.

I read this as part of a buddy read. It seemed like a good time. This has been sitting on my tbr for ages because I absolutely loved Vicious. I also have it on audio, which always makes the read a little more fun.

This is no exception.

Imagine London. Grey, rainy, and maybe even a bit dull--but only because it's grey.

Now, imagine another London layered on top of that London, that Grey London. We'll call this second layer of London Red London. We'll do this because it has a red hue about it. We'll do this because it's brighter and more magical than Grey London. We'll do this because they embrace their magic.

Are you still with me? Good. Imagine another London atop Red London. This is White London. White London is much different. White London is full of magic and cutthroats and backstabbing. White London is a survival of the fittest London.

Can we take it a step further and layer one more London? A Black London? A London who let the magic corrupt their very essence and tried to take over all the many layers of London? Imagine that Black London as an empty space full of dark magic just trying to escape.

It's all in A Darker Shade of Magic. It's all there and it is there for you to imagine. VE Schwab does a great job detailing the many layers of London, the magic needed to travel between these 4 worlds, the magic that is rare and unique and all of the things magic should be.

Delilah Bard is just a thief in Grey London. Her only goal is to be free. She's cunning and strong and she's a wanted man.

Kell is magical. He can travel between the Londons--and he's only one of two people who are capable of this.

What happens when these two meet? How is it possible that a simple girl from Grey London can help a magical man such as Kell?

I'm a believer of magic. I'm a believer of luck and fate and magical cities that are within our grasp if only the magic was available to everyone. We all have a little magic in us, right?

Follow Kell and Lila on their journey through Grey, Red, White, and Black London. See what no one else can see. Live like the others can't live. Protect yourself from dark magic.

A Darker Shade of Magic has an interesting premise. There are different parallel Londons that can only be reached by two people in existence. They exist simultaneously in different realities that only an Antari can access the doors between the realms. Kell is one such person, living in a London full of magic, that he calls Red London, because red is the color of magic. In white London, a land where magic is being choked and controlled, a dying London, is where the only other of his kind lives. Grey London is the London in our world, in England, that lacks magic. And Black London is a dead London, cut off from the rest because it had been consumed by black magic. Kell gets himself into a pickle when he discovers a trinket of Black London and uses it, its sentient magic infecting his world and the world of grey London. It barely manages to do any damage in grey London, as it feeds on magic and the lack in our London protects the world, but it spreads like wildfire through Red London where most people have some magic. Kell spends the entire book with thief Lila Bard, trying to return the item to black London, expecting it will result in him being unable to return once he’s past the seals of the worlds designed to keep the plague locked away from the other three Londons. Meanwhile his family (the royal family of Red London) is searching for him, and the White King and Queen’s Antari is hunting him throughout the three worlds. Can they save all three existing Londons? Read and find out!

When my sports-obsessed husband gets super excited about a game he’s watching he yells out, “Instant classic!” Well, that is exactly how I felt after only a few chapters of A Darker Shade of Magic. INSTANT CLASSIC. ADSoM has all the makings of a classic fantasy story – a detailed setting (that you want to get lost in, yes, even if it’s impossibly dangerous), a fast-paced plot (I may have wished that my kids could walk to and from school on their own just so I could keep reading) and characters that you wish you could meet in person.

The setting is unbelievable. Four, separate Londons. I KNOW. Four of one of my favorite cities. And all four Londons are linked by magic. They are also linked by Travelers, people who can use magic to transport themselves between the different cities. Kell is our main protagonist and he’s also one of these rare Travelers. Kell’s main job is to deliver messages from the kings and queens of the different Londons. Can you imagine my excitement as the political intrigue and betrayals begin to build?

But, Victoria doesn’t leave it at that level of simple, fantasy plot. No, she introduces more characters (don’t worry if you’re like me and have trouble keeping track of a larger cast of characters, you won't have that issue here) and she efficiently tells you their story before using them to further the impossibly fast-moving plot.

Oh you guys, I looooooooved Kell and just wait until you meet Lila. She is the perfect live-for-adventure heroine. The two of them grow to depend on one another and their chemistry and quick wits made me want to ship them forever. And then there’s the prince of Red London, Rhy. Those three, Kell, Lila and Rhy, have my heart.

Now I’m going to leave you to discover the villains for yourself. They are complex, motivated and yes, my hatred for them was deeeeeeep. In other words, they are the very best kind of villains. You get them and you still hate them.

Don’t wait to pick up your copy of ADSoM and be sure to bump it up on your TBR pile. This is a classic fantasy tale that is just waiting to be picked up and read. Warning: symptoms after you finish reading will include – a pounding book hangover, a desire to test out your Traveler skills and an overwhelming urge to own a cool multi-layered and flippable coat. The only known treatment is the next installment of the story. For that, we will have to wait an entire year. I know, I know, it will feel like forever.

*Reviewed by Sophie for Mundie Moms

Quite possibly, A Darker Shade of Magic is one of the most surprisingly entertaining fantasy novels I've read in a while. Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind may be more beautiful, Vyleta's Smoke more mysterious, and Butcher's The Aeronaut's Windlass more adventuresome, but Schwab took me completely by surprise with an even mixture of all of these elements to create a fantasy that is a gripping ride from start to finish.

In an alternate London, Kell is the ambassador of the Red London throne to other Londons that lie a dimension away. In this world, a fluke of magic has created multiple versions of the great city, each with different languages and cultures, but accessible by a very few sorcerer-like individuals. While passing messages back and forth between the ruling heads of these alternate cities, Kell is also smuggling between them the little curiosities he finds during his trips. It's a practice that is illegal, but like a kleptomaniac, he seems unable to hold himself back, even despite warnings against the practice.

Delilah is a thief in Grey London, living a secret life as a vigilante protector of the downtrodden, of which there are many in this version of London, a world very much resembling ours during the reign of mad King George. Her London, unlike Kell's Red London, has lost most of its magic and is a dull, mundane place.

Kell and Delilah's worlds cross when returns from a journey to the devious leaders of White London, a place where the inhabitants fight and struggle with magic. Kell finds himself planted with an object of incredible power, one that hearkens from the now quarantined Black London, a place where run amok magic has caused it to be shut off from the other Londons. As treachery, assassins, and supernatural powers combine to pursue Kell and Delilah, they will have to overcome their distrust of each other to prevent the fall of their combined worlds to a power greater than them all.

Exciting, fast, and compelling, Schwab has begun a new trilogy that is utterly enjoyable. A Darker Shade of Magic is the first of three, and she opens up a world—our world and its parallels—that has plenty of room for expansion and development. I can’t wait to read the next one.

“Kell wore a very peculiar coat.”

I loved this book so much from the very first line that I read only a few chapters a day to make the read last. It’s been a most remarkable last couple of months. I loved to daydream about Kell & Lila and imagine the possibilities of what’s to come next.

Kell is one of the few people in existence who can travel between Red/White/Grey Londons - all exist in the same geographical area but in different worlds. They are vastly different. Grey London has no magic, Red London smells like flowers and oozes magic everywhere, White London is sheer terror. It only takes a few lines to establish the setting and why Kell is so fascinated with smuggling trinkets from other worlds to people who crave to see a different London. His smuggling gets him - and many people across the worlds - in trouble when he comes into possession of an item from the long-gone Black London.

“Lila Bard lived by a simple rule: if a thing was worth having, it was worth taking.”

Lila is a cross-dressing pirate-to-be, and holy smokes, is she awesome. She is curt, cutthroat, and independent. Her aspirations for adventure and freedom are the heart of the story. She lives by a certain moral code, one that even Kell can’t seem to keep up with, and she is unabashedly brave.

There are so many other great characters in this book - Rhy is Kell’s adopted brother who is bi/pansexual and a shameless flirt. He doesn’t show up in the book much, but Kell is constantly thinking about him. Since Kell loved him, I loved him. There would also be minor characters without hardly any lines that I found myself having unexpected feelings for that lasted hours after reading about them. As for the villains? Athos and Astrid Dane are the horrifying and sadistic twin rulers of White London, and I’ve never enjoyed hating two people so much in my life.

ADSOM is fighting for my favorite read of 2015, and it’s definitely a new favorite book.

**True rating is 4.5/5**

After seeing this book everywhere and hearing nothing but good things about it, I decided I needed to finally read it for myself. Although I didn’t seem to love it as much as some other people, I still really enjoyed this book and will definitely read the rest of the series and will check out some of Schwab’s other books.

My biggest complaint about this book was that there were a fair amount of errors that I picked up on. There were several times where you could tell the structure of the sentence had been changed through revisions because one part of the sentence was structured one way and the rest of it structured another. For example, on page 83, one sentence reads “Kell didn’t realize how much he badly he wanted that drink.” As I said, there were quite a few errors like this which annoyed me.

I have nothing but praise for the rest of the book. I loved the idea of different worlds and different Londons. I really liked how distinct each London was as well. In the beginning of the book, I was having a bit of a hard time separating them, but once Kell explains them to Lila, it really helped clear it up for me.

The characters were a big reason why I found this book so captivating. The characters are really unique and different from each other. Lila was my favorite. She’s sarcastic and a total badass which I absolutely loved. Her and Kell together were great. Kell was a pretty good character, but I’ll admit at sometimes he fell a little flat for me. It seemed at times that his character was just there as a way to move through the worlds and to have knowledge of magic. Towards the end, readers get to see more of his personality though and I especially liked his devotion to his brother, Rhy. Some of the other side characters, especially the Dane twins, were really fascinating to read about as well.

One other aspect that I really loved was how magic was portrayed. I liked it being portrayed as its own living thing rather than something that is just there to be manipulated by and for humans. It added an extra layer of complexity to the plot and made things more challenging for Kell.

The plot itself was really interesting and captivating. It does take a little bit for the main plot to start up, but once it does, things stay interesting throughout the rest of the book. I don’t want to give much away because the blurb doesn’t give a whole lot of information on what the plot is and I actually really liked that so I don’t want to take that away from you guys.

I adored A Darker Shade of Magic by Victoria Schwab! I instantly connected with the main character, Kell and found the writing visually gorgeous! I didn’t have any expectations for this book, though it had been on my to-be-read for awhile now. However, I must have read something about the book that left the impression I wouldn’t like the writing and was pleasantly surprised when this wasn’t the case. I loved catching all the details of the worlds – yes worlds – Schwab shares with us. Most importantly, I could feel the differences of the four Londons and that just because a London exists in the same space doesn’t mean they’re not worlds apart.

The POV is split between Kell and Delilah Bard aka Lila, but I’d say there’s more POV chapters with Kell. For this reason, I consider Kell the main protagonist and it was huge for me to instantly connect with him. I connect better with female protagonists and so prefer reading books with them. I was thinking to myself why was it so easy to connect with him and came to the conclusion that maybe I’ve never come across one that was believable to me. As well, when the POV’s change I can definitely read a difference in character when it comes to dialogue and thoughts. This can be difficult to attain because of that lingering similarity between character voices. Schwab is exceptional at writing relatable characters.

In this book there exists four worlds Kell can travel to, though we only experience three of them: Red London, White London and Grey London as Black London was thought to be destroyed a long time ago. These colours haven’t been chosen randomly and the reader experiences that. Through Kell and Lila, I could really see the differences and learned the importance of remembering each London is vastly distinct. I have to be honest, White London seems like a very scary and bleak place to live, even when compared to Grey London, a world without magic.

Kell is an Antari, a world jumper or magician able to travel between worlds and belongs to Red London. The only other Antari in existence is Holland, who comes from White London and their relationship is strained, both having dangerous secrets of their own. I loved that in this book, magic comes with a price and Antari must sacrifice blood and pain when world jumping. Another intriguing fact, these worlds exist on top of each other so when traveling to White London, you must already be in Red London. If you want to go to Grey London, you must be in Red. You can’t travel to Black London from Grey or Red, you need to be in White. This made the plot all the more difficult for Kell and Lila and interesting for the reader.

I can’t wait to pick up the sequel, A Gathering of Shadows and find out what’s next for Kell and Lila. Schwab is a master of secrets, so I hope one particular piece of foreshadowing I picked up on is revealed in book #2. There’s a lot of dark elements in A Darker Shade of Magic and I loved every moment of it! I recommend this title to readers wanting a darker fantasy, with incredibly original worlds and intricate characters.

Wow. I almost don't know where to start. That's how good this book is - though "good" would be an understatement.

V.E. Schwab's A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC is a story about blood magic and parallel Londons, smugglers and cross-dressing thieves, power struggles and unlikely friendships, forbidden tokens and a multi-reversible coat. It's a story about Kell, who's gifted (and cursed) with the ability to travel between worlds, and Lila, a genderfluid pickpocket who wants nothing more than to escape her city. They meet in drab Grey London after Kell unintentionally obtains a stone from the magically corrupted, "sealed-off" Black London. With allies and enemies alike after the stone, and its magic leaving devastating consequences, the only way Kell and Lila can save all four worlds is by bringing the stone to Black London - and never returning home.

A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC was engrossing from the get-go. The worldbuilding stands out immediately with its four parallel Londons, each with varying personalities and magical "capabilities." I enjoyed every moment of losing myself in the people, the distinct cultures, the dingy taverns and majestic palaces, the manifestations and consequences of its magic system... Many of these elements are fantasy familiars, but they're combined in such a refreshing way that they don't feel tired or overused, but rather integral to the world(s).

The characters, though. They're truly what makes ADSOM such a special book. The main characters are polar opposites: Kell is reserved, responsible, and surprisingly layered; whereas Lila is bold, clever, and fearless. They balance each other out and make an remarkable team, and watching them meet, butt heads, and grow to care for each other (in a platonic way, not romantic) was half the fun of this book. Prince Rhy of Red London is flamboyantly fabulous and humorous, and the antagonists are developed well enough that they make your blood run cold. Though I admit that I felt sorry for Holland the White Traveler - and once you know his backstory, you will, too.

Schwab's writing is worth praising as well. The quality of it in her YA urban fantasy THIS SAVAGE SONG had impressed me, and in ADSOM it thrilled me even more. It's crisp, vivid, and engaging, with an authentically elegant British tone and healthy doses of humor, suspense, and violence. The dialogue crackled and felt realistic. The gradual sharing of backstory and world details was never overwhelming. And while the plot took some time to get rolling, I sensed early on that everything was important (which it was) and was content to watch how things unfolded - and thusly rewarded.

I really couldn't find anything wrong with this book. Except that I got it for Christmas and squeezed it as my final read of 2016 - and go figure, it shot to the top of my Top 10 list for previously published reads of the year. Thanks for causing last-minute bookish chaos for me, Ms. Schwab. XD

But seriously, A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC is everything a great fantasy novel should be - adventurous, magical, immersive, exciting - and yet it's nothing like anything I've read before. Since finishing this book, I've ordered its sequel A GATHERING OF SHADOWS and pre-ordered the series finale A CONJURING OF LIGHT. If I relished the first book enough to want to finish the rest of the series very soon, that says something, right? ;)

How do I even begin to describe A Darker Shade of Magic. The world - it's so imaginative, the concept of four interlocking universes, with magic flowing between them, and special magicians called Travelers able to pass between them. And the magic itself is created in such a way, that it lends itself to the danger in the world and one of the prime obstacles of the plot, which makes the setting unique for the story - something I like in fantasy books. Also, there are two kinds of magic - elemental and blood, which is an interesting combination in that they are both commanded differently and react differently.

Kell, an Antari, can command both, and is basically a very powerful person in his world, but his existence is a lonely one. Lila, a thief, is seemingly normal but gets caught up in his story when she picks his pocket. The thing I liked about their partnership is how they complement each other - Kell is the cautious tender-hearted one and Lila is the fierce storm living for adventure. Also, I loved the fact that this book focused on the worlds and their developing partnership, rather than any romance. If there is to be any, I feel it will be a slow burn, but I am very interested in how their story plays out further. The ending of this book felt very complete, but of course, the possibilities are myriad. There is still Black London to be explored, and Lila's future aspirations to be a pirate, as well as Kell's fate. I am just to excited to read the next book.

This is my second book I’ve read of Victoria’s and my god, the worlds she builds and the characters she brings to life are just simply amazing. She is such an amazing story-teller that putting down the book was futile. I really regret putting off reading this story. Victoria is definitely on my list of auto-buy authors. She really is a wonderful author and story teller.

This story follows Kell who is a magician who can travel between London’s, and yeah there is more than one London. Grey, Red, White, and Black. Black has been destroyed and the doors between worlds has been sealed shut and only two, Kell and Holland, can travel between worlds. Kell is betrayed after traveling to White London where he flees to Grey London and there he meets Lila Bard. Where they both set out on an adventure to save the world. Let me just say that Lila Bard is a thief and a badass! She is willing to risk her life for Kell and their friendship gives me life. Then there is Rhy who is brothers with Kell, but not by blood. Honestly they are so cute together and they may not be brothers by blood but they are bound to each other. Plus Rhy is hilarious. I can’t even choose who is my favorite character in this book, I mean Lila is probably top of the list though. Then there is Holland and let me just say I hate/love him. He is crazy but I feel for him. I just hope we haven’t seen the last of him but also that isn’t as crazy as when we first met him.

Now let’s talk about this world. I love parallel universes, alternate worlds, traveling between worlds, anything having to do with magic really. And this has all that and more. It’s crazy intense. I mean the action does not stop coming. Every few chapters there was something happening. And let me just say Kell can get himself in to some s***. Which I love because Lila was pretty much the one to save the day and who doesn’t love a girl who saves the day? I am certain that February is going to kill me, not only do we get this sequel we get The Raven King as well. Yeah I will be dead after I read both of these, but I will die a happy death. Because I get more Lila and Kell and Rhy. Which I can’t wait for.

Overall I loved this book and it so lived up to the hype surrounding it and I can’t wait till the next one. I also have the awesome opportunity to meet Victoria in February, which I am so excited for! I can not wait to tell her that her books are amazing! I’m also sure you guys have heard the news that she signed an 8 book deal. One of those books being a YA book called This Savage Song, which sounds amazing, and the other being the sequel to Vicious, which oh my god guys was amazing! I honestly can’t even think after reading one of Victoria’s books. She just turns my brain to mush. But Vicious was just as amazing and I can’t wait to see more of Victor! Well I kind of got side-tracked from what I was here to do, which was tell you just how amazing A Darker Shade of Magic really was. If you haven’t read this one I really really suggest you give it a try! It’s so interesting and keeps you up till the wee hours of the morning just to find out what happens! And let me just say that ending was really good. Seriously guys pick this one up! You won’t regret it!

Hey, this book has got some complicated stuff in it and I'm not the reader to be explaining it. But in the spirit of The Review, I'm going to happily get it wrong, just wrong enough, so you'll get the spirit of the genius of this story and want to read it. Serious.
It involves four worlds, each with a version of London. Like Red London where magic is celebrated, Grey London, called grey because it has no magic going on. And then there is white London and it uses magic to control and rule. In the old days travel was possible between each world, but the magic turned bad and the doors were closed and Black London, baddest of all, completely shut off to all.
The main guy is Kell, adopted child of the King and Queen in Red London. He's special because he can travel between the worlds through magic, and he works as a royal messenger between the royals in the different Londons.
The main girl is Lila, a picket pocket from Grey London, who dreams of becoming a pirate. Arrr surly one she is, but her path crosses Kell's when she pickpockets a treasure he's been asked to transport from one world to another.
So thats my truly crude attempt to capture the magic of the backstory to A darker Shade of Magic.
Did i mention it was good. The worlds are unique and vibrant. The characters deep and engaging.
The pace builds, slow at first for sure, but there are skirmishes as you get to know who's who that keep you engaged. But when the climax nears the pace is full on.
And the ending is ... Well no one wants to hear about the ending. Not from me.
Read it, it really is brilliant and the first in a series.
Roo

I can’t believe I waited so long to read this! My expectations were very high considering all the rave reviews I’ve seen and all the hype. I wasn’t let down, it was so good!

I love kell! I love his dark and quiet personality, his love for small rebellion in his (hobbies) he’s one of kind and holds a place in my heart.

Lila is a character! She’s rough and Strong but also caring in her own way. I loved how Hers and Kells lives crossed paths with her (Hobby) it was fated. A point in life that was pre destined to happen. There’s something special about Lila and I can’t wait to find out what she becomes.

I’ve always loved magic and there’s no lack of it in the worlds Scwabb created. I’m looking forward to the next book!

This story was so original and creative. I wish it had gone deeper into to some of the characters. I am sure the reason it didn't is just because it was a series but I hate that rushed feeling that sometimes comes with the first book in a series. I will definitely read more of this series though. I loved Lila and Kell and I ship them already.

Favorite Quotes

"clever was more dangerous than bad any day of the week."

"Had Lila been a man, and the ships fair maidens building up their skirts, she could not have wanted them more. Hang the fine dresses, she thought. I'll take a ship."

"Love doesn't keep us from freezing to death, Kell," she continued, "or starving, or being knifed for the coins in our pocket. Love doesn't buy us anything, so be glad for what you have and who you have because you may want for things but you need for nothing."

The Good: I listened to this as an audiobook throughout and while driving home from my vacation, and the narrator really brought the beautiful prose and the characters to life! I was totally invested in the two main characters and I absolutely loved the magic system and the worlds created in the book. I also loved the villains--the Dane twins actually made me shudder. It was wonderful! I definitely finished wanting to learn more about the world and see what other adventures the characters get to, so I’ll be looking for the sequel soon!

The Bad: The plot in this book was a bit light for the first half, and I didn’t really get the sense of the overarching plot until halfway through. I honestly didn’t mind, though, because the characters and the detailed world were so entertaining! I also found some phrase to be overused, such as “sharp edge of a smile,” but besides that I thought the prose was really strong.

Representation: This book isn’t super great with representation, particularly of people of color, but it’s one of Schwab’s earlier books and I know that she improves in future books. Prince Rhy is clearly bisexual, though, and that came through crystal-clear in this book. I also happen to know that he get a male love interest later in the series, and I’m so looking forward to reading that.

Favorite Line: “You suffer so beautifully.”

Rating: 5/5 Stars!

OK, this is going to be an unpopular opinion, but I don't see the HYPE at all!!!!!

This book didn't read much different than any other children book, and if I'm correct the author has been a children book author before she started as V.E. SCHAWB. If I take an author like Jim Butcher and his Furies of Calderon for example - those two authors are miles apart in quality of writing and plot - the ladder deserves the HYPE!!!

All in all I was BORED out of my mind the first 3/4 of the book.

I persevered and kept listening to the audiobook, but gosh, there was nothing happening. Ok maybe, something MORE had to happen to keep me captivated and engaged. I truly hope the sequel will pick up somewhat.

Anyway, not to digress, I finished the book, AND I'm going to listen to the next book A Gathering of Shadows, just to see what happens to the characters. Actually, at the end of the book I started connecting with the characters somewhat, so it wasn't a total loss and I wouldn't pick up book 2 if I thought so.

So, on I go. :D

A Darker Shade of Magic is richly atmospheric, darkly magical, and whimsical in it’s storytelling. It posits the idea of parallel worlds, where London seems to be a fixed point, if the rest of the world isn’t. Four Londons, to be exact, each with a corresponding color describing their status (in Kell’s mind, at least): Red London, Kell’s home, and full of magic and life and love. Grey London, where magic is all but forgotten, and seems to look like what our world might have in the 1800’s. White London, where magic is a vicious weapon, and horrible tyrants rule with sadism. And Black London, which has effectively been destroyed by magic.

Kell is an Antari, a magic user whose blood allows him to travel between these different Londons. Kell is supposed to only do official Crown business on these trips, but he’s a bit of a smuggler, and smuggling items from the different Londons is strictly against the law. This isn’t much of a problem until Kell is asked to deliver an item of immense power into his London. Then all hell breaks loose.

Kell is extremely likable, though I wanted him to be slightly more powerful or resourceful. He was supposed to be this amazing magician but he seemed to be in tight places that he couldn’t get himself out of quite often. That weakness aside, he’s definitely a likable hero, with a dynamic and rich character. Lila, on the other hand, was not so likable for me. She’s a thief from Grey London, and really until about the last fourth of the book, she irritated the crap out of me. She was one of those characters that was going to do whatever she wanted, no matter what everyone else (namely Kell) said. And Kell knows WAY more than her and it bothered me that she wouldn’t listen to him. Fortunately, near the end, she started trusting him and stopped being such an idiot. I think I will like her quite a bit more in the future.

The real strength of this book is the whimsy and interest of the different Londons. The magic was interesting, though not terribly unique (although I’d still like to see more of the Antari blood magic in the future). The rulers of White London are the stuff of nightmares, providing a solid conflict and high stakes for Kell to get the job done and to do it quickly.

A Darker Shade of Magic is the perfect read for anyone who likes whimsically dark fantasy stories with clever heroes and sadistic bad guys.

Content: Dark themes, violence, language. Recommended for 17+ (Note: this is not Young Adult).

There is so much that I want to say about A Darker Shade of Magic. I know, I know. I am late on the Victoria Schwab fangirl bandwagon and I have fifty million regrets. Deep inside of me, I wish I got into it when it first came out because I would have been on it like rice wine vinegar on sushi rice.

The story started out slow for me only because I was having the hardest time trying to stay awake on my commute to and from work. I have a very bad sleeping pattern, you see. I’ve spent the last two weeks trying to get through the first two sections of the book and knew deep in my blood and bones that this was a phenomenal story worthy of standing up to the books in its genre.

I needed to get through the book once I actually was on a roll. That meant two days and getting as much read as I could in a total of four hours because the rest of the time was meant for some intense sleep, Tumblr'ing and Voltron: Legendary Defender love (if you haven’t watched the reboot that just relaxed on Netflix or you’re a big fan of amazing animation, you need to watch this show). I finished it a few hours ago and dear god, I am a believer. It has not been long since I’ve read a great book, but it has been long since I’ve read a book where the characters and the setting and the plot are so so brilliantly crafted and amazing that I just want to give this an unprecedented ten stars.

Even when my thoughts were muddled with the story at the beginning, I loved Kell’s character and I loved Rhys’s character. And then I met Delilah Bard and her dynamic with Kell was the most refreshing and awesomest thing I’ve ever read. I’ve never seen a cast of characters work so well together. ALL of them worked - there wasn’t ONE character that I could have done without - nosiree. They were all essential and I loved how Schwab introduced characters like Barron and Booth and made it seem like she was making a bigger ensemble of characters to carry the story forward, but no - OH NO! Some characters come quick and go quick, but their scenes are so well-written that make them memorable to me.

The plot was brilliant. I could tell that it was complicated and there were intricate plot points that were necessary to writing THIS AWESOME STORY. I could seriously hear my blood rushing to my ears and my heart racing from so much happening. Schwab has this beautiful way of storytelling that makes me feel too much all at once and makes me thirst for more as much as the black stone calls to Kell and Holland.

Oh my god, Holland - to not get me started on Holland.
I love Holland. Holland makes me distraught.
The final scene between Holland and Kell in this book made me so so sad.

Victoria Schwab - you are a cruel maestra of storytelling.

Well, this was a refreshing take on blood magic! Also, I have to admit, it is nice to read a book promising magic action and getting it. If you want some flashy magic, this book's for you!

First, I really enjoyed the writing! Schwab's use of imagery is great with the magical moments and dutifully colorful to the different types of Londons and their characteristics. I was properly fascinated by Red London and terrified of White. The worlds are gritty, beautiful, and leave the reader with plenty more to learn. Schwab also has a ruthless edge to her writing, which may or may not induce anxiety while reading. I think this book would make a wonderful comic book or animation, too. It could be very vivid and gorgeous at times and Schwab's writing style has a nice flow to it I can't quite put my finger on, but it's there. I think it is optioned to become a tv series or something to do with live action.

Next would be Schwab's characters, most of whom I enjoyed. Then I realized Schwab is a bloodthirsty author and no one is safe, thus encouraging me to distance myself from caring too much, not that it always worked. Guard your hearts readers!

The two main characters, Kell and Lila, follow the brooding magician and feisty rogue archetypes well, though both are Gary Stu/Mary Sue characters, which can be a little annoying. However, not as annoying as Lila's character could be. Sometimes I just find character types who are mouthy and hate pity tiresome. It seems to often be mistaken for inner strength, being a badass, putting on a false front/defense mechanisms, etc...I just tire quickly of heroes/heroines who approach their problems with brute force all the time and like finesse, manipulation, and guile (yay anti-heroes!). I also enjoy the devious characters who are more manipulative because I'm a villain deep down.

My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

V.E Schwab has written a unique historical fantasy read set within the YA genre. There's action, magic and even a want-to-be pirate. She gives her readers strong characters, an interesting premise with some great twists all within fantastically unique settings.

In this world there are four different London's existing in parallel universes, each with their own degree of magic which has affected each city in significantly different ways. Grey London which is quite similar to our own world, has no magic and is unaware of any of the other Londons. White London has a darker kind of magic with constant power struggles where the weak are held in check by the powerful. Red London is well-to-do and uses magic to benefit its people. They realize there are other magical realms but since they live lavishly and safely they have no need to bother with worlds outside their own. Finally, there was Black London which succumbed to darker magic leading the other London's to seal all gateways to it and assume that Black London destroyed itself.

Only a select few, called Antari, can travel between the different worlds. This is where Kell comes in. He is an Antari and uses his ability to relay messages from royalty between the different realms ... as well as smuggle, what he deems as innocent, artifacts between the Londons. When one of his smuggling missions puts him in danger he is forced to rely on Lila, a thief from Grey London whose only goals are to survive and find adventure. Unfortunately, Kell and Lila have many enemies who are out to get them and Lila may get more adventure than she bargained for.

This book started off quite strong. Schwab clearly describes her unique setting with the various Londons and I was really drawn to Kell and, even more so, Lila. She's feisty, doesn't put up with a lot of guff and plays by her own set of rules. Kell is quite powerful in his own right and struggles to find where he truly fits in. He makes mistakes and finds himself relying on Lila, a common street thief. There are some decent twists and I enjoyed that no one is who they seem - except maybe the villains who were evil-to-the-core nasties who didn't appear to have any redeeming qualities.

I'd give the first half of the book a solid 4 stars but my rating of the second half faltered to a three when my attention started to wain about two-thirds through. The ending seemed a bit rushed and felt like it fell into place a little too easily. I also wasn't fond that I was left with quite a few unanswered questions.

This book is all about brilliant world building with unique characters and ruthless villains. And while the ending was a little lackluster after all of the build up I can't help but think that things will be explained better in the second installment of this series, A Gathering of Shadows (Feb 2015). Recommended for fans of historical fiction with a bit of magic thrown in for good measure.

Favourite Quotes:

"I'm not going to die," she said. "Not till I've seen it."
"Seen what?"
Her smile widened. "Everything."

"You know so little of war. Battles may be fought from the outside in, but wars are won from the inside out."

"I'm not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of dying here." She swept her hand over the room, the tavern, the city.
"I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still."

'A Darker Shade of Magic', part one of a trilogy, is a terrific read! Brave and foolhardy Antari magician Kell, born with magic in his blood, struggles to control the doorways between four realities - Grey London: an unmagical London of ordinary 18th-century times, ruled by King George III; Red London, Kell's home, a magically balanced and happy London full of vivid colors with wise King Maxim and Queen Emira and a roguish son, Prince Rhy; White London, a place which has lost most of its magic because magic has become unbalanced and fights back, its Royal family, the Dane twins, succumbing to evil magic leaking from; Black London, where some sort of a black magic catastrophe occurred and evil now rules, so its doors had to be magically sealed.

No one knows what is happening in Black London, but White London has been damaged by its proximity to Black London's door. The effects on White London are revealing chilling clues to whatever happened in Black London. Red London abandoned White London to its fate, which has left Kell, Red London's magician and Rhy's adopted brother, still feeling guilty.

Kell is a messenger for the rulers of Red London, traveling between worlds by using his magic, but he is also smuggling items between the Londons, which is forbidden. Kell feels unloved and used by the Red London's royals, which is not entirely untrue, so smuggling items between worlds is his little way of rebelling. Kell is only 21 years old, a year older than Prince Rhy. Kell and Rhy feel like they are real brothers to each other, whatever his relationship with Rhy's parents.

Something evil has happened to Holland, the White London's Antari. Kell's relationship to the only other blood magician he knows has never been easy, but now it is positively murderous. Holland is after him, and not in a good way. Could it have something to do with the mysterious black stone a White Londoner gave him to sell in Grey London? The black stone feels tingly and oddly attractive, and after Kell carries it between White London and Grey London, attacks begin multiplying against him. Thankfully, a hardened Grey London pickpocket, 19-year-old Lila Bard, decides to assist him after stealing the black stone from him without knowing who Kell is or what he is. Kell doesn't exactly want Lila's help, but after chasing her down and retrieving the black stone, he can't deny she is saving his life again and again. They are a good team!

Gentle reader, this is a non-stop thrill ride. I can't wait for the next installment in this ongoing trilogy.

I could not put this book down, it was that good.

First off, mad props to the designer of these book covers. They are BEAUTIFUL and I am so relieved that I liked the book because that means I can put it on my shelf and look at its beauty all the days.

The premise of these books is what first intrigued me. A Darker Shade of Magic is irrefutably a fantasy novel, but the concept has hints of science fiction - four Londons, each overlayed on one another like sheets of paper, but travel between them impossible for their inhabitants. Who doesn't love a good exploration of alternate dimension theory?! Especially when magic is involved. It's the whole delicious package.

I should say that travel is restricted for all except for the Antari, and there are only two of them left. Kell, one of the two, is the protagonist of this story. As one being able to travel, he's responsible for carrying messages between the worlds. Although entirely illegal, he may also smuggle trinkets between worlds as well. His smuggling gets him into more trouble than he bargained for when he's tricked into taking a token of pure magic, bad magic - bringing along with it a slew of people who wouldn't mind killing him to get their hands on it. Devastated that he's brought such evil into his world, he's determined to take it back to where it belongs before anyone gets hurt.

I found this book intriguing and captivating. The impossible idea of a coat with more than two sides, traveling between worlds, magical beings, imminent war - it was all done very creatively and felt so original that I couldn't wait to see what happened.

When I read book #1 of a series that already has multiple novels, the primary assessment is whether to go on to book #2. In this case, book #1 passed easily. It's snappy and creative with its multiple Londons, varying levels of magic, and very narrow ability to move among the Londons.

I liked that Kell's and Lila's relationship retained some conflict and did not go in an undesired direction so early in the series. The author also was smart in Kell's flawed moves, without too much power and without being too perfect, somewhat akin to Harry Potter not being over the top.

Perhaps its categorization as a Young Adult novel derived from the fairly straightforward writing and lack of complex language that might not resonate with a YA audience. And of course the main two protagonists are young. Fine with me.

A Darker Shade of Magic has somewhat traditional fantasy elements at its basic structure, but it is such a new concept that it's unlike anything I've ever read. The multiple Londons is one of those ideas that I would have never thought of or been able to develop a story about, but Schwab is apparently a genius and did a wonderful job creating the overall setup and nuances of having such a complex setting.

I also need to talk about this magic system, which is insane (in a good way). I haven't felt this interested in a particular magic system in a while, so that made me extremely happy. Although the nature of the magic in this world (or worlds?) was rather mysterious, it was still understandable in a weird way. I liked that the magic itself was this ever-powerful force that could become too much for someone and basically overtake and destroy them - or, you know, a city.

Kell is an awesome protagonist. He was real. He wasn't some exceptionally badass, fearless guy - he had perfectly human fears and didn't pretend he was any stronger or better than he actually was. This made him feel extremely understandable and relatable and is part of what kept me drawn to the story. I also enjoyed his interactions with the prince, Rhy, because I felt it really helped to develop his overall character by showing what he cared about.

Lila is also an interesting character and I'm still somewhat on the fence about her. I loved her fierceness, independence, and overall sense of being a badass, - pretty much the opposite of Kell at times - but sometimes she grated on me somewhat. It was mainly her attitude that drove me crazy: her stubbornness, in particular, frustrated me. I know that stubborn characters are a favorite of authors - how else would anything move forward in the plot if there's not a bullheaded character who refuses to go with the norm? It just annoyed me when Kell would specifically explain to her why he needed her to give her something (vague in case of spoilers), and she just wouldn't do it. I know and understand that that is a big part of her character, how her and Kell interact, and how she ends up traveling with him, but it got on my nerves. I will say, though, that throughout the course of the book she did begin to grow on me, and I see positive potential for her character in the upcoming books. Overall, she's a strong character and I think she will continue to grow on me with subsequent books, but I'm not just automatically in love with her for being a strong female lead.

Overall, I'm completely torn about how to rate this. On the one hand, I can't help but want to give it anything other than a five star, but on the other hand I don't quite feel like it absolutely hit that five-star note for me. As a result, I have decided to give A Darker Shade of Magic four-and-a-half-stars, and I recommend to this just about anyone, especially those who love adventures and want something new.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab is a story about three London’s, Kell who can travel between words and Lila a girl who wants an adventure. Kell works for the King and Queen in Red London, which is his home, and is part of their family. This means he is best friends with Rhys who is the King and Queen’s only son. Kell gets into trouble and runs into Lila along the way. Lila decides to go on an adventure with Kell despite the chances that this particular adventure is most likely to end with death. I liked the world of the three London’s and loved Kell and Rhys, but at first I wasn’t a big fan of Lila. I didn’t like how in the moment her decisions were, but as the book continued and she grew as a person she started to grow on me. The writing style is very interesting, it is narrated in a very calm way which contrast a lot with what is sometime chaos that is happening in the book. I enjoyed reading this story and will definitely read the next one. I would recommend this book to people who liked Red Queen, Throne of Glass or who just like magic.

A Darker Shade of Magic represents my first foray with V.E. Schwab, and I would categorize it as something along the lines of uncontrollable love at first sight.

***

Kell wore a very peculiar coat.

It had neither one side, which would be conventional, nor two, which would be unexpected, but several, which was, of course, impossible.

The first thing he did whenever he stepped out of one London and into another was take off the coat and turn it inside out once or twice (or even three times) until he found the side he needed. Not all of them were fashionable, but they each served a purpose. There were ones that blended in and ones that stood out, and one that served no purpose but of which he was just particularly fond.

***

Kell is one of the rarest of rare breeds. He is an Antari, a magician with one normal eye and one black eye, who can travel between the parallel worlds, from Grey London to Red London to White London. Though never to the forbidden Black London, where magic destroyed it all. Kell lives in Red London, where he serves at the pleasure of the King and Queen. He is even something of an adopted son to them, raised as he was alongside their son Prince Rhy. The two are close as brothers and get up to all manner of mischief together. Well, Rhy does. And Kell rabbits off after him trying to tame the prince's effulgent ways and teach him a little magic along the way. So that he will be a good king and ruler to the people of Red London. What no one but Rhy knows is that Kell breaks a few of his own rules now and then. Namely, he smuggles small items from one London to another as a form of self-entertainment and a way of fending off the loneliness. He does have one counterpart, the other Antari Holland. But Holland resides in the dreaded White London, where he is in painful servitude to the current ruthless rulers the Dane twins. But it's when Kell makes the unexpected acquaintance of one thief Delilah Bard that things really being to unravel. And when Lila finds her way from Grey London into magic-drenched Red London, she is bound and determined never to go back.

It is such a tale. Such a magnificent, charming, and desperate tale of one young magician's quest to balance who he is with what is expected of him and one young woman's drive to see (and do) everything before she dies. I fell in love with Kell on page one, with his magical red coat and his quiet intensity. And my soul was knit with Delilah Bard's the moment she came at Kell with a sword and demanded more from her life. Kell and Lila, individually and collectively, find themselves up to their eyeballs in trouble before this tale is through. And it is all so perfectly paced, allowing the reader time enough with each character to take their measure and form (and occasionally confirm) a number of important suspicions as to who might be an ally and who might be a shadow bent on evil. I relished each jaunt into the three so hazardously different Londons, hugging my arms to my sides each time we journeyed into eerie White London, hoping we would make it back alive. V.E. Schwab knows how to structure an adventure, and this one ramps up to the most creepy and urgent of climaxes. My heart raced at every turn, and my brain tumbled ahead to sift through the consequences of certain choices that will undoubtedly play out in the sequel. A Darker Shade of Magic is fantasy of the highest order. I'm so thrilled to have discovered it and wish Kell and Lila (and Rhy) all the luck in their coming adventures. Not that they need it.

A man who walks through walls. A cross-dressing thief hidden in shadows. A London by any other color. Schwab’s first book in the Shades of Magic series is one of the most captivating fantasies I’ve read to date. The worlds Kell visits intrigue and inspire a whole new kind of magic.

Kell is an Antari, one of two throughout the four Londons, in fact. And yes, there are four Londons: Grey, Red, White, and Black. Of course they each have a name past a singular color but this is how they’re most easily distinguished throughout the novel. At first, I expected a mishap to set the story on its promising action-packed path. Kell acts as a means of communication between the rulers of each of the Londons so something is bound to go wrong, right?

It does, but not in the way I expected. Kell has a…quirk, if you will. He collects things, trinkets from each of the worlds. Of course, that’s expressively forbidden. This marks the beginning of something much bigger than a single man when a piece of Black London — a world that was left to die — reappears in the other worlds. Which is how we meet Lila, the cross-dressing shadow thief from Grey London.

These characters were perfect. Truly. Kell has this whole “duty first” kind of attitude, a little standoffish but loyal and loving to his adoptive family in Red London. They raised him much higher than most. Yet there’s an element of his past and a lack of memories from an early age that make me want more. I need more. I have to know what his backstory is! And Lila acted as the energetic sassy balance. She exudes confidence but underneath it all wants a place of her own, a place where she belongs. Lila has dreams and aspirations. She steals but she sees the world as it is, the good and the bad. This thief is far from helpless but there’s a certain level of vulnerability to her character that connects her and Kell as they team up to stop a true evil from awakening in their worlds.

And let me just say, those Londons? Amazing. Each is distinctive not just in name but characteristics. You feel it each time Kell steps through a wall into the next city. Grey London is what you’d expect from our world set a couple centuries back. It’s dark and dreary and magicless. Red London blooms with life and color, rich with magic to the point of overflowing. White London strikes fear, washed out and controlled by power-hungry twins on a throne of blood. And Black London…it just isn’t there anymore, or so goes the tale.

I saw a quiz online to determine what London you belong in and decided on a whim to take it. Like Lila, I’m a Grey London inhabitant but I think I would also want to explore the other worlds much as she does.

So what London do you belong in? Read A Darker Shade of Magic and find out! If you love fantastic adventures, imaginative worlds, and striking characters, this is the book for you.

I don’t know how A Darker Shade of Magic got on my radar or really what I was expecting, but it honestly was amazing and had me, like, whipping through chapters. Schwab – better known for her young adult fiction written under her given name Victoria – weaves early nineteenth-century England with (hard? high?) fantasy into an engaging and engrossing fast-paced piece of world-building. *Ahem* Kell, our fearless ginger-haired protagonist is an Antari – a powerful Traveler magician capable of mastering all five elements[i] – who officially travels between Londons[ii] as a diplomat of the Maresh empire of Arnes but also unofficially smuggles artifacts among the three cities until he’s tricked into delivering a letter into Red London (which has an inconspicuous piece of Black London tucked inside (oh hi, plot)). It is here, in a pub in Grey London, with a powerful piece of magic in his shape-shifting coat, that Kell meets our other fearless protagonist: a cross-dressing lady thief named Delilah Bard who is totally kickass and, shall we say, persuades Kell to bring her along with him. Hijinks ensure. (#whew)

A Darker Shade of Magic needs its world-building to succeed: not only because “fantasy [as a genre] tends to live or die on its world-building,” [...]but also because, without it, Schwab’s readers are left scratching their heads in confusion. Why is Kell two-of-a-kind? And why is it so dangerous to have a piece of Black London? And, wait, what’s Black London again? And who is Rhy? And are we supposed to be rooting for Holland or not? And, I’m sorry, but WHAT IS GOING ON??? Schwab writes Lila as both a narrative counterweight to Kell AND a crutch for the reader – she is really freaking successful at building up the foundation that, yes, Magic™ exists but, no, not in the world that also produced the House of Hanover, okay – but it doesn’t feel like we’re being explained to past the first couple of chapters. Magic just is and the Londons just are, and Schwab’s writing is better for it.

The first part in a trilogy, A Darker Shade of Magic is part whodunit, part swashbuckling caper, and part coming-of-age. It is not, however, a romance – but that’s okay because Schwab writes such fascinating and faceted characters that the googly eyes most opposite-sex-partnerships make in traditional romances feels over-the-top and, frankly, unwarranted within the world she’s created. The action, although well-paced, felt slightly rushed into its resolution; so, either I was expecting a totally different ending or, well, nope – I was expecting a totally different ending. S’okay, though, as soon as I finished the book’s last page, I was still itching to get my grubby hands on its sequel, A Gathering of Shadows. I think that means Schwab’s foray into adult literature was a success.

[i] Bone, earth, fire, water, and wind; Kell also has one completely black eye and this amazing coat that he can turn inside out and outside in to reveal different coats when needed.

[ii] There are four Londons: Black London and White London and Red London (Kell’s London) and then Grey London (our London and the boring one without magic); Magic™ kind of, like, swallowed Black London, though, and nobody goes there anymore or even really mentions it.

Another highly hyped book that consists of a great idea and for me, poor execution. Lila was the biggest miss for me - immature, annoying and had the street sense of a peanut. Her character did not reflect her backstory at all and she was thoroughly unlikable, arrogant and selfish, coming across more like a moody 14 year old than an independent tough adventurer. I was tired of the whole thing before I hit the halfway mark. Pretty disappointing considering the hype.

My fellow YAcks chose good in February with A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC. A dark, character-focused story that dragged me through one similar world after another that were each unique unto themselves had me thinking of Ari Marmell’s Widdershins series, which I love. Rich worlds, great fantasy, great characters, no romance, and a plot that I dove head first into.

The story toggles back and forth between the points of view of Kell and Lila, who are on different tracks in life until a black stone comes into play and throws them unwillingly together. Lila is a survivor, having lived on the streets for most of her life. She knows when to fight and when to run away even though she may not want to. And she’s always wanted something bigger than what she had. When Kell is thrown in her path, she seizes him.

Kell is the beloved messenger of his king and queen who treat him as family and who love him as family but who know deep down that they basically own him. It’s a tough situation and one in which Kell has been able to tuck aside but when Lila comes into the story that gets harder to ignore. He has a bad habit of smuggling items between worlds, something expressly forbidden, and his adopted brother hates that he does it. But Kell does it anyway because it’s largely harmless. Until the stone.

The world that Schwab has created is both familiar and terrifying, unique and easily recognizable. Across all three worlds it’s called London for no discernible reason but that’s where the similarities end. Gray London is the one we know of. Red and White Londons are unique unto themselves, existing on the same foundation in basically was are different universes that can be traversed by certain people. They exist in a railroad apartment universe of Londons, is the best way I can think to describe it. Black London, the one completely consumed by magic is on one end. White London, left to fend for themselves against the seeping Black London and as a result have gone a little magic crazy, is next in the line of Londons. Red London, Kell’s London where the world has flourished with magic, comes after that, nestling White in between itself and Black, effectively using it has a barrier. Gray London is at the other end, farthest away from the source of magic and thus with the least amount of it. When traveling through them you can’t skip from, say, White to Gray. You have to go through Red first. Hence railroad apartment. Look it up.

Anyway, these Londons aren’t necessarily unique with their magic but they’re unique in how they coexist, or not, with each other. How the divide between them is precarious at best, how Black London is basically pushing at its confines to get out and it is leaking out. Undiluted magic is seeping into the other Londons and it’s causing some major issues, namely killing some people. This is the grand adventure Lila has been looking for and all Kell wants to do is stop this piece of magic that was, in part, responsible for felling an entire world back where it belongs, even if it means risking his own life. He doesn’t understand why Lila wants to go on this suicide mission.

The two of them really are adorable together. They snip at each other but it’s in a way that I feel could never get old. They compliment each other, the rational and irrational, speaking for each other when it’s rendered in a way that neither of them expected. Kell almost comes off as this do-good type of character but when you find out how he grew up, how he’s basically owned by his adoptive parents, and his dirty little habit, that do-gooder vibe falls right away. And Lila, who’s just a girl trying to survive on her own terms, forced to do some bad things in order to do just that and not really willing to compromise, has a heart deeper than most people’s. She just keeps herself guarded because of her past. They’re characters that are hard not to like.

And Schwab isn’t afraid to take them places that are darker than normal. She puts them into situations that could get them killed, that do get others killed, some of those others who are close to them. And they die in rather awful ways on top of that. I could live in this book all day long, watch Kell hop from one world to another. Watch Lila strive for your pirate ship. So much was introduced in this first book that I’m nearly salivating to get my hands on book two. Want.

If you like your fantasy well-crafted, your characters incredibly engaging and without romance, and your worlds terrifyingly vivid you’ll like A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC. It’ll suck you in and won’t let go.

4.5

A lot of work has gone into building the world of this book, a flat-out fantasy adventure with several very engaging characters and enough treachery and magic to fuel a season of GAME OF THRONES.

This is a book that’s suffused with magic—blood magic, elemental magic, you name it. The magic builds from the small to the epic, and the magic battles are very satisfying. (Fans of this kind of material may see some parallels to Katherine Kurtz’ fantastic DERYNI CHRONICLES, which are history-based and use an alternate Wales as their location.)

The book is also stuffed with plot, more storylines pinwheeling around than there are alternate Londons. And adding to the quests for identity and the magical danger are … PIRATES. It’s almost a bit too much.

There are some great visuals here, from the mundane magic of a character turning his coat inside out and sideways to turn it into a completely different garment and the lovely display of telekinesis when he’s demonstrating that the little box of elements is NOT RIGGED to the Enthusiast.

The characters draw us in. Kell is a rascal and a rover, a character the author describes as equal parts “Prince Hal and Jack Hawkins.” Even his real name is a mystery, the “Kell” taken from the KL inscribed on a silver knife that was with him when he was brought to the palace as a child. Kell is reckless and driven but not careless or stupid, and as the story unfolds, we find ourselves more and more engaged in his quest to learn more about himself and to find his way in the world.

Lila is a type we meet a lot in fantasy novels (and fantasy gaming), a clever (and beautiful) thief. She’s a solid character with a lot of dimension but it’s disappointing that except for the Queen in Red London and the White Queen, there don’t seem to be many other women in this world. No women on the Royal Guard, no princesses anywhere. It’s a very male-centric fantasy world.

Holland is actually the most interesting character. He is a good villain but he’s also a man whose magic has been turned against him, a man who is bound to the evil rulers of his realm. What they’ve done to him is TERRIBLE and even as he hunts Kell and Lila we can feel compassion for him.

The characters surrounding our protagonists are all nicely nuanced and fill out a world that is rich in detail and logically organized.

As with George R. R. Martin’s GAME OF THRONES, the different royal houses all have their own sigils and their colors. Black London intrigues us and the black stone acts very much like the ring of power in LOTR—it has great power and the wielder of the stone is very reluctant to let it go AND it has to be returned to the place of its making. There are echoes of other classic fantasies here, but not that many and to be fair, all heroic fantasy shares a wellspring of mythos.

The world building is immersive and exceptional, but many of the characters are less well defined. While the main character Kell is a rounded individual full of humanizing flaws and passions, I found myself often wishing we could get to know more of the side characters better, such as his adopted brother, Holland, or even the villainous Dane siblings who are fascinating, but barely covered. I especially disliked the one prominent woman in the story, Lila, who felt like a cobbled together homunculus of "strong female character" traits. As a result, I often rooted against supposed heroes and wishing some of the antagonists, especially Holland, were given more spotlight. While some may argue that later stories in the series may pick up the slack of these meager characterizations, I don't feel as if that's a sufficient excuse for flat personalities and unexplained motives in the current novel.

The writing style is excellent, but the story, which has an immediate appeal, fades into something in which the plot is lazily moved along by convenient happenstance. I wanted to enjoy this book, but ultimately grew bored during the rising action and climax.

A friend of mine recommended this book to me. Of the three in the series, this one was my least favorite. BUT I am SO glad I continued the story and finished the trilogy because boy, was it worth it! I see many people saying they won't read the other two books but believe me, everything gets better! Don't give up on it! You won't be disappointed!

Here are my main issues with this book:
-I felt disconnected from the characters. I felt like I didn't really know them that well.
-Lila bothered me a lot because she seems to have no moral compass and no remorse. That does continue throughout the trilogy but I was able to be okay with it later on and she makes up for it in some ways.
-The pace was inconsistent. It seemed to start out slow and then there were some parts with a lot of action and it would slow down again.

But in general, the story was very intriguing and I am so happy to have found this trilogy. I cannot express how very satisfied and happy I felt after reading the last book. WOW. That is some incredible writing and story-telling! :) So please just give it a chance! ;)

So first of all, I don't read a whole lot of Adult Fantasy—but wowwww this was so so so good and I'm glad I stepped out of my usual reading because I loved it. The pacing at the beginning was a little slower than I tend to like (but expected, given that it's an Adult Fantasy), but I was still totally interested while reading because of the characters and world building. The layered Londons makes for such an interesting (and complicated!) setting, and I loved seeing the differences between them, from the access of magic, to the physical setting, to the people and the languages they spoke.

The magic system itself was really interesting to read, and I very quickly connected with Kell, Lila, and Rhy. Kell and Lila made for especially interesting point of view characters, and learning about their motivations and desires and what makes them tick was totally fascinating.

And! I was *so* drawn to Lila, like whoa. From her snark, to her gritty (and stubborn) determination, to her masculine style, Lila's character really resonated with me—probably more than I've experienced from an AFAB (assigned female at birth) character ever. I can't wait to read more about her (and Kell and Rhy, of course!) in A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, which I don't have on hand yet, but absolutely will because THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD.

I also want to make a note about the antagonists because I loved (and loved to hate two of them) so much. I won't name them, since at least one is kinda spoilery, but I will say my favorite characters extended being the main three. I kind of loved every character for a different reason, which is super rare for me with books.

A+ character development, A+ world building, A+ need more right now—this book was an easy five star rating and I honestly cannot recommend it more to fantasy lovers. If you haven't read it already, you need it like yesterday.

Diversity note: Major character Rhy is openly bisexual, and Lila is pansexual and genderfluid.

A fun read! I give it 3.5 stars. (No spoilers.)

I was very intrigued by V.E. Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic. Most interesting to me was the setting and premise which was refreshing and new. That alone was enough to keep me turning the pages. Some interesting and mysterious characters added to the fun. Set in a London of parallel universes, there are four different worlds or "Londons." Gray (aka boring) London closely resembles the world as we know it. There is very little magic and in fact most people have forgotten that it once existed. Red London is rich with magic (and by far my favorite London). White London is sick with magic and Black London has already fallen to black magic. Very few people are able to travel between the worlds...actually only two. I won't say who. :)

The main characters are Kell of Red London and Lyla of Gray London. Kell is strong with magic and has a mysterious background. Lyla longs for adventure and quickly finds it when she is thrown together with Kell. After Kell is tricked into traveling with a forbidden black magic relic, they must together find a way to stop the coming darkness. I found some faults in Kell's character (he was slightly naive and boring) but Lyla however was strong willed and determined and I was drawn to her for it.

I appreciated the style of V.E. Schwab's writing. She added characters and sometimes their perspectives in a seemingly random order. She might introduce a supporting character then not talk about them again for several chapters when their true purpose is finally revealed. It was like a puzzle slowly being pieced together. She left me with just enough unfinished business and mystery to encourage me to add the next book to my reading list.

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Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres, but in the last few years, I haven't read it as much as I used it. Every once in a while though, I'll pick up a fantasy book and remember just how much I absolutely LOVE the genre! A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC was definitely one of those books that brought back my love of fantasy. It was an amazing story⎯intense, interesting, and centred on a world that was diverse and fantastically intricate!

Kell is an Antari, a very rare magician that possesses a powerful way with magic and can travel between worlds. In Kell's world there are multiple universes all with their own version of London. There's Kell's London, Red London; the London of our own world, Grey London; a much more violent London where another Antari, Holland, lives called White London; and Black London, which has been separated from the other Londons for a very long time.

Seeing the other Londons through Kell was one of my favourite parts of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC. I loved how vast the world-building was, and V. E. Schwab's attention to detail was remarkable. Each world was absolutely unique, but they still held certain similarities that makes the connections between the worlds even more interesting and mysterious. And the magic was AMAZING! Kell's world has tonnes of magic and uses it freely. It's beautiful, and I really loved seeing everything in his world. In Grey London, magic has virtually disappeared and the only magic that really exists there is what Kell brings through himself. White London, is completely different. It's dangerous, and magic is a commodity that everyone fights for.

Clearly, I really loved the magical aspects of the story, but I also absolutely adored the characters! Kell was fantastic! He was so interesting, and I really enjoyed seeing the worlds through his perspective. And Lila (a.k.a. Delilah) was AMAZING! I loved desire for adventure, and greatly admired her strength. She didn't always make the smartest choices, but I really loved that she always fights for what she wants and she does all that she can to achieve her dreams. I also loved Kell's brother, Rhy, and I really enjoyed seeing their relationship with each other. The only thing I love as much as a budding romance is a fantastic bromance, and Rhy and Kell have an amazing one!

I read A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC just a few months after its release and I absolutely loved it. I was swept away by the magic, and desperately wanted more of Kell's world. So to prepare for its sequel, A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, I listened to the audiobook of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC. While it was a totally different experience listening to the audio of the book, I still love it so, so much! The reader, Steven Crossley, was wonderful and he did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. It was just as wonderful, mystical, and magical as it was when I read it the first time!

Overall, I absolutely loved A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC! It was one of my favourite books last year, and this year, it's easily been one of my favourite audiobooks, too. It's the kind of story that will draw you in, possess you, and you won't want to stop reading until there's nothing left to read. It's compelling, intriguing, and just a truly remarkable story. If you're a fan of fantasy who loves magic and intricate, well-crafted world-building, you will LOVE A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC!

To start with, you should know up front that there’s no way you can go wrong by picking up a book by V.E. Schwab. Her premises are incredible. Her executions are spectacular. Her characters are on point. Her plots are meticulous. Her twists are amazing. Always.

V.E. Schwab is a talent, and she’s one of my favorite authors — ever.

So with that disclaimer out of the way, let’s talk about A Dark Shade of Magic.

I have to say that, yet again, my favorite thing about this book is the way that Schwab takes a common trope and completely twists it on its head. In Vicious, she turned the superhero genre upside-down and gave us something that was totally warped (and totally awesome), that really questioned the nature of all those superhero themes we love so much these days. In Darker Shade, Schwab does exactly the same thing, but in place of superheroes, we have magicians.

Magic is a classic and simple fantasy concept — or, at least, it normally is. But Schwab takes the concept of magic, what it means to a person and what it can do (to people) to a whole different plane of existence. The way that the different characters and societies in the book view and use magic offers some incredibly thought-provoking questions, and the utterly spectacular world-building that ensues due to these different “schools” of magic thought not only drives the plot forward at all times but also pulls the reader into the complex, unique, and utterly believable universe that Schwab has created.

And if the wonderful world-building and fast-paced, high-octane, magic-fueled plot isn’t enough to keep you around — the characters will. Kell is an absolute delight, uncomfortable with his place in his own Red London, feeling as if he’s missing something — thoughts that drive him to the mistake that jumpstarts the main action. Lila, restless and driven to pursue greater things in life, makes an excellent balance for Kell; she’s both his opposite and his equivalent in many ways, and throughout the course of the novel, their constant friction eventually leads them both to grow and change.

The antagonists in this book are downright creepy, and Schwab has no problem presenting them in their full horror. There’s no masking the horrific things they’ve done. There’s no pretending they have a chance for redemption. There’s no painting them with the possibility of being less evil, less brutal, or less violent than they really are. They commit utterly appalling acts on screen and off, and they’re the perfect sort of antagonists to challenge Kell and Lila.

The supporting cast in this book — unlike in many — are also extremely well drawn. Even some of the most minor characters are given the perfect amount of development to make their actions (and their fates) have an impact on the story as a whole. And even characters with little “screen time” have huge roles to play — and play them beautifully.

Honestly, there’s nothing — at all — I can truly complain about for this book. The writing is superb — light and fast-paced but with a touch of sophistication. The world-building, plot, and characters are well-crafted.

I think, if I had to pick anything as a negative for this book, it would be that I think it’s a tad too short. I think, once the inciting event occurs, that the lead-up to the climax happens a little too quickly. I think Schwab could have done to draw it out a little more and create a slower, more tension-filled buildup to the climactic end sequence without adding anything that seemed like padding. That’s a true nitpick though, not something that seriously hindered my enthusiasm about the book.

This one was easily 4.5-5 stars for me. I could not put it down. It hooked me in right away & if I had the time, I could have easily finished it in a few hours, but my schedule the last few days did not permit a lot of reading.

I loved the way the Antari magic allowed Kell to move through the different London's - Red, White & Grey. I liked that he had to have a different talisman from each London in order to enter or leave one. Kell serves as an ambassador to the Maresh empire in Red London. He carries correspondence between the royals of each London.

I get the feeling that even though he is part of the Maresh family, he feels used and more "owned" by them, than loved by them. I think that is a reason why his other "unofficial" title is smuggler between the worlds.

His smuggling is about to get him in a lot of trouble. Along the way, he meets Lila, a thief & wannabe pirate. She is quite the character & I really liked her. She is funny, brave, spunky & ends up being a lot of help to Kell.

I found the book fast paced, with lots of action. I loved the magical elements & just a hint of romance. I am ready to delve into A Gathering of Shadows.

Thank you to Owlcrate for providing me with a copy of this novel in the March 2015 subscription box.

Just barely a year after reading this novel I’m finally writing a review for it. This was my first encounter with V.E. Schawb. I found her writing to be clever. I loved the story and was unable to put the book down. A Darker Shade of Magic was unlike anything I had read before.

Schwab’s story is original and brilliant. She includes all the aspects of a good fantasy: a new language, diverse cast of characters, magic, and royalty. The main character has the ability to travel between dimensions that were once open to everyone and are now closed except for a select few who still have the ability to travel. I love that she shares the history of her world without it taking over the entire novel. I have read fantasy novels before where authors try to explain their world building all at once and it is overwhelming and distracting.

The characters completely caught me by surprise. I didn’t expect them to be so original and unique from any characters I’ve seen before. Kell is strong and such a badass. I felt myself caring for him right from the start. He has these layers that make readers fall for him and truly care about him. And then there’s Lila. She might be my favorite character just because of the fact that she is a pirate. She is tough but lovable, which is what makes readers love her as well.

This adventure is wild and thrilling. I recommend this novel to anyone looking for his or her next fantasy read. If you’ve been wanting to read it but keep putting it off, stop what you are doing and go read it now.

Kell is one of few who can travel between the parallel Londons, there is White London, Red London and Grey London. There used to be a Black London but it‘s only a scary bedtime story now.
Kell comes from Red London, a city of magic, and his role is to carry messages between the three Londons. But on the side he smuggles all kind of merchandise and one day he ends up smuggling something he had better left behind.

I enjoyed this book but I was expecting a little bit more. The plot was exciting and the world was interesting. I did like the characters though I would have liked to see more character-development throughout the story to connect more to them.
Will definitely be continuing with this trilogy and hoping for a stronger connection with the characters as the story goes on in the next book.

There are no words. You know those books that you love so much, that there really aren't words to describe how much you love it? You just want to throw it at everyone you know. It's been a long time since I've read a book like that, but this was one of them. I was only halfway through when I ordered Vicious, as well as the UK edition of ADSOM. And I have never ordered the UK edition for a book before, much less for one I already owned. So that is seriously the highest praise. This was the first book I've read by Schwab (I can feel the glares) but it definitely won't be the last.

Kell is a Traveler, one of only two existing. He can travel between the parallel universes, between the Londons--Gray, Red, White. He legally is only allowed to bring letters from the monarchs between worlds, but illegally he smuggles items for people who want a taste of magic. Lila lives in Grey London, the one that is boring, plain, and magic-less. She is an aspiring pirate, although at the moment, she is just a, well, criminal. The two cross paths when Lila steals something quite dangerous from Kell, and their paths are tied from then on.

The world-building in this one was phenomenal. To create, in a sense, not only one London, but THREE. Each was done so well, in such detail, that distinguished each one from the other. The settings were described so detailed that I could see the palaces in my mind, the streets, the taverns. Each was unique, and I could tell how each one was different from the other, what made them stand out.

Some might say the story starts out slow, but Schwab needs time to build the world. Between the world-building, and the magic-building, you will be entranced by this crazy awesome world that Schwab has created. My biggest issue with fantasy novels is that I usually get confused, on what's going on, or how things work. But Schwab takes time to set up the magic and the systems of this world, and I wasn't confused at all.

Of course, we also have our characters. Kell is one of my favorite characters of all time now. He was a complex character. He's a prince, sort of, yet still has this urge to smuggle artifacts, even though he knows it's illegal and could get into serious trouble. I loved the interactions between him and Rhys, and the different sides of him that were shown. And I loved Lila. Strong, sassy, independent. Both of these characters fall into some gray areas, but I love how that was explored, and how that made way for some serious character development. I also loved how well-written the side characters were, especially Rhy. But even the side characters were written with such depth and precision, that you could really understand where they were coming from, or their purpose in the story.

Above all, this was just a really well-written book. I usually don't tab quotes in books, but there were so many I had to mark in this one, and more I'm sure I'll mark every time I reread it. If you haven't seen the hype for this one, or have seen it and it makes you wary, I'll just let you know that this book is worth every bit of it. I already want to reread it (and probably will when my UK copy gets here) and cannot wait for the sequel.

You know, I had owned Victoria's The Archived and The Unbound for about a year or almost two before I finally picked up The Archived and read the brilliance. It was pretty much love at first sight and I can't wait to tackle The Unbound sometime this year. I had never really been pulled towards ADSoM or Vicious though, but after reading the gem that was TA, I just had to give ADSoM a try and IT WAS AMAZING!

So super duper that glad this was a daily deal on audible. Boy was this fun and different! I love the characters and my favorite character is probably Lila—a cross dressing thief slash pirate; what a spunky source of fire and charm that one! She is courageous, intense and adorable all the same. Also, Kell and [his step-brother] Rhy are both fantastic and I love that Kell supports Rhy's sexuality. (It isn't said what his sexuality is, so I don't want to label it, but he is attracted to both men and women.) Rhy is so funny and cute, I just have allllll the feels tbh whenever he's in a scene. The love and concern the brothers share for each other is super endearing. Also, something happens at the end of the book that really sets the tone of their relationship for the following books and I can't wait to see how this situation plays out.

I really enjoyed the overall plot as well even though it was a bit slow in parts. The world is really cool and there is lots of room to explore different Londons + the traveling aspect between the realms was done well; I quite enjoyed the portrayal of the effect that magic has had on each territory and how it can easily corrupt a soul if one isn't careful enough.

My only complaint is that perhaps the narration was a bit over the top and the chapters read a bit weird on audio? I couldn't tell what chapter I was on because of the part numbers in each chapter. This is partly the reason why I'm getting the A Gathering of Shadows in hardcover; not at all beacuse the covers are amazing or anything and definitely nothing to do with 500 pages of what is most-likely-a-piece-of-amazingness...... nope, not at all!

Conceptually, this is a very fascinating book. Four Londons that can be traveled to by only Travelers, of which only two are known to exist. Kell, one of these travelers, can visit these alternative dimensions, which may sound like fun, but he ends of being a bit of an errand boy. Also, each London is quite different, as each has its own level of magic, and each has its own type of ruler. Unfortunately, the magic going around is definitely not all good. No sir. And also unfortunately, Kell finds himself in quite a situation he hadn't anticipated.

Lila, local thief and fiercely independent despite her difficult circumstances, finds herself in Kell's path, and with that, in almost as much trouble as he is. As a thief, she's smart, calculating, determined, and practically fearless. Though Kell and Lila's personalities clash, they find their loyalty to each other growing, and their need for the other to survive becoming more evident.

I genuinely enjoyed this read. I listened to the audiobook and found the narrator enchanting as he led me through the story and the different Londons. My only negative is that I did not like his voices for Kell and Lila. They just didn't fit how I thought they should sound. He sounded too old, and she reminded me of Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady. But overall, I still enjoyed listening to the story.

I also liked the action that drove the story. At first, trying to remember all the differences with the four Londons and the magic rules was a little daunting. But slowly but surely I got the hang of it. But the driving of the plot was exciting, making me genuinely fear for the main characters, and wince at the cruelty of some of their foes. It as all quite facinating, right up to the end.

Now, the romance lover in me was a bit disappointed. But the ending left a whole lot open for anything to happen in the future books. No cliffhanger. Just a solid - this is where everything is at now and just imagine what might happen next - kind of ending. This was solidly enjoyable for a fantasy lover.

V.E. Schwab (AKA Victoria Schwab) is an amazing writer who with every book published further proves her talent.

V.E. Schwab's first adult novel, Vicious, was dark, poignant, and utterly captivating.

Knowing the above facts, it is no surprise that V.E. Schwab's second adult novel, A Darker Shade of Magic, does not disappoint.

Of course the best part any V.E. Schwab novel are the characters. Each character is just so delightfully vivid that readers will feel as if they've known them for years, leaving readers with a longing for more once the last page is finished. Kell, the protagonist, is delightfully complex, a character who appears to have everything and yet is unhappy, distant, and yet when push comes to shove is willing to throw his own life away if it means saving those he loves. Coupe this with a strong, street smart thief who has somehow managed to keep alive a tiny shred of hope for the future and a protective instinct for those smaller than her that forces her into unsightly situations, and you have a receipt for likable character that are sure to get into mayhem galore.

But A Darker Shade of Magic is not just character development, world building, and sensational covers (seriously! both the UK and the US covers are amazing) it also is filled with captivating magic, betrayal, and magic fights to the death, all moving at a clipping pace to leave even the most in shape of readers winded.

Between the sensational characters, the superb writing, and more action and intrigue than you can shake a stick at it's no wonder that I highly recommend A Darker Shade of Magic and am personally waiting on the edge of my seat for the next thrilling installment in this wondrous series. Therefore, if you are a fan of young adult, fantasy, or just good writing with engaging plots and relatable and likable characters, then both V.E. Schwab and her newest book, A Darker Shade of Magic are for you.

http://whatchamacallitreviews.blogspot.com/2015/02/a-darker-shade-of-magic-by-ve-schwab.html

A very good narration, imbued with a sense of wonderment, adding to the mystery and novelty of the world. There was a quality of mirth and playfulness--appropriate to the narrative--that made it a very enjoyable listening experience. One of the rare times when, had it been a less skillful reading, I might have not continued on. Usually, I persist with the audio more for necessity and would likely enjoy a book more with an actual physical reading.

The world was a rather elaborate and fascinating one--four different Londons existing in parallel universes, each with a varying degree of magical existence. The story revolved around the attitude of the residents of each London towards magic--whether they fear it, see it as an aid or a weapon or a power in and of itself, whether they respect it or treat it as a mere means to an end.

Where I found this novel rather weak was in the less than endearing characters. I feel like I didn't really get to know them as well as I would normally like. They largely feel distant and/or indifferent. I can't quite put my finger on the precise reason but something prevented me from truly understanding or becoming fully invested in the characters, making some of their actions seem rather incredulous or inconsistent. They did become more endearing towards the very end but it wasn't enough for me to feel a total investment in them.

Quite an entertaining story nonetheless. I would likely read the next installment/s but I don't feel a particular urgency to do so.

A Darker Shade of Magic was almost five stars. I will go into why I ended on four stars despite having two wonderful characters in Kell and Delilah Bard.

The story follows the struggles Kell has living in a world where he is one of the last remaining Antari, magical humans who can traverse the three Londons, Grey London, where magic seems to have disappeared, Red London, where magic is just right, and White London, where the crazies have taken over. The three Londons are a complex world. I love the worlds Schwab created. I want to read more about each London.

Kell is a flawed character. I haven't figured him out. He's a good guy, but he's tempted by certain habits that ultimately bring trouble to his world. I can't figure out if the magic is a temptation into which he must not give, or if the habit itself is his vice.

Lila becomes my favorite character by the end of the book. Rogue. Witty. But also vulnerable. She's instantly likable. There's great potential that will surely come out in later books. She is a surprising character. One to be cherished, and for me she's the reason I will read the next book.

I took the story down from Amazing (five stars) to I like it (four stars), because I found the middle dragging on, and the solution to the problem at the end wasn't convincing. What saved the story were the world(s) and Lila. Both are well worth reading on for.

One of my favorite fantasies is the Stone duology by Victoria Strauss (The Arm of the Stone and The Garden of the Stone), involving a world which has been split between Mindpower (magic) and Handpower (technology). So you can imagine how excited I was to discover another Victoria (in this case, Victoria Schwab) had launched a new series in which there are not two, but four, parallel Londons, each with its own greater or lesser affinity for magic.

Schwab's two main characters, Antari magician Kell and thief Lila, are instantly appealing (as is Kell's adoptive brother Prince Rhy, although he does not have a very active role in this first book in the series). There are interesting mysteries yet to be resolved, including what happened to Black London and the story behind Kell's knife (is it a coincidence that the "K" and "L" engraved on the knife correspond to the two main characters' initials?).

The ending of A Darker Shade of Magic is my favorite type for a fantasy series: the immediate plot centered on a mysterious black stone is resolved, giving a sense of closure, yet there are enough hints (about both the past and the future) to maintain interest for the next book in the series. Hopefully, Schwab won't make me wait too long.

I received a free copy of A Darker Shade of Magic through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've heard glorious things about Victoria "V.E." Schwab, but it's taken me ages to actually pick up one of her books, and all I can say is "hello, new addition to my "favourite authors" shelf.

As soon as I found out that the story took place across multiple Londons (my favourite city), I knew I had to read A Darker Shade of Magic. Add in a magician with different coloured eyes, a cross-dressing lady pirate, a roguish prince, and a couple of vicious villains, and you get a recipe for perfection. If you don't finish this book thinking "I wish I was as cool as Lila Bard", we probably can't be friends. Because she was awesome - flawed and tough and emotionally fragile and badass like you wouldn't believe.

The prose was beautiful - ordinary words that somehow seemed extraordinary in Schwab's capable hands (and she's only a few years older than me!). I'd compare it to Neverwhere which is one of my favourite Neil Gaiman novels, both in the general atmosphere (different Londons) and the way the story carried you along at a stately trot - a little slow at the beginning, but speeding up toward the end. The last hundred or so pages had me gasping and stressed out because WHAT IF SOMEONE DIED? and HOW ARE THEY GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS MESS? and IS LILA WHAT I THINK SHE IS? (I still don't know the answer to that last one. I NEED TO KNOW.).

I liked that there was only a hint of romance, that the story didn't revolve around Lila and Kell falling in love (they were a BIT preoccupied with saving the world(s), you know), but I also kinda sorta hope it will evolve into something more in the sequel, A Gathering of Shadows. And I'm hoping Rhy will have a bigger role, because I couldn't help loving him in the few scenes he was in.

Basically, this was an incredible starts to a series, and I can't wait to find out what happens next!

Schwab has done it again. I nearly gave up reading this one. I was about 75 pages in yesterday, finished the rest of the 396 pages today. The world she writes is amazing. The characters are so real, it felt like I could be friends with Lila.

The characters were very well developed. I could see the way Lila was growing through the book. Kell is a bit more mysterious, but you see growth in him as well. It really felt like I could jump into the pages and join in the adventure. Don't know that I would want to though. The world Schwab created was somewhat creepy. Wouldn't want to be in white London, ever.

The plot: Like I said above, it started out pretty bad for me. I almost gave up. Read a few reviews here and decided to tough it out. So glad I did. It picked up big time after that and I literally couldn't put it down.

Overall this book gets a solid four stars. Totally planning to borrow the next ones in this series. Interested in finding out what else happens with Kell and Lila.

I was very underwhelmed by the end and I don't think I'll be picking up the next two books.

As you can tell by my 2 star rating, I'm in the minority about this book. I didn't hate it, but didn't like it either. I liked absolutely zero of the characters (okay, I kinda liked Kell, but that's it) and felt that most just kinda fell flat.

Especially the villains.

The start of this was so promising too! But, in the end, I figured out most of what was going to happen way before it did and honestly? This entire book just felt kinda tropey and not even the fun kind of tropey. Just the boring and predictable kind of tropey.

I can explain this book in one word- BRILLIANT! This is actually my first book from Victoria and this won’t be the last.

Kell is one of the last of his kind that can weave magic through different dimensions. He is a traveler. The one who travels from one parallel world to another, but with that kind of power has its consequences. A sinister Kingdom wants something from him, and that something is far more evil than that Kingdom. Can Kell be able to evade the danger that lurks in every turn? Will he able to save all Kingdoms from the dark magic that consumes him as well? You really have to pick up this book to find out more.

The world-building is phenomenal. Victoria did an amazing job in making the readers comprehend the world she made. I find it easy to entwine myself into the story. Every page and every turn is a spectacle. Truly, this woman writes well like she has magic herself. I sometimes comment great books as slow but entertaining. But this book is quick and engaging. I want more!

As for the character-building, it was hard for me to choose between Lila and Kell. I would say Lila is my favorite (After 5 minutes of thinking straight). Maybe because I was able to connect with her; she is human after all. She might be weak physically but her will is way stronger than Kell’s. Her thirst for adventure and lack of fear made her appealing. Kell on the other hand is the opposite of Lila. He is physically strong and powerful but not fearless. I would say they complement one another.

As for the love-angle, this book has little of it. But as I reader, I think there would be something between them soon. It may not be in this book but I am hoping it will be on the next one.

Overall, this book is well worth your reading time! Fantasy lovers would enjoy this too. If you are looking for an adventure with heart-pounding action then buy your copy now.

I give is book 4.5 Whales.

Title: A Darker Shade of Magic

Author: V.E. Schwab

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy

Series: A Darker Shade of Magic, book one

Star Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

I'd like to start this review off by saying that *cringe* (Don't kill me, people! Lol.) this is my first work by V.E. Schwab, also known as Victoria Schwab, author of Vicious. Which, by the way, is immediately going on my emergency library loan list. And I'm so happy to let you guys know that I've found a new favorite author!

When this first came out, I was ecstatic. Multiverses? Steampunk elements? A dreamy, ginger-haired magic worker with a silver tongue and a sharp smile? An amazing, foul-mouthed adventurer thief, sharp-witted and clever and hardened by tough times? What's that, you say? She's also a girl? I felt like I'd just found a new friend.

As I sit here typing, I'm contemplating where to start with this. You guys, I was seduced by this book entirely from the first line: 'Kell wore a very peculiar coat.'. The worldbuilding was excellent, almost flawless, in truth: There are other Londons. Red London, opulent and prosperous, Gray London, a near-colorless version of the city, in which magic is hard to come by, and life, to say the least, is hard, and then there's White London, ruled by a pair of power-hungry, mad twins. And last but definitely not least, Black London, the one so consumed by power that it ate up the city, and its people, literally.

The pacing of this novel was breakneck--I couldn't bear to pull myself away from it, no matter what it was that was pulling me away. I even dreamed about it, my mind and heart were so utterly consumed by it. But my favorite part of this novel, by far, was the characters. There's Kell, the sexy, utterly dreamy magician of sorts, spoiled prince, carefree flirt and some other unsavory things as well, who goes away from home and gets mixed up in a plot that could destroy everything. And there's his foil, Lila, hard as nails, clever, and awfully coarse, who hates her life and wants adventure, and with it, the freedom to live her own life.

And I haven't even gotten into the side characters yet. I probably shouldn't mention them, I don't want to give anything away, so actually, on second thought, I won't. It's probably better anyway to go into this tale a little bit blind. This book completely captured my heart and soul. (A Gathering of Shadows doesn't come out until February of next year! I can't wait that long! *sobs pathetically*) The bottom line: A beautiful classic of fantasy, A Darker Shade of Magic is now one of my favorite books, and I really do hope that more of Schwab's excellent work is in my future!) Next on deck: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh!

4.5 stars.

This was REALLY, REALLY good. But parts of it really dragged, and for that I deducted 1/2 a star. There were parts that seemed extraneous. This is a very long book. It is 400 pages, but it isn't a normal YA 400 pages because there are many more words per page than a standard YA novel. It is long. I don't have anything against long books that have the plot, structure, and characters to sustain their length. I'm not sure this one did 100% of the time. Also, in large part due to the length, I found the ending to be rushed in comparison.

Other than that, this was AMAZING. I loved the world building. I loved the characters. Both Kell and Lila were simply wonderful. The different Londons were so incredibly cool. Despite the inessential parts throughout this book, this was seriously awesome.

I'll probably add more to this later. I can't think of more to add right now without spoiling something. I will say that I am pumped this is a series, and I cannot wait to read the next one. And not because this ends with a cliffhanger (because it doesn't) but because it is that good and I don't want to leave this world.

This was a very original story about different versions of London existing in separate worlds connected by magic. It's a rather complicated setup but the author handles it well. Other reviewers have said they got confused with the various Londons, but I did not find this to be the case at all. There are basically, only three worlds and the descriptions of each were very well done. It's a very original story, very clever. It reads like a modern fairy tale for adults. While the world building and the details were superb, the character development was less so. Don't get me wrong, I liked the characters, but it would have been nice to get to know them better, especially the two MC's. I think that is why it wasn't a 5 star read for me. I listened to the audible book version that I checked out from the library and I greatly enjoyed the narrator's skill and distinguishing from the characters. Very entertaining. I will read the others in the series and I hope they get better.

I used to think that Scwhab is a great writer. But now...

Well, now I think she's a freaking brilliant writer!

I am in awe, I am in love, I am blown away with how great this book is. Four Londons? Magic? Crazy villains? Sign me up! I'll admit I got a little doubtful when I saw it's a dual POV (not a huge fan of that unless it's mid-series and I'm dying to hear the thoughts of another character I love) but now I know it's madness to doubt Victoria Schwab. Now, let's get to the book!

From a time long ago, the magical doors between these four Londons were open for anyone to use. Magic was abundant and everyone was happy. But a tragic mistake that burned one London to ash had everyone else sealing their doors in order to survive. Now only the Antari, a dying breed of magical people, has the ability to travel between these worlds — and they serve as messengers between the rulers of these Londons.

One of our protagonist, Kell, is one such person. He's part of Red London, the only city still thriving with magic years after the doors were sealed. He grew up a part of the royal family but has no memories of anything that happened to him as a child before he left for the palace.

Perhaps it's because of this, or perhaps it's just really out of boredom, that he has develop the hobby of smuggling things and having it exchanged for anything he finds interesting. With the doors being sealed, taking things from one London to another is considered treason. Until one day, when he thought he was just helping someone, he smuggled the deadliest token that could bring the worlds down.

I'd say I am in love with Kell but I'd be lying. Oh, believe me, I like him very much. But it's hard to get a reading of him. Or I should say who he really is. I know he's kind, loyal, that he loves Rhy very much and he's bitter with his royal parents and doesn't know anything about his past — but nothing beyond that. I know it's mostly due to the fact that the whole world-is-going-down-i-need-to-move-fast-no-time-for-inner-thoughts-and-drama is going on, but I love me some complex characters! Maybe I was just not paying attention, sure. But hopefully on the second book, we can dig in to his past and anything that would give my character arc-hunger filled.

And of course there is Delilah Bard. To borrow Kell's words:

"Cuttroat and a thief, a valiant partner and a strange terrifying girl."

We met Lila in what Kell describes as Grey London — the magic-less city. A girl with a dream to become a pirate, to travel and experience all the adventures the world has to offer. She's... crazy. I love female characters who are strong and stubborn and over-all badass but this one is way beyond those lines. The decisions she make sometimes infuriates me — because really, I believe she never think things through. Still, I believe she's someone we need to be once in a while. Not the thief and cutthroat part, okay, just the whole being bold and standing for what you want for yourself part.

And then there's Rhy. When he's not being a brat and sulking, he's actually cute. Like, I think I might like him. I am hoping we'll see more of him in the next book. No love triangle, though. Please no, Schwab.

All in all, the world building, characters, and the crazy plot all added to one fun, amazing ride. Definitely looking forward for the next book!

'A Darker Shade of Magic' is a great summer read by V.E. Schwab. Schwab takes us into a new world(s) where various forms/levels of magic exist. Each world has a 'London'. Grey London appears to be our world, where the magic has been forgotten. Red London is a world full of magic and is a happy place. White London also has magic, but the people are driven for more, which has made this world darker. Black London was consumed by dark magic and was sealed off from the other Londons.

We follow a special magic user named Kell who travels between these worlds for his King in Red London. Kell is caught in a trap with a relic from Black London. With the help of a thief, Kell must find out where this artifact came from and why are people killing for it.

I enjoyed the worlds of magic in this book and the interactions of the main characters. The story moves well but has some weaker moments. That said, I still enjoyed the places this book took me and was greatly entertained. I am looking forward to the next volume. Enjoy the magic!

I find it so hard to write a review about this book somehow. It's just so magical. The world-building alone was tremendous. Just really immersive and believable, with a clear idea of what each "London" was like, and how different and how it affects the people who live there. I loved that so much about this book. I truly felt like I was traveling between universes while reading.

The story starts off with two separated main characters - Kell and Lila as our guides to their respective Londons, and it's not clear where the story will go from the beginning as the differences and the restrictions of the worlds are set up. But Kell and Lila were such great, powerful characters on their own, that it was wonderful to just get to know them as story developed. They are so very different from each other too - but it's touching how they come to trust and depend on each other. Although there are touches of a romantic interest with them, their relationship is really founded on friendship, and that was refreshing and enjoyable to read about.

This was a fantastic read, with world building, plot development, and action paced perfectly, to a very nail-biting finish. The villains in this story are so chilling as well - completely devoid of ethics and consumed by their need for power. I didn't really have any idea of what I was in for when I picked up this book, and I feel like that vagueness about the plot details when starting really helped bring me into the story. Kell and Lila have a very hard battle in front of them, and it's a wild ride to see their story come to its conclusion.

Since I really, really enjoyed Victoria Schwab's The Archived series I knew that I would want to check out A Darker Shade of Magic even though its' an adult novel. As you've guessed, I have not had the best luck with adult books lately and have pretty much given up on them, so, call me surprised by my enjoyment of this one.

First off, the thing that pulled me into A Darker Shade of Magic was the world that V.E. Schwab had created...or should I say worlds. The similarities and differences between the different London's was one of the things I enjoyed most about this book. The way each one was described and how the magic affected each of them was quite interesting; not to mention that there were only two people who could cross the lines between worlds.
The descriptions of the different London's and how the travelers, i.e Kell and dude whose name I forgot, traveled between them were definitely, for me, one of the things that set this book apart from other adult fantasy books. It was just so well done and interesting that I needed to see more of what the characters experienced throughout the book.

I've noticed that after the world and setting, the characters are one of the things I love best about this author's writing. She just writes such interesting and...and just so entertaining. Off the bat, I knew that I would like Kell because his story just pulled me in and the mystery behind his backstory, as well, as the role he played within Red London, well, let's just say it caught my attention. I'm still waiting to find out about that mark and what happened in his past.
The other character that caught my attention was Lila Bard herself. Ah, what a crazy yet interesting girl we had there. What I liked about Lila would have to be how she didn't let fear rule her. I really liked that she was willing to chase adventure, like crossing worlds, even though the odds of safely getting through were not high.

The dynamics between Kell, Lila and the prince (I'm horrible with names) are some of the points in the book. Between the witty banter and, even some, funny times the play between the three is something that really shakes up the book.

I officially have no more words for A Darker Shade of Magic and the awesomeness that is V.E. Schwab's writing! Give me book two!!

Final Verdict: A Darker Shade of Magic- One of the best, if not the best, non-young adult fantasy books I have read in ages. The world building and characterizations are perfect in V.E. Schwab's latest work!

Okay, so it took me close to an hour to cool down after reading A Darker Shade of Magic, but I’m finally calm enough to write my review.

A Darker Shade of Magic is awesome. That’s it, I don’t know what else to say. It’s just awesome: the plot is awesome, the characters are awesome, the dialogue is awesome, the world-building is awesome… you get the picture.

I really don’t know what more to say than that. I’d recommend this book to anyone, seriously just give it a try and you will not be disappointed. I certainly wasn’t, I’m still cursing my best friend’s name for telling me to read it now, because right now I still have to wait 10 freaking months for the sequel A Gathering of Shadows to come out!!! And that’s just torture.

So in ADSOM we meet Kell, who’s an antari, a sort of Traveler between the three worlds Red London (his home), Grey London (Magic-less) and White London (the Magic Dying world). He sorts of a glorified Messenger for the royal family of Red London, who adopted him when he was five and he spends most of his time delivering messages between Red, White and Grey London and keep his (brother) Prince Rhy in line. Besides that he keeps a pretty dangerous hobby of trading trinkets of magic with several people in White and Grey London, eventhough it’s forbidden. Of course that’s how he gets into trouble, when he gets a piece of black stone in his possession that brings more bad than good. Because that stone is a relic of Black London, a world that has long been forgotten.

So anyway, like I said before the plot is pretty awesome as is the world-building, it’s so cool to see the different Londons and how society differs in each one, including how magic is perceived and used.

As for the characters: I love Kell!! He’s soooo adorkable, there’s no other word for it, that’s just my impression of him. Rhy is pretty nice, but he’s not my favourite to be honest, maybe because he doesn’t get enough “air time”? I don’t know, maybe that’ll change in the sequels. And then we have Lila, she is a badass, strong and just overal cool character and I LOVE her. And here’s a little something to show you why:

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“For hitting,” explained Lila, as if Kell couldn’t grasp the meaning of the metal knuckles. “You can stab them, or you can knock their teeth out. Or you can do both.” She touched the tip of the blade with her finger. “No at the same time, of course.”

“Of course,” echoed Kell, shutting a cabinet. “You’re very fond of weapons.”

Lila stared at him blankly. “Who isn’t?”

“And you already have a knife,” he pointed out.

“So?” asked Lila, admiring the grip. “No such thing as too many knives.”

“You’re a violent sort.”
************************************

And that is exactly why Lila ROCKS!!!! Also Holland was a really great character, I’m actually hoping we maybe get so see more of him in the sequel. And I’ve got give Schwab credit for creating Astrid and Athos, the rulers of White London, those two were nasty pieces of works and I loved it!

I’m dying to read the sequel now, so I’m hoping those 10 months will fly by so I can get a copy of A Gathering of Shadows and read it and hopefully we’ll get to see more about this mysterious Black London world and of course our lovable characters!

What I liked:
This book was just the dose of fantasy I needed after the heaviness of The Water Knife. I've yet to read any of Schwab's work before this and I will definitely be back for more. A Darker Shade of Magic is fast-paced and fun and I loved Kell as a character. He was the right mix of witty, sarcastic, rebellious, but with a caring side as well - and anyone who read this book probably has serious envy for his magical coat. I know I do! I loved the world building and the idea of the three (er, well, four) Londons. Schwab touched enough on each of them that they all felt developed, and yet it's clear there's more to discover in the next books.

The magic system she's created is maybe nothing groundbreaking, as it deals with magic users typically showing strength in one of the four elements, but she added the elements of blood and bone as well. When she went into detail about how the magic works in her world, it didn't feel old or tired and the creation of doors and traveling points between the world kept it fresh.

The relationship between Kell and Lila was also not what I expected - once she was introduced I figured we were headed for the old insta-romance cliche, but thankfully that was avoided!

I also enjoyed the simplistic jacket design and lovely map pages that separated the different sections of the book.

What I didn't like:
Lila. I just didn't gel with her character. To be frank, she annoyed me and I spent most of the book wishing I could slap her. It's nothing against the writing - it's just her character trop. She's the "tough as nails" loner girl who moonlights as a boy to steal and protect herself. She's only looking out for number one, that is, until she has a reason to care about someone else, blah blah. Really, I'm just picky - I like "tough girl" characters, but not too tough or they become annoying! I also felt the villains were a little shallow - beyond being power-hungry, I didn't understand their motivation and it's always a bummer to see villains who are just bad for the sake of being bad.

~

I'm sad that I have to wait until next year for the sequel; I need more of Kell and his magical coat now! If you're into gaslamp fantasy I think you'll enjoy this book.

Disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

I've been a fan of Schwab since I read her young adult novel, The Archive and later her adult novel, Vicious. And I must say again, is there anything that she can’t do? Schwab has pen yet another amazing, imaginative and wholly original novel. With each book she publishes, whether it is YA or adult, it really does get better and better; not only her writing but also her characters and world building. She pushes the boundaries and does things that no author has done before guaranteeing a one-of-a-kind novel each and every time.

I remember saying that Schwab’s last book, Vicious was ambitious but I think she just outdid herself once again. The world of A Darker Shade of Magic was multifaceted, comprising of alternate Londons, each London unique from the setting, laws, language to its inhabitants. With such a expansive world and cast, you’d think that something in the novel would suffer like world building, character development, or even the concept but none of that happened. I never had a problem differentiating which London Kell enter or left or which Monarch belonged to which throne. So while the world was complex, Schwab made it easy for readers to understand the worlds, which had magic and which didn't.

Schwab knows how write realistic, well fleshed out characters…we've all seen it in Vicious. So it comes as no surprise at how much I ended up loving Kell, Lila, Rhys and even the bad guys! Kell is my favorite kind of male lead. He is charming, devoted, and usually takes the high road but isn't afraid to get his hand dirty or break the rules when he needs to. He goes beyond the duties of a stranger, friend and family member. His relationship with his brother, Rhys was beautiful as it was heartbreaking (the scenes towards the end killed me). Then there is Lila, a Grey Londoner thief and aspiring pirate. She’s an unconventional heroine which made me love her even more. In the short span of the book she grown from a street rat without morals to a hero saving all the Londons from the vindictive Twins all while remaining her spunky and snarky self. There are so many more unforgettable characters but I’ll let you discover them for yourself, if you haven’t already read this book (then again who hasn't? I know I'm late to the party).

Let me just say that all the hype you've heard about The Darker Shade of Magic is true. Although I've read a couple of 5 stars novel this year, A Darker Shade of Magic has just climbed to the top as being my new favorite read so far this year. I highly recommend A Darker Shade of Magic for those who want to read a fresh and original fantasy, this book is un-put-down-able and should be on everyone’s must read list! I'm so glad this is going to be a series, super ecstatic! Read it, you won't regret it!

I've been on a long hunt for something to keep me entertained until the next book from Song of Ice and Fire and hoped this would do the trick. Not so much. Saw the good reviews and beautiful cover and enjoyed the first few pages enough, but then man, oh, man, did it get meh after that.
The characters were pretty flat-especially those outside the main two-resulting in threadbare relationships. As for the main characters, the author does more tell than show. He says Kell has great magic skills but he doesn't show much ability other than moving between worlds and getting beaten up half to death throughout the book.
That's the other thing-it just felt like a "beat-em up in fancy worlds with fancy clothes" kind of book after awhile. No intrigue or twists that could affect anyone's tactics. This all goes for Kell's sidekick Lila too. She had potential, but once again the author says she's a badass, but doesn't prove it. Poor thing loses almost every fight she's in. *SPOILER (Barely) Seriously-neither of the main characters should have made it in the end!
Yes the worlds are lovely and I appreciated the details of each one, but wish the action was given as much care.
Oh-last thing-what was the purpose of the prince Rhy? Felt he was just there to tell us and Kell what he wasn't supposed to do so he could do it. That's it. Seemed like a cute relationship, but it wasn't followed up with much else. Wanted so much more for them and for the rest of the characters and story. But I finished this book-so that's something!

Victoria Schwab does some serious magic with words. This book has left me craving more and more. I had been meaning to read this book for so long and finally got around to it recently. I'm seriously kicking myself. I absolutely adored this book! In a way, I felt like Lila, going from my own "gray London" and immersing myself in Kell's world of wonder and magic. I'm also incredibly jealous of her. Lila found herself on the adventure I always wished I could stumble upon. Schwab is an absolute genius when it comes to world building. The idea of four worlds so different from each other, yet tethered together by a single city has me so infatuated with this series. I'm such a sucker for anything magic, but, man, can Schwab do magic justice. And the things I would do to have Kell's coat are pretty questionable.

I was lucky enough to be able to read a preview of A Darker Shade Of Magic through Netgalley and it resulted in my vowing to never request a sample book on Netgalley again, as a sample was simply just not enough when it came to A Darker Shade Of Magic. The sample was just so good that I had to bite the bullet and beg the UK publishers, Titan Books, to let me have a full copy of the book to read and review. Thankfully, they agreed and here we are today...... relieved to have read what I think is one the best books of the year so far for me, it's just astounding!

The Plot Of The Story:
There are two threads to the story at the beginning..... the first revolves around Kell, the Red Traveller and the second is Delilah Bard's story. They run separately for the first few chapters until the two characters literally run into each other and the stories merge.
Kell is an Antari, a magic user with the ability to pass through magical doorways, portals into parallel universes and into parallel versions of London. His ability to do so has made Kell into a messenger between the worlds and between the leaders of the other worlds. Kell has a secret sideline in that he illegally smuggles items through the doorways between the world, it's against the law but Kell seems to enjoy doing so.
Delilah is a master thief who disguises herself as a man and is very successful at what she does. Lilah has a dream to own her own ship and to be a pirate but doesn't have the means to do so despite her best efforts. She longs for a more exciting life that the one she has, she wants something better for herself but feels stuck in her life, feels like there is nowhere for her to go but little does she know that the greatest adventure imaginable is headed her way in the shape of Kell, her life is about to explode!
Fate has a adventure in store for the pair, something unimaginable and extremely dangerous but can the two polar opposites work together to save the worlds?
It's great idea for a story and it's a tale with great follow-through on the ideas presented too. It's exciting and thrilling, full of danger and full of passion. It's a strongly character driven story but it's a unique tale and unlike anything I have read before.

What Is There To Love?
This a book about Kell, Delilah is more of a side character in my view and Kell is the true star of the show. The characterisation in the books are fantastic and the biggest example of how successful Schwab characterisations are is the main man himself. He's like the proverbial onion and has many, many layers that give him a such a deeper depth of character and make him someone you want to know just about everything about. Kell is an extremely intriguing, interesting and quite unique young man and he's a man under a great deal of pressure from all sides. He carries the pressure of his royal adoptive parents and brother, the pressure of being one of the last Antari magic users, the pressure of being the message bearer between the worlds with the added pressure put on him by the rulers of the other world along, the pressures put on him by those who want something from him be it as a member of a royal household or as a smuggler with the everyday pressure of being a young man in any world. Then, you add in the extra complication of Delilah's arrival in Kell's already complicated life. Delilah's a hurricane , she rips through Kell's life and turn everything upside down in more ways than one and it's such a buzz to watch his reactions to the girl grow and evolve into a deep seeded friendship with the potential for more in future novels (hopefully).
The other big standout thing to like about this book is the plot line itself. It's a complicated story but is still rich and interesting as well as being something I've not read before making it very unique to me and I was just blown away by it. It's my kind of book and it took me a while to get through it, not because it was boring but because there is a lot to take in and the book deserves to have a little time taken over it so you can take in all of the information on offer, and there is a lot to take in as missing the simplest thing could throw the story off.

What Is There To Dislike?
There was nothing that stood out to me as something to dislike at all, not a single thing as I just loved it from cover to cover!

How's The Writing?
It's brilliant and, as I mentioned in the things to like, it's a quite complicated and intensive story with a lot of story threads but it's a story worth taking your time over.
The language used is simple and easy to comprehend, I barely used my Kindle dictionary while reading this which is unusual for me. Schwab doesn't over-complicate the language she utilises in this book and I'm grateful for that as sometime with intensive stories like this the language used can get a little 'over intelligent' with it but that's not the case here at all.
Schwab's characters are the star of this show as I have already said. She makes them deep and meaningful and for the most part they are people that you would love to know and be friends with, obviously the nasty characters don't fall into that character but even those characters are rich and extremely well conceived and because of their nature's it's easy to despise them and wish the worst for them.

Final Thoughts:
If you have any qualms about whether you'd enjoy reading this book then I say if it sounds like something you'd enjoy then most definitely give this book a go, it's so worth the effort and I am so thrilled to have been able to have the chance to visit with Kell in this instance.
It's an amazing read and is one of my favourite books of the last 12 months for sure. It's my first experience reading Victoria Schwab's work but it most certainly will NOT be the last as after getting this book I went out and bought Vicious so I review will be coming for that as soon as I've had the chance to read it!

Should you read A Darker Shade Of Magic...... in my opinion it's a resounding YES! Yes! YES!

I loved A Darker Shade of Magic. I adore Victoria Schwab's books and as much as I was afraid that the hype surrounding this one would spoil the experience for me, my doubts were immediately squished once I started on the story.

First of all, I have to sing praise to Schwab's worldbuilding. I read a lot of fantasy and it's not often that I find such effortless, uncluttered worlds and magic systems. Here, things make sense without massive infodumps, she eases you into the story and the world with subtle nudges and before you know it, you're hooked. In A Darker Shade of Magic, the setting is divided between three Londons (though a fourth one exists), each with its own level of magic. Grey London is the one we know from our history books (approximately), drab and unmagical, Red London is the healthy one, with magic flowing free and strong, White London is a world where magic turned sour, corrupting people, and Black London is the destroyed world in which everything burned because of magic. It is the reason the doors between the worlds were shut.

Then there are the characters. Ooooohhhhh! I lovelovelove Lila and Kell. For entirely different reasons but I love them nonetheless. I love Schwab for not making romance a primary plot in this novel. I adore Lila for being stubborn and proud and scared as hell all at the same time. I want to hug Kell for being part of a family and yet alone, for trying to do the right thing despite the fact that he's dying to break free of his obligations. And those are just the two main characters. The entire supporting cast is gorgeously weird and as always with Schwab, you never get the feeling that these characters are just cardboard figures but real, flesh-and-blood-(and-bone) people. I also like the fact that there aren't a ton of these characters but that Schwab keeps things simple.

I don't want to get into the plot too much for fear of spoilers (you've got the Goodreads synopsis and I really hate spoilers and don't want to ruin the pleasure of reading this book for you, you're welcome) but I'm a big fan of series that have sort of rounded-out parts. What I mean is that this plotline seems to be finished but there's enough there to make me want to read the second book (think The Lies of Locke Lamora - in the terms of roundedness of plot, not the story).

I can't recommend her books enough so if you haven't tried them yet, do.

Firstly, I just wanted to say that Nikki persuaded me to buy this book, and after several attempts, I relented. After waiting 1 month for it to arrive, it is finally HERE and lemme tell you, I never regretted buying it at all. In fact, I will also buy the next book once it comes out (which is like forever? SIGH).

This book is unique, and I have honestly never read any book like ADSOM. You need to understand first that there are 4 different Londons. Red London, Grey London, White London and Black London. Red London is where magic thrived and is treated as equal. Well, you could say that Red London is the better London among the rest. Grey London, however, does not have any magic. They're basically normal human beings. White London is a cross between the two other Londons. They wanted to control the magic, and in turn, magic fights back. You could say that White London is literally in ruins. Black London is the city that was lost, the one that magic destroyed, causing the other Londons to break apart and seal themselves in.

Now let me introduce you to the main character. KELL. He is a traveler, the few ones who still survive, and hence, he becomes like a messenger between the different Londons. HE. IS. HOT. Done, there I said it HAHA. Throughout the whole book, I just couldn't keep my eyes off him! He has this strong presence, and even when he's surrounded by enemies that even he does not know if he could defeat, he still projected that air of confidence. And that's what I like about him. So, when he got himself into trouble, he actually wanted to solve it all himself, even though he knew the amount of risks it would take. Well, until he met Lila. *giggles*

HAHAHA.

Delilah Bard isn't an ordinary girl, trust me. She is so far from ordinary. She's a thief, and a damn good one. Well, and she's pretty kickass in this whole book. She practically dresses like a man everywhere she goes (and the book's context is stated in London, where everyone is quite prim and proper, so that is a big deal).

I think what I adore most about this book is that the romance blossoming between Kell and Lila. There was practically NONE. Okay, fine, just kidding, there is some. At random times. AND THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT. Yes, these two MIGHT like each other. But they're both in danger, they ain't got time for love. HAHA. So in this book, those little and rare love scenes will make you go "awwwwww" HAHA.

So, in conclusion, this book was pretty amazing. Why amazing? Because I am thoroughly impressed that the author wrote such a complicated book, and at the end of the day, it all came out smoothly. There weren't any awkward pauses.

And yessss, READ IT FOR KELL HAHAHA. HE IS WORTH IT! Now, I shall just sit back and wait for the next book to come out. *looks at time and sigh*

Originally posted at Vampire Book Club

Many, many years ago magic was a prevalent thing throughout the worlds. Those who carried magic within themselves could travel at will through the open doors between parallel universes. However, when dark magic started to rise up in what is now called Black London the doors between universes were closed not only from Black London but between all the Londons (Red, White, and Gray). All were left to deal with the fallout of magic in their own way. Some fared better than others.

Kell is a Traveler. He has a rare form of magic that allows him to travel to the parallel Londons. He calls Red London his home and because of his ability to travel he is used as the personal ambassador for the Red Royals to communicate with the other Londons. Kell’s vice comes in the form of smuggling. What Kell smuggles are artifacts from other Londons which is strictly forbidden due to fear of spreading magic where magic doesn’t want to/shouldn’t go. It is a vice Kell’s adoptive brother Rhys says will get him into trouble one day. That one day comes all too soon when, after a visit to White London, it seems someone has set Kell up to take the fall by giving him an unidentified object. In his effort to get away from his would-be pursuers, Kell runs afoul of thief Delilah Bard on the streets of Gray London.

Lila Bard wants to be more than a thief. She wants an adventure. She wants to be free. When she encounters Kell, who she perceives as a drunk and easy target, Lila has no idea that this moment is the chance she’ll have for adventure; the moment she gets herself completely entangled in Kell’s mess.

Going into A Darker Shade of Magic I tried to dispel any and all preconceived ideas about the story. What I found in A Darker Shade was this fresh, new magical world that I literally want to live in despite the darker aspects that pop up throughout the story.

Kell is a character who is used to being the ultimate power, able to travel to different worlds while everyone else he knows is stuck to the same spot. For all that he’s the adoptive son of the Red Royals he still feels like he has no true place with them. No home. He’s such a loyal character and I just loved him. Yes he had his faults and oftentimes would hold himself higher than others because of his power, but it was never out of a sense of malice. When worse comes to worse, Kell expects to sacrifice himself in order to save all the Londons. No backwards glance.

Lila, on the other hand, has never known anything about loyalty. Through her time with Kell we see her learn to trust and care. Lila was a great character because even though she learns loyalty she still wouldn’t balk at stealing to get what she wants. She would even kill to get what she wants if that’s what it took. She doesn’t completely change her personality to fit some new ideal of herself. She just lets a little more in.

Once Darker Shade gets going it’s non-stop adventure. Even the world-building at the beginning was so interesting and intricate I hated when I had to put the book down. I’m so excited that it looks like this will be a series. There’s a definitive ending, but look closely and you’ll see some threads left hanging that promise more great adventures to come.

It’s taken me a while to collect my thoughts on this book and put a review together, and I’m not sure why. I’m going to say it right off the bat: I adored pretty much everything about this book, inside and out. A Darker Shade of Magic is one of those books I wanted to savor. You know what I’m talking about; the kind of book that you don’t want to stop reading because it’s so good — but you don’t want it to be over too quickly, so you try to make it last.

This book bears all the signs of a Schwab masterpiece, the way she blends creative ideas into the lives of characters you just ache to know more about. A Darker Shade of Magic comes with the bonus of three distinct versions of London, all with their own rules and mysteries and dark corners. Just knowing that we have so much more to learn about each of them has me trembling with excitement!

Before going into this book, I only really knew that there was a character named Kell (yay!). Kell was utterly fascinating from the beginning, starting with his freaking — the most awesome jacket ever, and I wish I had one just like it! I was a little surprised to be introduced to another main character, Lila, but she quickly won my heart. Lila is my favorite kind of female character; scrappy, independent, curious, and clever. This duo is probably one of my favorites ever!

And the magic? Seriously, A Darker Shade of Magic is the perfect title for this book. I LOVED the intricate and mysterious magic system in this world (worlds?). Schwab seems to be a fan of tokens and doorways, and I think I am too, because I really, really enjoyed that element of this story.

Another thing I love about her books is that they all feel whole on their own. I finished this book feeling satisfied, that it could be a standalone (and then I had to go look online and reassure myself that there would be more, because I desperately want MORE!).

Bottom line? Another strong novel by one of my all-time favorite authors. Read this book now, and then go ahead and read it again, because you’ll probably want MORE, just like I did.

"Magic bent the world. Pulled it into shape. There were fixed points. Most of the time they were places."

Kell is one of the last Travelers, a magician with the coveted and closely guarded ability to travel between worlds. Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler working for the crown of Red London to dispatch correspondence between the different cities that share the same name.

Kell's work brings him to Grey London--a dingy, dull place ruled by the increasingly mad King George III where industrialization has all but stamped out magic. There is also White London--a ruthless city where people struggle to control magic as it drains more and more from the city. There used to be Black London. No one talks about that.

Kell's official position in the magically balanced Red London also allows him to pursue less official activities as a smuggler supplying magical artifacts to Collectors and Enthusiasts in all three Londons.

Meanwhile, Grey Londoner Delilah Bard knows that she is meant to be a pirate. Even if she is currently without a ship and reduced to working as a cut-purse for the time being. When she crosses paths with Kell, Lila knows that she has found something she never realized was missing from her life.

But magic, even small magic smuggled across borders, is a dangerous business where nothing is free. Drawn into a deadly web of magic and conspiracy, Kell and Lila will have to wok together if they want to save any of the Londons in A Darker Shade of Magic (2015) by V. E. Schwab.

A Darker Shade of Magic is Schwab's second book written for an adult audience. (She has numerous, equally wonderful YA titles published under the name Victoria Schwab.) It is also the start of her new fantasy trilogy.

A Darker Shade of Magic is an evocative fantasy novel with not one but three well-developed worlds that include historical details and logical magic conventions. For all of the characters, perhaps most literally for Kell, magic comes at a cost--one that is quite dear for some--a theme that Schwab skillfully explores throughout the novel.

Despite the dangers and dark elements to be found here, A Darker Shade of Magic is also imbued with a sense of wonder for both magic and exploration as new worlds open before Kell and Lila's eyes.

Kell and Lila are reckless characters who are dangerously charming. They are also shrewd and often jaded, particularly Lila. These traits make it all the sweeter to read about their evolving bond and to see this unlikely pair work together against some very dangerous enemies. Witty banter throughout is an added bonus in this story filled with sharp observations and vivid prose.

A Darker Shade of Magic strikes the perfect balance between urgency and introspection with a fast-paced plot and characters who often operate in the grey areas of morality. Seeing the story from both Kell and Lila's perspectives adds another element to this intricate story that hints at marvelous things to come in the rest of the series. Highly recommended for fans of both urban and high fantasy.

Possible Pairings: The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black, Stardust by Neil Gaiman, Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton, The Glass Sentence by S. E. Grove, Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones, Winterspell by Claire Legrand, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White

When was the last time you realized WHY you loved reading? When was the last time a possible couple in a book made you jump and squee and hope they fell in love and became a couple? And when was the last time a book sucked you in-completely?

It's better than Vicious. I have read Miss Schwab's other works, The Archived and Vicious but NEVER have I really went WOW!!! Viscous was great-don't get me wrong, but A Darker Shade of Magic made me remember why I love reading so much. It was almost as if I was reading Harry Potter for the first time. It was entrancing, had memorable and loveable characters-but with this book, it had so much more.

Schwab's talent has poured through her books, but I truly believe that THIS is the kind of books she needs to write. It seems so Schwab in style and how in-depth the world building was. I LOVED Kell. He has to be the most, suave, charming magician I have read about-think Howl from Howl's Moving Castle-and his relationship with Lila started out rocky to say the least.

Eventually they become accomplices, allies and then friends...and TELL ME THEY DON'T HAVE CHEMISTRY. HOLY wow, I was just dying for them to kiss or get together-and I usually can't stand much romance in books because they seem so FORCED and bland and there is no freaking chemistry anywhere.

I can't say much if you don't spoilers but what I can say is that this book surpassed the hype it built up. I LOVED IT. I took my time in the book, became a part of the world and felt that feeling of loving reading all over again. I forgot that I had a life LOL. I was so immersed in this book, only my college tests could guilt me out of reading for too long.

If you haven't read any of Schwab's works, if you haven't read A Darker Shade of Magic, if you've lost that love of reading, pick up the cure. A Darker Shade of Magic is everything I could want in a book and more. And it just might be the same for you.

Although...I wanted Kell and Lila to have more romance but what we did get was good.

Keep in mind that this book was more on the action side than character side, but I never felt bored because Scwhab took care with the character's and made them interesting and complex. It was fairly predictable, but it was meant to be that way. Overall it truly was worth the money and the time to read it, and I loved every moment of this fantastic book.

From my GoodReads.

*Review posted on Mundie Moms on 3/19/2014*
When my sports-obsessed husband gets super excited about a game he’s watching he yells out, “Instant classic!” Well, that is exactly how I felt after only a few chapters of A Darker Shade of Magic. INSTANT CLASSIC. ADSoM has all the makings of a classic fantasy story – a detailed setting (that you want to get lost in, yes, even if it’s impossibly dangerous), a fast-paced plot (I may have wished that my kids could walk to and from school on their own just so I could keep reading) and characters that you wish you could meet in person.

The setting is unbelievable. Four, separate Londons. I KNOW. Four of one of my favorite cities. And all four Londons are linked by magic. They are also linked by Travelers, people who can use magic to transport themselves between the different cities. Kell is our main protagonist and he’s also one of these rare Travelers. Kell’s main job is to deliver messages from the kings and queens of the different Londons. Can you imagine my excitement as the political intrigue and betrayals begin to build?

But, Victoria doesn’t leave it at that level of simple, fantasy plot. No, she introduces more characters (don’t worry if you’re like me and have trouble keeping track of a larger cast of characters,) and she efficiently tells you their story before using them to further the impossibly fast-moving plot.

Oh you guys, I looooooooved Kell and wait until you meet Lila. She is the perfect live-for-adventure heroine. The two of them grow to depend on one another and their chemistry and quick wits made me want to ship them forever. And then there’s the prince of Red London, Rhy. Those three, Kell, Lila and Rhy, have my heart.

Now I’m going to leave you to discover the villains for yourself. They are complex, motivated and yes, my hatred for them was deeeeeeep. In other words, they are the very best kind of villains. You get them and you still hate them.

Don’t wait to pick up your copy and bump it up on your TBR pile. This is a classic fantasy tale that is just waiting to be picked up and read. Warning: symptoms after you finish reading will include – a pounding book hangover, a desire to test out your Traveler skills and an overwhelming urge to own a cool multi-layered and flippable coat. The only known treatment is the next installment of the story. For that, we will have to wait an entire year. I know, I know, it will feel like forever.

When considering both A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC and Vicious, it’s hard to pick a favorite. I think this new series by one of my all-time favorite authors did the impossible by rising just above her debut adult novel. Hard to say, though, because although both books share the underlying theme of “good” and “evil” and the idea that humanity exists somewhere between the two, they are still two entirely different types of stories. Not to mention, A Darker Shade of Magic is infinitely more complex – not to mention, terrifying.

I won’t give too many details. But you should know is that what Ms. Schwab did for super heroes and super villains, she also does for many-layered worlds and magic… and then some. As I read, her characters and world(s) rolled right off the pages and into my imagination. Few stories released these days can compare to those brought to life by the endlessly creative and masterfully talented mind of Victoria Schwab.

The world-building in A Darker Shade of Magic involves a relatively small but highly complex multi-verse. The only connection between each world are the “rips” or “seams” that are created by those who are in possession of a greater magic. Only two entities in all the worlds can create the doors that allow them to travel between the worlds – one of these rare entities is the main character, Kell. Oh, and get this: one world is completely devoid of magic, another thrives and flourishes with its use, another is falling apart at the seams (for reasons I will not say), and the last world is completely consumed by darkness. Each world is distinguished by the colors that dominate that physical world (i.e. Grey London, Red London, White London and Black London). Confused yet? Not to worry! Victoria is a master of both her words and worlds and you’ll get the hang of it in no time! You’ll likely find yourself looking for similarities to our world! …Well, except that it all feels very “1800’s”-ish, so maybe not. But you will get a peek at which world (or worlds) is most like our own.

The characters are as good as any created by Ms. Schwab. Much like I have a hard time choosing a favorite adult book (it’s decided – I choose both!) I also cannot choose between Victor (from Vicious) or Kell. They’re both charismatic, solitary men, yet they each have their own unique traits and faults. There must be something about me and a man in a long coat, because these two are among my favorite fictional men ever. I have to give Kell some props though, because when it comes to having clear personal morals, he tops Victor from the very beginning. But Kell also has his secrets that you’ll have to read to find out. Kell is nearly overshadowed when Lila takes the scene, though. Much like Vicious has his own mischievous “sidekick”, Kell, too, gains some “extra baggage” on his journey. Snarky, tough-as-nails and used to living the hard-knock life, Lila will most likely be the character that will have people talking.

The magic is superbly presented in this book. Not only is it logical and perfectly explained, but you get to see multiple levels of its use in each world. You also get to see how magic can be used for both good and bad, and the sacrifices or repercussions of its use. I’ll admit, some of A Darker Shade of Magic‘s more “adult” scenes involve dark uses of magic. It’s a gruesome thing to behold in some worlds, and when the multiple worlds begin to bleed together, you get to see how it becomes even darker and imbalanced. Magic is woven in each and every page of this book, often in ways you have never seen before… But I must stop there. (Ahhh, just thinking about the magic and its implications with the plot makes me want to read this book again!!)

The villains are so very terrifying in this story. I like it best when you don’t know exactly what face evil will take. The lines between “good” and “evil” are beyond blurred in A Darker Shade of Magic, more-so even than in Vicious. Though I fear I may be approaching “punny” territory here, evil isn’t just “black” and “white” in this book, it’s more like a shade of… grey. If that’s the color you like use to describe your favorite stories and characters, then A Darker Shade of Magic is the book for you!

A Darker Shade of Magic provides an exhilarating world (er, worlds) full of the kind of magic that will leave its mark. No life, be it good or evil, will be left untainted in the end. Perfect for readers who like their magic a bit on the dark side. (Ha, see what I did there?)

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the store / Goodreads

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London - but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — trickier than they hoped.

I love the characters. They are interesting and have great backstory.
Kell is fascinating. Really. He is part of the royal family, but he also isn't related. He is outcasted by everyone because he's Antari. (Even by the other Antari.) He doesn't belong. This is an emotional struggle in the story that isn't always present. But is interesting nonetheless. Kell has a good personality. He has a strong personality. He is brave and caring. He does what he can to help his friends and loved ones. (Ehem. Rhy.) He has a strong presence. I would hang out with Kell. I would trust Kell with my life.
Lila is a great character. She has backstory. It's never told, though. Which allows for the reader to wonder about her personality and why she does what she does. She is bright and vivacious. Lila is a brave girl who doesn't take no for an answer. She does what she wants. But beneath this bravery and valor, she cares about people. She cared about Barron and Kell. She protects her friends but also doesn't get too close. Her heart is blocked off. Perhaps she had it broken. I wonder about her parents. And the glass eye! That as well.

The world building is great. We get these three worlds that each give off their own feel. They are all different. They are distinct and special. Red London. White London. Gray London. Red London is bright and full of life. The London that suits Lila if you ask me. White London is dreary and dangerous. Devoid of color and life. Gray London is normal. Boring. They were all amazingly built.
The magic is fantastic. You typically have the elemental magics. That's expected. Then we get the curveball of blood magic. It's an interesting magic. There is also one guy who has bone magic. Bone magic. That's just amazing. I want to know about the blood magic. I want a list of those commands. And the symbols used to access the different doors. The way the people use magic is amazing. They ravish in it, using it for decoration and entertainment. Wow. Just wow.
Talking about magic...what does White London use? I'm confused. It is a type of magic. A rugged, raw magic. But it seems odd. An unnatural form of magic. I've never read anything like it before. It was captivating, though. The magic Athos and Astrid could use. Possession? Awesome, right?

The plot is exciting. We have action everywhere. Almost every scene Lila is in is an action scene. She seems to just find trouble. She isn't bad at fighting either. You can rely on her during a fight.
We have some really good fight scenes. I enjoyed the one between Athos and Kell. Wow. That was a good scene. It was pulse-pounding and heart-wrenching. You're clinging to the book, cheering for Kell. You want him to win. And when he's in a position where it doesn't look like he's going to win, you're squeaking in protest. The other fight I loved was the one between the two Antaris. They aren't matched in skills. Holland is much better. You can tell that. Holland has used his magic more. And he knows how to fight. This doesn't mean Kell is at a disadvantage, though. Kell can fight. And he does fight. He isn't bad at fighting. He's just not the best.
Kell is actually not the best fighter. He's clever, though. He can fight. But he uses his mind more than brute strength. Not that he has much brute strength. When he fights, he uses his magic to win.

I didn't like the ending. I wanted Lila to stay! As much as I didn't like the ending, I'll admit it was a pretty good ending. It doesn't seem like an ending is needed. I do want to see the other countries in Red London. That would be amazing. How similar are they? I don't know. I want to know, though.
Where will Lila go? I hope I learn that in the next book. She is a wild spirit. Adventurous. She has wanderlust, I think. Not that it's a bad thing to want to travel. She's a great adventurer also.
There also seems to be something with Black London. I'm not sure what exactly. There's something sinister going on with Black London. Even if the black-eyes demons are expunged.
Even though this book ended on a good note. That doesn't mean I don't want more. That shows how good this book is. I want more even though the ending is good.

Weather:
Sunny with a light fog
4.5/5

I was a big fan of V.E. Schwab’s Vicious, noting in my review how in that book she had overcome the possible burden of overfamiliar concepts (it’s a folks-with-powers-who-have-some-gray-to-them) with supremely polished execution. Well, she’s pretty much done the same with her newest novel, A Darker Shade of Magic, which takes many of the usual fantasy tropes and again, just handles them all so smoothly that you simply don’t care much that you’ve seen them all before.

The basic concept is a nicely focused tweak of the multi-verse model, with a series of parallel Londons: Red London, a vibrant, colorful city where magic and life are in balance; White London, a cruel dog-eat-dog world where people and magic are more at war, with people seeing magic as something to be conquered and used; Grey London, a dull, dirty version mostly drained of magic; and the not-to-be-spoken-of Black London, where 300 years ago magic caused a cataclysm that precipitated the other Londons to “shut the doors” between the worlds so as to escape Black London’s fate. Now, the only communication is between the monarchs of each city.

Said communication takes place via the only people who can travel between the worlds — the Antari — who were always rare but since the closing of paths have become nearly non-existent. The main character, Kell, is attached to the royal family of Red London. The king and queen have adopted him like a son and their real child, Prince Rhys, and Kell are brothers in truth, though Kell chafes at the idea he is less “family” and more “possession.” The only other Antari known, Holland, is the diplomat for the brother-sister rulers of White London — a sadistic and power-hungry pair who have no qualms about using magic to compel others to do their will, turning some into mere automatons.

The precipitating event in the novel occurs when Kell comes into possession of a powerful relic of Black London, one that poses a great threat to both its holder and to the greater worlds. It also offers the kind of power people will kill for, and so Kell soon finds himself in a race to try and destroy the artifact before it destroys him or his world, either directly or indirectly. He’s joined in this quest by Lila, a young pickpocket from Grey London who stumbled into the action thanks to her thieving and to her great yearning for something more, for a sense of adventure.

The plot moves along briskly, smoothly, and at the perfect pace, with noisy action scenes nicely balanced by quieter character-driven ones. Schwab’s prose also sails along smoothly, carrying the reader effortlessly through the novel’s 400 pages. I read it easily and happily in a single sitting.

The characters are nicely drawn, with complex emotions and backgrounds — nooks and crannies of personal detail some of which get explored and some of which merely mentioned, either as a background tapestry or perhaps to set us up for later adventures with these two.

Lila is the familiar spunky-street-girl-orphan-who-takes-no-guff-and-whose-knives-are-only-slightly-less-sharp-than-her-attitude (future trademark on the SSGOWTNGWKAOSLSTHA acronym by the way). But you know, if we told authors they couldn’t use any familiar character types, the last new story would have been told millennia ago. We know Lila’s “type” but we don’t know Lila, at least not until this book, and she’s a lovely, fun individualized creation whose desperate desire for something beyond her life’s experiences runs like a constantly humming, painfully poignant current beneath her surface.

Kell, meanwhile, is also fully realized, with his own secrets, his own longings and desires and flaws, and I like how Schwab isn’t afraid to have those flaws called out into the open by other characters. The villains are, well, villainy, with Schwab eschewing the “grey villain” trend in favor of all-out classical sadistic, power-mad, evil. And there’s something to be said for that. Schwab doesn’t fully ignore the benefits of greyness, though, serving up Holland as a nice bit of complexity, someone more betwixt and between.

Interestingly, magic itself is a character in this novel, its role chillingly portrayed in several darkly menacing scenes and it’s one of the areas where Schwab proves that even working in familiar plot zones authors can bring their own striking bits of originality.

I really enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic, even if I can’t say I “loved” it. I had a few minor complaints. Lila’s unconventionality feels a little too untethered, even as unconventionality, to her time/society, as does her speech at times. The story’s smoothness sometimes felt a little too smooth or easy, which I admit doesn’t make a lot of sense as a complaint, but I wouldn’t have minded a more complex structure of sort — a less straightforward, linear construction. Maybe some of this desire comes out of the familiarity of plot and character points (or maybe I’m just being a contrary hard-to-please jerk). Finally, the ending felt a bit rushed, maybe even a little anti-climactic.

I did appreciate that the ending resolved the major issues, making A Darker Shade of Magic a novel that can happily stand on its own, even as it also clearly leaves room, and points to, further stories in this setting (one reason why even as I wanted more details about these parallel worlds I didn’t count that as a complaint; I assume those details are forthcoming in a later novel).

Those above quibbles aren’t why the book didn’t rise above highly enjoyable; sometimes you just can’t pinpoint why one good book wows you and another good one doesn’t. But even if A Darker Shade of Magic didn’t rise to that rarified level, I’ll quite happily pick up another book set in this world and look forward to more time spent with these characters. Recommended.

(originally appeared on fantasyliterature.com)

Insert main character, Kell, adopted son of "Red" London's royalty. He has always felt like a possesion and never really a family member, excluding the relationship with his brother Prince Rhy. This book really pulled me in at the beginning. Kell has a mysterious coat that has a different look and style for each of his adventures. Kell is an Antari, one born to blood magic. Antari are a dying breed and there are only two in the world. Kell and another who lives in "white" London. Kell's job is a messenger between the different Londons that exist in what I understood as different dimensions but all interlinked by doors only the Antari can access. Anyway, poor old Kell loves taking trinkets to and from different Londons although it's FORBIDDEN(You all know this is going.)

Insert Delilah Bard, aka Lila. Spunky (aspiring) pirate living in Grey London. She's just a pocket picker trying to get by in life. She is in desperate need of adventure.

Insert Kell getting in trouble, Lila having stolen a shiny magic rock from Kell, and boom their lives are forever intertwined. Lila gets her adventure, Kell gets a headache. It all works out rather well, actually.

This book had me at beginning, like I said. It really did. The world Schwab created was interesting and the Kell was mysterious enough to keep me reading. Though at some point, around half way through, I realized the plot hadn't really gone anywhere. It was almost entirely world building. That is the reason it gets a 4 star rating out of 5. No book should need 200 pages to build their world. I got bored at times wondering when something was gonna happen.

Fear not, after that half way mark, s*** starts to hit the fan. I could not put the book down and i swear my heart was racing. Despite not getting to know Rhy very well, you feel for him because Kell feels for him. You essentially get taken on a roller coaster of emotions, all depending on what Kell goes through. Lila was fun, but I didn't feel the same connection to her. Lila was aloof and fun, but it was Kell that you follow and feel endeared to at the end.

The end was satisfying, sad, and left space for another adventure. I promise it doesn't have a cliff hanger so your not left sobbing in your bed with no relief in sight. I will definitely picking up the sequel and recommend this to all fantasy lovers who like a slow build up. For those who enjoy romance, it's not really very romance, BUT THERE'S POTENTIAL!! And honestly, the book holds its own without it, that's saying a lot.

Review originally posted here: http://confessionsofcarlisa.com/2015/03/07/a-darker-shade-of-magic-a-review/

I had heard a lot of hype about this book beforehand…which is not always a good thing if it doesn’t live up to the expectation. This book, though, was phenomenal. It was my first Victoria Schwab experience and I can’t wait to read her other books. The characterization she developed…the worlds she developed were all amazing. In almost a Lord of the Rings-esque way, Schwab introduced readers to the journey of Kell and Lila through the four Londons: Grey (ahem, us), Red, White, and (dun, dun, dunnn) Black. And it was beautiful.

The Good: First off, the originality. The separate elements in and of themselves are not original. Magic…check! A budding and flirty relationship that leaves the reader hanging…check! Snarky characters…check! A quest to rid the world of the evil that it was already supposed to be ridden of…check! But painted all these elements together in a beautiful, new way that I have never seen before.

The cover is beautiful. Just look at it. It’s just beautiful.

The characters are so well done. I loved the two main characters Kell and Lila. The whole time I was hoping they’d get together (I’m just learning that the internet calls that “shipping”?) and they end up…ha, just kidding. I’m not going to give you those kind of spoilers. Suckers. Anyways, really good.

The Bad: There isn’t much to say here. The only thing I think I could say would be that the beginning is rather slow. The plot doesn’t really pick up until around halfway through the 400 page novel. Despite this, Schwab rocked it. She spent that time developing this enchanting world and did it so well that I didn’t care that the plot hadn’t started picking up. I was absorbed.

Actually, in thinking about the characters, whom I loved, I wish that there had been more of them. More backstory. Schwab probably could have pulled off a longer novel without upsetting anyone if she had done this. We get the here and now of the characters, but I don’t think we get much, if any, history into who they were before. I love the characters…and I want more. Hopefully the sequel will help alleviate that.

Recommendation: Get the book. Read the book.

For readers of J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling, V.E. Schwab should be your next choice. Although similar in plot to both, V.E. Schwab takes fantasy/paranormal one step further into the genre of historical fiction. It is reality mixed with fantasy. V.E. Schwab is articulate. All worlds felt real to this reader even as the levels of magic differ among the worlds.

The premise is simple: Three Londons, a Fourth destroyed evil Black London, a talisman representing the worst, the most evil of magic, magical beings that square off against each other, are used by rulers for their own designs, and Lila—the little girl tramp who is adorable, yet edgy, keeping a distance yet wanting to be loved, poor on the verge of living on streets wanting more out of life, always seeking more.

I can’t say enough about A Darker Shade of Magic—the up and coming fantasy Tolkien. The only downside is on the Audible version—the voices for each character need to be more distinctive, set them apart from other characters in the event the listener is picking up in the middle of a sentence or paragraph. Her next, A Gathering of Shadows, is coming out February 2016. I can’t wait!

*****Free Audible version provided by Ford as part of Goodreads Ford group

I picked up my first V.E. Schwab novel almost reluctantly (and I still can’t figure out why I was reluctant.). I read that novel, called Vicious, at the beginning of this year, and reviewed it a few weeks ago. Spoiler for the review: I loved it. I’m really annoyed at myself for not reading it earlier, and I was determined not to make that mistake again. Thus, I preordered Schwab’s next adult novel, A Darker Shade of Magic, immediately upon finishing Vicious, and anxiously awaited its arrival.

Due to various printing shortages—the book was much more popular than I think the publisher anticipated that it would be—I did not get a copy on release day. I ordered both editions—US and UK—and I actually received my UK copy first, even though it shipped from the UK. I finally managed to get my hands on my US copy this week—which came with a beautiful two-sided poster, with each of the covers shown above on one side. All of this meant that I did not get to start A Darker Shade of Magic until my spring break, and even then, I had to finish my Lord of the Rings reread first. When I finally did, I had only a few days left in my spring break, so I did what any sensible person would do.

I read A Darker Shade of Magic in a single day, starting in the morning, and finishing around 2 AM before I went to sleep that night.

And I don’t regret it one bit. The book was amazing. The pacing was almost non-stop. A Darker Shade of Magic has a linear storytelling structure, not the fragmented jumps of Vicious. Each chapter is only a few pages long, and the book itself is divided into perhaps a dozen sections, each of which has its own label. To me, the sections felt more like chapters, while the numbered chapters within each section felt more like scene breaks than full chapters. Nevertheless, this style produced a keen sense of “Just one more chapter, just one more…” that made the book nearly impossible to put down. I hadn’t originally planned to finish reading it in a single day, but it was so good that I just couldn’t not finish it. I do not envy those who read the 130-page preview ahead of time and then had to wait for months to get their hands on the finished novel. It must have been torture.

The magic system itself is rather vague, though the parts of it that are necessary for the plot are explained thoroughly enough that it does not cause problems. The magic, which grants a basic control over the elements in Red London, more mysterious and general powers in White London, and gives the Atmani, a select few, the power to travel between the three, once four, parallel Londons, is a well balanced system that can easily be used for malicious purposes as well as good ones, and we see the full range of this in the book.

The plot itself, centering around a mysterious magical artifact that seems determined to wreak all the havoc that it can, is very dark—even the good characters do horrible things, often by accident, and make plenty of bad decisions. They are, after all, human, regardless of which London they come from. And while the plot and the pacing are what drove the book along, making me turn page after page until I ran out of pages (and immediately went searching for a sequel, which I was happy to learn is currently in the edits stage), it’s thees characters that made each and every page satisfying and awesome.

Kell, the main character, is a man who does not know his own past, but can travel between the parallel Londons, as long as he has the proper tools (What is it with Ke/al(l)s? Keladry of Mindelan, Kaladin, Kelsier… They make awesome characters.), and he is fascinating. As one of the only two known remaining Atmani, he is subject to strict rules, but there is hardly anyone with the power to enforce them upon him, and so he deals in a lively illegal trade of items from one world to another. The fact that he doesn’t need to do this—he is royalty in Red London, where he lives, simply by virtue of his magical powers—simply makes it that much more exciting for him, and intriguing for the reader. I love the fact that even our “hero” has his illegal side habits. And a cool coat. Never forget the coat of many sides.

Perhaps my favorite character is Rhy, the prince of Red London. He’s just so irrepressible it’s impossible to not like him. His attitude, his sense of humor, his self-aware pompousness, all add a welcome levity to any scene he wanders in to. He serves as an excellent counterbalance to Kell, who has seen and been so many places, and knows the dark things that can happen. And, as Kell put it, “he would flirt with a nicely upholstered chair.”

Lila—Delilah Bard—is probably the favorite character of most readers. A wanna-be pirate orphan from our London, she is always in search of an adventure—and never afraid to use whatever leverage she has to get her way. While she definitely scares me a little bit—she has too few qualms about killing, for one—she is also awesome, and I enjoyed her viewpoints as well.

The evil characters were so well done that I still cringe a little bit thinking about them. The Dane twins, Astrid and Athos, rulers of White London, clawed their way into power, and, unlike so many rulers I’ve read before, I can totally believe that they did it—and see why they have maintained their position. They utterly creep me out, as does their unwilling servant Holland, who is the only other known Atmani. *Shudder*

In summary, all of Schwab’s characters are just absolutely amazing. I only spent 400 pages with them, yet I feel like I know them all—and the 400 pages was far too little time to enjoy their company. I thought the pace was utterly perfect, and I really enjoyed reading about the various Londons that she has imagined, all in a single day. I give this book five of five stars, and it’s the kind of book that makes me wonder if all of the other five star books really deserved that rating. I am eagerly awaiting the rest of the trilogy.

Review originally from my blog, MentalMegalodon.

I haven't been that entranced or full on in love with a novel in quite a while. And it being my first V.E. Schwab novel, I am hungry for more. Magic, sadistic kings/queens, multiple Londons (I was already sold at that point), handsomely quirky prince, travelers, aspiring pirates, and not one drop of romance but all the shipping my heart desires. I tripped face first into this book and kissed the pages.

Multiple universes. Multiple Londons. Each one couldn't be farther from different, except for the fact that there is always a city named London, there is always a great river, and there is always a shabby little tavern. It's like Bioshock: There is always a man, a city, and a light house. Calling all Bioshock fans. this book is everything you could dream of after finishing Infinite. Grey London lacks magic and mirrors our own reality. Red London flourishes with life and prosperity, magic is kept at a safe distance. White London is well revered as feral, magic is used to control and rule over the weak. Black London ceases to exist, magic ravaged the lands and the people. Black London was the reason that the multiple Londons closed their doors and remain solitary. Only a select few can travel across the barriers, the Antari, people like Kell who themselves are magic. Working & brought up by the nobility of Red London, Kell acts as a messenger between the worlds. And with traveling to different worlds comes with responsibility, but Kell has a frowned upon habit. He brings items across the borders. And Kell's hard to break habit unleashes a series of unfortunate events when he brings an old relic from Black London into his prospering home city.

Be prepared for an adventure of a lifetime, and for a little piece of your soul to break. A Darker Shade of Magic transports you on an epic journey beside Kell and Lila Bard, our sassy and feisty pirate-to-be with her sights set on the horizon of prosperous possibilities, through the barriers of different Londons, magic at its most beautiful and deadliest; where I fell in love with these characters and had my heart aching by the very end. Schwab trickles so much life, flaws, and back story into these characters whether it be the endearing Kell or the horrific Astrid and Athos Dane. This book has Game of Thrones suspense where everyone is a chess piece and no one is safe, and I am chewing my fingernails as I pray for the wicked universe of ADSOM not to kill those I've claimed as my favorites.

Schwab is a master storyteller, one who weaves words through the pages and captures you for mere hours at a time before you realize that the day is gone. The world-building and character development is rich, exciting, and executed well. The Dane twins are are merciless at their best and black magic that seeps into the different London's all are wonderfully established villains with a purpose that is airtight: complete and utter control. Even Holland hurt my heart despite the darkness that eclipses him. Every character gives a good, hard tug to the heart strings and it hurt to say goodbye when the time came.

Final Summation: Fantasy fans, A Darker Shade of Magic better not miss your radar. Whether it be understanding the elements of magic or learning about and discerning between the four different Londons, there is fun for all kinds of readers. It would be a shame if this masterfully crafted novel never graced your presence. An absolute new favorite. Falling down the rabbit hole is one thing, falling into a V.E. Schwab novel is another. A story completely new, I hunger for more adventures of Kell and Lila. Book two cannot come fast enough!

Published February 24, A Darker Shade of Magic is the second novel from V.E. Schwab. The author, who also writes YA fiction (hello The Archived and The Unbound!) as Victoria Schwab, has once again proven her ability to craft rich, fantastical stories regardless of intended audience age. A Darker Shade of Magic brings to life a world in which there are four parallel Londons, and a man named Kell who can travel between them. As one of the last Antari, Kell serves as ambassador for his home London, but gets ensnared in a plot that puts all four worlds into peril.

Let it be said that Schwab is a master of world building. The setting itself was such a presence in this novel. The very concept of four parallel Londons, each named a color that represents its relationship with magic, demands to be read. I felt inspired as a reader just by this very premise. Red London is full of magic and prospers from it. In White London, magic is scarce and fought over in a kingdom ruled by malevolent twins. Grey London is ordinary, a world dull with barely even the memory of magic. Black London, where people allowed themselves to be consumed by magic, was closed off from the others - no one speaks of it anymore. Schwab makes magic its own character, and the way it's represented throughout the book is incredibly intricate and luscious (magic smells of flowers. flowers.) Magic is so present as an entity in ADSOM: Kell, weak and desperate, is able to travel by simply asking the magic nicely. Seriously?! I mean...yes. Yes.

Ah, this world! I'd like an entire book on each London, please. The world building, intricate on its own and then woven with a magic system tied to elements and blood, does not get bogged down in some info dump. Rather, it unfolds throughout the novel - truly one of the most successful aspects of ADSOM. It also takes up nearly the entire first half of the book, which didn't bother me as it would in other books, other world. That is simply because it was so richly done.

The first half of ADSOM introduces us to this world of Londons, and to Kell. One of the last of his kind, Kell serves as an ambassador for Red London, but also smuggles items between worlds. Kell would make a brilliant Doctor Who, just saying. A solitary traveler with a magic coat and a penchant for trinkets from other worlds - it's hard not to be enamored with Kell. Considered part of the royal family, he still feels more like a possession than person, and hides the black eye that marks him as Antari. It's not until nearly halfway that he meets Delilah Bard, the pickpocket aspiring pirate who has bigger plans for herself. The two are rapidly caught up in a ploy that takes them across each London in order to save them all.

I was a bit unsure how to feel about Lila. I love that she's tough and clever, but at times in the beginning her character came a bit close to cliche. But as the story develops, so does your understanding (and my appreciation) of Lila. She joins Kell on this incredible journey and still remains true to who she is. I felt like the ending really solidified this for me, and I appreciated that Lila wasn't there to be Kell's love interest. There's little to no romance in this book, but that felt appropriate. And for perhaps the first time, I didn't want a romance. I was so focused on the conflict that it was relief to not have ill-paced and timed insta-love in the middle of all that action. Now, in future installments...

The ending of ADSOM was left open ended - not in a cliffhanger fashion, but rather in the sense that anything could happen in the next book. The audience wasn't presented with a new villain or threat, so who knows what ADSOM2 will bring. That's honestly a huge reason why I'm looking forward to it already. Schwab could have made this a very successful stand alone, but she's got enough up her sleeve for an entire trilogy - and that's got me intrigued.

I truly enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic, and am pleased that Schwab delivered another brilliant novel. She's become a favorite author of mine, and her versatility is apparent to anyone who reads her words. It should be clear by now that if Victoria Schwab writes it, I'm going to read it. And love it.

I really enjoyed reading this book. This is one of my most anticipated reads of this year. A few months ago, I was able to snag off a sampler galley on Netgalley. WORST. DECISION. EVER.

After reading the sneak peek chapters, I couldn’t get it off my mind. It was so mindblowing and the world-building was amazing. So when I heard there’s going to be a book tour for this, I immediately signed up.

It’s not always that I pick up fantasy books, but when I do, I end up loving it! A Darker Shade of Magic is full of action and twists. The world-building was astonishing. The idea of having four Londons and having travelers going in and out of them is unique.

The characters are well-written. I really loved Kell and Lila’s character. They’re both strong and independent. I quite enjoyed the subtle chemistry between them. What I really loved was the fact that the romance didn’t get in the way of the story and their character developments.

I finished the book in about two days because I seriously couldn’t put it down. I just had to because of school but still, I kept on sneaking a fee pages to read. Haha!

I am very much impressed by Schwab’s writing style! The story is very refreshing and enjoyable to read. I’m definitely be convincing myself to wait until next year for the sequel so I’m most probably be just going to check out her other works.

This review is also posted on my blog, Babblings of a Book Babe.

I’m not even sure where to begin with this book. Should I start with the amazing characters and how I fell head-over-heels in love with them? Or the magical world and how every different London was just as amazing as the last? Well okay, Grey London wasn’t anything exciting but that’s not exactly V.E. Schwab’s fault. Or maybe I should start with the intense and intriguing story of magic, mischief, evil, aspiring pirates, multi-sided coats, and a black stone that’s far too clever for anyone’s good? I suppose that would be a good place to start.

A Darker Shade of Magic begins with our hero Kell, one of the last magic users alive, traveling back and forth between different Londons as a sort of glorified postman. But you can immediately tell he has a heart of gold despite his potentially unsettling appearance, (his one pure black eye) from the kindness he shows an old, lonely king. But Kell secretly smuggles items back and forth from one London to the next, something that is strictly forbidden. He never paid much attention to the rules though until a woman gives him a black stone that turns out to be far more trouble than it’s worth. Although perhaps not as much trouble as Lila Bard ends up being, after she steals from him, ties him up, and makes him drag her around on his misadventures with him.

This book was so much fun, but even more than that, it was interesting and it had so much life. The different worlds were all so defined and unique, but ultimately similar enough in some aspects that they felt connected. Every time Kell travels to a different London, it really just gives you a certain feeling or vibe while he is there.Not only was the world building fantastic, but the characters were beyond well written. Every character was unique and so complex and well written, I found myself even enjoying our moments with secondary characters and villains. Speaking of villains, hot dang, these baddies gave me the willies. I mean, V.E. Schwab gave sinister a whole new meaning in this book.

Kell as the main character was just a darling. I seriously love this boy, and I instantly knew that I would. If you look back months ago when I first raved about how excited I was to read this book, I told you all how madly in love I was going to be with Kell. I was not mistaken. Kell was absolutely fascinating and I found myself constantly just wanting to pick his mind and know more about him. He was “adopted” by the royal family in Red London but considers himself more of their trophy, despite the affection he feels for them. The fact that he was forced to forget his past only adds to the whole slew of confused feelings he has with his home life. So he defies them in small ways and has a hidden room full of trinkets he collects. The thing about Kell though was that while he had a heart of gold, he wasn’t all good. He kills, and has killed before. He makes mistakes that gets others hurt, then he makes more mistakes. But what matters is how he tries his best to do the right thing, the decision that allows him to live with himself.

Then we have Lila Bard, the thief that is actually an aspiring pirate with a heart set on adventure and a stomach for murder. Plus awesome taste in weapons. My kind of girl. but mostly she ends up being a loyal friend who constantly has Kell’s back, whether he wants it or not. Seriously, this girl is my dream BFF. She constantly proves herself to be brave and resourceful, plus she is quick enough to keep up with magic using Kell and his never ending pile of trouble. She is spunky and tough as nuts, she doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty or, you know, killing the occasional person. But only if they really deserve it.

Overall, this book was exactly what I wanted it to be and more. It constantly kept me on my toes with the fast, suspenseful pace, amazing magic system, some of the best world building I’ve experienced in a long time, wonderful and interesting characters, and an absolutely brilliant story. There was not a single aspect of this book that I didn’t like, besides the fact that it had to end at some point, and I would recommend it to everyone. The only problem now is I’m wondering if I’ve waited long enough to re-read it.

Victoria Schwab does it again in her beautiful creation of A Darker Shade of Magic. Schwab has such a wonderful talent for creating worlds, and there is no exception when it comes to this story as well. From the smoked filled streets of Grey London to the vivid rich magical filled Red London and on to the the ash, cold, painful filled White London, Schwab constructs a place of vivid detail in this book.

Three different Londons. There were four once. The doors between them were open...that's it, until Black London crumbled on itself, and the magic destroyed the city like a plague. Because of that Red London sealed the doors, leaving White London to fight the magic on its own.Now only the Antari, can move between these worlds, by opening portals using their own blood.

Kell is an Antari, one of only two, and he moves through the worlds as he works for the royal family in Red London. That's until he stumbles upon something and someone. Something that might be connected to Black London and someone just happens to be Delilah Bard, a thief, a Grey lander, and someone that has her own agenda. Together the are forced to team up to fight their was to black London and destroy this something but will White London and its twin Royals and the other Antari let them.

In combination with morally ambiguous characters, downright epic world-building and a thrilling plot this quest of fighting through each world to destroy an object from Black London produces a mind-blowing experience. The plot progressed rather slowly at first, not that I minded, but as soon as the point of no return was reached the pace of the plot had my mind reeling at times. Great and terrible and heart-wrenching things happened, this book did certainly not lack bloodshed and violence. In fact there was a lot of it and in that sense it was more than just adult.

The author somehow managed to create three completely unique and unmistakable cities that had very different atmospheres and histories and solutions for the problems that the magic brought upon them. Grey London, with no magic at all, was the one that came closest to the real world that we are living in. Red London, the one where people can and do wield different kinds of magic and where our protagonist Kell is from, was a mesmerizing place. It was a colorful and seemed the shine with a light of its own. White London, where magic is used like a weapon and weapon only, had an ominous feeling about it. Despite the seemingly innocent color it was the London that frightened me out most. Its inhabitants committed odious crimes in order to survive, in order to keep the magic and the power. And then there was Black London, a city out of dark fairy tales to frighten children at night, consumed by magic, unearthly and dark.

And what blew my mind even more was how well Kell fit in. He was able to adapt to every single city he found himself in. There was a strange calm about this character, yet he managed to be fierce and unyielding, everything put into one. He was an insightful protagonist, and his inner growth and development thorough the book was help show how the plot was truly developing.

However the cross-dressing, aspiring pirate named Lila Bard was even better. What I loved most about her was how independent and strong she was in every sense that was right, a well and truly strong female lead. From the very beginning Lila was full of surprises and thankfully she was as far from damsel-in-distress and never having to be saved by a male. Besides, she had the best lines and all humor that there could be found came from her. Lila was badass and in her thirst for adventure she was willed to do a lot, if not everything, only to get what she wants. Both Kell and Lila were imperfectly perfect protagonists and albeit their alliance started out rather shaky and distrustful, it soon developed into something akin to companionship or maybe even friendship. No love-triangle, no romance.

The villains were insane, ruthless, and sinister. Cunning and brilliant. It does not happen very often that characters freak me out, but in this case I shuddered every time Holland or the Dane twins appeared. Holland was in a way much worse than the twins, they were openly evil while Holland felt like hollow-evil, somebody ready to do well and truly everything in order to get what he wants. White London literally screamed at me - mental instability but the twins took insanity and pleasure in pain on a whole new level for me.

All in all, a wonderful book full of magic and adventure and darkness. It had everything I wished for and more. Highly recommended both to Schwab fans and people who simply like Fantasy. I think everyone should give this book a chance.

A Darker Shade of Magic is a masterpiece. VE Schwab is clearly a god with her words. In 2013, I read her book Vicious and discovered my favorite book of all time. Yes, ALL time. Not just of the week or year, ALL time. While I was reading A Darker Shade of Magic I wondered if this book would replace Vicious in my heart, and while it didn’t, it certainly got close. Close enough that I now have two favorite books of all time and a favorite author.

While Vicious wooed me with the beautiful words and the twisted world of right and wrong, A Darker Shade of Magic was everything I wanted in a book about magic. Two beautiful princes, a magical sexy coat, pirates, magic, blood, chaos, beauty, power. Oh, and a The Princess Bride reference. With all the stress of my move, A Darker Shade of Magic was the perfect escape.

While I enjoy reading other books in other genres, this was a book that felt like it was written FOR me. I laughed and I thought the author was trying to kill me by breaking my heart in that cruel way only authors know how. So if you have always dreamed of a world of magic, this is the world you need to go to now. Seriously, stop reading this review and go read it now. Go!

In a world of parallel universes, there is one constant: London. Though every world is very different, they all have a city named London in the same place and it serves as the loose thread that holds them all together. And the thread is loose because there are only a few who can travel between them. Kell is one such Traveler, and has become the ambassador (and an adoptee) of the royalty of Red London to carry correspondence back and forth with Grey London and White London. But on his visits, Kell engages in a hobby of smuggling artifacts back and forth, despite the objections and warnings of his adopted brother. But neither of them know the true extent of the trouble Kell might wade into without even thinking...

I have to start by saying I LOVED THIS. A high fantasy filled with magic, intrigue, royalty, and betrayal? Sign me up over and over again. But more than that, Schwab has created a world that is well-developed and has that ring of truth that is so important when writing speculative fiction of any kind. The complexity of the characters and the relationship dynamics are just as important to the story as the world serving as the backdrop, and there are no disappointments there, either.

I highly, highly recommend this to anyone who has even the slightest interest in fantasy. I think it's a fair bet you will not be disappointed.

My only complaint about this book is that it took awhile to get going and has an attempted sexual assault scene really early on as a character-defining moment for the female protagonist, which is both an overdone trope and ultimately seemed unnecessary in the story. However, once the book got going, I could barely put it down. The world-building is solid and the plot is an occasionally-very-dark but still fun adventure that had me on the edge of my seat. Going to dive into the sequel very soon!

I really wanted to like this book. It came highly recommended, and the opening was intriguing, a very different fantasy setting with its 3 (or 4) Londons, one of them ours. But the central driver of the plot, Kell getting the artifact (not a spoiler, it's in the blurb), never does make any logical sense. And I couldn't warm up, though I was supposed to, to a teenage girl pickpocket who is saving up her ill-gotten gains to buy a pirate ship, and who, though growing up rough in London's slums, speaks perfect King's English (commented on several times). The Bad Guys are evil merely because they're evil, which makes the conflict with them less interesting, and for all the fireworks of the last 30-40 pages, the plot resolution seems somehow too easy.

Schwab is definitely an imaginative and interesting writer, but I keep feeling this could have been a lot better.

I try not to repeat authors much in a year, but I'd put this one on hold at the library before realizing I'd already gotten through Vicious.

Although I loved both this book and Vicious, and although they're as different as night and day, I suppose I'd pick this one of the two if I had to pick a favourite.

A Darker Shade of Magic is about London -- or, rather, three Londons, and a man who can travel between all of them. Of course, travel has its rules, and -- of course -- our darling protagonist breaks them.

Although Vicious had some world-building, A Darker Shade of Magic really flexed Schwab's muscles -- and the payoff was great. Like Vicious, this novel wasn't earth-shattering; it didn't change how I looked at the world, or leave me with a book hangover that lasted for days, but I did truly enjoy every moment I spent in this story, and couldn't wait to find out what happened.

Overall, I highly recommend this for readers who enjoy fantasy, adventure, and deft world-building. It was an excellent read, and I look forward to more of Schwab's writing.

This is essentially an adventure tale with magic. It may not be great art, but it does move along. I found it compelling like an above average suspense or detective novel. The writing is solid. There's a good deal of imagination invested in the creation of the three London's and the way magic manifests. I borrowed a digital copy from my library. The loan time ran out before I could finish the book (I lacked 50 pages). The book was already on hold, so I had to wait to finish it. All I can say is that I'm glad I did—A Darker Shade of Magic is a fun read.

Whenever a book by a new-to-me author gets a lot of hype, I'm as wary as I am hopeful, but this one deserves it. The world[s]-building is clever, original, and rich; the characters are well-drawn, three-dimensional, and not black-&-white (except for the White London rulers -- nasty!); and the plot is quite gripping. Kell and Lila are both protagonists you can root for and worry about, though, which is (IMO) necessary for a good book. Really, the only reason I didn't give it the full 5 stars is because I personally prefer fantasy in not quite such a "darker shade": several people are damaged and/or die whether or not they deserve it, for example. The climax/ending resolves this book's plot, while leaving plenty of further directions to be explored in the next book -- and I'm certainly hoping there *will* be a next book!
UPDATE: sequel forthcoming Feb. 2016! A Gathering of Shadows <http://www.the store.com/gp/product/0765376474>

I remember there was a lot of hype when the hardback edition came out and I was DYING to read ADSOM. Victoria is one of my favorite authors and I couldn't wait. Pirates, Londons, and a kick-ass color scheme? Heck yeah!

She's already got plot covered. It's fast-moving and so full of unexpected things that you'll end up huddled in a ball on the floor wondering who you are and how you got here and why you aren't in London.

As for the characters, Kell and Lila are my precious darlings.

Lila is one of those characters who you immediately bond with, like Inej from Six of Crows. Though the two them as a team would be a little frightening. She's a survivor, endlessly cunning, and very, very intense. But she's also got her flaws, which I'll leave you to discover because SPOILERS.

Kell is so hard to describe because there are so many sides to him, just like his coat. (Great fashion in this book too) I wish I could say more but he's so unique aghhh.

Kell and Lila's interactions are AMAZING. They're funny, they're sad, they are my new OTP. It's like watching a dance with swords or the thrill of being at the top of a rollercoaster before the drop.

This is a not-so-coherent review because that's how I still feel, days after finishing. This is a book that spins you around several times before sending you off into the hedge maze from the third trial in the Triwizard tournament.

I found a preview of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC at the end of my copy of VICIOUS, and I was instantly captivated. Luckily, I had a copy already, so I was able to dive straight into it.

Kell is an Antari, one of the last humans with the ability to travel between parallel Londons. A long time ago, traffic between the four Londons flowed freely, but that was before Black London was overcome by magic, and the other three sealed themselves off, with nothing permitted to cross their borders. Kell doesn’t really take these restrictions seriously, though, and has a healthy trade smuggling items between the worlds. But when someone gives him a letter to take across, he finds himself in a whole bunch of unanticipated trouble.. and stuck with Lila, an incorrigible thief who seems to expect him to take her on an adventure.

First, the worldbuilding. I liked the idea of the four parallel Londons, each with varying levels of magic, and they were well executed – there’s our “Grey” London, with hardly any magic, Kell’s native Red London, where people and magic are balanced, and White London, where magic is seen as something to be conquered. And Black London, which was devoured by its magic, and no one talks about anymore. The universes are all very different, aside from having a city named London at the same spot, and it was interesting to see how that worked. I also enjoyed the near-sentience of the magic itself.

Just like VICIOUS, the book was pretty fast-paced, and the bulk of the action took place over a short period of time. While I enjoyed that things moved quickly, I really wanted to spend more time getting to know the world and characters. We get a little information via exposition (there’s a particularly clunky bit of that in the first chapter where Black London is explained) and characters musing about their past, but there’s pretty clearly an Urgent Problem To Be Solved. I guess it’s somewhat like urban fantasy – two partners trying to fix something magical (with romantic tension), but that’s not my favourite genre, especially when there’s a secondary world to explore!

The characters also weren’t that great – Kell was okay, although a bit too naive and entitled sometimes. Lila was pretty irritating, though – she’s a thief who has had a rough life, and who’s been forced to murder people to survive (which is treated very casually), but she also has childlike dreams of being an adventurer and a pirate. She’s also entitled in her own way, and it was hard to sympathise with her, or understand why anyone liked her. There wasn’t a lot of character growth, either, because the book takes place across such a short period of time, so Lila at the end of the book was still as irritating. The most interesting character was the other Antari, Holland, but he wasn’t exactly a good guy, and we don’t know very much about him.

This wasn’t a bad book, though, it just wasn’t the kind of book I was looking for. This is a great action-packed adventure with solid worldbuilding – I just like my fantasy to err on the side of excruciating detail, not action. :)

I don't like to give spoilers, and not sure what I can say that hasn't already been said, so I'll just say that this was a REALLY compelling story. It was one of those rare books that I never wanted to put down, and when I wasn't reading it, I was trying to figure out ways to make time to start reading it again. The characters were very likable and the story had that "slow burn" type of excitement to it. It was a fun story from start to end.

I feel like if I have read this series three or four years ago I would have loved it. A Darker Shade of Magic has everything I used to love so much; an interesting, magical world-building, antiheroes protagonists, fast-paced adventures, big and dangerous fights, open endings. I just feel like there was something missing, something to fall in love the story. I loved Lila, I liked Kell and I enjoyed their adventures, but I expected more.

The fluidity of V.E. Schwab's modern fantasy writing is superb! The style and voice makes it impossible to put the book down starting from page 1. I was so excited about this book just after reading a synopsis before its release date, I knew I had to pre-order it. It ended up being everything I wanted and has left me eagerly awaiting the next novel in the series.

I would point out that the book was a bit predictable, but that doesn't change the fact that the storyline was thoroughly captivating and really well-written. The characters develop at a loving pace and is a fun read start to finish.

I also loved the refreshing ending, one that does not leave a billion unanswered questions--everything comes to a satisfying close, yet causes you to wonder where A Gathering of Shadows will take our dimension traveling friends. Needless to say, I will definitely be pre-ordering every book in this particular series.

If you've been looking for a new book or series that has anything to do with magic, this is your jam.

WOW! I was in such a reading slump until V.E. Schwab yanked me right out with A Darker Shade of Magic! It was everything I needed and more. The Londons are scary, beautiful, heartbreaking, and just plain AMAZING! Characters? BRILLIANT! I either loved-to-love or loved-to-hate every single character in ADSOM. Kell is amazing in every possible way...I can't imagine anyone not falling in love with him. He is powerful, smart, cool, funny, and has a certain "swagger" that you will only understand after reading the book.
As with all of Victoria's books, the writing is lyrical and just plain gorgeous. There was so much to discover between these pages and I loved getting lost inside of them!
This is a wholly unique,pitch-perfect, and fast-paced romp through one of the coolest worlds I've ever read!
I have to add that though this is "technically" an adult book, I found it to be PERFECT for YA lovers as well! I read mostly YA, and I flew through ADSOM in one night!
Grab a copy of this one NOW guys...I promise you won't regret it! Scratch that! BUY THIS BOOK NOW, as I cannot imagine my not having had the immense pleasure of reading it, and I don't want anyone to miss out on the sheer awesomeness!
Victoria, you have done it again...

4/5. Before I start, I just wanna say that this is one of my favorite books and that I gave the second one about 500/5 stars. Too good. Let's get into it.

As expected with any Victoria Schwab book, this is a really original and captivating story, with even more interesting characters. I fell in love with Kell & Lila, even though I was kind of hesitant about her at first, but I ended up really loving her. Her dressing-up-as-a-guy-and-wanting-to-be-a-pirate thing interested me from the moment I read about it! As for Kell, I loved him too, but I had trouble picturing him the way he is while reading the book because the fact that he has red hair is mentioned a few chapters in, and I already had my Kell Image in mind, okay. So this kinda confused me throughout the entire book because I kept catching myself picturing a wrong Kell, just as I did with Victor in Vicious, my top favorite VE Schwab book (please read it). I kept picturing Victor as Eli and Eli as Victor. How do you do that, Victoria. And why. It's confusing. Please. But I don't mind because these books are all masterpieces.

The main reason I picked up this book, was Vicious. After reading it and almost crying tears of happiness, I just HAD to read everything by the same author. I was not disappointed, and I can see a beautiful pattern she's got going on with her main characters, I love it.
So, back to it. Kell and Lila had this really interesting relationship, and it was fun to see how it developed! Same with Kell and Rhy, except that that one wasn't really explored in the first book (just wait for A Gathering of Shadows). Still, one of my favorite relationships/bromances/friendships (?). I'm just getting many Kell feelings while writing this right now, because he's so caring without showing it but then you see him begging Lila to not follow him on this dangerous mission etc etc and it brings out all the beauty of the character AND the relationship.

And, oh my god, Kell and Holland !! That was wonderful. It's such a "What Are We" relationship situation thing. They're fighting, and we're talking real life-or-death fighting, but then

**SPOILER**

Holland 'dies' and Kell doesn't want to abandon his body. My. God. It was so damn interesting to see, and the poor guy just deserves better.

Finally, I just saw that this series is destined to be a Netflix series, and I'm so very excited. Imagine Kell, Holland, Lila, Rhy, on screen with actual faces and actual actors. YES. Bless you, Victoria.

P.S.: If you're wondering, the only reason why I didn't give it 5/5 stars is that it took me quite long to get into it, like for some reason I'm never completely intrigued by VE Schwab books at first, but they always end up being my favorite ones. Literally, end up being my Favorite Books Ever. They're just slow for me at first, not sure why. So, there's that. I'd recommend this book if you like historical fantasy and witty, interesting characters; and overall great stories and plot twists.

How will this end well?

With the story sucking me in, chapter by chapter, things going from fascinating to thrilling, to bad to worse, to //author have mercy, everybody’s dying// – with the characters (sometimes so fabulously attired that I could groan aloud with longing) getting into scrapes, tight corners, and downright ghastly situations every third or fourth step, and the stakes mounting up to take ominous shape – with the number of pages between me and the book’s back cover rapidly thinning down to nothing, every line dripping with blood and blackness and painful odds…

I start to wonder, //will// this end well? //Can// it?

But this is Victoria “V.E.” Schwab. I’ve taken this road with her before, albeit by way of a handful fewer Londons. I gave her my trust.

And she did not fail me.

In the name of all things magical, though, what does she have lined up for the sequel??

Ve schwab is a genious.
She wrote the book that I've been wanting to read for FOREVER- epic adventures, beautifully flawed characters, amazing storybuilding, fantastical ideas, and nail-biting complications. It was the entire package, and by the end I was wholly and completely satisfied. And, the crazy thing is, A GATHERING OF SHADOWS BLEW MY MIND EVEN FURTHER. The shades if magic series is now one of my favorites and ve schwab a favorite author.
If you haven't picked this book up yet, you are missing something that could greatly enhance your life (even if it's already great).

This was an interesting read. It's not the kind of story that drags you in from the beginning. Instead, it slowly wraps around you and quietly compels you to stay with it until the end.

While there was tension at various points, it never seemed to make me feel it as much as the author may have intended.

The main male protagonist is a blood-magician by the name of Kel who's job is to be an interdimensional postman. He was decently written and had a touch of the mysterious about him, but I didn't find him to be a very strong or interesting character overall. In fact out of all the named characters we encounter over the course of this book, I found him to be one of the most boring.

The most intriguing character, on the other hand, is an ordinary (non-magical) street rat by the name of Delilah Bard or simply Lila. Lila has lived quite the hard life and has had to fight and scrape at every single turn in order to survive and carve a spot for herself in the harsh world that she calls home. At virtually every step of the way she's surrounded by stronger, more powerful, more ruthless individuals and yet somehow she always makes it through. I believe this to be because Lila has one simple focus - to survive.

I don't know if I'll read more of this series or leave it alone, but if I do it will be to find out what trouble finds Lila and not necessarily caring about the ongoing pursuits of Kel.

I am officially calling myself a fan. I thought A Darker Shade of Magic was even more of a page turner than Vicious. I was instantly sucked into Schwab's world of multiple Londons.  Keep in mind, that although this one city shares the same name, the worlds are very different. I've always been fascinated with the idea of mutli-verses/different dimensions, so Schwab's creation is similar to that concept. Only, what makes it unique (well, one of the things) is that people - not everyone, but a lot - know about these different Londons. There was a time when the worlds were open to each other and people could cross freely. That changed because of certain dangers involving magic and war and whatnot. Another note in terms of setting: the author doesn't come right out and say the time period, but George III is mentioned as the king of Grey London, so I assume late 1700's / early 1800's.

Kell, who is my favorite character of the series (so far, at least), is one of two people who can travel between the worlds. You get the sense that he is intelligent and powerful, but flawed - as the best characters often are. He's not supposed to smuggle things between worlds, but he does. As a result, he ends up smuggling something he shouldn't, which kick starts the plot.

While talking about Kell, it is a necessity to mention his coat. It is a fascinating creation that can be turned inside-out again and again and again to show different looks. It allows him to blend in during his travels. It also helps him hide things. The way the author describes and utilizes the coat throughout the novel is fascinating.

Speaking of outfits, the other major protagonist is a cross-dressing thief/pirate named Lila (Delilah Bard). She comes from Grey London, which is the London without magic - essentially the world we know. She dresses as a man for multiple reasons, partly to conceal her identity when performing her illegal feats, partly because of how she is viewed as a woman within the culture, and partly because she seems to prefer the clothes. She quickly proves that she is not a character to be taken lightly. Lila may not have magic at her disposal, but she still manages to pull some fast ones on Kell (and other magic users). She is confident, sharp-tongued, and a skilled fighter. By the end of the novel, I found myself enjoying her almost as much as Kell. Almost.

Holland, the other traveler, is pretty much the opposite of Kell. He's a punk. That said, I also felt kind of sorry for him.

As for the antagonists of the story... it's kind of complex, because there's people, but magic itself is also an antagonistic entity. I'm not going to get specific, but let's just say, the opposing forces are scary. Not in a horror movie kind of way, but they are powerful and vile. They present a real threat to Kell and Lila. You can feel the dread when the final confrontation approaches.

Well, I think that's about all I'm going to say about this book, because - as usual - I don't want to spoil anything. I really enjoyed it, even more than Vicious, which is quite a feet, since that was my favorite read of 2016. I know I've only read 2 of Schwab's books, but I find myself comparing her style to Neil Gaiman's, who has been one of my favorite authors for about 15 years. I think I even read a similar comparison somewhere. Anyway, I highly recommend this one.

I would give this book 3.5 stars. It started off beautifully. I was intrigued by the concept of the multiple Londons and mesmerized by the brilliant writing. Scenes were gorgeously crafted. I told people how great the book was when I was a third of the way through. Then it became very predictable, formulaic, and in some parts quite cheesy. I lost much of my interest in the characters at some point. It's hard to review this book because I liked the first half of it so much. But for me it fell flat.

Fantastic writing and such an interesting concept (four parallel Londons that the main character can travel between), but that certain something that engages my attention in a story was missing. Nothing was wrong, per se, but I become slightly bored about 1/4 through and that boredom held throughout the rest of the story. I really admire Schwab's writing, but since I experienced something similar with Vicious, I'm starting to think her books just aren't for me.

A couple different criteria were met for this ultimately to be a five star read for me. First off I would reread this story. As soon as I get a chance to listen to the audiobook, it's on! The world V.E. Schwab created centered around magic and different colored London's which can be traveled through by only a couple of people was outstanding. I didn't get the "feels" from this book, Kell and Lila are strangers who meet under stressed circumstances and ultimately end up developing what feels like the best friendship ever. This is the greatest book with thieving characters on an adventure I have read. Nothing that happened seemed too farfetched or beyond comprehension. I could picture it all in my imagination and even wanted to travel through the different London's with Kell and Lila. No cliffhanger ending even though it looks to be first in a series.

AWESOME! A must read! The descriptions, oh the descriptions in this book are wonderful. Love the writing. It is very easy to immerse yourself in the worlds of Gray, Red, White, and Black London. I can't wait to find out more about Kell's and Lila's pasts and futures. Fans of Victoria Schwab's young adult books will enjoy this adult fantasy novel. Though the characters are of the age of those is most young adult novels, the situations that take place in this book (there is blood, violence, lots of deaths), might be better suited to older teens and adults of all ages. I love how the author has the book divided up into little sections. Super excited to read the next book in this series.

I highly recommend.

Well this book took me by surprise. I heard about this book almost everywhere on YouTube. This was my first book by Schwab and I have to say that she does build a world and magic system like a boss! I loved seeing how magic was used in the different areas, the cultures and ways of life in the different Londons. I loved how even though she gives such a great, she does leave some character descriptions to the imagination. I loved Kell and Rhy's relationship as brothers and the internal struggle Kell has. The first 100 pages is a good set up, but it takes off from there. The pacing was pretty decent and I was very satisfied with how the ending. However, I don't entirely like Lila as a character. She grew on me a little bit towards the end, but she's too much of a "special snowflake." But other than that, go read this if you love magical and well cared for worldbuilding and magic.

There were many things I loved about this book. First off, the characters are morally grey, which, coming off of ya fantasy, was pretty refreshing. Also the whole parallel world concept just works so well! The whole system is just so believable. I found my self almost nodding in understanding when it was being explained. I even said “wow, okay. That makes sense” out loud while reading. Overall this was just a wonderful book. I have been hearing great things about it for a while, and was not disappointed in the slightest.

This book was amazing. The narrator reminded me of the old-timey narrator that narrated the Chronicles of Narnia when I was a kid. That alone drew me in. I loved the wit of the characters, and the promise of something more between Kell and Lila. I loved Lila—she was an utter badass and she wasn’t going to let anything stand in her way. I can’t wait for what happens next, because, whatever it is, it’s going to be amazing.

Really great. I was very surprised by this because I didn't know what to expect going in and it turns out that it's pretty much just a great novel.

There's a bit of swashbuckling, there's a bit of mystery and magic, there's a bit of bloodshed and crazy people. This really has it all.

The novel is about a man who can travel between the worlds, and there are 4 Londons that he can visit, White, Red, Black and Grey. Years ago Black London suffered a terrible tragedy and the gates to that world had to be sealed off. Now a lost artifact from Black London has been found and if it falls into the wrong hands it could destroy all the other worlds.

Great adventure, and some interesting spy type stuff too. A lot of fun.

What if you had the ability to walk between parallel universes? How would you use that ability? What kind of trouble (or not) would you get into?

In this book, it takes a certain kind of blood magic to be able to walk between worlds. Only two people are left in the worlds who have the ability. One of them - Kell - is raised alongside the prince, kept as a messenger between the worlds. He describes each London by color - he lives in Red London, where magic is vibrant and plentiful. There is also a White London - where people fight to control magic (which, inevitably, has a mind of its own and doesn’t like this prospect). There is a Grey London, ruled over my an old mad king, which doesn’t have any magic at all (beyond what Kell brings to it).

There is also the mysterious Black London - sacrificed to protect all the other Londons. No one is certain whether it actually exists anymore - all artifacts from the place were destroyed.

Or were they?

Kell travels between the worlds for duty - but he also does a side business as a smuggler, bringing little trinkets through the doors and selling or trading them. He doesn’t have any real need to do this - his needs are completely taken care of by the King and Queen, and he wants for nothing.

I must admit, I REALLY want his jacket! (You’ll have to read to find out what I mean!)

When Kell finds himself in possession of a dangerous artifact and severely injured, he finds himself in the company of Delilah Bard - a thief who wants adventure, particuarly to own her own ship and become a pirate.

When things get tricky, Kell takes Delilah through the worlds - and together they go on a dark adventure to stop a dangerous foe from taking over the three Londons.

When I picked up the book Vicious by the same author, I was delightfully surprised by her writing style and by the way she created a whole world with its own rules with just one book. V.E. Schwab has done the same thing here - the three Londons are fully realized, each with their own set of attributes (even when only glimpsed briefly, like Grey London). Not only is the world building wonderful, but the character development is done well. Kell and Delilah are both dynamic characters who are forced to change their perspectives on their respective worlds when they meet each other. Delilah is thrown into a whole new world - and she manages to adapt quickly (and maybe just a little bit gracefully). Kell is forced to face the consequences of his actions, and makes some choices that could be seen as selfless or selfish, depending on how you look at them.

I was very impressed with this book - it read quickly and easily, and the action was just the right pace, with a backdrop of interesting and well developed worlds.

If you haven’t read it yet, I also recommend her book Viscious as well as this one for a summer read!

Also posted on my Tumblr, here:
http://bibliophileraven.tumblr.com/post/118284488114/a-darker-shade-of-magic-by-v-e-schwab-a-book

There are a million things I can say about this book, so it's hard to find a way to articulate my thoughts. So let me just start with this: WOW. A Darker Shade of Magic is like no other book I've ever read. Granted I don't read much adult fantasy, but either way, this book is extremely special. From the characters to the worlds to the magic systems in those worlds and everything in between, Schwab did not fail to captivate me.

Every single character and aspect of the worlds Schwab created were unique and special and intriguing and wondrous and I'm sorry for just throwing around synonyms for the words "amazing" and "special" but the worlds of A Darker Shade of Magic and the characters that dwell in it are truly incredible and I don't even know how to put it into words. I can just tell Schwab put so much effort into the little details because each character and place, no matter how big or small, had his/her/its very own personality and not a single one blended with another or was forgotten to me. Overall, the cast of characters in A Darker Shade of Magic is probably one of my favorite (if not my #1 favorite) cast of characters out there.

I absolutely ADORED Kell. I know he's flawed and makes mistakes and all that jazz, but he proved Holland wrong and owns up to his mistakes, fixes them, and becomes stronger and braver along the way.

Lila was a glorious heroine as well. She's brave, bold, and sassy. I loved seeing her interact with all the different characters, and I respected her for not letting anyone stand in the way of her dreams.

I even liked the villains, and I rarely ever like villains. Perhaps I don't like them in the way I liked Kell, Lila, Rhy, and the "good guys", but I was definitely intrigued by them. Even though I hated what the villains did to the beloved heroes, I respected them as characters. They were twisted, but they had every reason to be. I understood where they were coming from with their actions, and that says a lot about Schwab as a writer. If an author can make me feel for both the heroes and the villains, she's done a fantastic job.

Schwab did this and more with all her characters, especially with Holland. Although I didn't find out as much about Holland throughout the book as I would have liked to, I still liked him because based on what I did know about his past, he wasn't so much an evil character as he was a tortured soul who didn't really have a choice.

I touched briefly on the worlds in the novel, but I'd like to say a bit more about them. I know parallel universe stories existed before, but A Darker Shade of Magic really sets a high standard for those that follow. The distinctness of each of the Londons, even with the simplest thing like the difference in smells, captured my attention and drew me in. I was captivated by the intricacies of each London and their different languages, rulers, behaviors, and just everything.

The plot could be a tiny bit slow at times, but overall, A Darker Shade of Magic was a delight to read. Everything about it was so focused and detailed, allowing me to fully immerse myself into each London and go on a wild adventure with Kell and Lila. I can't wait to see what's in store for them next!

I really loved this book. I haven't read anything by Victoria Schwab before, but I had heard good things about A Darker Shade of Magic and decided to give it a try, and to make it my bookclubs book of the month.

I was really happy that there was a male protagonist, as much as I love my YA and NA, I can only spend so much time in the minds of teenage girls before I need a break; and this book is a much needed break. I really enjoyed that fact that the majority of the book is from Kell's perspective. I also appreciated reading Lila's perspective. I found her character to be fun, and spunky, and just enough kickass to be believable.

While some may find the lack of character development to be an issue, I feel that we learn just enough about the characters in this first book; if it were a stand-a-lone then it might be a problem, but as there are going to be more books it was perfect. I like that we learn about the characters slowly, and that their own lives are as mysterious to them as they are to us, the reader. I can't wait to find out the unknowns along with them.

This was a wonderful book and I can not wait for the next one to come out.

Sidetone ***I am hoping that there are no love triangles in the next book, please no love triangles, I am so tired of the love triangle.***

This was pretty good - engaging and fast paced fantasy. Although the plot and characters are not as developed as Harry Potter, I think this would fill a void for HP and His Dark Materials (e.g., Golden Compass, etc.) fans. I'm not sure if it's supposed to, but Darker Shade of Magic reads like a YA book,which may be why I preferred the slightly more edgy "Vicious." Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book enough to move on to her next one in this series.

I loved this story! Somehow, I had not heard of this book, nor this author, but I saw this book on an Instagram post during 'memademay' and was immediately intrigued by the cover art and the title.

Without going into too many details, this was a great adventure/fantasy tale. I really enjoyed the various London's, and the authors writing style was extremely immersive and detailed. Some of the main characters weren't fully fleshed out in my opinion, but this was minor in comparison to the story. I also did not fully understand why there was any need at all to send messages between the worlds; there was no contact or trade between worlds, so this was basically just correspondence between the various royal families. Also, these messages never seemed very important; certainly not important enough to warrant a trip into White London, but... without this there would be no story, so I just went with it (but it did bug me!).

Victoria Schwab is a madwoman in a fantastic coat with short chopped hair.
Wait.
That’s not quite right.
Lila Bard is a madwoman in a fantastic coat with short chopped hair.
Where “madwoman” means delightful being who happens to be an excellent thief and has an even better hunger for adventure.
Where “fantastic coat” means she has a cool jacket, but if you think that’s cool you haven’t seen Kell’s.
Where “short chopped hair” means...well, short hair.
Kell’s jacket though? I mean, dang, where can I get me one of those? (Seriously though).
Alternate dimensions. Magic. Bloodlines. Royalty (and accompanying royal plots and schemes and drama). Pirates. Pickpockets. Princes.
A secret magic language.
Our very own London--and three others.
We have Rhy our charming prince, and Kell our solemn magician, and Lila our eager thief.
There’s love and blood and underhanded ventures and strict kings and deadly kings and corrupt kings and dashing young men and caring young barkeeps.
I honestly can’t think of a single thing this book is missing.
Except maybe you--have you read it? Because you should. You don’t want to be missing out, not on this.

A Darker Shade of Magic, the first book in The Shades of Magic series, is fantastic from start to finish. A Darker Shade of Magic takes place in a world where there are alternate Londons, and the main character, Kell, has the rare magical ability to travel between them. The story also follows Delilah Bard, who wishes to be a pirate, and is struggling to survive in the grey London, the world without magic.

The world, which is set during the early 1800s, is explained perfectly. There's enough detail for everything to make sense, yet Schwab manages to avoid the dreadful info-dump common in most novels with worlds this large and complicated. Each London, named after colors, is very unique; the descriptions of each place makes it seem so real, as if I could step onto red London's magic filled streets, or run about White London's danger filled alleys. The plot moves along quickly, with the pacing fast enough to leave you breathless, but not too fast where you get lost in the action. There is a strong ending to this book, and while it could've been a stand alone in my mind, I am exceedingly happy it's not!

Although there are many amazing elements in this book, by far my favorite are the characters. Kell, Delilah, and Rhy are some of my favorite character's I've read in awhile. They'll all so unique, and read as true individuals. Each point of view is equally fun to read from, which is rare for me, as I usually strongly prefer one character over the rest and can't wait to get back to my favorite character's POV. Kell's power and love for his family, Delilah's quick wit and fiery personality, along with Rhy's humor and heart make this an amazing cast of characters.

Find more of my book review on my blog: [...]

I picked this book up because I really love the premise (four different Londons!), the characters were interesting, and the beginning pulled me in. However, it seemed once the author felt she'd done enough world-building and characterization and the action set in, the book started reading as if the author was writing with one eye on a movie script. I was put off by the anachronistic language (if the novel is set in London in the 1800s, would characters really be using expletives that rhyme with "Tuck" and "Whit"?) and completely annoyed by some other language gaffes (If you are in London, you do NOT refer to your trousers as "pants." You don't wipe someone's blood off on your "pants."). All that being said, the book was still interesting enough to keep me reading, but getting to the end and finding that it has turned into an obvious first book in a series was...at any rate, do be warned that this is the first of a series, so the book may not "end" in a way to satisfy most readers, but will leave readers hungry for the next installment. And that's clever magic, if you like.

After weeks of hearing about the genius that is A Darker Shade Of Magic, I finally picked the book up at my local library. I sincerely hoped that it would live up to the hype.

Guys. Guys, this book more than lived up to the hype.

From page 1, I was hooked. This isn't the usual style of book that I tend to fall for, but Schwab's writing is so crisp and clear, poetic and dramatic, I couldn't help but trip into love.

Victoria Schwab has created an amazing three dimensional universe with this book. The characters are bright and complex; I am particularly fond of Lila, the crossdressing thief seeking adventure, no matter what it might cost her. Kell, the Not-Prince who wants to feel alive and like he has some kind of control in his life.

I want more of Prince Rhy, the charming young man (I'm unsure if this was confirmed for sure, but I'm fairly certain that Rhy is 100% hella bisexual and it's beautiful) who just wants to be a good, strong King and wants his brother to be safe and happy.

But as much as I loved the characters, and the plot was inspired (like, no, really, it was inspired as hell), I have to say that the world building itself stole the show.

With overlapping parallel dimensions that communicate and war with each other, different languages, the sheer detail of the Londons blew my mind. This book is talent and skill at its purest.

So if you're a fan of political intrigue, sadistic kings, sentient magical systems, crossdressing thieves, and the kind of brotherly love that makes your heart hurt, I highly recommend this book. I sincerely look forward to picking up the sequel soon, A Gathering Of Shadows.

Review Originally Posted on [...] & posted on Goodreads

*This review is posted on Steele Reviews [...]
Magic, Intrigue, Princes, and Thieves all come together in the intricate setting of London for this high-stakes fantasy adventure perfect for anyone who loves to get lost in a great read.

The old saying “Never judge a book by it’s cover” has been repeated so many times we almost believe it. Thankfully, the team at Tom Doherty Associates developed the PERFECT cover for ADSOM. Not only is it eye-catching, it is also very reflective of the story it holds within.

Kell is an Antari, one of only two remaining who can travel between worlds. It takes a bit of blood magic to create a door between one London and another; however, once a door has been made, it will always remain and then only a few spoken words and a call bit of blood are necessary to complete the travel. Kell comes from Red London, where magic thrives, and there is also a Grey London, which does not have any magic and is very similar to our London; White London which has very little magic remaining and due to a power struggle; and Black London which is presumed destroyed after corrupt magic consumed it, although no one has tried to enter since.

Transference of items between the worlds is forbidden and anyone caught doing so would be a traitor; however, Kell has created a business out of meeting collectors and enthusiasts of magical artifacts and selling items from Red London. When he is deceived into taking a dangerous item, he runs into Delilah Bard. Thinking Kell an easy target, Delilah pickpockets him and secures her role in saving their worlds. Delilah is perhaps my favorite character with her witty, no-nonsense attitude and her kick-butt antics. She is sharp, quick, and stubborn to her core, but she is also true to herself which allows her to remain open to learning and growing.

While we are only introduced to parts of each London, there is great world-building throughout and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I felt immersed in the story and attached to the characters. Kell and Delilah are not typical hero and heroine so I was able to go into the story without feeling like I knew the direction it would go. The magic system created by the author was well developed so I was able to follow along and not feel pulled out of the story while trying to understand how it worked. I did have high expectations for this book since it is by Victoria Schwab and it received so much hype. I have to say that for me, it totally hit the mark.

The best way to describe A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, is, intriguing.
The world is intriguing.
The characters are intriguing.
The writing, while being superb, was also intriguing.
I had heard so many people RAVE about this book. Naturally I picked it up. Unfortunately I don't believe it's anywhere bear as phenomenal as so many people claim it to be. While the characters fascinated me, I felt no connection to any of them. Except towards the end, I started to get a grasp on Lila's character. My main problem was that I could feel the potential, it just never reached its peak.
I have heard even more raved reviews for the sequel, A GATHERING OF SHADOWS. Seeing as I have it, I might as well continue on with this story and read it.
While my expectations weren't met, I'll go into the sequel with much lowered expectations and hopefully enjoy it more than I did ADSOM.

I had heard good things about this book and I was very excited when I started reading it. The concept of the multiple Londons and the idea of hopping in between words was very interesting. Unfortunately everything else falls flat. The books reads as very young adult fiction. The writing is too basic and Schwab fails miserably with the show don't tell way of writing. At first the magic system seemed interesting but gets sloppier throughout the book. Magic systems need rules in order to work and be believable. In this book the magic is never really consistent and seems to conveniently change whenever the characters need it to. It's a very meh book.

I read A Darker Shade of Magic because a close friend is a big fans of the series. I loved the beginning, especially the bit about the many-sided coat, but then it was taking me a while to really get into the book. I told this to my friend, and she said, "Have you got to the part with Lila Bard yet?" Turned out I was almost there. The minute Lila came on the scene, I was hooked and stayed that way. She brought the rest of the book to life for me. I promptly bought the sequel and read it, too, and I eagerly anticipate the third book.

I quit like how there is a whole magic system that while borrowing from other know systems still has it's own unique twist.

I also like how the story keeps progressing at a rather steady pace without becoming boring.

One of the lesser aspects is the ending of the first book. I don't like how sudden and definitive the ending is. Even if it were a stand alone novel it might be a bit more open in my opinion.

Having said that, I added the second book to my reading list and even heard that a third one is coming.

this gets 4 stars

Victoria Schwab is such an excellent writer. She has such fantastic ideas and creates imaginative worlds. In this book, there are multiple worlds connected in unique ways. Only certain types of people can travel between them. Magic is present in different amounts in each world. And one world was completely destroyed by magic.

The worldbuilding in this book is excellent. The imagery is all there. The magic system is wonderfully unique.

I highly recommend this book to fans of fantasy. London is at the core of this novel, but the Londons are so different. I give this book a 5/5.

In short, a good fantasy novel with well-chosen prose and careful worldbuilding. If you liked Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, definitely give this a try. Creative bits of setting and props allow for explanation of how the world works without info-dumping, characters are clearly defined and vivid. Very nice handling of the multiple Londons so moving from one London to the other was never confusing; I thought the colors representing each London were also well chosen. I'd love to spend time wandering Red London... and turning Kell's coat inside out to see all the variations. Lila is a great character I'm looking forward to reading more about.
Contains SPOILERS:
There is a Magical Thing, and the protagonists do have to Go On A Quest to Put That Thing Back Or So Help Me. You'll recognize this from Lord of the Rings. But Kell and Lila are certainly no Frodo and Samwise, and the premise of taking the magic rock back to Black London is pretty much as far as the trope goes. You could, I suppose, draw parallels between Holland and Gollum... but really, the flavor of the whole adventure is entirely different.

I love, love, LOVED this book. The characters were amazing, the worlds were incredible. The writing itself.... /is deceased/ so gooood.... I LOVED the magic system--it had great consequences, which is also something I think about a lot in relation to magic systems. (Though it got to the point where I was like, I know this has to happen BUT COULD YOU NOT YOU'RE BREAKING MY HEART but like in a good way. I wasn't happy about having my emotions trod on, but I CARED (a lot) and that's what's important, right?) Also V manages to pull off a feat in this book that I think is honestly incredible, which is that one of the characters, Rhy, doesn't have a lot of actual physical presence in the story throughout most of the book, but you LOVE HIM ANYWAY because Kell is ALWAYS thinking of him and you just grow to love him through Kell? And then when he is there he's amazing and hearts are broken everywhere. (He's also much more present in the plot of the second book and just....just....I've not recovered from that book. Will I ever recover? Maybe on February 21, 2017.) The other characters are also incredible. I think Kell is my favorite, but it's difficult to say, I love them all so much. Even the villains are really compelling, even if I just enjoy them for their viciousness. Gosh, I could go on forever....
Honestly, 6/5 I loved this book way more than I expected to.

This is the kind of book that makes me fall in love with books all over again. A wholly imaginative world that isn't too complicated to understand or navigate, a cliche-busting set of main characters who don't feel like they're being shoe-horned into a plot, and a storyline so twisty and fun that I stayed up until two in the morning to finish this.

I used the word "genius" to describe this today on twitter, and I stand by that statement. This book is absolute genius.

I don’t even know where to begin with A Darker Shade of Magic. It was brilliant. The world-building was magnificent, the characters were believable, and the action was not boring in the least. I spent my time that I wasn’t reading this book, thinking about this book and telling others about it. It’s the only book since Uprooted that I felt the magic was believable and enviable. I can’t wait to start reading the second one! And where’s the box-set option?!

I expected a book for adults, but this felt as if it was written for the lower end of the YA market, with some gratuitous violence added. What could have developed into a really engaging environment (4 parallel Londons, each with a different level of magic) fell flat and simply served as a convenient tool to get characters moved around and out of trouble. I didn't care about the characters and there were far too many glib and convenient plot lines to be taken seriously.

Parallel Londons, a coat that can be turned inside out many ways... it sounds relly good when you read the description of the book. The first chapter delivers, but then it is downhill all the way from there, ending up in a very predictable fight. Good wins and evil fails. Add a thief who is really a girl and some boring banter between her and the hero, a magic sword, some really evil villains and you have probably read something very similar before.
What I eally don't like though, is that there are so many times I asked myself... Why would that person do that? That makes no sense? The story is full of logical holes, it seems to me. The only reason I kept reding was to see how the author explained it all in the end, and he didn't.

Such a good, interesting, original story. Loved it from page one. My friend had recommended this author and I was not disappointed. The story was well-written, the universe of the story explained well, without being too bogged down with too many details all at once. I was left with a few questions, that hopefully will be addressed in the next books in the series, but nothing that ruins the enjoyment I got from this book. Loved it.

This is the perfect book of magic and friendship. Kell is bonded with Holland.Not willingly.With a token from one 'London' they can travel back and forth between the four Londons to stay a step ahead of the other. Kell is pickpocketed by Lila.He knows she did it,but she has no idea what she has gotten herself into.They rescue each other and become friends and foes depending on the day.Steve Crossley is a wonderful narrator.
I was given a copy of this book for free for an honest review

This book was exquisite. Imaginative and unique. It also concluded perfectly as though it could be a standalone. I appreciated that because I see where the series potential is, but I like having a concluded story when I close the book. :)

I am very impressed with V. E. Schwab's writing and shall now dive into her other novels!

I’ve been wanting to read ADSOM for a while, and I’ve only heard good things about it, which I can definitely say are all true! I absolutely loved the worlds that Schwab created in the novel; everything was so vivid and interesting that it really added a lot to the novel. The plot, writing, and characters were all really great and original; can’t wait to read the sequel!

I waited so long to read this book because there was just so much hype surrounding this book. It was a good book just not quite as good as I thought it was going to be.

The characters were well written, and the plot moved along at a very smooth pace.

I guess the biggest problem that I had was that I was just so lost for a good chunk of the beginning of the book. I was able to figure things out, but for a bit I was confused.

As with most high fantasy, A Darker Shade of Magic starts slow and quiet, building a world that is like ours, and not like ours, brick by brick. We meet Kell, a mysterious wanderer in a fabulous coat, who travels between worlds as easily as stepping from one room to another. There is Grey London, which plays like a straight historical fiction of our world, Red London, Kell’s home, which is rich and teeming with magic, and White London, which has been all but burned up by magic and treachery. And then there is Black London, which no one travels to anymore, not even Kell.

The world of each London is established subtly but confidently, and through Kell’s eyes, the rules of each overlapping London gradually become clear and distinct. Once we’ve gained our footing in the magic of Kell’s world and have a sense of the difficulties he faces in each London, we meet Lila, a cunning thief from Grey London with a quick hand and a taste for adventure. It takes a while for all the building blocks of the story to fall into place, but there are plenty of rewards for the patient reader, from the lush details of the worlds to the charming characters to Schwab’s signature poetic prose.

Then, once Lila and Kell inevitably cross paths, the story takes off, plunging both protagonists into a London-jumping whirlpool of courtly intrigue and deception while playing up the conflict between Lila’s lack of magic and Kell’s abundance of it to maximum, satisfying effect.

What V.E. Schwab did so well in Vicious, and what she does again here, is establish each of her characters, from heroes to villains, as fully realized, fleshed-out individuals. While Lila and Kell are both brave and charismatic, they are also criminals, and while the main antagonists – the terrifying sibling rulers of White London – are undeniably sinister, the people they use to carry out their dark deeds are in many ways conflicted and sympathetic. Blurring that line between hero and villain is a tricky game, but Schwab accomplishes it masterfully.

As I said before, the first half of the book may be a slow burn, but it’s a delicious one. Readers shouldn’t expect to plunge straight into adventure and murder and intrigue, but there is plenty to enjoy along the road to chaos. And once the book hits its stride, there are payoffs aplenty as the story builds in intensity all the way through to its twisting, bloody conclusion.

A Darker Shade of Magic will have a sequel, but this first installment ends on a perfectly satisfying note. I can’t wait to join Kell and Lila on their next London-hopping adventure, but I was utterly sated with the ending of this book. There are no cliffhangers here, only the graceful bow of one adventure while another waits in the wings, peeking around the corner.

If you’re in the mood for a refreshingly unique spin on alternate universes, magic, and devastatingly gorgeous coats – or if you just want a beautifully crafted story told in a mesmerizing, lovely, and occasionally creepy voice, then you should move A Darker Shade of Magic to the top of your list.

The first page pulls you into a world that is like ours but slightly ... askew. V.E. Schwab knows how to make intriguing characters who have flaws as well as heroic (or antiheroic) qualities, and the worldbuilding is probably some of the most imaginative in current fantasy literature. "Grey" is the perfect adjective for a London with little or no magic; the vibrancy of Red London leaps off the page; and I sometimes almost had the taste of ash in my mouth when reading about White London. We won't talk about Black London.

I had a difficult time putting the book down, and I probably read it in three or four marathon sessions over the course of a couple of days. V.E. Schwab also has a gift with language, and I look forward to the worlds she'll continue to conjure and set spinning. Highly recommended.

I couldn't put this book down! It had fantastic world-building, an engaging plot, and most import of all, dynamic characters who did not fall intro stereotypes. It was refreshing to read that even though a male and female character were working together, more important things didn't get smothered by sexual tension. I can't wait to read the next installment!

Quotes

“He occupied himself by drumming his finger on the edge of the gilded table. Each time he made it from pinky to forefinger, one of the room’s many candles went out. “Must be a draft”, he said absently while the Prince Regent’s grip tightened on his quill.”

“Blood was magic made manifest. There it thrived. And there it poisoned.”

“Lila Bard lived by a simple rule: if a thing was worth having, it was worth taking.”

Review

I honestly don’t know where to start on this one. This is the first V.E. Schwab/Victoria Schwab book I have read, and I immediately want to go out and buy every single thing she has ever written. This book was absolutely incredible! On the one hand, I can’t believe I didn’t read this as soon as it was released. On the other hand I’m a bit sad I read it already, because I will have to wait so long for the next one!

The writing in this book is incredible! As I said, this was my first V.E. Schwab book, but I will definitely read more. I know I’ll probably end up loving them for the writing alone.

World

The world building is one of the most important parts of a fantasy novel in my opinion. And A Darker Shade of Magic is definitely not lacking in that point. So in this world, there are 4 different worlds -yet they all have the same base. They all center around a city called London, even though the different Londons look nothing alike. Kell has named each of the four cities a color, so it is easier for him to tell them apart. There is Grey London, which has barely any magic. So unfortunately, that’s where we would live. Then there is Red London -where Kell is from- and in that world, magic is rejoiced. Then we have White London, where magic is power -and everyone will kill to get it. Lastly, there is Black London where magic was so powerful it ruined the entire world.

The world building in this book is fantastic! I can’t even explain it properly to you. I’m usually not a person for different dimensions that connect together but in this case, it was just magical. I could imagine all of the worlds and the places Kell describes. But more importantly, I wanted to be there. Well, in Red London that is -the others don’t sound as appealing.

Plot

The story line of this book is incredible as well. Kell smuggles artifacts between the different worlds, which is strictly forbidden -for very important reasons- and one day, that gets him into serious trouble. Even an Antari -like Kell- can’t fix everything. An Antari is a person that can travel between the worlds. It’s pretty much an action-packed story between the different Londons. I was so into this story, I could not put it down! It was like a movie playing in my head, that’s how imaginative this story feels.

Characters

Again, an aspect in which this novel shines. All of the characters are wonderful. Yes, they have their flaws -but let’s be honest, who doesn’t? And they don’t make dumb decisions constantly. I hate it when characters feel like “it’s the only option I have, I’m doing the right thing, bla bla bla” when everyone -including them- knows that they are just too stubborn to either ask for help or think things through more thoroughly. These characters did none of that.

First up, Kell. My Antari -yes, you read it, mine. So powerful and unique, but he still tries to do right by everyone. Even though he has enough power to overthrow kingdoms and rule, he is loyal to his friends and doesn’t seek that kind of power. I love his little rebellious streak though, as a smuggler.

And then there is Lila. Now, I love Lila. She wants more out of life, and in fact, she wants to be a pirate. Which sounds pretty cool to me! Like I said before, she makes smart decisions -most of the time. She knows what she wants and will do pretty much anything to get it, but she is neither cold nor heartless. I just love that mix.

I’m going to stop rambling about the characters now, but I could go on forever. There are many VERY interesting ones in this story, like Holland, the Danes, Rhy and so on. But I won’t have the time to do them justice.

Conclusion

If you hadn’t noticed already, I highly recommend this book. To anyone. It has an incredible and magical world, interesting and fun characters and the writing is absolutely gorgeous. I would give this 10 out of 5 stars if I could.

Kell is one of the last two Antari; people with magic in their blood that allows them to travel from one of the four London worlds to another. These worlds were shut off from one another because of a dark magic that destroyed the fourth London but being an Antari, Kell can magically circulate between them. But when Kell is given a dark artifact, he finds himself being chased between these realms.

I was sucked into this story from page one. We are introduced to Kell and his fabulous coat and I was continually amazed by everything about this book.

But. That. Coat.
I have to interrupt this review by stating that I have a bit of an obsession with coats. Sure, I live in a very hot state and have no need for them but I can't help but love them on characters. If a character is wearing a long, flowing coat - perhaps something a pirate or highwayman would wear - I will be in love. I call it "Coat Porn". It's a thing but get your mind out of the gutter, people! I just like looking at them!

Okay, back to the coat. It's multiple coats in one. That sounds ridiculous -and hot- but it's not; it's magic. A coat that fits different purposes in different worlds and can change simply by turning it inside out a few times. And Ta-da! I'm hooked.

If you want to go above and beyond in worldbuilding, make sure there's more than one world in your story. Four seems reasonable. And make sure that your characters can travel between them because why else would there be more than one. Seriously though, I loved how this world (or worlds) was set up. Every world is different, with different names for their countries, towns, and more, all the way down to the taverns. And yet, "London" is the same in all four worlds.
There's Grey London, which is basically our world, where there is no magic and everything is just kind of dull.
Then there's Kell's London, which he calls Red London because it's alive and thriving and full of magic that is practiced often. Plus it smells like flowers.
Next is White London, which is full of blood thirsty criminals and sick, sadistic twin rulers that like to torture people.
Lastly is Black London; the London that is basically dead because they abused magic, destroyed themselves, and then they were sealed off from the other worlds so the evil wouldn't spread.

Even if I knew nothing else about this book, I'd want to know what's going on in these four worlds. But then we have amazing characters!

Kell is quite a character even though we don't really learn a whole lot about him in this book. I couldn't help but fall in love with the idea of his character the same way I fell in love with that coat and the worldbuilding. It was inevitable because fantasy magic wraps me up like a warm blanket and I always root for the MC, no matter their flaws.

I really liked Kell but I honestly felt 'closer' to Lila. We get more of her inner workings. Who she is deep down. She felt more real and not just because she comes from a world that is closer to our own than any of the other Londons. She had dreams, aspirations, flaws, and a personality. I loved her. She's basically this story's anti-hero. She's reckless, stubborn, and kind of badass.

This was very plot driven and I loved every minute of it! I was never bored. I was always on the edge of my seat and waiting for the next surprise. Just about everything in this book is to the point and part of the bigger picture. That's something that really stuck with me while reading this because most books I read have a lot of pointless filler and dialogue that goes on and on. A Darker Shade of Magic was nearly perfect from beginning to end and I am so eager to start the next book!

Everything I want in a book.
1. Complex, interesting character that are funny and have great chemistry.
2. Magic
3. Beautiful writing that's lyrical and wonderful where it needs to be and punchy, adrenaline inducing, can't-put-it-down everywhere else.
4. A good, solid plot and world building to die for.

Basically, one of the best books I've read and going straight to the top of my favourites alone with the likes of Neil Gaiman, Sarah J Maas, J K Rowling and Gregory Maguire. Anyone who likes any books by those authors will love these too.

Its been a while since I've read such a fun fantasy - a bit of Night Circus, a big dose of Hambly's Ladies of Madrigyn, and Terry Pratchett's Long Earth. Two main characters that are both strong, smart and decent people, fighting a magic that will consume them if they allow it. A very quick read, and I plan to buy the sequel as soon as possible to find out what happens to them next. Very highly recommended

I debated whether or not to give this book four or five stars, as though it was one of my favorite books I’ve read this year, it took me awhile to get into. The first hundred pages or so felt as if they stretched on forever, almost too slow. Yet, the rest of the book made up for it, especially with Schwab’s fabulous writing, thus the reasoning behind why I gave it five rather than four.

Now, before I get into the specifics of the book itself, Schwab has been one of my favorite authors for quite a time now. Her writing is just so powerful and her characterization is always on point. She actually makes me truly care for the characters, and that is something that rarely happens to me. She’s always bringing a new outlook to everything, thus making everything she writes incredibly unique.

A Darker Shade of Magic is just as beautiful as it is on the inside as it is on the outside. It’s magical, sensational and absolutely breath-taking. It’s an incredibly mix of world-building, beautiful language and wonderful characters that you love to hate. The story follows the idea that there are three different Londons, which used to be four before Black London crumbled on itself, the magic destroying the city. Due to this, the doors that were once open between the worlds for people to pass on through closed and everyone was stuck in their own London. Now, only the Antari have the ability to move in between the different worlds.

Kell is an Antari who works for the royal family in Red London, delivering messages between the different royal families. Currently, there are only two known Antari’s, Kell being one of them, as well as Rolland, who works for White London (who, may I add, is a wonderful character even though he may not be the nicest guy). Along his travels, Kell meets the wonderful and ever so dashing Delilah Bard, who is a cross dressing girl who wishes to be a pirate. Which is hella cool, like who wouldn’t want to be a pirate? She’s hands down one of my favorite characters in the novel, but to be fair, I pretty much love them all. She’s a very determined, strong clever girl who masquerades around as a boy, wanting to be free and set sail on the sea.

Basically she’s pretty awesome, and is so far from being a damsel in distress. I just hope that she’s more present in the second novel! It was also nice that there wasn’t much of a romance. Of course, there were hints here and there, but the book focused more on the adventure part, making the book almost completely devoid of romance. Now, even the villains seem to have this attractiveness to them, they were insane, ruthless and absolutely brilliant. I think I may have said “He needs to die!,” once or twice out loud and gotten strange looks.

The world building in the novel is far ahead of most books I read nowadays. Especially since there are three different worlds, it’s hard for an author to truly keep each one unique and interesting with a lot of depth. Yet, Schwab clearly did so. Each world has its own customs, culture, language and even it’s own smell. At one point, it was even stated that each London had different tints of color. I absolutely loved how each London had different amounts of magic, making them incredibly interesting to learn more about.

All in all though, this book is superb. It’s full of magic and adventure, everything that you could wish for. I’ve heard a few other people state that the beginning was slow as well for them, but I think it’s worth it to just keep reading. I read this book in a single day and didn’t regret a single moment of it. Everyone really needs to give this book a chance. After all, you can’t go wrong with a story that includes parallel Londons.

The concept of being able to travel between worlds in the manner that the character does is a very interesting idea. I think this book handles magic in a way I find very pleasing, which to me is grit with blood, steal, and dirt. I think characters could have used a little polish here and there but other then that I did not find anything else out of place. Great work.

Victoria Schwab is now officially one of my favourite authors ever. Her plot and characters are so well structured and charismatic that you end up falling in love with them and caring for them. Even though her previous book, VICIOUS, is still my favourite book from her, I enjoyed very much A Darker Shade of Magic. The storyline was so original and all consuming that you can't stop reading it. The idea of multiple Londons and the whole world building was captivating and you can easily fall into the magic world. The descriptions are so vivid and unique that you feel you are literally there.

I liked that we got some foreshadowing to certain parts of the ending. I see so much potential in the world and I can't wait for the sequel!! Also, can we just appreciate the GORGEOUS cover!

Kell is one of the most incredible protagonist I have ever read. I just adore him and all the sacrifices he is willing to make. Delilah is ,hands down, a total badass and I seriously hope and pray that she can have a future together with Kell. They make such and interesting couple and together I really think they're unstoppable.

This book has a 98% in my scale and I am so excited for A Gathering of Shadows (the sequel).

I should probably preface by saying that this is the first piece of popular fiction I’ve read from my library’s “adult” section; I generally read YA. That being said, I had some issues with this book. Interdimensional travel, dark magic, no overdone romance, with a fascinating cast of characters all around - what could possibly be bad about this book? And, yes, it was an addictive, enjoyable read. Both the characters and the world were interesting - but underdeveloped. Especially Red London: I would love to read more of Rhys and his guards and the court and culture and life of this other London filled with magic. I found the writing to be slow, which didn’t lend itself well to the urgency of the plot, making me feel like I was slogging through too many words to actually accomplish something. And when things did happen, they seemed to fall into place too easily. I’ve heard so many good things about this book, and the summary was so intriguing, but it turned out to be a not as good version of A Thousand Pieces of You.

Recommended.

Diversity rating: Nothing that was obvious enough for me to pick up and remember, at least.

I came into this knowing there is going to be a second book. If you know that, I think you're likely to enjoy the book much more.

I say that because this is very much a first act. We are introduced to a lot of key players, and while the story is more or less self-contained, you get the feeling that Schwab is saving more exciting things for future installments.

That's not to say there aren't some pretty great things in this book. The concept of different Londons, in different dimensions, is fascinating an used to great effect. Each world has a distinct personality, culture, and value system. The world building is not a dizzyingly intricate as Westeros, but Schwab gives us enough information to feel each world is its own, and very real at that.

I could not get into this audiobook. For awhile. When Kell and Lila finally met, I felt like now the story has begun. I was more interested at that point than the first few hours of the book. Some parts were still confusing but I did get into it as it progressed. I think I'll read the second book instead of listening to the audiobook. May be a better experience in this case.

I completely fell in love with A Darker Shade of Magic.

Everything about this book was perfect. The beautiful writing just had me flipping pages without stopping. I couldn't help but fall in love with the characters, either. Kell is just amazing and Lila is so different than what you expect. She's also very badass and we need more awesome characters like her in books. I think one of my favorite things is that this book is not afraid to be dark. It makes it real, in a way. I loved that.

I have recommended this book to pretty much every person I know that reads fantasy. And I shall continue to do the same. THIS BOOK IS EPIC! READ IT!

This took a long time for me to warm up to. I almost quit reading in the first half of the novel. I'm glad I stuck it out, and I'll read the next one. Overall, it's perfectly serviceable, but not too original.

This is absolutely my favorite fantasy trilogy of all time. Everything in this book and the sequels that follow is so tangible and it's truly an immersive experience. All of the characters are easy to love (except the antagonists, of course, who are easy to hate). It's easy to follow, so it would be a really good starter series for someone transitioning into fantasy/adult fantasy. I just love everything about this series.

A Darker Shade of Magic delivers a fast paced adventure that spans four parallel Londons (not alternates because while the geography is the same no person exists in both worlds). The two main characters are from such different backgrounds that I couldn’t help but get drawn in. There is magic, royalty, cutthroats and cut-purses, evil rulers, dark insidious magic, a coat that is many coats, a would be pirate, a smuggler and oh so much more. Yes, yes I know sounds like a great package doesn’t it? It totally is. Having now read two books by V.E. Schwab, her books have become a must read for me. The reading experiences are so smooth and easy to get caught up in that the pages literally fly by.

A lowdown on the Londons, because one London isn’t enough!

– Grey London (smells of smoke, and is magic-less)
– White London (smells of blood and it has magic but is a starving and Esther depraved world)
– Red London (smells of flowers and has healthy magic)
– Black London is sealed off (magic ran rampant here years ago devouring people so it was closed off as well as all the doors between the worlds were sealed so that only Antari magic users can move between the worlds)

The likeliest of an unlikely pair

Kell – One of the two main characters, Kell is a traveler, an “Antari,” the only type of magic user that can travel between the alternate worlds. Not only is Antari blood special but these travelers can use all the different types of magic equally. Kell comes from Red London and was adopted by the royal family at the age of 5, cannot remember anything before coming to the palace and part of his duties as an Antari is to travel between the worlds keeping the royalty of each world in contact with one another.

- Kell is a well written “good guy” character but with a tendency towards passive aggressive rebellion. Like any protagonist he has some faults that serve to make him more interesting. I admit I have a hard time picturing him other then his peculiar mismatched eyes, one of them being solid black and a hallmark of what he is. But I like to imagine him being roguishly handsome.

- So he has issues, but who doesn’t have issues? His though involve a bit of a complex he has about his adoptive family and the fact that he feels like property rather then a family member except to his brother. Maybe that causes him to lash out a bit? You’d have to judge for yourself. He’s a character that I think plenty of us could relate to. Even if you have it good you might not be satisfied. Because he certainly doesn’t seem to be.

- I know most people won’t care about his age but I determined he is definitely 21. The book didn’t specifically say that, but Kell states he’s a year older then his brother Rhy who is celebrating his 20th birthday in Royal fashion the week Kell finds himself in all kinds of trouble. I just like knowing ages because it gives me a better mental picture of the characters as well as helps make things more real for me based on their actions and behavior. His age certainly fit.

Lila – A thief, and somewhat self styled master of disguise. She is determined to get out of London and see the world, as a pirate no less. She is a resident of Grey London and while she is a theif with super sticky fingers she definitely has some morals. She doesn’t like charity and keeps a mental tally of debts she means to repay people who have helped her.

- Lila’s age I was never able to pin down exactly other then a observation she makes to herself about Kell not being more then “a few years older then herself.” So I’m guessing she is at least 18 or 19.

- There are so many times Lila displays such a strength of character that causes me to love her. She was absolutely my favorite character. Indeed I think she frequently steals the show from Kell.

“You have a house if not a home,” , she spat. “You have people who care for you if not about you. You may not have everything you want, but I wager you have everything you could ever need, and you have the audacity to claim it all forfeit because it is not love. Love doesn’t keep us from freezing to death, Kell,” she continued, “or starving, or being knifed for the coins in our pocket. Love doesn’t buy us anything, so be glad for what you have and who you have because you may want for things but you need for nothing.” – pg 235
- She’s one street smart cookie and while the magic of the black stone fascinates her and she believes at first that she’s in luck, childishly creating things, she quickly realizes it is a tricky sly magic that is trying to use her instead.

There can’t be only one!

Well of course there isn’t only ONE Antari – there are two. The other is a pale brooding fellow, Holland. Because lets face it, everything that comes from White London is pale, washed out and creepy as hell and that is exactly what this guy Holland is. I wish we could have seen a bit more of him because I tell you I really enjoyed the parts he had to play. He seems like a deliciously tortured character that you want to curse and hug at the same time. And I do so love a good villain that might not be all the villain that he seems…or is he?

A Darker Shade of Magic introduces readers to a fascinating set of worlds that we will hopefully be able to revisit and see even more compelling stories and characters from in future books. While there is a single conspiracy type plot that moves this book forward I felt there were plenty of set up elements included to provide for the upcoming books. I absolutely look forward to reading more from this world.

Aboslutely loved this book! I love anything that takes place in London, so when I saw that this book actually has FOUR different Londons, I knew I just HAD to read it. And I wasn't disappointed. The characters are easy to root for, and the dialogue is superb. The story is also well-paced with just the right amount of action. Overall, a fantastic fantasy read! Can't wait to read the next one!

If you're into World of Warfare type video/ap games, love exploding and distintegrating bodies, grisly wounds, miraculous recoveries, smart rocks, and the like, then this one is for you. If not (and I'm not), it's saving grace is Lila, the sexless homeless London pickpocket. If she hadn't been in that story as a credible person with credible growth, from about 15% in to the end, I might have abandoned the book altogether.

I don't understand why this book is getting such rave reviews. It's predictable and the characters were not well developed. Bad guy ...check, Tough, precocious heroine...check...undervalued, self sacrificing hero...check. It follows a characteristic formula.

Kell is one of a two people (that he knows of), called Antari that can move between Londons (think early 1800s): White London, Grey London, and Red London. There is a Black London, but no one dares to go there anymore. Kell makes his home in Red London with his adoptive family who just happen to be the King and Queen, and is very close to his adoptive brother, Prince Rhys. He is an ambassador between the kingdoms, delivering missives back and forth between the worlds (using tokens for each world, and brandishing a coat with many sides), and in places like White London, ruled by the cruel and murderous brother and sister duo Astrid and Athos, danger is never far away. When Kell is approached by a stranger and asked to deliver a message to another London he’s given a token of appreciation: a black rock that seems to be the vessel for a very dark power. He soon realizes he’s been lured into a trap, and he jumps to Grey London, where he runs into Lila Bard, a lady thief that poses as a man and whose pickpocket skills she uses to steal the stone from Kell. Lila has quick hands and a quick mind, but in her wildest dreams (including a distinct longing for adventure, preferably as a pirate) she never could have imagined the worlds, and possibilities, that Kell can show her.

I love the idea of the multiverse that includes distinctively different Londons, and Schwab fleshes them out wonderfully and makes me want to know much more about each world. She can mine this for a long, long time (here’s hoping.) A Darker Shade of Magic also has the flavor of almost old fashioned adventure. Astrid and Athos are as creepy as they get, and Kell and Lila make an interesting duo, without a whiff of romance, which is refreshing. Lila is stubborn, has sticky fingers and she’s a survivor, yet she still dreams of something bigger, and of course, the next adventure, wherever it may lead her. And I love that. I loved this book, too. Get your hands on this one, pronto.

You can read this review and more on my blog, Caught Read Handed.

A Darker Shade of Magic is full of unparalleled world-building and fantastical characters, places, and ideas. I honestly can’t think of another book to compare it to, and that is awesome. It’s really dark and complex but with an unexpected bit of humor from its characters that kept it being too much. Like with Lila – I dare you to read this book and not think she’s incredible. She’s a thief and a wannabe pirate, and she’s such a badass. She’s tough but emotional, and she won’t give up until she sees the world. Lila also thinks things like, “Why anyone would ever pretend to be weak was beyond her (ARC Loc. 729)” – and if that doesn’t make you like her, I don’t know what will.

Then there’s Kell. Oh, Kell. He’s a…magician, able to control all of the elements and also able to cross between the worlds, which he does as an ambassador to Red London. He’s exactly the kind of hero I want in a fantasy, you guys. I love a hero who’s not perfect, who’s complex and layered. I love a hero who might be more dark than light, maybe even a little rebellious. That’s Kell. He’s ridiculously charming and incredibly loyal. Kell is “built like an afternoon shadow, tall and slim (ARC Loc. 530), and he’s also got a pretty amazing coat. Yeah, I’M DONE FOR.

The bottom line: A Darker Shade of Magic is a gripping, thrilling, wonderful adventure. The world-building, writing, characters, Londons, and magic are all incredibly done. I can already tell this will be one of my favorite reads of 2015.

This book was so much fun to read! I read many books, and I forget about many of the books that I read. Every once in a while, though, I'll read a book that sticks with me and makes me want to give a copy to all of my friends. This was one of those books. Tight plot, great world-building, and dynamic characters. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.

I enjoyed this book.

I wasn't sure how I would feel as I've heard some mixed reviews about this book. I really enjoyed the characters in this book and they were a lot of the reason I enjoyed this book. Also, the multi-sided coat was pretty boss.

I like that the different worlds each had their own feel and design.

I'm definitely going to check out the sequel as I'd like to read more about the characters the author has created.

It's been a while since a fantasy grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go. If you're looking for a quirky yet compelling read, I can't recommend this one highly enough. Ms Schwab described the novel to her father as "a book about cross dressing thieves and magical men in fabulous coats."

An interesting idea that focuses on parallel worlds focused on the city of London and suffused with magic that can create and destroy. Unfortunately it started rather slowly and I was sad to get to the end when things were beginning to get very interesting...of course, there's two sequels!

The foundational idea of this book, traveling between parallel yet different Londons all existing in a different dimensions yes connected by a group of people who can use blood magic to travel between them is excellent. The potential to make this series amazing is definitely there.

As a side note I am writing this review after I have already finished book 2 A Gatherings of Shadows.

With a world so full of potential you would hope that the characters are equally as full of potential and up to the task of bringing this world to life. Unfortunately they're not, and fall way short of expectations. Kell who is an Antari, and set up to be a very powerful magician, manages to only do lame magic all throughout this book. Other than the spell that lets him travel between the worlds, nothing else shows you why every other character thinks he's the most powerful magician in the world. The author builds up so much pressure on Kell to be an amazing magician and there's no pay off. Otherwise he's an interesting character when magic isn't concerned, and I really hope Ms Schwab continues to explore what actually does make him interesting like he relationships with the King, Queen, & Rhy and his place in Red London. Lila Bard the other main character is basically insufferable the whole story (and spoiler alert, becomes even more obnoxious in book 2). You can tell the author tried to create a strong female character with some flaws to work through and a dark mysterious past but the character comes of whiny, annoying and pretty much a jerk to all other characters, and some how they all still like her and bend over backwards to help her with absolutely no explanation why they are doing it.

For the antagonists, the Dane twins are unoriginal and thankfully not even in the book all that much. Holland (their Antari servant) is much more interesting and has a lot more potential but is reduced to henchman the majority of the time, so you never really get much of him.

Overall after reading the book you're left with the feeling that the author created a wonderful idea and world, but never finished creating her characters backstory or emotions or how she wanted to advance them through this world.

As I mentioned, I read book 2 already and was hoping that Schwab advanced past these character flaws, but sadly the author has just dug the hole deeper.

This was an awesome, fast paced thrill ride!  Great plot, loved the characters (though I would like to see a little more in the romance dept.).  This is a fresh new idea in a sea of the same old, same old.  I enjoyed it immensely!  Lots of twists and turns ( and something about losing an eye,hmmm?)..  I am a huge fan of this author's Archived series, and now I have another great series to look forward to!   Loved it!   Can not wait for the next chapter!!!!

I didn’t love it. It is a fine story, just nothing special and too often quite predictable for fantasy lit veterans.

**mild spoilers follow – but trying to keep this as general as possible**

With all the 5 stars and rave reviews on websites, I had high expectations. So, maybe that’s where my own expectations let me down. For the record, I listened to the Audible version.

Let us start with the good. VE Shawb does a great job world building. The various versions of London have wonderful characterization, and there is a sense that they are characters in their own right. Despite the richness of detail, the author’s tone and description are never laborious when it comes to describing the world. Bravo.

However, the book falters when it comes to the human characters. The protagonist, Kell, is superficial and one dimensional. Lila, his serendipitous partner, has more depth to her, but very little of it is explored. The characters that seem to have emotional and motivational depth are the peripheral characters, and none of them last long enough in the story’s attention to see them develop into anything more interesting that simple mechanisms to move Kell from point A to B. Holland, in particular, almost screams for more attention to his motives – and it is a shame he doesn’t receive the screen time to become a full-fledged character.

The antagonists were boring and predictable. The bad guys are pastiches (just shy of twirling moustaches). There is no question who the antagonists are despite Schwab trying to create some mystery as to the whos and whats of the plot. The one time the primary antagonists are not predictable is in the scheme that makes up the core plotline – which, when analyzed, is overly complicated and involved Kell for reasons not fully supported by the story (the antagonists had similar resources directly at hand, and why they chose to involve Kell in their plotting is weakly explained).

Kell’s motivations are shallow and painfully self-centered. In fact, the whole reason for him bringing Lila on his travels is shockingly thin. Without ruining too much, he decides to take a non-magical person across a magical barrier into a deeply magical world where she does not speak the language nor have the magical wherewithal to function, for the sole purpose of reporting back his intentions to his family. At best, Kell’s plan is to leave her trapped in this magical world with no hope of escape back to her own London, and no chance to integrate. Why Kell cannot tell his family where he’s gone in any number of other less disruptive ways – including leaving a simple note – is beyond this reader.

The resolution was flat as well. In short, a major magical catastrophe is in the making. It builds in the background as the plot unfolds. Then, when Kell plays the archetypical hero and slays the bad guy – the magical catastrophe is simply wiped away. That Schwab introduced the specter of a magical apocalypse without the intention of exploring it is annnoying.

There is also a moment during the highly predictable showdown with the bad-guys where Kell does something so ridiculously dangerous and reckless it boggles the mind (but still finds a way to remain a tired fantasy trope). Schwab hand waves it away because Kell “just knew.” Seeing as his experience with the other character involved spans, at best, a few days – his actions defy belief and should have been handled with a bit more care.

Making things worse is the fact that the Audible narrator is not terribly good. His inflections are off, despite him reading character descriptions of their attitudes as they say specific phrases. He makes Lila sound as if she is elderly. His voicework is fine, but it lacks a sense of dynamism the text could have really used.

Overall? It is predictable. Its not bad, its not just very good either.

Great book! Loved the characters. Kell as well as Lila. The story moved at a great pace and the descriptions of the worlds made me feel as though I was in each place. Highly recommend if you like fantasy/adventure

An absolutely riveting introduction to one of my favorite fantasy worlds of all time. V.E. Schwab's story is just so rich and enticing. The characters jump off the page. I can't believe I didn't read this sooner. Definitely recommended for fans of all things fantasy!