Book Review :: A Darker Shade of Magic, by V.E. Schwab

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab, Victoria Schwab
Series: Shades of Magic #1
Also in this series: A Gathering of Shadows, A Conjuring of Light
Published by Tor Books
on February 24th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic
Pages: 400
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Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician who can travel between parallel worlds: hopping from Grey London — dirty, boring, lacking magic, and ruled by mad King George — to Red London — where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire — to White London — ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne, where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back — and back, but never Black London, because traveling to Black London is forbidden and no one speaks of it now.

Officially, Kell is the personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see, and it is this dangerous hobby that 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 take her with him for her proper adventure.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save both his London and the others, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — a feat trickier than they hoped.

Last updated on 7 June 2022

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What is A Darker Shade of Magic about?

A Darker Shade of Magic tells of Kell who is an Antari, one of the last magicians who can travel between parallel worlds. Travelling between Red, Grey and White London, he sends messages between the rulers of each but is never meant to take anything through, especially things that will disrupt the worlds.

When he accidentally takes a package through from one to another, bad things start to happen. One of them is Delilah ‘Lila’ Bard, the other being a relic from Black London which was destroyed. As the two of them pair up to head off on their adventure, it’s more than Lila bargained for, but not one she’s going to give up.

My Thoughts on A Darker Shade of Magic

I could not stop thinking about this book. When I wasn’t reading it, I wanted to be. And when I finished, I just wanted more. It’s one of the only books I’ve given 5 stars to this year, and I would have given it more if my system allowed it.

I had been meaning to read A Darker Shade of Magic for a while, but when I saw it was available at the library, I knew it was time. As soon as I finished this one, I ordered the second and read that too. There was just nothing about this story that I didn’t like.

The characters were amazing, weird and colourful and insane all at the same time. I loved Kell as the main character. He was everything a near-lone blood magician world-traveller should be and more. He was mysterious, he was a bit of a loner, he took his job seriously, but was willing to slightly bend the rules when need be. He was strong and pretty kick-ass, but relatable enough that you wanted him to do good and be good and not die.

Lila was so kick-ass, and she reminded me of Belle from Beauty and the Beast if Belle was a pirate. All Lila wants to go on adventures (‘in the great wide somewhere’). She wants a ship, she wants freedom, she wants anything other than what she has. She isn’t girly, she doesn’t need rescuing, in fact, she disguises herself as a man as she pick-pockets her way through life, and she’d “rather die on an adventure than live standing still.” 

“Hesitation is the death of advantage.”

As well as Kell and Lila, there’s the handsome, party-loving, promiscuous Prince Rhy, and the evil twin rulers from White London who control the only other Antari in all the worlds, Holland.

The setting is unlike anything I’ve read before. I love love love the idea of multiple Londons sort of layered on top of each other. I love the mystery of Black London and its secret history. I love how the common folk of each world don’t even know about the other Londons. I love how only Antari can travel between them. I love how Red and White London have magic, one uses it well, the other terribly, and how Grey London is our London. Or, as Lila describes them, “Dull London, Kell London, Creepy London, and Dead London” (Grey, Red, White, and Black, respectively).

The plot was just as magical and intense as everything else, and it was thrilling and exciting, and at times gasp-inducing. The writing is wonderful, and Schwab really draws you in not only with the characters, the setting, and the storyline, but just in the way she writes it all. The conversations, the different voices of the characters, the descriptions of the different London – it’s all so well written. There were so many times when I thought ‘wow, that’s such a good line’.

So in case you hadn’t already guessed, I loved A Darker Shade of Magic. A lot. And I need to buy it so I can reread it again and again. Because it’s that good. And I need it in my life.

Have you read A Darker Shade of Magic? What did you think?