A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab on February 24, 2015
Genres: Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure, Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
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“I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”
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 was raised in Arnes, Red London, and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand. After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure. Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.
This book was fantastic! I can’t believe I am just now getting to this! Initially, I was hesitant to give this book a chance. I’m happy to report that I couldn’t have been more wrong about this book! V.E. Schwab has such a unique and enticing writing style and I found myself immersed in these characters from the very beginning of this book. There’s no hand holding or explanations given except through the eyes and narration of the main character as he carries out his responsibilities in traveling between London as a messenger. Immediately you’re craving more information behind the mysterious blood magic of an Antari, the strange behavior of the King, and the notion of multiple London’s. These characters drive the plot of this story through their incredibly vivacious, competitive and quick-witted relationship. There is a tangible chemistry between them from the very beginning, again showing the brilliance in Schwab’s ability to write dimensional characters. Their chemistry is undeniable, yet it doesn’t distract from the main plot of the novel. They continue to pursue their goal while simultaneously showing that the nature of their relationship is evolving along the way into something more than just a thief and a smuggler who wound up obtaining a rare and deadly artifact that could destroy the worlds they know.
I thought the end of this novel was the perfect set-up for future books in the series. There were questions answered, resolutions provided, and yet so many little easter egg situations scattered throughout that never really were addressed. This is brilliant writing because it allows readers to feel comfortable and content with the ending, only to likely have their worlds shattered and mind’s blown at the beginning of the next book. I am not convinced that some characters won’t come back to haunt us in the next book, and I love that I have that sense of unease.
Five stars all around for this one. Overall, this book is filled with excellent characters, an intriguing and mysterious plot, and dynamic relationships. I was hooked from the start and only craved more with every page turn. This is an excellent read for those who love magical stories but may want a change of pace from the fantastical elements of faeries, witches, wizards and mythical creatures. This book perfectly ties the modernism of present day world with royalty and magic. Definitely worth taking a chance on this book!