Scan barcode
A review by river24
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5/5
For the ones who dream of stranger worlds.
There is a certain magic to a V.E. Schwab book that is almost impossible to put into words. It's a uniquely magical, fantastical, atmospheric touch that holds true even amongst all the wildly different stories they love to tell. A Darker Shade of Magic is no different.
I adored exploring all the different Londons (V.E. Schwab, I just adore your mind!), I loved that they each felt so distinctive. Grey London is our smog-filled, Victorian Era-inspired London, familiar to us but dulled to the world's magic. Red London is full of pure, exuberant magic and you can feel its life in every step, its beyond our wildest dreams, a gleaming red river where our Grey, sewage-filled Thames would otherwise be. White London is haunting and so vivid in its terror, you can hear the echoes of each footfall, feel the hollow bones of this war-ravaged city. Black London is gone, consumed, the dark shadow of a memory.
I think my favourite part of the entire book was right at the beginning as we traversed across each London and were introduced to each one's peculiarities. It was immensely magical in a way that eludes description. I implore you to read it, I guarantee you'll be swept away to wholly different worlds.
Kell was a brilliant main character and the perfect guide to each London. Lila was also a phenomenal addition and I loved her role in every step of the story. I adored Holland and all the complicated politics of his narrative. The characters gave each city such life, I adored even the much more minor ones, like Barron. Schwab's utilisation of short chapters where we sometimes hopped to otherwise insignificant characters' heads added greatly to this. We were able to experience the world through new sets of eyes, if only for a short time.
I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still.
My only small criticism would be that the ending was wrapped up extremely quickly. I was surprised when the story had reached a certain point and there were still about fifty more pages to go, I was surprised it hadn't ended already. It continued to surprise me by going through in those fifty pages what I thought would be the basis of the plot for the entire trilogy! I didn't realise it was as self-contained a story as it is, it could completely be read as a standalone. (I assume that's how it sold, as a standalone with series potential?) I'm incredibly intrigued to see what happens in the rest of the series!
The worlds are truly what entirely captivate me about this story. There's something to it that is utterly spell-binding. With every book I read by her, I grow increasingly confident that I can always trust Schwab to deliver! I can't wait to make my way through all their works!
For the ones who dream of stranger worlds.
There is a certain magic to a V.E. Schwab book that is almost impossible to put into words. It's a uniquely magical, fantastical, atmospheric touch that holds true even amongst all the wildly different stories they love to tell. A Darker Shade of Magic is no different.
I adored exploring all the different Londons (V.E. Schwab, I just adore your mind!), I loved that they each felt so distinctive. Grey London is our smog-filled, Victorian Era-inspired London, familiar to us but dulled to the world's magic. Red London is full of pure, exuberant magic and you can feel its life in every step, its beyond our wildest dreams, a gleaming red river where our Grey, sewage-filled Thames would otherwise be. White London is haunting and so vivid in its terror, you can hear the echoes of each footfall, feel the hollow bones of this war-ravaged city. Black London is gone, consumed, the dark shadow of a memory.
I think my favourite part of the entire book was right at the beginning as we traversed across each London and were introduced to each one's peculiarities. It was immensely magical in a way that eludes description. I implore you to read it, I guarantee you'll be swept away to wholly different worlds.
Kell was a brilliant main character and the perfect guide to each London. Lila was also a phenomenal addition and I loved her role in every step of the story. I adored Holland and all the complicated politics of his narrative. The characters gave each city such life, I adored even the much more minor ones, like Barron. Schwab's utilisation of short chapters where we sometimes hopped to otherwise insignificant characters' heads added greatly to this. We were able to experience the world through new sets of eyes, if only for a short time.
I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still.
My only small criticism would be that the ending was wrapped up extremely quickly. I was surprised when the story had reached a certain point and there were still about fifty more pages to go, I was surprised it hadn't ended already. It continued to surprise me by going through in those fifty pages what I thought would be the basis of the plot for the entire trilogy! I didn't realise it was as self-contained a story as it is, it could completely be read as a standalone. (I assume that's how it sold, as a standalone with series potential?) I'm incredibly intrigued to see what happens in the rest of the series!
The worlds are truly what entirely captivate me about this story. There's something to it that is utterly spell-binding. With every book I read by her, I grow increasingly confident that I can always trust Schwab to deliver! I can't wait to make my way through all their works!