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Available
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Series
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Collection
Publication
Tor Books (2015), 400 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Literature. Historical Fiction. Kell is one of the last Travelers-magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes-as such, he can choose where he lands. There's Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there's Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. There's White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. And once upon a time, 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 the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see-a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cutpurse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member pwaites
Trigger warning for attempted rape
A Darker Shade of Magic has fantastic world building and prose, but for some reason it just didn’t do it for me. The most likely reason is that I never connected well to any of the characters.
Kell is one of two people who can travel between the Londons –
The idea of A Darker Shade of Magic is fantastic, and the world building of the different Londons is very well done. A sense of magic permeates the book, even when the events take us to our own ordinary Grey London. Schawb’s prose style is delightfully vivid, and her settings unerringly come to life.
With all that it has going for it, I have a hard time pinpointing why I didn’t like this book more than I did. The most likely explanation is the characterization. I never became attached to any character in the novel. I think this is because we don’t see either of the leads having much in the way of relationships to other people. Kell does have relationships with people in his own world, primarily his brother Rhy, but it feels like we are mainly told about these relationships rather than actually see them. On the other hand, Lila doesn’t have much of a relationship with anyone, besides the growing connection with Kell. There’s a barkeep who helps her out sometimes, but the book doesn’t do much there.
Also, Lila had some weird internalized sexism that was never called out or refuted? There’s this section on page 66 where she is very scornful of other women, and that they deserve to be stolen from because they are pretending to be weak:
“It served them right, for playing weak. Maybe they wouldn’t be so quick to swoon at every top hat and take hold of every offered hand.”
The entire thing reeks of “Not Like The Other Girls,” where the female lead is made to seem special by distinguishing her from the other (inferior) members of her gender. The book does pass the Bechdel test, but only due to two scenes. In one Lila gets a disguise from a female merchant. In another she exchanges fight scene banter with the villainess. Neither is enough to dispel the pall cast by Lila’s noxious attitudes. Also, Lila’s second scene is a largely unnecessary attempted rape, which feels like cheap plotting more than anything else.
In the same vein, Rhy really seemed to be playing into stereotypes. He’s the only queer character in the whole novel and he’s a promiscuous bisexual? Gee, where have I seen that before. He’s got other personality traits (mostly informed rather than seen), but promiscuous bisexual seems to be a defining one. And the two are conflated as well, where it seems more like he’s bisexual because he’s promiscuous than that he’s a bisexual who also happens to be promiscuous.
I can see why other people really loved this book. As I mentioned before, the ideas and world building were very good. I mostly enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic, although I’m not planning on reading the sequel. This probably isn’t going to be one I wholeheartedly recommend, but you may very well like it more than I did.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
A Darker Shade of Magic has fantastic world building and prose, but for some reason it just didn’t do it for me. The most likely reason is that I never connected well to any of the characters.
Kell is one of two people who can travel between the Londons –
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flourishing Red London, full of magic; bitter and murderous White London; mundane Grey London; and Black London, lost long ago. When Kell accidentally cares a dangerous parcel between worlds, he runs into street thief Delilah Bard, and they must work together to stop a dangerous magic from overrunning all the remaining worlds.The idea of A Darker Shade of Magic is fantastic, and the world building of the different Londons is very well done. A sense of magic permeates the book, even when the events take us to our own ordinary Grey London. Schawb’s prose style is delightfully vivid, and her settings unerringly come to life.
With all that it has going for it, I have a hard time pinpointing why I didn’t like this book more than I did. The most likely explanation is the characterization. I never became attached to any character in the novel. I think this is because we don’t see either of the leads having much in the way of relationships to other people. Kell does have relationships with people in his own world, primarily his brother Rhy, but it feels like we are mainly told about these relationships rather than actually see them. On the other hand, Lila doesn’t have much of a relationship with anyone, besides the growing connection with Kell. There’s a barkeep who helps her out sometimes, but the book doesn’t do much there.
Also, Lila had some weird internalized sexism that was never called out or refuted? There’s this section on page 66 where she is very scornful of other women, and that they deserve to be stolen from because they are pretending to be weak:
“It served them right, for playing weak. Maybe they wouldn’t be so quick to swoon at every top hat and take hold of every offered hand.”
The entire thing reeks of “Not Like The Other Girls,” where the female lead is made to seem special by distinguishing her from the other (inferior) members of her gender. The book does pass the Bechdel test, but only due to two scenes. In one Lila gets a disguise from a female merchant. In another she exchanges fight scene banter with the villainess. Neither is enough to dispel the pall cast by Lila’s noxious attitudes. Also, Lila’s second scene is a largely unnecessary attempted rape, which feels like cheap plotting more than anything else.
In the same vein, Rhy really seemed to be playing into stereotypes. He’s the only queer character in the whole novel and he’s a promiscuous bisexual? Gee, where have I seen that before. He’s got other personality traits (mostly informed rather than seen), but promiscuous bisexual seems to be a defining one. And the two are conflated as well, where it seems more like he’s bisexual because he’s promiscuous than that he’s a bisexual who also happens to be promiscuous.
I can see why other people really loved this book. As I mentioned before, the ideas and world building were very good. I mostly enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic, although I’m not planning on reading the sequel. This probably isn’t going to be one I wholeheartedly recommend, but you may very well like it more than I did.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
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LibraryThing member ForeverMasterless
Early on I was expecting this to be a five-star book for me. The initial setup of the novel, where the brilliantly original setting is introduced, where Kell's past and daily life is dolled out in small bits and pieces, was excellent. Beyond excellent, even. Schwab's prose is punchy, economical,
One thing I really liked is that Kell and Lilah don't really have any romantic tension. They're just friends on an adventure together. How refreshing! But other than that, our two main characters don't really go anywhere. They don't have much of an arc and, while enjoyable to read, they are fairly underdeveloped if you examine them too closely. Lilah more than Kell, since we at least get a couple of deeper glimpses into Kell's past as the novel progresses. His complicated relationship with the royal family, the things he's done in his youth to protect his step-brother, prince Rhy, etc. Unfortunately they always made me wish I was reading a whole book about that instead. Something more personal, slower paced, with much lower stakes, with more personality and cultural and political flavor to really immerse you in this world and these characters. A magical macguffin/world in peril story is fine for a bit of fun, but I can't help but feel like Schwab wasted her setting on a fairly trite plot that wasn't worthy of it.
Overall a very enjoyable book that didn't quite live up to its potential on the plot and character front, but also a great incentive to get my hands on all of Schwab's other books in the hopes that one of them really knocks it out of the park. Many of the ingredients for a truly top-tier, world-class fantasy novelist are on show here and she's firmly on my radar now.
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and vivid throughout. I fell hard for her words and her setting, but then the actual plot kicks in, and a lot of the magic fades. Ironic for a book that spends so much time talking about magic. Not that it's a terrible plot and I never really stopped enjoying the book, but it was just a bit simplistic, familiar, and predictable to wow me, and a book that doesn't wow me isn't a five-star book. I was ready for something more complex, and certainly ready for something more original to go with the wildly original setting, and I didn't get it. I've heard people who don't read fantasy much deride it as being nothing but macguffin stories, which isn't really true, but with books like this getting popular you can see how someone might get that impression. The trope is certainly common enough to give someone the wrong idea. One thing I really liked is that Kell and Lilah don't really have any romantic tension. They're just friends on an adventure together. How refreshing! But other than that, our two main characters don't really go anywhere. They don't have much of an arc and, while enjoyable to read, they are fairly underdeveloped if you examine them too closely. Lilah more than Kell, since we at least get a couple of deeper glimpses into Kell's past as the novel progresses. His complicated relationship with the royal family, the things he's done in his youth to protect his step-brother, prince Rhy, etc. Unfortunately they always made me wish I was reading a whole book about that instead. Something more personal, slower paced, with much lower stakes, with more personality and cultural and political flavor to really immerse you in this world and these characters. A magical macguffin/world in peril story is fine for a bit of fun, but I can't help but feel like Schwab wasted her setting on a fairly trite plot that wasn't worthy of it.
Overall a very enjoyable book that didn't quite live up to its potential on the plot and character front, but also a great incentive to get my hands on all of Schwab's other books in the hopes that one of them really knocks it out of the park. Many of the ingredients for a truly top-tier, world-class fantasy novelist are on show here and she's firmly on my radar now.
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LibraryThing member TadAD
I give this full marks for originality. That's curious given that it uses ideas that have been around for a while. It's hard to miss the echoes of Zelazny's Amber or, to a lesser extent, the malefic White Courts of Butcher and others. However, just as she did in her last book, Vicious, Schwab shows
Why, then, the middle-of-the-road rating?
Well, it's the half of the characters who aren't particularly believable. Kell is reasonably well done. He's a likable, if sometimes exasperating, blend of power and a bit of naiveté. He's also someone who, in the current jargon, needs to "check his privilege" and the reader can sit back enjoy it when those around him call him on it.
Lila, however...well, in my opinion, she's an unsuccessful glue job between a woman whose orphan life amidst the hard-scrabble underbelly of London turned her into a flint-hearted killer and Tom Sawyer-esque wanting to be a pirate when you grow up...literally. Some authors carry off the child-like adult badass but Schwab didn't: Lila failed to convince me either of her street smarts, her intelligence, or her dream of singing, "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum." Since she didn't convince me, I couldn't engage with her.
The supporting cast also had this 50/50 split between interesting characters and stage props. Unfortunately for the sequel (and, make no mistake, there are plenty of little things left unresolved), the most interesting to me died or maybe died. Hopefully the former will be replaced and the latter replaced or experience Sequel Resurrection.
So, it's a three star book. Fantasy fans may very well enjoy this book (see all the stars given to it here and on other sites) for its fresh feel, interesting world-building and decent plot. I suspect other readers, however, will find enchantment a little wanting.
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a knack for taking a theme and making it feel new and interesting. The world-building is well done. The plot has an interesting premise, although the pace is, perhaps, 5% too slow.Why, then, the middle-of-the-road rating?
Well, it's the half of the characters who aren't particularly believable. Kell is reasonably well done. He's a likable, if sometimes exasperating, blend of power and a bit of naiveté. He's also someone who, in the current jargon, needs to "check his privilege" and the reader can sit back enjoy it when those around him call him on it.
Lila, however...well, in my opinion, she's an unsuccessful glue job between a woman whose orphan life amidst the hard-scrabble underbelly of London turned her into a flint-hearted killer and Tom Sawyer-esque wanting to be a pirate when you grow up...literally. Some authors carry off the child-like adult badass but Schwab didn't: Lila failed to convince me either of her street smarts, her intelligence, or her dream of singing, "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum." Since she didn't convince me, I couldn't engage with her.
The supporting cast also had this 50/50 split between interesting characters and stage props. Unfortunately for the sequel (and, make no mistake, there are plenty of little things left unresolved), the most interesting to me died or maybe died. Hopefully the former will be replaced and the latter replaced or experience Sequel Resurrection.
So, it's a three star book. Fantasy fans may very well enjoy this book (see all the stars given to it here and on other sites) for its fresh feel, interesting world-building and decent plot. I suspect other readers, however, will find enchantment a little wanting.
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LibraryThing member nbmars
This imaginative historical fiction/fantasy is set in 1819 London. But not just the London we know, herein called “Grey London.” There is also a Red London, White London, and Black London, representing four different worlds. As Kell, one of the protagonists, explains:
“Think of them as
Kell, 21, has one totally black eye, which marks him as an Antari, or magician, one of the last in existence. A smear of his blood, when paired with a token from another London, allows him move between the worlds.
Others in each world show some tendency for magic, and may even have dominion over some of the elements, but only Antari also have dominion over blood:
“Blood was magic made manifest. There it thrived. And there it poisoned. Kell had seen what happened when power warred with the body, watched it darken in the veins of corrupted men, turning their blood from crimson to black. 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.”
As an Antari, Kell was made of both balance and chaos: “The blood in his veins, like the Isle of Red London, ran a shimmering, healthy crimson, while his right eye was the color of spilled ink, a glistening black.”
Kell comes from Red London, although when we first meet him, he is visiting Gray London [i.e., our London], transmitting a message between the kings of each country.
When Kell is talking to the Prince Regent, here we have the only awkward infodump of the book, as Kell explains the history of the four Londons to the prince, who is already quite aware of it. Kell points out that there was a time when the worlds were not so separate:
“‘When doors ran between your world and mine, and others, and anyone with a bit of power could pass through. Magic itself could pass through. But the thing about magic,’ added Kell, ‘is that it preys on the strong-minded and the weak-willed, and one of the worlds couldn’t stop itself. The people fed on the magic and the magic fed on them until it ate their bodies and their minds and then their souls.’ ‘Black London,’ whispered the Prince Regent. Kell nodded.”
Transference between the Londons is illegal, but Kell has been doing some smuggling of objects back and forth from each London on the side. He doesn’t need the money; it is more a matter of asserting his autonomy. He is in some ways a “possession” of the King and Queen of Red London. They have raised him since he was five, and he feels like a brother to Prince Rhy, who is 20. But he also feels like a tool of the crown rather than a “real” family member.
Because of Kell’s known penchant for smuggling, when he is in White London someone thrusts him a package to deliver to Red London and he reluctantly takes it. He finds to his horror he has been set up, and what he has been given is an artifact out of Black London. All artifacts from Black London supposedly were destroyed. The object is a black stone full of Vitari, or magic, and it seems to have a will of its own. Kell experiences horror over the strength of this forbidden magic, even as he is inexorably drawn to it.
Further, he finds he is being followed, and narrowly escapes with his life to Grey London. There he is robbed of the stone by a pickpocket, 19 year old Lila Bard. Lila has no idea what she has taken, and before long is confronted by Holland, the Antari of White London.
As Kell has found, something seems off with Holland. Indeed, the rulers of White London, two twisted twins named Astrid and Athos, bound Holland to them to do their nefarious bidding. Holland is branded by an unbreakable soul seal that he cannot resist. And the twins are not good people.
Holland has been sent by the twins to retrieve the stone, and is willing to torture Lila to get it. Hearing her screams, Kell comes to her rescue, and they temporarily evade Holland. The two then set off on an adventure that ties them together, and introduces Lila to the world of magic. But not all magic is benign, and they are playing a dangerous game.
Discussion: Kell is an admirable character, but Lila is even more so. Throughout all of their terrifying adventures, she retains a sense of curiosity, humor, love of adventure, and astounding bravery. She has a toughness that amazes Kell. At one particularly perilous moment he muses:
“[she was] a cutthroat and a thief, a valiant partner and a strange, terrifying girl. . . . her casual air, her defiant energy, the way, even now, she didn’t seem concerned or afraid, only excited him, gave him strength.”
I love that this series features a female heroine who manages to be plucky, resilient, and capable of taking care of herself, and all without also being an immature brat, as are so many young adult female characters. Lila reminds me a bit of other intrepid and iconoclastic heroines from real life, such as Annie Oakley and the “Unsinkable Molly Brown.”
Lila also has an unerring eye [perhaps intentionally, if you have read the book] for distilling all that is around her into pithy and useful observations. I especially enjoyed how Lila cleverly summed up the four Londons after Kell’s tutorial:
Dull London
Kell London
Creepy London
Dead London
When the head priest of Kell’s London told Lila “there was something in her. Something untended,” she took it as a cue for more adventures:
“She didn’t know what shape it would take, but she was keen to find out. Whether it was the kind of magic that ran through Kell, or something different, something new, Lila knew one thing: The world was hers. The worlds were hers. And she was going to take them all.”
Evaluation: What fun it is to find a new series that is so engaging (and is already completed so you don't have to wait between installments). The ending ensures you won’t want to stop at this first book. The inventiveness of the author is impressive, and the characters are endearing. I can’t wait to read the next book in this trilogy.
“Think of them as
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different houses built on the same foundation. They have little in common, save for their geography, and the fact that each has a version of this city [London] straddling this river on this island country, and in each, the city is called London.”Kell, 21, has one totally black eye, which marks him as an Antari, or magician, one of the last in existence. A smear of his blood, when paired with a token from another London, allows him move between the worlds.
Others in each world show some tendency for magic, and may even have dominion over some of the elements, but only Antari also have dominion over blood:
“Blood was magic made manifest. There it thrived. And there it poisoned. Kell had seen what happened when power warred with the body, watched it darken in the veins of corrupted men, turning their blood from crimson to black. 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.”
As an Antari, Kell was made of both balance and chaos: “The blood in his veins, like the Isle of Red London, ran a shimmering, healthy crimson, while his right eye was the color of spilled ink, a glistening black.”
Kell comes from Red London, although when we first meet him, he is visiting Gray London [i.e., our London], transmitting a message between the kings of each country.
When Kell is talking to the Prince Regent, here we have the only awkward infodump of the book, as Kell explains the history of the four Londons to the prince, who is already quite aware of it. Kell points out that there was a time when the worlds were not so separate:
“‘When doors ran between your world and mine, and others, and anyone with a bit of power could pass through. Magic itself could pass through. But the thing about magic,’ added Kell, ‘is that it preys on the strong-minded and the weak-willed, and one of the worlds couldn’t stop itself. The people fed on the magic and the magic fed on them until it ate their bodies and their minds and then their souls.’ ‘Black London,’ whispered the Prince Regent. Kell nodded.”
Transference between the Londons is illegal, but Kell has been doing some smuggling of objects back and forth from each London on the side. He doesn’t need the money; it is more a matter of asserting his autonomy. He is in some ways a “possession” of the King and Queen of Red London. They have raised him since he was five, and he feels like a brother to Prince Rhy, who is 20. But he also feels like a tool of the crown rather than a “real” family member.
Because of Kell’s known penchant for smuggling, when he is in White London someone thrusts him a package to deliver to Red London and he reluctantly takes it. He finds to his horror he has been set up, and what he has been given is an artifact out of Black London. All artifacts from Black London supposedly were destroyed. The object is a black stone full of Vitari, or magic, and it seems to have a will of its own. Kell experiences horror over the strength of this forbidden magic, even as he is inexorably drawn to it.
Further, he finds he is being followed, and narrowly escapes with his life to Grey London. There he is robbed of the stone by a pickpocket, 19 year old Lila Bard. Lila has no idea what she has taken, and before long is confronted by Holland, the Antari of White London.
As Kell has found, something seems off with Holland. Indeed, the rulers of White London, two twisted twins named Astrid and Athos, bound Holland to them to do their nefarious bidding. Holland is branded by an unbreakable soul seal that he cannot resist. And the twins are not good people.
Holland has been sent by the twins to retrieve the stone, and is willing to torture Lila to get it. Hearing her screams, Kell comes to her rescue, and they temporarily evade Holland. The two then set off on an adventure that ties them together, and introduces Lila to the world of magic. But not all magic is benign, and they are playing a dangerous game.
Discussion: Kell is an admirable character, but Lila is even more so. Throughout all of their terrifying adventures, she retains a sense of curiosity, humor, love of adventure, and astounding bravery. She has a toughness that amazes Kell. At one particularly perilous moment he muses:
“[she was] a cutthroat and a thief, a valiant partner and a strange, terrifying girl. . . . her casual air, her defiant energy, the way, even now, she didn’t seem concerned or afraid, only excited him, gave him strength.”
I love that this series features a female heroine who manages to be plucky, resilient, and capable of taking care of herself, and all without also being an immature brat, as are so many young adult female characters. Lila reminds me a bit of other intrepid and iconoclastic heroines from real life, such as Annie Oakley and the “Unsinkable Molly Brown.”
Lila also has an unerring eye [perhaps intentionally, if you have read the book] for distilling all that is around her into pithy and useful observations. I especially enjoyed how Lila cleverly summed up the four Londons after Kell’s tutorial:
Dull London
Kell London
Creepy London
Dead London
When the head priest of Kell’s London told Lila “there was something in her. Something untended,” she took it as a cue for more adventures:
“She didn’t know what shape it would take, but she was keen to find out. Whether it was the kind of magic that ran through Kell, or something different, something new, Lila knew one thing: The world was hers. The worlds were hers. And she was going to take them all.”
Evaluation: What fun it is to find a new series that is so engaging (and is already completed so you don't have to wait between installments). The ending ensures you won’t want to stop at this first book. The inventiveness of the author is impressive, and the characters are endearing. I can’t wait to read the next book in this trilogy.
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LibraryThing member Dokfintong
TOR books gives away a free book from their back catalog every month. I like being on their list because I can catch up on writers I don't know. V.E. Schwab is one of those writers.
It took me a couple of chapters to get into "A Darker Shade of Magic" but once I got oriented to the Red, Grey, White,
The book was published in 2015 is followed by two following books with others rumored to be in the works. You can find the plotline on your own.
What struck me more than anything else about the writing is that Kell and Delilah are equals, gendered but equal. There interaction is glorious without being aggressive. There is no "Look at me I am a free agent woman", or "Look at me, I am a good man." No, they are two people who have adventures and face dangers together without making a fuss over gender or sexuality. It's way cool.
If you are reading this review you are interested in this book. I think that it will be worth the investment of your time and money.
I received a review copy of "A Darker Shade of Magic" by V. E. Schwab (TOR) directly from the publisher.
It took me a couple of chapters to get into "A Darker Shade of Magic" but once I got oriented to the Red, Grey, White,
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Black multiverse London, Ms Schwab's excellent storytelling kicked in.The book was published in 2015 is followed by two following books with others rumored to be in the works. You can find the plotline on your own.
What struck me more than anything else about the writing is that Kell and Delilah are equals, gendered but equal. There interaction is glorious without being aggressive. There is no "Look at me I am a free agent woman", or "Look at me, I am a good man." No, they are two people who have adventures and face dangers together without making a fuss over gender or sexuality. It's way cool.
If you are reading this review you are interested in this book. I think that it will be worth the investment of your time and money.
I received a review copy of "A Darker Shade of Magic" by V. E. Schwab (TOR) directly from the publisher.
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LibraryThing member MickyFine
Trying to summarize this one is a bit tricky. There's magicians, a thief, four cities that exist in different worlds but are all named London, a plot to alter the very nature of magic, and one truly fabulous coat. Suffice it to say if you like fantasy and any of those elements intrigue you, you
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should definitely pick up the novel. This is one of those cases where I like the book so much it's hard for me to talk coherently about it. I adored the book from the first page, fell in love with the characters and the worlds, and seriously, I desperately want Kell's coat. Show Less
LibraryThing member iShanella
I wanted to LOVE this book, and maybe that's why I'm judging it harshly. The idea was a great one, and I'm a fan of magic and parallel worlds, but it took me 75% of the book to finally get into the story.
I found Kell's character to be bland and Lila to be harsh - though she grew on my in the end.
Overall I wanted more.
I found Kell's character to be bland and Lila to be harsh - though she grew on my in the end.
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I wanted more of the Londons and a glimpse into this communication between them - why did they have to do this? if they stopped, what happened? There wasn't a good enough reason for Kell to traverse the kingdoms. I also would have loved more history and world building and fleshing out of the magical system (not all are like Kell but some have magic as well?). Overall I wanted more.
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LibraryThing member jdifelice
holy moly guacamole! now that was a great adventure! it just sucked you in from go and kept you there the whole time. It took me a bit to finish this book because i didn't want it to end, but i was afraid of what would happen to the characters! which of course were well developed but still had an
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air of mystery to them which could lead into a second book, if the author so chose, which is exciting! the world was so interesting and intricate. I just wanted to know more and have my own map! such a fantastic read, i recommend to everyone! Show Less
LibraryThing member passion4reading
Kell is a traveller between worlds, linked to each other through the city of London: there is the Grey London, represented by Georgian London towards the end of the reign of George III in our world, Red London, Kell’s home world, where most people have some magical abilities and magic on the
This was an absolutely fantastic read, and one dizzying rollercoaster ride, as we follow Kell and Lila from one London to another, read in record time in under 24 hours, and I still feel slightly out of breath just writing this review. There is almost non-stop action, and one barely gets to survey the new surroundings before a new plot twist forces our heroes on a different path, with lots of surprises thrown their way. Yet for all the action, V. E. Schwab somehow manages to fit in decent characterisations of not only Kell and Lila, but also Rhy, Holland, the Dane twins, Barron and some other, minor characters. There are not many novels that manage to sweep you completely off your feet and where you fall completely in love with the story line and the characters, but Schwab has pulled it off; I can only hope that the next volume in the series won’t take too long to write. Highly recommended.
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whole is regarded as a force for good, and White London, where magic is in short supply, but those that have some power rule over those that don’t, as well as Black London, which has been sealed off for centuries as magic took over the people. Kell is a royal messenger, carrying letters between the royal houses of Grey and Red London; as a sideline, he also trades in illegal artefacts from the alternate worlds. Lila is a pickpocket and thief, dreaming of owning a ship and being a pirate captain, who lives on the streets of Grey London and who happens to pick Kell’s pockets one night, when he brings across a dangerous artefact to ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Eventually, Kell and Lila grudgingly combine forces to save all the worlds.This was an absolutely fantastic read, and one dizzying rollercoaster ride, as we follow Kell and Lila from one London to another, read in record time in under 24 hours, and I still feel slightly out of breath just writing this review. There is almost non-stop action, and one barely gets to survey the new surroundings before a new plot twist forces our heroes on a different path, with lots of surprises thrown their way. Yet for all the action, V. E. Schwab somehow manages to fit in decent characterisations of not only Kell and Lila, but also Rhy, Holland, the Dane twins, Barron and some other, minor characters. There are not many novels that manage to sweep you completely off your feet and where you fall completely in love with the story line and the characters, but Schwab has pulled it off; I can only hope that the next volume in the series won’t take too long to write. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member stefferoo
Kell is one of the last Antari, a rare magician able to travel across parallel worlds in a universe that has four different Londons: Grey London which is mundane and magic-less; vibrant Red London where magic is revered; oppressive White London where a tyrant rules the throne and magic is savage
Despite my middling rating for this book, I really did enjoy it. However, after the great read that was V.E. Schwab's Vicious, I admit I was expecting something just as good or better, but this one just didn't have the edge. What was missing? I'm not sure. The novel's concept of multiple parallel Londons is brilliant and amazingly creative, and the book should have won me over based on that fact alone. And yet, behind that dazzling curtain, the plot itself is actually simplistic and rather typical, and I'm disappointed that after the deeply complex personalities/relationships Schwab developed between Eli and Victor in Vicious, her treatment of Kell and Lila (your standard outcast-street-thief-with-big-dreams character) proved instead to be relatively unremarkable here. In many ways, my feelings towards this book can be likened to my feelings towards Kell and his magical coat -- in the outset, things look delightful, extraordinary, and full of limitless potential...but strip that away and our protagonist underneath doesn't really stand out, nor does he seem to have much presence.
I don't think listening to the audiobook version affected my enjoyment; in fact, I think narrator Steven Crossley's performance actually enhanced it, making me like the book even more if I'd read the print version. From the attention this book got, I expected more, but I'll also admit to being excited for the next book. The events in this set things up nicely for a sequel, and something tells me I'll probably like it more as the plot and characters mature.
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and something to be conquered; and finally Black London, a shell of a city no one speaks of anymore. When a dangerous artifact from Black London finds its way Kell, he and a young thief named Lila must team up to to save all the worlds.Despite my middling rating for this book, I really did enjoy it. However, after the great read that was V.E. Schwab's Vicious, I admit I was expecting something just as good or better, but this one just didn't have the edge. What was missing? I'm not sure. The novel's concept of multiple parallel Londons is brilliant and amazingly creative, and the book should have won me over based on that fact alone. And yet, behind that dazzling curtain, the plot itself is actually simplistic and rather typical, and I'm disappointed that after the deeply complex personalities/relationships Schwab developed between Eli and Victor in Vicious, her treatment of Kell and Lila (your standard outcast-street-thief-with-big-dreams character) proved instead to be relatively unremarkable here. In many ways, my feelings towards this book can be likened to my feelings towards Kell and his magical coat -- in the outset, things look delightful, extraordinary, and full of limitless potential...but strip that away and our protagonist underneath doesn't really stand out, nor does he seem to have much presence.
I don't think listening to the audiobook version affected my enjoyment; in fact, I think narrator Steven Crossley's performance actually enhanced it, making me like the book even more if I'd read the print version. From the attention this book got, I expected more, but I'll also admit to being excited for the next book. The events in this set things up nicely for a sequel, and something tells me I'll probably like it more as the plot and characters mature.
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LibraryThing member ad_astra
I read Victoria's first book, The Near Witch, years ago and loved it. I tried reading The Archived and Vicious but couldn't get into them. Still, the premise of A Darker Shade of Magic lured me in to try again. I'm so glad it did because ADSOM is fantastic! I rarely give books 5-stars but I have no
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criticisms of this book. I loved the plot and I picked the book up to read every chance I got. Another reviewer mentioned that Victoria focused on the plot so we didn't get to really know and like the characters. I completely disagree. I fell in love with Kell, Lila, Rhy...even Barron. I can't wait to to read ADSOM 2! Show Less
LibraryThing member susiesharp
This was the best fantasy/alt.verse book I have read in a long time. I loved the premise of all the different London’s and how there is magic in some and not in others and that the degrees of magic are different.
The two main characters are Kell & Lila, these two are both so great I loved their
The world building in this book is solidly done by the end of the book you understand about the different London’s and how they relate to each other and how the Antari system works. I thought the author did a great job in revealing the details and differences of each London and how the hierarchy/royalty works in each world. Also the way magic works and how it’s different in different worlds was well done and believable.
I really liked Lila she is a tough as nails kick-ass woman who doesn’t seem to be scared of anything, even when faced with adversity she just seems to have an attitude of yeah and then what, I loved that about her. We do get a few details about her life but there are definitely some secrets yet to come out and I look forward to the next book and finding out more about certain things that were revealed in this book. (Sorry that’s vague but Spoilers)
Kell is a bit of an enigma he is pretty darn tough too but seems to also be a loner even when it comes to his “brother” Rhy who kind of comes off as bratty at first but well some things change I think of him a little better by the end of the book but he still has much to prove and is very lucky that deep down Kell thinks of him as real brother.
Steven Crossley’s narration was fabulous, every accent was superb and his male and female voices were so well done I think he enhanced this book which is really saying something. I will listen to him again in a heartbeat and just from this one book has gone on my favorite narrators list.
I can hardly wait till Feb. 2016 when the next installment of this series comes out; I look forward to more adventures with these two. I will definitely read other books from this author I really enjoyed her style of writing.
As if you haven’t guessed my rating
5 Stars
Thank-you to the Ford Audiobook Club Group on Goodreads for a copy of this audiobook.
The two main characters are Kell & Lila, these two are both so great I loved their
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bickering, Kell all reserved and noble and Lila all lets go on an adventure who cares if it’s dangerous, but in the end I think they balance each other out he for reigning her in and her for telling him it’s ok to do something dangerous because it is an adventure.The world building in this book is solidly done by the end of the book you understand about the different London’s and how they relate to each other and how the Antari system works. I thought the author did a great job in revealing the details and differences of each London and how the hierarchy/royalty works in each world. Also the way magic works and how it’s different in different worlds was well done and believable.
I really liked Lila she is a tough as nails kick-ass woman who doesn’t seem to be scared of anything, even when faced with adversity she just seems to have an attitude of yeah and then what, I loved that about her. We do get a few details about her life but there are definitely some secrets yet to come out and I look forward to the next book and finding out more about certain things that were revealed in this book. (Sorry that’s vague but Spoilers)
Kell is a bit of an enigma he is pretty darn tough too but seems to also be a loner even when it comes to his “brother” Rhy who kind of comes off as bratty at first but well some things change I think of him a little better by the end of the book but he still has much to prove and is very lucky that deep down Kell thinks of him as real brother.
Steven Crossley’s narration was fabulous, every accent was superb and his male and female voices were so well done I think he enhanced this book which is really saying something. I will listen to him again in a heartbeat and just from this one book has gone on my favorite narrators list.
I can hardly wait till Feb. 2016 when the next installment of this series comes out; I look forward to more adventures with these two. I will definitely read other books from this author I really enjoyed her style of writing.
As if you haven’t guessed my rating
5 Stars
Thank-you to the Ford Audiobook Club Group on Goodreads for a copy of this audiobook.
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LibraryThing member dkgarner95
This book is made of pure, unadulterated AWESOMENESS!
Seriously, this is the kind of book that I live for: masterful storytelling, exceptional world building, unforgettable characters, and adventure in every last drop.
I completely lost myself in Kell's many Londons---no need for a search party
Seriously, this is the kind of book that I live for: masterful storytelling, exceptional world building, unforgettable characters, and adventure in every last drop.
I completely lost myself in Kell's many Londons---no need for a search party
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though. I'm not exactly worried about being found ;) Show Less
LibraryThing member ladycato
I received a free copy of this book at Locus Weekend 2015. It's garnered a good bit of buzz as things gear up for award season, so I wanted to be sure to read it.
V.E. Schwab (a pen name for Victoria Schwab) has created a fascinating, fast read of alternate Regency Londons. The world-building alone
I can see why the book has acquired such buzz. It's quite enjoyable. It reminded me somewhat of my very favorite book from last year, Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho.
V.E. Schwab (a pen name for Victoria Schwab) has created a fascinating, fast read of alternate Regency Londons. The world-building alone
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has a fantastic cool factor that makes this worthy of a read, but the characters are strong, too. Kell is a good hero, one of only two magicians able to cross between Londons; he's rather naive, but a compassionate man who means well in all he does. Lila is a street thief in Grey London--our London--who dresses as a man and aches to be a pirate off on an adventure. When she and Kell meet up, Lila is the one with the street sense quick knives to keep them alive.I can see why the book has acquired such buzz. It's quite enjoyable. It reminded me somewhat of my very favorite book from last year, Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho.
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LibraryThing member leslie.98
I acquired this audiobook courtesy of the Ford Audiobook Club on Goodreads. Steven Crossley did a great job with the narration, especially the character voices (although I didn't much like the accent he used for the White Londoners). The book itself was a decent fantasy adventure story. I liked the
One picky little detail bugged me more and more as the narration went on: the repeated use of the word "okay" (or "OK", in audio you can't tell which spelling it is). While no exact date is given, the story starts with Kell visiting King George in Gray London, who is considered a bit mad and his son is actually ruling. To me that says King George III & mid-eighteenth century. The word "OK" or "okay" dates from the mid-nineteenth century, about 100 years after this is set. Sloppy writing or poor research into the time period :(
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idea of the 4 parallel worlds connected via doors through which only certain individuals called Antari can pass. One picky little detail bugged me more and more as the narration went on: the repeated use of the word "okay" (or "OK", in audio you can't tell which spelling it is). While no exact date is given, the story starts with Kell visiting King George in Gray London, who is considered a bit mad and his son is actually ruling. To me that says King George III & mid-eighteenth century. The word "OK" or "okay" dates from the mid-nineteenth century, about 100 years after this is set. Sloppy writing or poor research into the time period :(
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LibraryThing member booklovers2
This was a freebie audio book from the Ford Audio Book Club on Good Reads. Although not a book I would typically be interested in, it was interesting and very well written. Kept my interest but not the topic of interest to me.
LibraryThing member anyaejo
The worlds and magic are the big strength of this one and downright phenomenal! The characters are fun if a bit typical for this kind of fantasy but it was nice to not have a romance shoved in. Definitely recommended for fans of Mistborn!
LibraryThing member pstirling
I could not put this book down! Magicians and 4 Londons and magic! Great read!
LibraryThing member trinityM82
This was okay. It has an interesting premise - there are four parallel universes, but London is in all of them, and English is spoken by the wealthy in all of them, because at one point they were all the worlds were connected via London. Kell belongs in Red London which is suffuse with magic, and
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he runs errands for the royal family because he is one of the only person that can go through the door into the other Londons. The doors were sealed from regular people when Black London's magic became conscious and took over the world. White London is dangerous and Kell fights them from taking over Red London. He has a partner in crime, Lila, who is a better character, though she kills a bunch of people, so neither character is very well developed enough to really like them. There are the underpinings of a romance, but it is not manifested. Show Less
LibraryThing member dkgarner95
This book is made of pure, unadulterated AWESOMENESS!
Seriously, this is the kind of book that I live for: masterful storytelling, exceptional world building, unforgettable characters, and adventure in every last drop.
I completely lost myself in Kell's many Londons---no need for a search party
Seriously, this is the kind of book that I live for: masterful storytelling, exceptional world building, unforgettable characters, and adventure in every last drop.
I completely lost myself in Kell's many Londons---no need for a search party
Show More
though. I'm not exactly worried about being found ;) Show Less
LibraryThing member trinityM82
This was okay. It has an interesting premise - there are four parallel universes, but London is in all of them, and English is spoken by the wealthy in all of them, because at one point they were all the worlds were connected via London. Kell belongs in Red London which is suffuse with magic, and
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he runs errands for the royal family because he is one of the only person that can go through the door into the other Londons. The doors were sealed from regular people when Black London's magic became conscious and took over the world. White London is dangerous and Kell fights them from taking over Red London. He has a partner in crime, Lila, who is a better character, though she kills a bunch of people, so neither character is very well developed enough to really like them. There are the underpinings of a romance, but it is not manifested. Show Less
LibraryThing member JoshuaAtkins
Parallel worlds, cross-dressing thieves, magic, death and destruction. And all of it wonderful. I was already a fan of Victoria Schwab after VICIOUS, but with ADSOM she's now on my must-read list.
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
Its not often a fantasy book surprises me. Most books are derivatives, with fairly well known plots and stereotypical characters. But this book manages to be a fantasy story with a fresh feel - characters are well written, a nice balance between character development and plot. Even the ending takes
Pacing is good - no data dumps or long-winded explanations about this world, A reader learns about the world through a characters exploration of it, as it should be. Highly recommended if you want a well written book in an interesting world with well written, bigger than life (but not boring) characters.
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a turn that isn't expected - there were only a few ways it could end, and the author manages to find a third way out, one that isn't expected.Pacing is good - no data dumps or long-winded explanations about this world, A reader learns about the world through a characters exploration of it, as it should be. Highly recommended if you want a well written book in an interesting world with well written, bigger than life (but not boring) characters.
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LibraryThing member sundowneruk
Another really good urban fantasy. Looking forward to book #2
LibraryThing member capiam1234
Loved the world building, characters, and he premise of this magic filled book of alternate worlds!
Awards
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Fantasy — 2016)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — Fiction — 2015)
Original language
English
Original publication date
2015-02-24
Physical description
400 p.; 5.79 inches
ISBN
0765376458 / 9780765376459