A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1)

by V.E. Schwab

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Kell is a Traveler. His Antari blood makes him a rare breed with the ability to travel between multiple universes which he does with a fair amount of reckless abandon. Because of this, his talents are used to relay messages between the ruling powers of three different Londons. Grey London which has insignificant, barely there traces of magic and is the one we knew during King George III’s reign, Red London which is Kell’s London, thriving with Magic, White London where magic has been dying out and the monarchy is desperate to restore it, and Black London which was destroyed years ago. As an adopted member of the royal family of Red London, Kell has certain obligations. Like making sure his brother Rhys stays out of trouble and making sure messages pass safely and securely between worlds. On the side, he makes deals with citizens from all the Londons and often brings back trinkets in exchange for payment. One of these trinkets ends up being a very dangerous artifact from a different time and place and puts him in the path of Lila Bard, pirate captain thief extraordinaire. What happens next is a whirlwind journey of protecting what you love and trying to make things right.

I really love V. E Schwab’s writing. I had read Vicious (her adult novel) a few years back and it rocked my world. When I heard she was writing a young adult series based on alternate universes set in the 1800s, I was ON FRIGGIN’ BOARD. Let me tell you. And this book didn’t disappoint. Where Schwab really excels is her world building and descriptions. The writing is detailed and rich and I could picture all the different London’s so clearly. I was definitely hanging out with Kell and Lila and checking out Kell’s fancy coat. Honestly, the amount of time and precision that went into creating these worlds and describing them is amazing. And it never felt boring! Sometimes when authors spend a lot of time exploring the small details, it can really slow the down the pace of the novel and get tedious, but it didn’t happen here and I was completely invested in what was going on at all times.

However, I did feel that the ball was dropped with regard to the characters. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the characters overall, I just didn’t feel for them. Kell has such an interesting history and backstory, but I don’t feel like it contributed in any way to his personality. He definitely felt a little like day old soda to me. We don’t know what really motivates him aside from his love for his brother which doesn’t even come into play until later in the novel. He flirts with danger regularly, but not in a way that compels the reader to understand him. We’re just like, oh, Kell’s doing something crazy again, wonder what will happen. Again, the only time I really felt for him was when he was interacting with his brother, Rhy. Lila is a little better, but not by a lot. She’s given a bit more emotional depth and her character is a bit more nuanced, but she’s not exactly what I’d call likable. I happen to like characters like this, where they’re given traits that are interesting and complicated, but aren’t technically “good” or “nice” characters. Sometimes it could be a bit abrasive, but it was a nice change up for me.

There were no real relationships at the heart of this novel other than Kell and Rhy which I loved. There are hints of romance between Kell and Lila and they do share some cute scenes, but romance wasn’t a huge part of this story and I also liked that. Honestly, I found the character histories much more intriguing and Kell’s sense of not belonging anywhere even though he has a family who loves him and who he loves as well, struck a few chords with me. And the genuine love and affection for Rhy was my favorite part of the book. I think the characters will be explored more thoroughly in the subsequent books and I’m also looking forward to seeing a bit more romance between Lila and Kell because they do make an interesting pair. A Gathering of Shadows, the second book in the series, is slated to come out in late February of next year so we’re in for quite a wait.

All in all, this is a really great story with some good characters who have a lot of potential. Schwab is an incredibly gifted storyteller and a master of the vivid detail so this was a great book for me. I wish more energy and time had been spent crafting the characters, though. I think they definitely took a backseat to the story and it was a bit disappointing to me. I do tend to like plot driven novels more than character ones, but it really bugged me in this case because the world was so amazing that I felt like the characters should have been as vibrant and textured. If not for that, it would have been a perfect read for me. I will definitely be checking out the next book though, and I hope that we get a little more insight and development from Kell, Lila, and the extended cast. If you like historical books with a touch of magic and science fiction, this book is definitely for you.