I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still
A Darker Shade of Magic
by V. E. Schwab
Genre: YA Fantasy
About: The London in our world is known as Grey London, with little magic left. But there are other Londons. Red London, fizzling with magic, White London, dominating magic, and Black London, consumed by magic. Kell is one of the rare magical souls able to travel through them. Travel, but not disrupt. The worlds are kept separate: things and people must remain in their London. To break this rule, would be to risk magic consuming White, Red and Grey London as it did Black.
The Good
I loved the setting, each London has its own unique atmosphere and, with it, its own intrigues. Kell is a great main character with interesting magic and a mysterious past, one that presumably we'll find out more about in the series as a whole. And even that the villains are not exactly original, I really enjoyed them. The evil twins create a lot of necessary conflict, hold real menace and I would have loved to have read an entire book about how they took White London and, impressively, Holland with it. Holland (a person, not a country) is, for his part, a good counter-balance to Kell. He has the same raw power, but they've lived very different lives and that fact is marked by his actions and presence in the story.
The Bad
Probably an unpopular opinion but I didn't connect much with Lila's character. She had her moments where I liked her, but for the most part, she didn't come across as someone I wanted to know more about. She's a would-be pirate who steals and kills in equal measure and just wants to escape her dreary life and go on an adventure. I get the appeal, but I also know her story. The reveal didn't come in this book, but pretty sure I know why she's able to pass through worlds and has a glass eye.
The Somewhat Iffy
The only thing I was a bit confused on was around Kell's smuggling trade. At the beginning, we meet a Grey Londoner trying to trade with him, but Kell refuses and I don't really get why. He differentiates between Collectors (those that want magic objects but not to use them) and Enthusiasts (those that want magic objects for the magic) so I suppose he refuses him because he's an Enthusiast, not a Collector. I just don't understand what payment means to him (as he states the Londoner couldn't afford the trade) or what he fears if Grey London uses magic again - they're unlikely to be as magical as the other Londons. The plot revolves around Kell doing this smuggling trade so I think it's important to really understand it and I personally didn't.
Overall
I really liked the different Londons, the plot was fast-paced and it had interesting characters. I might continue the series, but I don't feel compelled to. If you're looking to read a fantasy that's grounded in this world and has short burst chapters that you can dip in and out of, then this is a great book with very little to disappoint.
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