Book Review: A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1)

About The Book:

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

  Author: V. E. Schwab 
  Pub. Date: February 24th, 2015
  Publisher: Tor Books  
  Pages: 398

  Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic 

  Rate: 5/5 stars

Synopsis :

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit. 

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once 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 royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

Review:

I can't believe it took me until NOW to read this book! This book was pure ... magic *hehehe*.  I now understand the obsession with this series ... and I hope after you all read this review, I can persuade you to try it too!!

Eddie Redmayne as
Kell Maresh 

"I'm not going to die," she said. "Not till I've seen it."

"Seen what?"

Her smile widened. "Everything."

Kell is only one of two people who can travel between the three remaining Londons - he doesn't know why the magic chooses specific people to be born into but there's only two remaining Antari. They can be visibly seen by having one regular colored eye and one black eye. In Kell's case, he has an adorable blue eye. Can we all just take a moment to appreciate him? He's not only cute and sassy but he has a fierce loyalty to his brother, Prince Rhy. Lila on the other hand is just as awesome, she just happens to be a little kleptomaniac with a bad attitude. Personally, I feel like they balance each other perfectly. I think her cross-dressing is perfect. The other main characters are Rhy, Holland, and The Danes. I say main characters because while the main focus isn't literally on them, they are written in so much vivid detail, and even though some of them are bad, I can't help but love them anyway.

Jenna Coleman as
Lila Bard

We all love magic right? It is one of the most interesting topics a book can tackle. But lets be honest, it is seldomly done right. The first books in a series often lose us because the way an author tries to convey their world of magic doesn't connect and it comes across as messy and confusing. So when I picked this book up I thought - "I not only have to figure out ONE world of magic, I have to figure out THREE!" *gulp*. Could I have been more wrong? In the case of ADSOM, there was never a single time where it felt like Ms. Schwab was teaching you this world of magic. It was SO well written you felt like you already knew this magic in your bones and it was just being reawakened by reading it.

"I apologize for anything I might have done. I was not myself." 

"I apologize for shooting you in the leg. I was myself entirely." 

There really is nothing bad to say about ADSOM. I'm not even kidding... There was never a moment that this book was dragging. If you're thinking "but I don't really like fantasy all that much". Well do you like books? Because I'm convinced this going to be somewhat of a classic. This is definitely going to be a book I recommend to everyone! I already ordered the second book in the series, A Gathering of Shadows. I can't wait to see what's next for Kell and Lila. Note * I'm going through the stages of shipping

- Jocelyn