Reviews

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

madisonvee11's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

tene143's review against another edition

4.0

I feel like the premise of London's that are sperate but connecting is really exciting. Each London felt very different and one of them actually scary. While I didn't exactly like the villians I did enjoy the story and am eager to see what happens with our pirate girl and the two who can cross.

catalogthis's review against another edition

4.0

Despite being the first in a trilogy, this works very well as a standalone. Recommended for those who like their urban fantasy more bloody than faerie.

Might have been a five-star rating if the primary villains had been more interesting. (I prefer baddies with depth... these two were more "I am evil! Watch me do my evil!" and "I am evil and female! Watch me do my evil but also please notice this form-fitting yet practical and magically stain-resistant evil outfit.")

annalin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

flowielandt's review against another edition

4.0

lila, kell, rhy, los amo. que libro tan bueno gooood, ya deseo leer el resto de la trilogía ♡

_jaz_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

bbyrer's review against another edition

5.0

A Darker Shade of Magic reimagines magic and it’s relationship to people. By situating magic with its own sentience that interacts with humans in a multitude, Schwab forges a different type of reality against the common conception of magic we have all grown up with as children or adults (e.g. the Harry Potter series or The Night Circus). The juxtaposition of humans and magic engender complexity with a tension that exists more prominently and inherently than the typical trope of good vs. evil as manifested within humanity. This grants the book depth and confusion that many readers will not have previously experienced with typical stories of magic. Placing all of this within a multiverse further expands the troubling of our hero as he relates to his particular London, the other Londons, and the people within each. A spectacular build with exciting prose, I’d recommend this to any lover of fantasy.

mikaylarenee's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

sophie_phie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark tense

4.0

pixelatedlenses's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5