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mobymaize's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
A lovely romp through multiple Londons, similar to, but not the same as, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. Super exciting and felt like a very well done HBO mini series in the best way possible :)
Planning on reading the sequels at some point!
Planning on reading the sequels at some point!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Toxic friendship, Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gore, Police brutality, Rape, Classism, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Torture, Gun violence, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Self harm, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Genocide, Grief, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, and War
Main character uses magic by through self harm. Just a heads up.nat20charisma's review against another edition
5.0
The setting was exciting with parallel Londons. I loved the main characters Kell and Lila (who I found out shares my birthday). I’d love to know more about the magic system!
This book had a satisfying conclusion, but I know it’s a trilogy. I’m curious where the second book is going to take off…
Would not recommend for anyone with a history of self harm. The magic system requires users to cut themselves and use their blood.
This book had a satisfying conclusion, but I know it’s a trilogy. I’m curious where the second book is going to take off…
Would not recommend for anyone with a history of self harm. The magic system requires users to cut themselves and use their blood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Self harm
Moderate: War
Minor: Rape
Attempted Rape at the beginning of the book, and a mention of an attempted rape that ended in murder. Neither is descriptive and each is short. Magic is blood magic; lots of mentions and descriptions of blood and cutting.mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This is the opening book in what is currently a fantasy trilogy, though perhaps it will expand to additional books. The second sentence tripped me up(*), but after that I raced through the book. The setting is compelling: adjoining worlds with different versions of London - Red London, rich in magic; Grey London, poor in magic and closest to our own; Black London, sealed off from the others; White London, fallen, as the book describes it, "to chaos and conquering. Blood and ash."
Kell, one of the book's two chief protagonists, has the exceedingly rare ability to travel between the worlds. Lila, the other main protagonist, is a cutpurse whom readers are clearly meant to find likable. I did. I liked both the main characters considerably. I came close to liking the book very much, but stopped short and merely liked it.
Two things put me off. Firstly, the level and amount of brutality exceeded my comfort zone. Secondly, to me, the book felt manipulative. The book's popularity indicates my reaction is atypical, so don't attach much weight to this. I like to care about characters in stories and to react emotionally to fictional events, but, with "A Darker Shade of Magic," I sometimes felt those reactions were scripted by the author. For instance, spoiler warning for details,sympathetic minor characters are killed rather summarily. We are shown the point-of-view of Barron, a tavern-keeper, for a few pages, just enough to make him likable, before he is killed. His death reinforces the enemy's villainy and gives one of the main characters brief pause, but seems largely gratuitious. Similarly, we follow a royal bodyguard, Parrish, in a couple of scenes -- he's also very likable -- then both he and his partner bodyguard die. Their deaths upset me and, more so, the fact that we don't see Kell or Rhy grieving for them. Likewise, I felt I was being steered to sympathize with Lila from the second scene where a man she knows well tries to rape her.
Three and a half out of five shaded stars.
(*) The second sentence, which describes a coat, is: "It had neither one side, which would be conventional, nor two, which would be unexpected, but *several*, which was, of course, impossible." The sentence wants to establish say that this is no ordinary coat, nor even a reversible coat, but instead a magical coat. I tripped up because I consider ordinary coats as having an inside and an outside, plus a front and a back, plus a left and a right, i.e. multiple ways that an ordinary coat has more than one side. I'd consider this a minor stumble later on in the story, but it was offputting for the second sentence.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Kell, one of the book's two chief protagonists, has the exceedingly rare ability to travel between the worlds. Lila, the other main protagonist, is a cutpurse whom readers are clearly meant to find likable. I did. I liked both the main characters considerably. I came close to liking the book very much, but stopped short and merely liked it.
Two things put me off. Firstly, the level and amount of brutality exceeded my comfort zone. Secondly, to me, the book felt manipulative. The book's popularity indicates my reaction is atypical, so don't attach much weight to this. I like to care about characters in stories and to react emotionally to fictional events, but, with "A Darker Shade of Magic," I sometimes felt those reactions were scripted by the author. For instance, spoiler warning for details,
Three and a half out of five shaded stars.
(*) The second sentence, which describes a coat, is: "It had neither one side, which would be conventional, nor two, which would be unexpected, but *several*, which was, of course, impossible." The sentence wants to establish say that this is no ordinary coat, nor even a reversible coat, but instead a magical coat. I tripped up because I consider ordinary coats as having an inside and an outside, plus a front and a back, plus a left and a right, i.e. multiple ways that an ordinary coat has more than one side. I'd consider this a minor stumble later on in the story, but it was offputting for the second sentence.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Torture
Moderate: Rape
daniella_lo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Rape and Sexual harassment
veronicabaily's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and War
Minor: Rape
rowbean's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Rape
zoeelora's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, and Self harm
Moderate: Alcohol, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual content, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Sexual harassment, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Abandonment, Addiction, Child death, Child abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Misogyny, and Violence
seastheday's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
2021: Pregnant / gave birth so it got lost in the shuffle
2024: decided to revisit this book- I had forgotten everything except for how icky the Dane Twins made me feel. The beginning was slow and the end was almost too fast. Things weren’t built up much and resolved way too quickly. The world building was excellent though. I like V.E. Schwab and I’m going to give the second book in the trilogy a chance. I found myself not really liking any of the characters, which is supposedly unusual for this book. I think I will like Lila more as the story continues. Kell just is a sacrificial idiot & I have hopes that he will grow more as a character.
2024: decided to revisit this book- I had forgotten everything except for how icky the Dane Twins made me feel. The beginning was slow and the end was almost too fast. Things weren’t built up much and resolved way too quickly. The world building was excellent though. I like V.E. Schwab and I’m going to give the second book in the trilogy a chance. I found myself not really liking any of the characters, which is supposedly unusual for this book. I think I will like Lila more as the story continues. Kell just is a sacrificial idiot & I have hopes that he will grow more as a character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gore
Minor: Rape
av0universe's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This surprised in a good way. I was expecting to like it but it altered my brain chemistry in a sense. I felt like throwing up with some parts, but I'll like to continue with the series.
I've read some reviews here that say that they don't like Lila but I genuinely understand her and even like her. And Kell was a hell of a main character. I enjoyed reading about them a lot.
On the other hand, a friend that read it before me said that it could have been a standalone and I do agree, but let's see what happens on the second book.
I've read some reviews here that say that they don't like Lila but I genuinely understand her and even like her. And Kell was a hell of a main character. I enjoyed reading about them a lot.
On the other hand, a friend that read it before me said that it could have been a standalone and I do agree, but let's see what happens on the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Blood, Self harm, Violence, Gore, and Gun violence
Minor: Rape
sunfl0wermax's review against another edition
i was almost 100 pages in and i felt like nothing was happening? also too many graphic descriptions of self harm for my taste.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape