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A review by aliyahreadsbooks
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
4.0
I loved this!!! The world-building was fun and explained well, and although I kept having to refer back to the first chapter where Kell explained it, I got the hang of the Londons and I can’t imagine how VE Schwab came up with it. Black London is so intriguing, I hope we explore it even more in the rest of the series!
Going into this I expected Kell to be a solemn and broody character but I was SO wrong and I’m glad I was LOL. Kell is so fun and although he does have a shield up with Lila at first, that slowly breaks and we get to see so much of his true character. I love love loved his family relationships and his relationship with Rhy, it was all so sweet. We got to explore Kell’s character a lot in this and Lila (and the reader) came to understand him in a way no one else did. There were definitely parts that had me tearing up.
Lila is amazing I love her. I loved this ending for her, but knowing there are other books reminds me something will go wrong ahah so I just hope she gets her happy ending.
Lila seems like she will have a very good character arc and I’m looking forward to seeing that and exploring her character in more depth throughout the series. This book felt like it was for Kell, and I hope the next focuses on Lila.
Lila and Kell’s relationship was done SO well. I cannot stress this enough! I love how they became friends and got to know each other so well before any other feelings were introduced (still have yet to be introduced). I’m not sure if this does result in a romance (please don’t tell me) but if it does I think it has started out phenomenally. No tension, or banter, or any romantic tropes were done here and I think it was great because it really solidified their relationship with deep rooted friendship, and those are the best and most well written relationships.
The plot was unexpected (as I went in knowing literally nothing) and fun. It definitely had me on the edge of my seat at some parts! Although this book did not blow me away, I rly hope the next two books will.
I’m short, I definitely recommend this to fantasy lovers!
Going into this I expected Kell to be a solemn and broody character but I was SO wrong and I’m glad I was LOL. Kell is so fun and although he does have a shield up with Lila at first, that slowly breaks and we get to see so much of his true character. I love love loved his family relationships and his relationship with Rhy, it was all so sweet. We got to explore Kell’s character a lot in this and Lila (and the reader) came to understand him in a way no one else did. There were definitely parts that had me tearing up.
Lila is amazing I love her. I loved this ending for her, but knowing there are other books reminds me something will go wrong ahah so I just hope she gets her happy ending.
Lila seems like she will have a very good character arc and I’m looking forward to seeing that and exploring her character in more depth throughout the series. This book felt like it was for Kell, and I hope the next focuses on Lila.
Lila and Kell’s relationship was done SO well. I cannot stress this enough! I love how they became friends and got to know each other so well before any other feelings were introduced (still have yet to be introduced). I’m not sure if this does result in a romance (please don’t tell me) but if it does I think it has started out phenomenally. No tension, or banter, or any romantic tropes were done here and I think it was great because it really solidified their relationship with deep rooted friendship, and those are the best and most well written relationships.
The plot was unexpected (as I went in knowing literally nothing) and fun. It definitely had me on the edge of my seat at some parts! Although this book did not blow me away, I rly hope the next two books will.
I’m short, I definitely recommend this to fantasy lovers!