A review by lottelikesbooks
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

5.0

4.5/5. This was a perfectly balanced blend of incredible world building, character development and an epic adventure story. For a total fantasy newb like me it was super easy to get into, but it also didn't compromise any of its complexity. There are four different versions of London with different magic systems and languages and all the characters are complex and multi-dimensional people. Everything seemed very cleverly constructed and thought through.
I also loved that while this is the first book in a series (trilogy?) it worked well as a standalone. I'm still super pumped to read the rest of the series and can't wait to see what Kell and Lila are up to next!