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

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

Kell is one of the last Antari, magical brings powerful enough to cross the boundaries between worlds. Lila is a pickpocket who dreams of adventure. When she picks the wrong pocket and adventure finds her, life will never be the same again. 

 

I had to read this one because my daughter recommended it, and while she rarely reads she’d ordered the two sequels before she was halfway through this one. I’m not as big a fan. Having read more widely I find that this pales in comparison to the Realm of the Elderlings or Mistborn series. 

 

However, the characters are decent. There’s a sense of threat and pacing that carries the story along. And some reasonable world building. But, perhaps best suited to people who are intimidated by longer fantasy series, and are looking for a lighter entry to worlds of complex magic and tradition.