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A review by kazoo
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
I read this for the first time in 2017 when I was fifteen, I really loved it when I first read it which is probably why I'm keeping the old rating for it.
spoilers watch out.
this is a very character driven story, the plot is all over the place which I'm used to with this author. it'set up for the other books. but some of this I think I could've gone without. there's a lot of fighting which duh. but some of it didn't hit as hard because it happened so much, it wasn't as impactful as it should've been. especially because this is the introduction to the characters.
I love all the character still.
I will say that Lilas weird looking down of other woman, she seems to think that women that are fem are lesser than her which is a huge pet peeve of mine. I'm hoping it's resolved in a thoughtful way, but it was 2015 and that was very much the feminism that was around at the time. Lila is only 19 and supposed to be genderqueer which yes her gender is very much Captain. nonbinary bitches and their Internalized women hate.
that said I still love her and her flaws.
Kell is literally the most pathetic sopping wet character ever. he's such a dumb ass and a martyr.
Rhy kind of only was in the book to be injured which once more didn't hit that hard because we don't know him yet, but it does show who he is as a character in taking the necklace from Holland, and he is just a baby barely 20.
I will say the linking of people's lives will always fuck hard, and to me it's better that it's not with the main love interest instead with brothers. I remember loving the sibling relationship in these books we shall see if it holds up.
Holland has suffered more then Jesus.
spoilers watch out.
this is a very character driven story, the plot is all over the place which I'm used to with this author. it'set up for the other books. but some of this I think I could've gone without. there's a lot of fighting which duh. but some of it didn't hit as hard because it happened so much, it wasn't as impactful as it should've been. especially because this is the introduction to the characters.
I love all the character still.
I will say that Lilas weird looking down of other woman, she seems to think that women that are fem are lesser than her which is a huge pet peeve of mine. I'm hoping it's resolved in a thoughtful way, but it was 2015 and that was very much the feminism that was around at the time. Lila is only 19 and supposed to be genderqueer which yes her gender is very much Captain. nonbinary bitches and their Internalized women hate.
that said I still love her and her flaws.
Kell is literally the most pathetic sopping wet character ever. he's such a dumb ass and a martyr.
Rhy kind of only was in the book to be injured which once more didn't hit that hard because we don't know him yet, but it does show who he is as a character in taking the necklace from Holland, and he is just a baby barely 20.
Holland has suffered more then Jesus.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail