A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1)
by
by
V.E. Schwab (Pseudonym)
Kristalia ♥loves tragedies♥(◕‿◕✿) 's review
it was amazing
bookshelves: recommended-to-me, friends-love-like-it, 4-to-5-stars,favorites, reviewed, be-my-heroes-please, be-my-heroine-please, cut-my-heart-out, dark, glbt-secondary, humans-should-die-here-painfully, i-didnt-sleep-cause-i-read-this, made-me-smile-or-laugh, they-are-so-awesome-hot-and-stuff, they-are-so-cute-its-unbearable, type-trilogy, unique-or-different-story,why-u-no-longer-u-make-me-sad, age-mature-young-adult, favorite-series
Final rating: 4.75/5 stars
This is the second book by V.E. Schwab that I have read. And I'm starting to love really, really, much the way she writes the stories. First one was Vicious and to be honest, I loved A Darker Shade of Magic more than this one. Since I gave Vicious4.5 stars, it's only fair to give this one 4.75. It wasn't perfect, but it was very close to it, and it was well done. It took me 2 days to finish it, and if I didn't have other obligations I would have finished it all in a day. Conclusion: it is interesting, captivating, magical.
And also, the world building was so well thought of, and I have a thing for mages - I just can't resist them. And blood mages... I always played blood mages in Dragon Age because I wanted to. And here, blood magic is something unique and powerful, but also source of pain and suffering. Not to mention parallel worlds! How cool is that? I'll talk more of that later under world building section.
This book had a good characterization for side characters, and stronger for the main ones. You could easily understand their personalities and what kind of people they are. For now, there are only 2 main characters and people around them.
As for the antagonists of this story: We have 3 of them, and only 1 showed some signs of the hidden mask and everything that comes with it: pain, defiance, loneliness, fear; but it doesn't stop him from doing what he does, because he barely has any choice. The other two were evil just for the sake of it, they are sadistic, cruel and horrifying rulers, enjoying the suffering and pain and chaos they cause. There is sadly no more to them, no hidden stories of how they became that way or what happened to them to twist them so much, but it could just be influence of the city itself.
Btw, A RED HAIRED character - no matter who they are (regardless of their gender) I just love them in like 99.9% of cases - red is my favorite color and I just can't resist red haired characters, no matter what I do. The lucky winner here is Kell, who is also, thankfully, main character. Bless red hair. (Okay, the actual color is auburn-copper-reddish-brown hair :D)
Also, the romance is not the main point of the book, it is the story. Not to mention Schwab's languages - they were so well done!
Set in 1819, there are 4 parallel worlds, and each one of them has a same city on the same spot - London. Each world however, has a measure of magic. It was possible to travel between worlds if one was Antari. Red London is full of magic. Grey London is lacking the magic (and is in fact our London - or at least the most similar parallel version of it), and White London has magic too, but they are a starving world, the one stuck between Red London and Black London, the last one. Black London is a dead world - magic destroyed them and all of their artifacts were destroyed in the other worlds. After Black L. fell, Antari were dragged off and killed, and now are very rare. And being near Black, the White one was left struggling and became insane world.
The longer the worlds are apart, the less Antari are born. Antari are blood mages, and they alone can travel between the worlds, using their blood to pass through "doors" they make. Not only that, but they are also very powerful and can use other magic, though their blood is also capable of healing and many other things. And now, in the present, only 2 of them are left. Antari have one significant mark - one of their eyes is completely black. Antari also heal faster and are hard to kill.
As for the magic itself, there is elemental, bones (can control bones and therefore bodies) and compulsion magic (can control other people). Each magic type is born into random person, so it's not genetic.
Kell is one of the two remaining Antari in the worlds - he is also an ambassador and a smuggler of items between the worlds, which is strictly forbidden by his homeland - Red London. This hobby of his - of all else, gets him in trouble. He got tricked to smuggle a stone, artifact of Black London - all of which should have been destroyed. And there are those who search for it - and will do anything to get that stone. Kell injured and bleeding, goes to Grey London and comes across Lila - who robs him, the later thinking he was drunk (and not bleeding a lot). And then it turns into chaos - he cannot return home, and relic in the wrong hands can only bring disaster.
◈ Kell (21 years old) is Red London's Antari and a messenger between royalty. But in the meantime, he smuggles things from one London to another, even though it is forbidden by the Red. Only the tokens for traveling the world are allowed, but Kell cannot help himself - he, like other people he trades with - is a Collector himself, although he hides his stuff in his secret room. In some way, it is a symbol - he himself believes that he is also possession of his royals.
Despite being powerful and having a place to be, he also has a family - but not a real one. He is adopted prince of Maresh family, and they "think of him as a son" - how true that statement is, he doesn't know because he doesn't see it that way. He strongly believes that he is their possession, property of king and queen, only to be used on their whims and given place to stay only because of his power, and that their kindness is just pretension. Not only that, but he has amnesia and cannot remember his earlier years, his memories taken away from him. His only bond with his previous life - the K.L. initials on his knife.
The only one he considers a family is his "brother" Rhy, and he would do anything to keep him away from harm.
***
Kell usually has bad luck - everything that can go wrong will go wrong for him, but overall, he is cautious, not good at hiding his emotions, but is able to adapt in every town and is usually calm person. He also does whatever he believes is right, no matter what the cost. And he will also lie if he considers it's the right thing to do, but sometimes wishes the lie ends up being truth.
◈ Delilah "Lila" Bard (19) from Grey London is arrogant, cautious, greedy and wants to see the world no matter what the cost.
Anything is better than the current life she is living, and she dreams of becoming a pirate and having her own ship, sailing the seas and being free of everything.
In the meantime, she is a professional thief, and is not bound by moralities or even taking lives when needed (or not needed). She masks herself with both her external and internal mask. Even though she hides herself, she is extremely proud of herself and her achievements and the fact that no one knows who she is - The Shadow Thief, as the people call her. She is an adventurous person, and is always so curious. Even if it endangers her life. Oh, did I mention she enjoys cross-dressing?
***
▣ As for relationship between Lila and Kell, it was very interesting. Also, this is my favorite scene with two of them:
Also:
***
***
◈ Holland (31~32 (x)) is the second of the two remaining Antari in the worlds, and just like Kell, he can pass through the worlds and delivers messages, and has a black filled eye as well. But unlike Kell, Holland is more of a fighting mage, dangerous, ruthless and inspires fear in others. He is from White London, where power is taken by the strongest, and right now, his rulers are vicious Dane twins ( Astrid and Athos Dane ), cruel and psychopathic King and Queen with little interest in human lives, except for Antari and their unhealthy obsession with them. Astrid and Athos love, more than anything, to play with lives of people and use them however they want, and saying no to them is equal to fate worse than death, as they use compulsion spells to bind people to do their bidding. And they are not generous masters - they would never accept failure. In fact, what is Holland role in White London? [Because he couldn't win in the battle for the throne, they bound him and practically made him a slave. He, however, still struggles, but knows he has little to no choice other than doing what they order.
(hide spoiler)] Holland is everything Kell isn't and very different from him, but at the same time, both of them share the pain of being the last ones left, and the knowledge of how much their own magic can hurt them. Holland is complex character, and honestly - I LOVE how his character was done. He is, no doubt, my absolute favorite character so far.
◈ Others:
Rhy (20) is the real son of Maxim and Emira Maresh, King and Queen of Red London. And most importantly, people love him - he can win almost everyone over just by being near.
I loved their bond, they are really like brothers. Rhy himself is very protective of Kell, and hates it when he uses blood magic, especially if it was by Rhy's fault.
On the other hand, while his parents may seem generous, loving and carying, Kell himself believes they only see him as a weapon, a possession and that they are all acting. But is it true?
Parrish and Gen are Rhy's personal guard - and they are loyal to him. The two of them are quite good friends, even when they rob each other of their money by cheating in card game. Of course, they like Prince Rhy, mostly because he is quite kind and generous, and would just talk with them without pretenses in their own common tongue.
Barron is the tavern keeper, The Stone’s Throw, which is in Gray London. He knows of Kell, as Kell comes from time to time. He knows that something is different around Kell. On the other hand, he also knows Lila, and would help her, even when she doesn't want it or refuses it. But that didn't stop him kicking her out a year ago for thieving (not from him but someone else).
Great book. Can't wait to read the sequel!
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
⚠ Standalone: No. Part of a series. The story, however, has beginning and the end, but it's far from over.
⚠ Point of View: Third POV, multiply characters.
⚠ Cliffhanger: No.
⚠ Triggers: [self harm, both willing and forced; torture; attempted rape; compulsion/slavery (never said it was that, but it just is.) (hide spoiler)]
⚠ Love triangle: No
⚠ Angst: Yes
⚠ Supernatural: Yes, mages: blood and elemental magic, parallel worlds
⚠ Explicit content: Extremely mild
⚠ Recommended: Yes
◈ A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1)
◈ A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2)
◈ A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3)
Grey for the magic-less city.
Red, for the healthy empire.
White for the starving world.”
This is the second book by V.E. Schwab that I have read. And I'm starting to love really, really, much the way she writes the stories. First one was Vicious and to be honest, I loved A Darker Shade of Magic more than this one. Since I gave Vicious4.5 stars, it's only fair to give this one 4.75. It wasn't perfect, but it was very close to it, and it was well done. It took me 2 days to finish it, and if I didn't have other obligations I would have finished it all in a day. Conclusion: it is interesting, captivating, magical.
And also, the world building was so well thought of, and I have a thing for mages - I just can't resist them. And blood mages... I always played blood mages in Dragon Age because I wanted to. And here, blood magic is something unique and powerful, but also source of pain and suffering. Not to mention parallel worlds! How cool is that? I'll talk more of that later under world building section.
This book had a good characterization for side characters, and stronger for the main ones. You could easily understand their personalities and what kind of people they are. For now, there are only 2 main characters and people around them.
As for the antagonists of this story: We have 3 of them, and only 1 showed some signs of the hidden mask and everything that comes with it: pain, defiance, loneliness, fear; but it doesn't stop him from doing what he does, because he barely has any choice. The other two were evil just for the sake of it, they are sadistic, cruel and horrifying rulers, enjoying the suffering and pain and chaos they cause. There is sadly no more to them, no hidden stories of how they became that way or what happened to them to twist them so much, but it could just be influence of the city itself.
Btw, A RED HAIRED character - no matter who they are (regardless of their gender) I just love them in like 99.9% of cases - red is my favorite color and I just can't resist red haired characters, no matter what I do. The lucky winner here is Kell, who is also, thankfully, main character. Bless red hair. (Okay, the actual color is auburn-copper-reddish-brown hair :D)
Also, the romance is not the main point of the book, it is the story. Not to mention Schwab's languages - they were so well done!
► WORLD-BUILDING:
Set in 1819, there are 4 parallel worlds, and each one of them has a same city on the same spot - London. Each world however, has a measure of magic. It was possible to travel between worlds if one was Antari. Red London is full of magic. Grey London is lacking the magic (and is in fact our London - or at least the most similar parallel version of it), and White London has magic too, but they are a starving world, the one stuck between Red London and Black London, the last one. Black London is a dead world - magic destroyed them and all of their artifacts were destroyed in the other worlds. After Black L. fell, Antari were dragged off and killed, and now are very rare. And being near Black, the White one was left struggling and became insane world.
“There’s Dull London, Kell London, Creepy London, and Dead London,” she recited, ticking them off on her fingers. “See? I’m a fast learner.”
The longer the worlds are apart, the less Antari are born. Antari are blood mages, and they alone can travel between the worlds, using their blood to pass through "doors" they make. Not only that, but they are also very powerful and can use other magic, though their blood is also capable of healing and many other things. And now, in the present, only 2 of them are left. Antari have one significant mark - one of their eyes is completely black. Antari also heal faster and are hard to kill.
They were ideal vessels, capable of controlling any element, of drawing any spell, of using their own blood to command the world around them. They were tools, and in the wrong hands, weapons. Perhaps the lack of inheritance was nature’s way of balancing the scales, of maintaining order.
As for the magic itself, there is elemental, bones (can control bones and therefore bodies) and compulsion magic (can control other people). Each magic type is born into random person, so it's not genetic.
► STORY:
Kell is one of the two remaining Antari in the worlds - he is also an ambassador and a smuggler of items between the worlds, which is strictly forbidden by his homeland - Red London. This hobby of his - of all else, gets him in trouble. He got tricked to smuggle a stone, artifact of Black London - all of which should have been destroyed. And there are those who search for it - and will do anything to get that stone. Kell injured and bleeding, goes to Grey London and comes across Lila - who robs him, the later thinking he was drunk (and not bleeding a lot). And then it turns into chaos - he cannot return home, and relic in the wrong hands can only bring disaster.
► CHARACTERS:
◈ Kell (21 years old) is Red London's Antari and a messenger between royalty. But in the meantime, he smuggles things from one London to another, even though it is forbidden by the Red. Only the tokens for traveling the world are allowed, but Kell cannot help himself - he, like other people he trades with - is a Collector himself, although he hides his stuff in his secret room. In some way, it is a symbol - he himself believes that he is also possession of his royals.
Whatever one chose to believe, the fact remained that Antari had grown even more rare, and therefore more precious. Their talent had always made them something to be coveted, but now their scarcity made them something to be gathered and guarded and kept. Possessed. And whether or not Rhy wanted to admit it, Kell belonged to the royal collection.
Despite being powerful and having a place to be, he also has a family - but not a real one. He is adopted prince of Maresh family, and they "think of him as a son" - how true that statement is, he doesn't know because he doesn't see it that way. He strongly believes that he is their possession, property of king and queen, only to be used on their whims and given place to stay only because of his power, and that their kindness is just pretension. Not only that, but he has amnesia and cannot remember his earlier years, his memories taken away from him. His only bond with his previous life - the K.L. initials on his knife.
The only one he considers a family is his "brother" Rhy, and he would do anything to keep him away from harm.
With the table, Kell could show him. Let Rhy see the other Londons as he saw them. A selfish part of Kell wanted to share them with his brother, so that he wouldn’t feel so alone, so that someone else would see, would know. But the thing about people, Kell had discovered, is that they didn’t really want to know. They thought they did, but knowing only made them miserable. Why fill up a mind with things you can’t use? Why dwell on places you can’t go? What good would it do Rhy, who, for all the privileges his royal status might grant him, could never set foot in another London?
***
“Does he [Rhy] get into as much trouble as you do?”
Kell cracked a smile. “Oh, much more. Believe it or not, I’m the responsible one.”
“But you two are close.”
Kell’s smile fell, and he nodded once. “Yes. The king and queen may not be my parents, but Rhy is my brother. I would die for him. I would kill for him. And I have.”
Kell usually has bad luck - everything that can go wrong will go wrong for him, but overall, he is cautious, not good at hiding his emotions, but is able to adapt in every town and is usually calm person. He also does whatever he believes is right, no matter what the cost. And he will also lie if he considers it's the right thing to do, but sometimes wishes the lie ends up being truth.
“Well, then,” he said. “Let’s go home.” He often found himself speaking to the magic. Not commanding, simply conversing. Magic was a living thing—that, everyone knew—but to Kell it felt like more, like a friend, like family. It was, after all, a part of him (much more than it was a part of most) and he couldn’t help feeling like it knew what he was saying, what he was feeling, not only when he summoned it, but always, in every heartbeat and every breath.
He was, after all, Antari.
◈ Delilah "Lila" Bard (19) from Grey London is arrogant, cautious, greedy and wants to see the world no matter what the cost.
Lila Bard lived by a simple rule: if a thing was worth having, it was worth taking.
Anything is better than the current life she is living, and she dreams of becoming a pirate and having her own ship, sailing the seas and being free of everything.
Lila Bard knew in her bones that she was meant to be a pirate. All she needed was a working ship.
In the meantime, she is a professional thief, and is not bound by moralities or even taking lives when needed (or not needed). She masks herself with both her external and internal mask. Even though she hides herself, she is extremely proud of herself and her achievements and the fact that no one knows who she is - The Shadow Thief, as the people call her. She is an adventurous person, and is always so curious. Even if it endangers her life. Oh, did I mention she enjoys cross-dressing?
No, Lila had been running toward something. Something better. And even if she hadn’t reached it yet, she would.
“This isn’t a life!” she’d shouted, the handful of things she owned shoved under her arm. “This isn’t anything. It’s not enough. It’s not fucking enough.”
***
“I apologize for anything I might have done. I was not myself.”
“I apologize for [shooting you in the leg, (hide spoiler)]” said Lila. “I was myself entirely.”
▣ As for relationship between Lila and Kell, it was very interesting. Also, this is my favorite scene with two of them:
“What are you?” she asked.
“A monster,” said Kell hoarsely. “You’d better let me go.”
The girl gave a small, mocking laugh. “Monsters don’t faint in the presence of ladies.”
“Ladies don’t dress like men and pick pockets,” retorted Kell.
Her smile only sharpened. “What are you really?”
“Tied to your bed,” said Kell matter-of-factly.
“And?”
His brow furrowed. “And in trouble.”
That, at least, garnered a sliver of surprise. “Aside from the obvious being tied to my bed?”
“Yes.”
Also:
“I’ve never met anyone like you.”
He hadn’t meant it as a compliment, but Lila took it that way, flashing him a grin. “What can I say,” she said, “I’m one of a kind.”
Kell managed an echo of her smile, and she gasped. “What’s that on your face?”
The smile vanished. “What?”
“Never mind,” she said, laughing. “It’s gone.” Kell only shook his head—he didn’t grasp the joke—but whatever it was, it seemed to delight Lila, and she chuckled to herself all the way to Whitbury.
***
“You’re a violent sort.”
She wagged the blade. “We can’t all turn blood and whispers into weapons.”
Kell bristled. “I don’t whisper."
***
“What are you?” he asked, amazed.
Lila only shrugged. “Stubborn.”
◈ Holland (31~32 (x)) is the second of the two remaining Antari in the worlds, and just like Kell, he can pass through the worlds and delivers messages, and has a black filled eye as well. But unlike Kell, Holland is more of a fighting mage, dangerous, ruthless and inspires fear in others. He is from White London, where power is taken by the strongest, and right now, his rulers are vicious Dane twins ( Astrid and Athos Dane ), cruel and psychopathic King and Queen with little interest in human lives, except for Antari and their unhealthy obsession with them. Astrid and Athos love, more than anything, to play with lives of people and use them however they want, and saying no to them is equal to fate worse than death, as they use compulsion spells to bind people to do their bidding. And they are not generous masters - they would never accept failure. In fact, what is Holland role in White London? [Because he couldn't win in the battle for the throne, they bound him and practically made him a slave. He, however, still struggles, but knows he has little to no choice other than doing what they order.
(..)his expression lodged between distant surprise and disinterest. As if the sight meant nothing to him.
Which was a lie.
Holland liked to play at being hollow, but Athos knew it was a ruse. He might have feigned numbness, but he was hardly immune to sensation. To pain.
(hide spoiler)] Holland is everything Kell isn't and very different from him, but at the same time, both of them share the pain of being the last ones left, and the knowledge of how much their own magic can hurt them. Holland is complex character, and honestly - I LOVE how his character was done. He is, no doubt, my absolute favorite character so far.
Kell had himself been to the city a handful of times before the last king fell, and he had seen Holland at the ruler’s side, but as an ally, not a servant. He had been different then, younger and more arrogant, yes, but there was also something else, something more, a light in his eyes. A fire. And then, between one visit and the next, the fire was gone, and so was the king, replaced by the Danes. Holland was still there, at their side as if nothing had changed. But he had changed, gone cold and dark, and Kell wanted to know what had happened—what had really happened.
***
Holland was many things—most of them well hidden—but he was not sentimental. If he had ever been compassionate, or at least merciful, Athos had bled it out of him long ago, carved it out along with his soul.
No, Holland was ruthless.
◈ Others:
Rhy (20) is the real son of Maxim and Emira Maresh, King and Queen of Red London. And most importantly, people love him - he can win almost everyone over just by being near.
Rhy knew how to deal with these moments, how to twist them, how to own them.Rhy is not good at magic, but he is also very much attached to Kell. He may as well see him as his own real brother - and not just adopted prince. And Kell, as well, has the same attachment for Rhy. (Also, our prince is bisexual.) In Kell's own words, Rhy is:
Kell wanted only to disappear.
“He’s … charming and spoiled, generous and fickle and hedonistic. He would flirt with a nicely upholstered chair, and he never takes anything seriously.”
***
The people of London—and of the country beyond—loved their prince. And why shouldn’t they? He was young and handsome and kind. Perhaps he played the part of rake too often and too well, but behind the charismatic smile and the flirtatious air was a sharp mind and a good intent, the desire to make everyone around him happy. He had little gift for magic—and even less focus for it—but what he lacked in power he more than made up for in charm.
I loved their bond, they are really like brothers. Rhy himself is very protective of Kell, and hates it when he uses blood magic, especially if it was by Rhy's fault.
“Then put an end to this foolishness, before I do.”
Kell managed a small, tired smile. “Careful, Rhy,” he said. “You’re beginning to sound like a king.”
Rhy’s mouth quirked. “One day I will be. And I need you there beside me.”
Kell smiled back. “Believe me. There’s no place I’d rather be.” It was the truth.
On the other hand, while his parents may seem generous, loving and carying, Kell himself believes they only see him as a weapon, a possession and that they are all acting. But is it true?
Parrish and Gen are Rhy's personal guard - and they are loyal to him. The two of them are quite good friends, even when they rob each other of their money by cheating in card game. Of course, they like Prince Rhy, mostly because he is quite kind and generous, and would just talk with them without pretenses in their own common tongue.
Barron is the tavern keeper, The Stone’s Throw, which is in Gray London. He knows of Kell, as Kell comes from time to time. He knows that something is different around Kell. On the other hand, he also knows Lila, and would help her, even when she doesn't want it or refuses it. But that didn't stop him kicking her out a year ago for thieving (not from him but someone else).
► OVERALL:
Great book. Can't wait to read the sequel!
Magic was a truly beautiful disease.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
⚠ Standalone: No. Part of a series. The story, however, has beginning and the end, but it's far from over.
⚠ Point of View: Third POV, multiply characters.
⚠ Cliffhanger: No.
⚠ Triggers: [self harm, both willing and forced; torture; attempted rape; compulsion/slavery (never said it was that, but it just is.) (hide spoiler)]
⚠ Love triangle: No
⚠ Angst: Yes
⚠ Supernatural: Yes, mages: blood and elemental magic, parallel worlds
⚠ Explicit content: Extremely mild
⚠ Recommended: Yes
► REVIEW(S) RELATED TO THIS BOOK:
◈ A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1)
◈ A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2)
◈ A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3)
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