A Darker Shade of Magic
Ratings872
Average rating4
Hier had ik zoveel van verwacht. Ik las eerst the secret life of Addie LaRue van Schwab, en was echt verliefd. De kleuren van magie vond ik om een of andere reden een flauw afkooksel van een stations romannetje. Ik kreeg geen connectie met de personages (enkel Lila kon me wel bekoren) de locaties kwamen niet tot stand in mijn hoofd zoals dat normaal wel gebeurd. Ik moet iets missen. Aangezien de reviews over het algemeen positief zijn.
Ik denk niet dat ik het vervolg een kans ga geven.
Good concept, but couldn't connect with any of the characters.
SPOILER
Also Holland. You go through book thinking he was dead and suddenly it's ,,Oh btw Holland survived”. Don't get me wrong, I liked him but it doesn't sit well with me.
The world and story is very intriguing and I love both Kell and Lila. Can't wait to see what happens next!
It did take me a while to get into but that's because there is so much world building.
Attention everyone, if you haven't read this book then I don't even know what you are doing with your life.
This right here is one if the greatest books I have ever had the honor of reading.
I'm gonna right an actual review with gifts and stuff sometime this week but I must proceed into my reread of book #2
“Blood was magic made manifest. There it thrived. And there it poisoned.”In [b: A Darker Shade of Magic 22055262 A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1) V.E. Schwab https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1400322851l/22055262.SY75.jpg 40098252], there are four Londons, all separated with different qualities. Kell is an Antari from Red London, where magic flourishes. Antari have the ability to travel between Londons, and Kell is one of the last of his kind. He sends messages to the monarchs of the Londons, but when these Londons cross into another, danger ensues. Four stars are still decent, but I expected a lot more due to everyone hyping it up. I am not disappointed in any way, I just assumed it would be worth five stars. The beginning was a bit slow, hence why it took me six days to read it. (Embarrassing tbh).“For the ones who dream of stranger worlds.”The story itself is very fascinating, and I loved the way [a:V.E. Schwab 7168230 V.E. Schwab https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1511218938p2/7168230.jpg] described the magic. It was thrilling, the words so truly enchanting. It wasn't basic magic, it was so much more than that. More complex, yet so simple. (Also, reading this in a British accent? 100x betta luv XX
I don't even know where to start.
I've been thinking about reading this book for such a long time and I'm so happy that I finally picked it up. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and now I completely understand.
This book was a page-turner for me, I couldn't put it down. I absolutely adore the writing style, the format of the book with the short chapters and the fact that it's divided into 14 parts, each one containing around 4 or 5 chapters. I found it really easy to read and so, so much fun.
My favourite character is definitely Delilah “Lila” Bard. She's such a funny and amazing characters, always looking for trouble and finding it every single time. She is strong, she has a difficult past that hasn't been revealed to us entirely (I'm so excited to find out more about her). Her evolution throughout the book is incredible, how she goes from a thief that doesn't care about anyone else but her, to a gorgeous woman trying to save the world(s). I'm looking forward to reading the next books and getting to know her better, because I know she's going to be even more amazing that she was in the first book.
And let's talk about the gorgeous boy with hair like fire, and an eye that's a pool of darkness: Kell. I've heard so much about him and now that I've finally met him, I can say that he definitely lived up to my expectations. He's a beautiful character, he would do anything for his brother Rhy, the prince of Red London - and that's what kind of gets him into a lot of trouble.
I also loved the idea of different Londons in different worlds: there's White London, Grey London, Red London (that's where Kell lives) and Black London (that's been forgotten). Being able to travel between worlds must be really awesome for Kell, especially since he found Lila in one of those worlds. I can't wait to read more about these characters and see what happens next!
It was okay. Didn't really keep me interested or wanting more and there wasn't much character development
Absolutely loved this book. Was a bit worried I would be confused about the world based on the summary but the author did an amazing job setting it up and bringing the reader into the world. I am extremely excited to read the other books in this series.
The only thing I did not love about the book was the random kiss between the two main characters that came out of no where for me. I thought of them as having a much more platonic brother-sister relationship throughout the book so it took me off guard. However it was very short and was not built upon afterwards. Maybe the next book will either build that relationship up or go back to being very platonic.
Overall one of the best books I have read in awhile.
This started out as a definite 4 stars and by the end I felt like it felt more like a 3 rating, but I'm rounding up. EDIT 11/08: Eh, I ended up rounding down after some more thought.
I appreciate that the story and setting was easy to get into. The characters though? I thought they were fine. But only fine. I liked Kell, but I took a really long time warming up to Lila, and everything else I never really warmed up to.
And while it was easy to get into, I found the story to be just okay. Nothing super exciting.
An enjoyable read, but not enjoyable enough to really look into its sequels.
I super enjoyed this ride through the 3 (out of 4) Londons and their take on magic. Kell, Lila and Rhy were also interesting characters - I hope the latter makes more appearances in the next few books :) As I was nearing the end, I was afraid it was going to end on a cliffhanger somewhere as that would've been veryyy easy for Scwab to do, but was appreciative that she gave us a proper ending haha.
Lila was a breath of fresh air after seeing example after example of the competent-til-it-counts female protag. She actually held her own and I loved reading her exchanges with folks (especially with Rhy). There were points where I literally laughed aloud at their banter. There was a moment in the story which I wish almost every character with a nonsensical decision making process could be asked, where Kell outright demanded Lila: “What is wrong with you?” and prompted for her logic, which gave her an opportunity to be understood more by both Kell and the reader. By the end, I would've liked to have Lila repay at least one of her debts (since her Grey London friend had passed), and revisited the clothing merchant before taking off on a ship. It seemed like that would've been a nice bookend to her adventure there, but maybe that's going to happen in a future book.
Romance wasn't shoved down our throats, and Lila didn't let her connection with Kell tether her to the city, because that wouldn't have matched her hopes and dreams. Going back to the whole tropes thing: omg, it's a female character leaving a male character for once, for the sake of adventure - how refreshing! lol.
Schwab's writing is a treat to read, and I'm looking forward to devouring her other works!
Just as good as the first time I read it - maybe better (I've upped my rating to 5 stars). Second read was audio and I enjoyed overall but didn't like the voice for Lila. Re-reading in anticipation of Threads of Power.
3.5*
This one was a blast.
I was intrigued because of the world building, and a bit let down, when Schwab didn't deliver as much as I would have liked. The different Londons we're distinct but not totally fleshed out. Something was missing for me.
But this wasn't a huge bummer, because the characters kept me reading.
At first I was annoyed of Delilah's actions and Kell was stone wall I couldn't really connect to. But as the adventure went on I came to understand those two a lot more and loved their interactions and banter towards the end soo goddamn much.
But why only 3.5 stars?
Well, the story follows the Macguffin plotline - which isn't a death sentence by any means, but maybe a little predictable and dare I say: lazy?
But the last third got me hooked and I hope we'll learn more about the world's lore in the next one.
It's a fast and enjoyable read, so go for it - you have nothing to lose
Another great, dark fantasy. I can't believe I found another unique series that stands apart from the others I have read.
Four different Londons, two with magic, one without, and one dead, while all are blocked off from each other.
Kell is one of the last two Antari who can travel between the three functioning Londons. He acts as an emissary, passing communications from one London to the next while handling his own illicit deals. He is his own free man, yet not quite...
One of these illicit deals lands him in a trap and puts everything in danger. This sets him on a course to save the kingdom, and people, he loves. Along the way he is met and saved (multiple times) by Lila (a badass in her own right).
If you want action, mystery, adventure and dark magic then read this! It will not disappoint.
I LOVE a good magical fantasy but this book has been sitting on my tbr shelf since Christmas 2018
V. E. Schwab, where have you been all my life. Why did nobody tell me that you wrote such good books and that when I started reading one, I wouldn't be able to put it down.
I am not going to write about plot, characterisation or world building etc coz you can read all about that stuff yer Sen, there's loads of that stuff. What you really want to know if you are reading this book is ‘is it any good. Well the answer is in the stars. I don:t usually give that amount as I can usually find some flaws, but this is perfecto.
It ought to be a good book. The premise is great, the plot good and the characters are decent enough. The problem is that the writing is so dry it???s hard to care about any of it
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this, even though the story was a little simplistic and the characters somewhat cookie-cutter. For me, it's between three and four stars. It's very plot-driven, and so it makes for a quick read. I was hooked in the beginning, but it did lose a little steam by the end.
I'm mad at myself for seeing Schwab's books everywhere and it taking me this long to finally get to one of her books. Fantastic world building. Seriously top notch. I didn't fully connect with the characters but I didn't hate them so I won't take off any points for that. I'm simply not in love and / or fangirling over any of them..yet. Hopefully with the next one? LoL. Please don't take that as the characters were bland or not worth the time to get into.
World building, story line,magic, villians, all on point. I know it's just the one book I've read but color me a Schwab fan.
this book is the kind of good where, to list its flaws, you first to articulate its merits, because it is so exceptional in many ways. you see, schwab is very, very good at balancing her world. she knows how to calibrate the ship and steer it, how to tell us about the journey. this is partly because she knows her limits: when she should move forward, what things are too large for her to tell. the plot isn't super amazing, it's actually pretty predictable, but it's a perfect fit for the world and the characters: it's action-y, quick and compelling enough to keep you reading in a world that would clearly lend itself to slow lingering. she has a kind of restraint that doesn't feel stingy or underdeveloped, and that's hard to find. the plot wasn't perfect but it worked very well, much better than it might have.
the writing is the kind of good that reminds me of very good fanfiction. this is not an insult: it is a descriptor for the kind of writing that is clearly in love with the world and the characters and even maybe itself, leaning into the poetry of its description. sometimes she slides into telling more than showing just to keep the pace up, but it strikes me as a clever balance rather than ineptitude: she shows enough to make the world tangible, but not so much that all but the most starry-eyed readers drift off.
the world is an absolute strength, balancing dark and light in a way that channels a lot of what makes GoT great without even remotely trying to rip it off. it's remarkable to me how, in far fewer pages than GRRM, schwab gets a critical thing: the philosophical underpinnings of the magic system are a beautiful complement to its technical structure. things make sense and yet there's enough mystery for it to be truly fantasy, an exploration of the felt and not an expansion of the seen. any grimdark tendencies are well-tempered: sure, there's killing and stuff, but it's clearly not the point.
one thing, though: the characters. i cared about them, sure, enough to keep reading, but at the end of the day they were kind of... stiff. Kell is dull and broody, like most leads, I guess, but even the cooler characters, like Lila, often act in ways that don't always feel completely organic. often their actions will feel like someone thought out how her character would react but didn't feel it, or didn't place it quite right. and the development is often presented as an explanation for their actions, like, oh, she did this because she felt this way now, rather than their actions feeling like an organic event. the dialogue is a little unnatural, too - nowhere near as bad as certain genre contemporaries (looking at you, brndon snderson), but it does tend to feel a bit more like an in-character d&d exchange among serious roleplayers rather than a conversation. probably this is because it's so careful and considered, like the rest of the book - trouble is, people aren't careful or considered most of the time and certainly not when they speak. it doesn't go crazy out of tone or anything, but let's just say Lila's got stunning poetic sense for a cutthroat. that's not to say she has to be an unwashed idiot, but it gets tiresome to read about people who are always so articulate, at least to me.
overall, I think that stiffness is my main complaint. Schwab gets so much of what makes GoT et. al. fantastic, but she doesn't seem to intuit that human quality. she's smart and she loves her world but at times, it feels a little like a really interesting homebrew tabletop campaign. Schwab's characters sometimes look to me like intricate wooden cutouts: exquisite and carefully wrought, with articulated joints and a range of motion - like shadow puppets that some craftsman put together with a great deal of love. and you can become very fond of them, you might know how they might act in a situation and how they wouldn't - but they're still made of wood. they don't seem to live and breathe, not quite.