A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Overview-
There are three Londons, one with no magic, one with just the right amount and one with far too much in the wrong hands. And then there’s Kell, the princely antari that can travel between all three when he accidentally smuggles the wrong thing to the wrong people he’s about to delve into something that magic might not be able to solve.
Personal-
It’s been a while since I’ve read a really good fantasy book as the concepts will usually be amazing but execution will be disappointing. However Darker Shade of Magic built on itself and it’s characters until it’s enriched and vibrant world although I think I would have preferred to go into this book without listening to all the hype. Also, I read this in the midst of a reading slump and I will probably reread when I’m in a better place and I will pick up the next two books.
Good-
-The world is so rich and beautifully painted it was an absolute joy diving into this book
-Things moved quickly and the action was really fun
-It was just ridiculously well written and enjoyable
Bad-
-There was a lot of preamble in the lead up to the ending
-I found a lot of the system of magic rather confusing especially next to the richness of the world
Overall I would recommend this book to young adults(16-24) and people who may not feel interested in the traditional YA genre