A Darker Shade of Magic is an adult fantasy novel by American author V.E. Schwab, published by Tor Books in 2015. It is the first installment in the Shades of Magic trilogy, which explores parallel Londons where magic exists in different forms and levels. The novel follows Kell, a magician who can travel between parallel worlds, and Delilah, a thief. Schwab’s focus on developing a compelling vision of an alternate, magical London is evident in the multilayered characters that make up the story.
A Darker Shade of Magic is a fast-paced fantasy adventure that takes readers into a series of interconnected worlds ruled by magic or the lack of it. Kell is one of the last Travelers, a magical being with a rare ability to travel between parallel worlds. The book is categorized as an adult fantasy but some of it reads a little more Y.A., possibly due to some of the elements that make it more YA.
A Darker Shade of Magic is an excellent read for those who love magical stories but may want a change of pace from the fantastical elements of faeries, witches, wizards, and other magical elements. The book is categorized as an adult fantasy but is likely rated this way because of some of its YA elements.
In summary, A Darker Shade of Magic is a captivating adult fantasy novel by V.E. Schwab, set in a series of interconnected worlds ruled by magic or the lack thereof.
📹 A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC 🔸⚫⬜- REVIEW
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Is a darker shade of magic inappropriate?
The rating for A Darker Shade of Magic is moderate due to the presence of strong language and occasional instances of mild and moderate language. The novel contains minimal references to sexual content and a greater prevalence of violence and gore. The depiction of the brother-sister king and queen of White London as sadistic and cruel contributes to the rating.
Is and I darken LGBT?
Historically innacurate, but a very consuming read with perfectly drawn characters; great sense of time and place, vivid descriptions, emotional complexity, ambivalence in one’s actions, importance of discovering your true self and not adjusting to social norms are all present. There are also positive LGBT as well as Muslim and feminist representations, which is great and could teach teens the importance of tolerance and independence, all shown through an exciting epic story. Gladly recommended.
- Great messages
- Too much violence
- Too much swearing
This is definitely NOT a YA, if I could, this would be a New Adult!Language: mostly whore, and sometimes ass, but nothing ever too graphic. Sex: Woman’s monthly cycles are always talked about, especially when Lada attacks a maid who see’s her period starting. Penis sizes are also talked about and jested about, a character calls a soldiers “manhood” the size of needle, and that he wouldn’t get much with it. Also straight and gay love is always talked about. A graphic kiss scene between two men occurs, one of them is the main character Radu. Prostitutes helping give soldiers pleasure, and the sultans whores help bear his children. A man sexually assaults Lada twice before she kills him. He squeezes her breasts stating, “I bet things aren’t too small here.” Also, he tries to rape her by stripping off her clothing and reaching for her private and breasts. There is multiple make-out scenes between the in-love Mehmed and Lada, one in which they tumble onto each other and slip into her room, closing the door. He hops onto her while she is swimming, kissing her neck and lips. Lots more of this all over the novel. Also a man questions his sexuality and why his best friend (a male) doesn’t desire him back. There is two birth scenes, nothing more but blood, moaning, and nudity mentioned. Violence: first arriving to the Ottoman Courts, Lada and Radu see men impaled. Again, rape is attempted but never achieved. Lada kills a few men, and there is an attempted assassination aimed at Mehmed while he and Lada kiss. Vlad the Impaler beats his wife after she begs to return to her home country: Moldova. He throws her against the ground by pulling her hair, and making her beg. Also, a young Lada brandishes a kitchen knife in front of her father (Vlad), stating she kills infedels. She even points the knife to her infant brother (alive and in the nurses arms), fibbing she killed him in the morning. There is numerous murder scenes, some graphic and some not, located throughout the story.
Do Kell and Lila kiss in a darker shade of magic?
Kell and Lila, two Grey Londoners, embarked on a dangerous journey from Grey London to Red London. They shared kisses for luck, which became a charm. Kell agreed to take Lila with him to his own London after some good points made by her. Lila’s strength and confidence kept him going, and he learned to respect her while also protecting her. Kell was adopted by the royal family as a child due to his Antari powers, but Rhy made it livable and made Kell feel like his brother, as if they had always been brothers. This journey was filled with love, strength, and the realization that Lila needed no protection.
Is there lgbtq in A Darker Shade of Magic?
The protagonists of the narrative are not a gay couple, but rather a cross-dressing thief and a royal prince who is bisexual. This presents a divergent portrayal of London and introduces a distinct set of stigmas. In a subsequent volume, a further significant character is revealed to be homosexual. Rhy Maresh, operating within a context of privilege, does not exemplify a trope because he is not explicitly identified as gay.
Is a darker shade of magic have romance?
A Darker Shade of Magic is a book that balances romance with action and mystery, making it a satisfying read. The characters are focused on the world’s end and their relationship, which is a common issue in YA books. The plot is slow at first, but it is well-done. The author sets the scene and events, but it is difficult to make connections. Around a quarter of the way into the book, the action begins, and the book is filled with mystery and twists and turns. The characters are focused on the world’s end and their priorities are clear, unlike in other YA books where characters engage in romantic or sexual activities.
Is A Darker Shade of Magic A YA book?
This adult fantasy book is rated a little more Y. A. due to scenes of torture, fantasy violence, and adult characters. It could be a great bridge between readers who have read mostly Y. A. fantasy and those who want to start reading adult fantasy. The world building is intricate, with pacing being faster than most other adult fantasy novels. The banter between characters is more humorous. However, the plot falls flat, with a linear and straightforward structure.
The author believes that the book was originally written as a standalone, with no unfinished arcs. They believe that due to its success, they signed on for two more books. The plot is fairly linear and straightforward, with little character growth. However, the author enjoys Kell and Rhy, their brotherly love and joint sarcasm. Lila is enjoyable, but she still smacks of “not like other girls”. The sarcasm is enjoyable, but the characters don’t evoke as much emotion as they did the first time. The author hopes that they evoke more feelings in the second book.
What is dark romance in books?
Dark romance is a subgenre of romance novels with darker themes and mature content, often featuring content warnings, morally-grey characters, and plots filled with trauma and violence. Popular tropes include mafia, stalking, and kidnappings. The cover of these novels is often more mysterious, often aligning with the plot. Dark romance also explores taboo sexual themes, such as BDSM, dubious consent, and knife-play.
These novels often feature characters with morally-ambiguous backgrounds and often feature characters with a dark past. The genre often features a darker, more mysterious cover, often hints at the plot of the story.
Can a 14 year old read a darker shade of magic?
Ashley Marayah inquired about the age minimum for reading A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, 1), which is recommended for adults. The book falls under various genres such as art, biography, business, children’s, Christian, classics, comics, cookbooks, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, and more. It is also suitable for readers of fiction, graphic novels, historical fiction, horror, memoir, music, mystery, nonfiction, and poetry.
What is the theme of a darker shade of magic?
The novel “Shades of Magic” is the first in a series of three, focusing on different worlds accessible only to those with a certain level of magic. The characters are physically different due to their magical abilities, leading to superstitions across the worlds they travel. The series explores themes of feeling like an outsider, believing a different world is better than one’s own, and ultimately learning to fight for oneself and the beauty in one’s own world. This book is part of the 2019 Berkeley Summer Reading List.
Can a 13 year old read A Darker Shade of Magic?
Ashley Marayah inquired about the age minimum for reading A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, 1), which is recommended for adults. The book falls under various genres such as art, biography, business, children’s, Christian, classics, comics, cookbooks, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, and more. It is also suitable for readers of fiction, graphic novels, historical fiction, horror, memoir, music, mystery, nonfiction, and poetry.
Do Kell and Lila end up together?
Following the Black Night, Lila moves to Red London and joins the Night Spire as a thief. She later becomes the captain of the Night Spire, renamed the Grey Barron. Lila has short chestnut brown hair and brown eyes, one of which is a glass eye. Her glass eye is damaged during a fight with Ojka, and she later acquires two new eyes: a brown and a solid black one. She has a boyish physique, allowing her to masquerade as a young man, and a pointed chin.
Previously, Lila was skinny and bony, but she starts looking healthier after arriving in Red London. Her physical appearance changes as she becomes more confident and capable of blending in with the Night Spire.
THIS. BOOK. There is a thing that’s mentioned basically as a passing comment to Lila nearish to the end that just blew my mind, and now I’m kind-of dying for book 2. Also, re: pacing, it actually reminded me of why I love Brandon Sanderson’s work so much. They both take the time to really make sure you understand the world and then make sure to remind you of those rules every so often so everything that happens feels more immersive and cohesive.
I’m audiobooking this right now. It’s my first audiobook ever (I usually prefer the conventional method of actually reading) and I’m so glad that the narrator is amazing and gives the story enough life to keep me listening. The book itself is great as well so far. I never had any interest in reading Schwab before but a friend recommended it to me and I thought it couldn’t hurt. Boy am I glad I’m giving this a chance. Victoria is utterly brilliant with words. The characters, especially Kell and Lila, gripped me from the start and the plot itself is incredibly fascinating.
so I pre-ordered this and it came in early and I was able to pick up on Friday which was AMAZING and it was my goal to have it read by the release date, but I failed. Some not so good things happened over the weekend and I am now only on page 122 or something like that. BUT I AM LOVING IT SO FAR. And I don’t think the first 100 pages were SLOW, they just weren’t EXCITING. Because when I was on about page 100, I said to my boyfriend “this book is SO GOOD. And nothing has even happened yet!” I am in love with her world building, because even though it takes a while for the main story to really get started, it’s so engrossing and intriguing until then. I am so far in love with the way the characters have been introduced, and the way the worlds are explained. It just keeps me wanting to read more, it keeps me curious and interested. Like seriously. Her books make me feel like my books are utter crap. I’m hoping to finish it within the next few days! Also AWESOME review! 🙂 🙂
I’m late to the party but I totally agree with you. Such an amazing read and books 2 and 3 take it to such wonderful places and I cried when it was over. Not ashamed of that one bit. It is that good. So happy to hear that the story will go on soon with book 1 of a new trilogy to continue the adventure. I can’t wait. I love these characters and the world Schwab has created so, so, so very much.
I finally decided to read A Darker Shade of Magic and boy did I love it…It was just so…I can’t even describe it. I can’t describe how good it was. It was fucking spectacular. Luckily I had already also bought A Gather of Shadows so I had a five minute breather before jumping into the next one and I loved it even more…And now I am dying for A Conjuring of Light…like I need it…it’s one of my most anticipated reads of 2017…And can I mention how awesome these covers are…they’re just so gorgeous x”D…
Just started reading it days ago, I agree with everything you said, except for Lila, DEFINITE SPOILER! I immediately found her annoying when I realized who she is and how her bump into Kell would turn out. And just as I predicted, it turned out just as it did, now we have to spend another 10+ pages trying to look for this person and getting back whatever stolen item. I absolutely hated it when authors do that, it distracts from the main narrative and now we have to go on this hindering sidequest, just to get back to the main storyline. I feel tempted to skim 10 pages every time her perspective returns. Will she be more bearable as I read on?
I liked this book but didn’t ‘love’ it.. I was really hoping to get to see black london and find out what exactly is happening there.. so for me it a 4/5 Can’t wait for the sequel! I can totally imagine Holland waking up in Black London with no way back?!.. ugghh.. can not wait! seriously. I’d love to see a article from you discussing what you expect in the next book.. would love another gush fest !!