vaguely_pink's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Blood, Death, Classism, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, Torture, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Alcohol, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, War, Abandonment, and Physical abuse
saurahsaurus's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Injury/injury detail, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Child death
Minor: Abandonment and Torture
A short note regarding the sexual violence:Spoiler
It is attempted, but not successful.oliverreeds's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
p good. the character work is incredible
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Child abuse, Confinement, Gore, Murder, Gun violence, Injury/injury detail, Self harm, Sexual violence, Violence, and Torture
mpbookreviews's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Injury/injury detail, Murder, Torture, Body horror, Child death, and Violence
thedevilsivy's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I think I would have rated A Darker Shade of Magic higher had I not gone into it expecting more. Both too little and too much knowledge was the cause of my lack of enjoyment. I expected something fantastical, with rich world building and I did get that, but I didn't expect it to feel so young, or for the characters to be quite so hard to love.
My final quibble is quite petty, but there were a fair few Americanisms that threw me out of the book a bit. I know that many of the Londons weren't 'my' London, and the time period ought to allow for some differences in vocabulary, but still I found it a little jarring.
My final quibble is quite petty, but there were a fair few Americanisms that threw me out of the book a bit. I know that many of the Londons weren't 'my' London, and the time period ought to allow for some differences in vocabulary, but still I found it a little jarring.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Murder, Blood, Violence, Child death, Torture, Injury/injury detail, and Body horror
Moderate: Sexual assault
emohell's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
i will admit i’m predisposed towards loving ve schwab’s writing, and a darker shade of magic is no exception. with incredibly fast paced action and morally complex characters, this is a tense page turner that kept me screaming into my arm at every plot development. absolutely loved it, and i’m looking forward to jumping into the rest of the series!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Violence
Moderate: Death and Sexual assault
Minor: Child death and Death of parent
the main character is a special type of magic user that uses their blood to use more complex abilities. the cutting of hands or arms in order to use these powers is mentioned frequently, and is also used to describe injuries characters sustain as well. the sexual assault is never accomplished, although it is attempted and alluded to more than once.mayday_the_cleric's review
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The story is about Kell, a dimension-hopping wizard, and Lila, a cunning thief, who must work together to bring a forbidden magical stone back to where it came from, all while dealing with plots and schemes from a pair of evil overlord twins from a different world.
The beginning chapters were highly intriguing by introducing and exploring 4 versions of Londons existing on different dimensions, and Kell is one of the few people who can travel between them. The excitement, however, kinda tapered off as the story dragged on. It relied too much on tropes and archetypes at times to push the plot forward, without doing anything more creative and engaging with them. This is especially true for some of the characters.
The beginning chapters were highly intriguing by introducing and exploring 4 versions of Londons existing on different dimensions, and Kell is one of the few people who can travel between them. The excitement, however, kinda tapered off as the story dragged on. It relied too much on tropes and archetypes at times to push the plot forward, without doing anything more creative and engaging with them. This is especially true for some of the characters.
My favorites are Lila and Rhy. Combining Rhy's flirtatious and naive attitude with Lila's snarky humor, their future interactions are sure to be fun to read. There were also some great moments between Kell and Lila, and I was really invested in where Lila’s character was gonna go. I just kinda wish that the story made use of her more since I’ve been wanting to read stories with non-magical cunning underdogs defeating highly powerful bad guys. When she claimed she contributed half of the work of saving the kingdom, all I could think was ‘Really, Lila? Did you really do that? You felt more like the annoying, but sometimes useful sidekick that the main hero had to drag along for the journey more than a partner here.’
Spoiler
and was the one to defeat one of the main antagonistsThe most disappointing thing in this story is the main antagonists, . I was highly interested when they were first introduced, and I was ready to get to know more about them. Imagine how bummed out I was when the story didn’t explore them more and expand their characters . And don’t even get me started on Vitari, the black magic stuff.
Overall, the ending kinda wrapped up too neatly for me to feel satisfied. Not even sure if I would continue the series. We’ll see.
Spoiler
Holland and the Dane twinsSpoiler
and just killed them off at the end. And their deaths were kinda underwhelming as wellSpoiler
When hearing how dangerous it was, I kinda expected that by the end, it would leave lasting and impactful consequences for the world(s) at large, but I guess not.Overall, the ending kinda wrapped up too neatly for me to feel satisfied. Not even sure if I would continue the series. We’ll see.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Child death, Death, Murder, Self harm, Torture, and Violence
birthisacurse's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Child death
burnsie's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Sexual assault, Torture, and Child death
angel_kiiss's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Not much to say other than it’s a good book with a good premise that keeps the pages turning well into the night.
Both protagonists are complex, flawed, and lovable characters who don’t feel like props or objects to be pushed around. Lila, the girl protagonist, is not pushed around by the plot but in fact, dictates how the plot will happen. Most, if not all, of her decisions, have significant effects on the story and change the male protagonist's path several times.
Personally, Kell took a bit to get used to; I didn’t connect with the character initially and naturally leaned toward Lila, but as he came into his own he revealed characteristics that I identified with. Once with him - and once the plot really began to thicken - I couldn’t put this book down. I drank it down like sweet tea, I had to know what happened. And even then, at every point the book could have thrown trouble in their way, it did, and the slow realization that the protagonists were never safe only fueled the fire.
I read a review that argued this was a ploy for a screenplay, and let’s be clear - I agree, but I don’t see anything wrong with that. Let people movie-bait. Let women write just as cheesy as men.
Lila also seems to be a derisive character in that many people find her annoying. To that, I ask: is she annoying or are you still working through internalized misogyny? Do you always find cutthroat characters only out to save themselves hard to connect to? Or is it a subconscious belief that aggressive women characters are annoying? Either way, I loved her and would prefer to read about how her life of conquest and adventure unfolds.
Both protagonists are complex, flawed, and lovable characters who don’t feel like props or objects to be pushed around. Lila, the girl protagonist, is not pushed around by the plot but in fact, dictates how the plot will happen. Most, if not all, of her decisions, have significant effects on the story and change the male protagonist's path several times.
Personally, Kell took a bit to get used to; I didn’t connect with the character initially and naturally leaned toward Lila, but as he came into his own he revealed characteristics that I identified with. Once with him - and once the plot really began to thicken - I couldn’t put this book down. I drank it down like sweet tea, I had to know what happened. And even then, at every point the book could have thrown trouble in their way, it did, and the slow realization that the protagonists were never safe only fueled the fire.
I read a review that argued this was a ploy for a screenplay, and let’s be clear - I agree, but I don’t see anything wrong with that. Let people movie-bait. Let women write just as cheesy as men.
Lila also seems to be a derisive character in that many people find her annoying. To that, I ask: is she annoying or are you still working through internalized misogyny? Do you always find cutthroat characters only out to save themselves hard to connect to? Or is it a subconscious belief that aggressive women characters are annoying? Either way, I loved her and would prefer to read about how her life of conquest and adventure unfolds.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Murder, Self harm, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror and Child death