A review by thedevilsivy
A Darker Shade of Magic, by V.E. Schwab

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.
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