A review by ellesanmiguel
A Darker Shade of Magic, by V.E. Schwab
3.0
STORY PLOT / WORLD BUILDING: 5/5 STARS. Very very superb!!!
ROMANCE: 1/5 STARS. Not so much. Eh, almost none at all. but it's what kept me progressing, I had hoped there would be something that's gonna spark but it left me disappointed. It made a great ramp for the sequel, though. Still rooting for that.
HUMOR: 1.5/5 STARS. A few smirks and chuckles here and there.
ACTION: 2.5/5 STARS.
PACING: Fast-paced.
CHARACTER BUILD UP: 2/5 STARS. Rooting for them to develop in the sequel.
FINAL RATING: 3.7/5 STARS.
* * *
When I first picked this book to read, I admit I immediately liked it. This is my jam, I said. And yeah, it might be. In a way..
Schwabb's writing and imagination in plotting and building the world is extreme and superbly enchanting. Hands down, I loved it very much. I was enthralled by it and kind of gave me a major push to read on and just push. Yet, there are significant things missing. A lot of them, actually.
The characters . . . I am a highly emotionally investing kind of person especially with the characters I read in a book. But to be honest, I really found a hard time to like most of them. Kell was very plain and boring. He lacks power, and is weak willed. But he is very strong minded and clever, I can give him that. But, still. It's so hard for me to trudge on and read his character and the book was 50% of him. I feel like I can't connect with Kell half the time but I understand him a lot. There was this big potential though. Like, Schwabb intentionally made Kell that way to open doors for his character build up in the 2nd book and I am rooting for that. I am so, very rooting for that. He is a very interesting character, I just think the process of solidifying his personality is more blunt than ever, and it amplified more especially because Kell is Kell, and he's the main character. Lila was my favorite in this book. I learned to love Lila much easier than the rest of the other characters, and it took me a shorter time to connect with her, to feel something for her. Actually, I feel like Lila's character is much more stronger than all of them combined. She's Grey London's one of the most badass and clever thieves roaming around and it makes her character more potent and mysterious. But I like Lila. Really, really like her.
The White London King and Queen was borderline savage. Cruel. Vicious. Merciless. They're evil. And I can't decide whether I like it or not. I mean, of course they are evil. But there's something hindering me from thinking they could be real. They're hard to grasp. Maybe for the sake of the word antagonist, yes, they are good. But sadly, the elements needed to connect with them is also lacking.
One of the things I kind of hate abt this book is that it builds up the mystery, it builds up the tension, it builds up the questions and it arises a lot of perplexity but it just fails to make you feel something. It just made you go on because you wanna find answers. And you're rooting for something that the book won't give at the end. The romance was a good example. Now, I love romance. I live for romance as much as other people live for action. I was also rooting for that, mind you. But there's just nothing. I didn't make me feel something. They have nofucking chemistry. Like, it might be okay if there was a flare, all right. But what it gave you was a ramp. It gave you two kisses and that's it. It gave you will to cross your fingers for the next book.
And not only the romance, but in general, as the book progresses, none of the raised questions are answered. It is borderline frustrating.
It's okay. Still a good read bec of the world and folklore and culture and shit.
ROMANCE: 1/5 STARS. Not so much. Eh, almost none at all. but it's what kept me progressing, I had hoped there would be something that's gonna spark but it left me disappointed. It made a great ramp for the sequel, though. Still rooting for that.
HUMOR: 1.5/5 STARS. A few smirks and chuckles here and there.
ACTION: 2.5/5 STARS.
PACING: Fast-paced.
CHARACTER BUILD UP: 2/5 STARS. Rooting for them to develop in the sequel.
FINAL RATING: 3.7/5 STARS.
* * *
When I first picked this book to read, I admit I immediately liked it. This is my jam, I said. And yeah, it might be. In a way..
Schwabb's writing and imagination in plotting and building the world is extreme and superbly enchanting. Hands down, I loved it very much. I was enthralled by it and kind of gave me a major push to read on and just push. Yet, there are significant things missing. A lot of them, actually.
The characters . . . I am a highly emotionally investing kind of person especially with the characters I read in a book. But to be honest, I really found a hard time to like most of them. Kell was very plain and boring. He lacks power, and is weak willed. But he is very strong minded and clever, I can give him that. But, still. It's so hard for me to trudge on and read his character and the book was 50% of him. I feel like I can't connect with Kell half the time but I understand him a lot. There was this big potential though. Like, Schwabb intentionally made Kell that way to open doors for his character build up in the 2nd book and I am rooting for that. I am so, very rooting for that. He is a very interesting character, I just think the process of solidifying his personality is more blunt than ever, and it amplified more especially because Kell is Kell, and he's the main character. Lila was my favorite in this book. I learned to love Lila much easier than the rest of the other characters, and it took me a shorter time to connect with her, to feel something for her. Actually, I feel like Lila's character is much more stronger than all of them combined. She's Grey London's one of the most badass and clever thieves roaming around and it makes her character more potent and mysterious.
Spoiler
I am quite certain that Lila is also an Antari, a dimension traveller, because of the mystery about her eyes. It was revealed at the end that the other eye was glass, that's why it's a shade different than the real one. It's clever, the idea of it. (And the ability of her clinging to Kell to travel, is it because of the stone itself or because of her blood?) It was another mystery.Spoiler
Holland is very interesting. I find him cruel at some point, and could be very dangerous to our lovely Kell because I think Schwab made a point to actually flag Holland's strength and character. He's much powerful than Kell, and surprisingly, I feel like I understand his dark persona and it's much easier to feel sympathy and just a sliver of feeling for him. I like his life background, it's rich but it could have made a lot colorful and dark and more than it already is. I feel disappointed because he died at tge first book but I feel like his death will be a significant thing that will carry some memory or info throughout the series.The White London King and Queen was borderline savage. Cruel. Vicious. Merciless. They're evil. And I can't decide whether I like it or not. I mean, of course they are evil. But there's something hindering me from thinking they could be real. They're hard to grasp. Maybe for the sake of the word antagonist, yes, they are good. But sadly, the elements needed to connect with them is also lacking.
One of the things I kind of hate abt this book is that it builds up the mystery, it builds up the tension, it builds up the questions and it arises a lot of perplexity but it just fails to make you feel something. It just made you go on because you wanna find answers. And you're rooting for something that the book won't give at the end. The romance was a good example. Now, I love romance. I live for romance as much as other people live for action. I was also rooting for that, mind you. But there's just nothing. I didn't make me feel something. They have no
And not only the romance, but in general, as the book progresses, none of the raised questions are answered. It is borderline frustrating.
It's okay. Still a good read bec of the world and folklore and culture and shit.