Review: A Darker Shade of Magic

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
--

Magic, Londons, princes, a stubborn and strong-willed girl, and a nefarious plot with a confusing albeit cliché execution. It lacked.... something . I started the book as someone from afar, an audience watching things unfold, and I ended the book feeling exactly the same: just an audience and not part of the story. The story and characters all felt one-dimensional.

The setting and premise were what drew me to glance at this book in the first place. The reviews and ratings were what convinced me to pick it up. Sadly, I was not as roped in to the story as I hoped I would be. Everything was a dark matter-of-fact, and to be honest, a bit flat. Where Strange the Dreamer overflowed with emotion, this book lacked it. It lacked depth. It didn't feel immersive, which is such a total waste. I loved the world it built, but was disappointed with how shallow the book ran.

So why did I still give it three stars? Well, I didn't absolutely hate it. Like I said, I loved the world it built--the Londons--and I love an adventure, even a slightly predictable one. One of the very few things I loved about this book, however, is that it does not set up romance as an important plot device. I absolutely hate it when books do that--fantasy, mystery, and all-around awesomeness and then BAM! It hits you with kissing, gooey-eyed gushing and lovey-dovey dialogue. This book does not gratify romance seekers. So that definitely appeals to my reading preferences. Unfortunately, I detect a whiff of it, and how it might play an important part on the next books (which adds to my apprehension on continuing with the series).

Will I be reading the 2nd book? I guess I have no choice given that I bought the first and second books together. :| But I'm definitely not itching to pick it up anytime soon. I do hope that the second book will fare better.

View all my reviews