"I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still."

There are thousands of Fantasy books out there. Thousands of stories, thousands of worlds, thousands of ideas. There are so many that it came to a point I didn't think there was a chance something new could still be created. I didn't think there was a chance a new, original, unique idea could still show up. There was just too much already out there.

Schwab proved me wrong. Allow me to introduce A Darker Shade of Magic, a brilliant book, with an addicting writing style and a gorgeous world. Or worlds if we want to be precise. Three different worlds, that used to be four, connected by one city - London. Well, Londons, because each one, just like its world, is different. And I absolutely loved that concept. Having different worlds, which can be seen as dimensions, isn't new, of course. But Schwab did it so well.

Each London is so extraordinarly unique, so different from the others and you always know where you are, because the differences are that evident. We have the Red London, which is obviously the best and such a cool concept on its own that a story set exclusively in this world would have been already AMAZING. Then we have the White London, in which I would rather not live, but that is just as interesting, unique and extraordinary as the Red one - and if we are honest, a story set on this one alone would have been even more amazing than one exclusively set on the Red London. Grey London is plain and boring, pretty much a copy from our world London of some centuries ago. And still Schwab makes it so interesting, I wouldn't mind reading a book written by her set there. Then there's Black London - or there was. It is different, mysterious, almost a taboo. And obviously the most interesting of them all, a mirror of what could happen to any of the others if they aren't careful enough and I loved that. Loved how Schwab wrote about it and presented it so clearly even if Kell (our main character) never set a foot in that London. And loved it for its existance, because there was a warning, an example of what could happen, a danger unspoken but always present in the lives of everyone and that made everything so much more interesting.

After this obviously needed lesson of Geography (no need to thank me!), there must be a question you really want to see answered. I started by saying that Schwab proved me wrong by presenting a whole new idea and yet I was the one who admited that different worlds/dimensions isn't new. So, what the hell was I talking about, right?!

I was talking about the one thing about this world (these worlds?) that I haven't mentioned yet. The reason these four Londons are so different. Magic. And no, I didn't go crazy, I am perfectly aware that magic isn't new in Fantasy books either. But Schwab's version of magic is. Schwab presented magic as something alive, complex, dynamic. Completly different from anything I have ever read before. A magic that can be used by someone or use (and consume) that someone. A magic that can be as beautiful and interesting as it can be dangerous. 

And because it's magic that make each London what it is, the world ends up being just as unique as the concept. A Red London, where magic is thriving. A White London, where magic is just as cruel as its rulers and seems to hide from those who desperately look for it. A Grey London, where magic is gone and was forgotten. A Black London, that used to exist, until it was consumed by magic, leaving nothing behind but a warning to the others Londons. It's a wonderful, complex, intriguing world I would give anything to visit.

Unfortunately, there's no way for me to visit it in person. But I had the chance to visit it while I read the book. Amd as I did so, an addiciting plot started being developed. A plot with betrayals, enemies, dangers, secrets and an unlikely partnership that may turn into something more. It's the "typical" plot of a Fantasy book. And yet calling it typical feels like an insult to this book, which is anything but typical. Thanks to the extraordinary and unique world where this plot takes place, we get to read about something that feels very unique as well. We don't know what to expect, because we were thrown into a world we still don't fully understand, that we are still exploring. The book is addicting, because we are reading it not only for the plot, but also for its refreshing world we want to know more about.

Not to mention that even the most boring, predictable of the plots (which isn't even the case) can sound interesting if it is lived by characters that are interesting enough. And this book's certainly are more than interesting. Most of them at least. 

Kell is flawed, but caring and brave. A smuggler that plays a dangerous game but that doesn't shy away from responsabilties and will do everything to correct his mistakes. A realistic character I fell in love with and that is undoubtely a great main character. 

I didn't fall for him as hard as I felt for Rhy, though. So, allow me to talk about Rhy, my new book boyfriend. A playboy prince with almost no magic in a world filled with it. A sweet, funny person that I only needed to see twice to declare my love for him. He is perfection, although nothing about him is perfect. I really hope I get to know more about him in the next books!

Athos and Astrid are quite interesting. Their roles on the story are quite obvious, but I don't think Schwab tried to hide it anyway. The story was already good enough without that needing to be hidden. Although I don't think there's a chance of that happening, I would really like to know more about them.

Just as I would like to know more about Holland, because I still don't know how I feel about him. I don't like him, not really, but I can't hate him either and he stirs feelings of pity and hatred and something that is quite close to love, puttijg me in this weird limbo, unable to express how I really feel. Getting to know more about him would really help me giving a name to my feelings about this complex character.

There's just one character I didn't like - Lila. Actually I couldn't stand her, to the point I would put the book down just so I wouldn't have to read more about her. Damn it, I am so glad I'm not Kell. Otherwise, I would have killed her to shut her up, which probably wouldn't have been my best idea. Lila was so freaking annoying, so freaking selfish and stubborn and prideful. AND ANNOYING. I couldn't care less if she wanted to be a pirate, a princess or a freaking lizard. JUST SHUT UP ALREADY. I must say she did get better near the ending, but I still had to put up with a character I hated for most of the book, because as she was the love interest she had to keep showing up.

Overall, this story is amazing and a phenomenal start for a series I definitely want to finish. The concept of magic as something alive is different, unique and something that caught my attention since the very beginning. The multiple worlds connected by one same city was also an idea I really enjoyed and that I hadn't read about yet. What made it even more interest was how unique and special each London was, which is also true for the characters of each London (even Lila, although I still don't like her). It's a really good book, with a complex and interesting world made unique by Schwab's concept of magic, filled with realistic characters you end up wanting to know much more about (unless it's Lila), and brought to life by Schwab's stunning writing style.