So I Read Hype Book : A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab
October 07, 2020
"One of your eye is lighter than the other"
"One Of your eyes is black" She shot back.
― Kell and Lila ―
Welcome back to the third chapter of "So i read hype book" series, just in case you miss the other chapters before it, kindly check them out too. Last time i did it with the Cruel Prince, for your convenient, just click the picture below to read it.
So this book, is the one of famous series by VE Schwab, that i've been wanting to read since 2017, yet i just read it now (yes, always late for the game)
So How Hype is this book?
As usual, by our bible, Goodreads, by the time i write this review, 95% people liking it, mostly gave them between 4 to 5 stars.
This book also got a lot of editions (apart from UK and US cover) they got collector editions (one of prove why it's hype, because it has "collector" for this one) which mean a lot of reader love it, want to have multiple copy of this book, they got the black cover, white cover, silver cover, you name it. Well one of the perks of me for being a late in the game, i got to choose my favorite cover first, without having to have multiple copy because i of the collector edition comes obviously later than the original copy, but i choose the original white cover tho, in case you're wondering why not collector edition because i love white books.
Synopsis
The story follows Kell as the last Antari, Magicians with rare ability to go across Londons, while the other can't. Yes this book set in three different London, four if you include the one that already dead. Grey London, which is our London, world with no magic around it, people don't have the ability with magic at all and mostly don't believe of it. Red London, the world where Kell is belong, vibrant, full of magic. White London, the world that poor with magic, because magic is hiding from them, but the people are aware of them, having lots of scar in their body to bend and keep the magic inside them, looking for them and the one that really close to the Black London, the world that already dead, because magic overpower them.
Red London cut the ties between the world, that made the White London have to fight against the magic alone, (since it's close to the black London) Kell is the messenger who travels each London to send the letter for each king of each London "to keep relationship between each london"
One rule of being able to travel around each London, he can't bring anything in or out in each London except for letter. Not even gift from king to king. But he breaks it. And yes, that's when the problem start.
My Honest Review
First, i want to say that VE Schwab is famous indeed by reasons. I really like how she built the world, each London is unique, with unique characters in it. First, Kell, obviously, with one black eye as the mark of the Antari, being the prince of Red London, although he is not the real blood of Maresh family, but love his brother Rhy a lot. At first few chapter we being introduced indirectly of Rhy even tho he hasn't in the story yet for that first chapter because Kell always mention what Rhy would say if he said this and do that even when he's in other London. At first i thought that Rhy is his lover or something, i was expecting a big probably? kind of? a LGBT loveline, but turns out that's how much Kell love Rhy as his brother.
In Grey London we got Lila, a girl with strong will, a thief, a one of the kind. She's smart, she's strong, she's thickheaded. I don't really like her at first, i mean, i like how she able to being a strong woman living in this cruel world, but not the way she did some things that she don't even know what came after it, which i find it a bit childish? but overall i like her character.In White London we got Holland, the other Antari. He's older than Kell, a bit soulless, one of character that i always want to know more. And spoilers, He's the one that Kell running for.
So Kell, is being stupid for collecting stuff from other world. Some just music box from Grey London, making trade with other collector form Grey London, which he put it in a room in the city of Red London (not in his palace room). Rhy knows about it and warned him to stop. In his visit to White London, dealing with a girl that come to him while he's a bit tipsy after have "few" drinks with the King and Queen (sister and brother, Athos and Astrid Dane) asking Kell to help her to send the letter turns out it just a coy, letter with a fake address, with a stone in it.
That stone turns out the stone from black London that can grand anyone wish, without even have a magical ability. Being chased in Red London, he travels to Grey London. Met Lila, who stole that stone without knowing what it is.Hurt by the attacker in Red London, got robbed by Lila in Grey London, Kell just got a looong night, tracking Lila and then collapsed by lack of power after. That quote in the beginning is the first conversation of them both to each other.
I really like the way they have conversation, in some way it just not cheesy (obviously because they're not in love in their first meeting, but it goes like that, and i really like it). You know the thing when an author decide to made this two characters become lovers in the future? the way they talk to each other thingy? kind of cheesy in my term, but this one is not. And i really like it.
"What are you"
"A Monster, you'd better let me go"
"Monsters don't faint in the presence of ladies"
"Ladies don't dress like a man and pick pockets" retorted Kell
"What are you really?"
"And in trouble"
"Aside from the obvious being tied to my bed?"
"Yes"
Kell, in other hand, tho he's the main character, the Two of the kind (since we got Holland as the other Antari that left in this world) i don't feel he's one of character that main character usually have, the charm (oh yes he does have that with his fun coat, but not the charming one) the strongest, (he is strong in comparison with other people, but he's kind of weak for An Antari in compare with Holland, and he needs Lila to save his life like more than once) and what i like about it that in the end he's still a boy, i mean, he can be called as man if you insist, but that's not my point. My point is that he still struggles, he struggles with his status, he's not the true blood of the Maresh family, he can't really accept the Queen and the King as his parents, altho he got no struggle to accept Rhy as his brother, he still a rebel like a kid by doing deals, bring stuff from other London, and he's just human. I mean apart form Antari, he just a human, like normal people just with special ability intact.
"It was mad, and he'd be mad to let her try... but Lila was right about one thing. Kell did not feel strong enough to do this alone. And worse, he did not want to. He was afraid"
I found Lila is taking control of everything, making a lead, like almost in everything, like suggesting Kell that she will accompany him to travel across the Londons although she's not an Antari which made her probably won't able to cross to Red London, die in actions of trying, and she kissed him first "for luck, not that i needed" she said, but still... she's dope. I think she's the scene stealer here.
“I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”
Also i find it funny for how much they run in this book, i even made the tik tok about it lol! sorry this is random but my head just can't stop playing that run song in my head every time i read the run word in the book. And yes, it appears at least five times. If some director decided to adapted this to movie, i really can't wait to see how much the running scene in it.
My Verdict
Like i said, VE Schwab is famous for reasons. This book definitely live up my expectations, i really like it. it's a Uh Yeah for me (books that really made me hype to read them till the last page of the book, but still a bit lack in some aspect somehow). The only lack i think is Kell and Lila's childish character? i guess that's the point, if it's not, the story won't start isn't it? Definitely a yes for you if you asked me will i suggest you to read it.
Just in case you missed it
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