Ironically enough, those blessed with the rare and elusive “blood magic” in this book did not receive this power from their ancestors. In this series, magical power is given to people at random- the strong can have weak children, and vice versa. One such powerful magician is a young man named Kell, the character that this story mainly centers on (although Schwab occasionally delegates chapters to other important characters). The story follows Kell as he travels between “Londons,” alternate dimensions that only share the city name “London” in common.  As one of the strongest magicians in any “London” (and one of the only two people able to travel between them) Kell serves as a great and unorthodox main character that immediately caught my attention. While typically characters get more powerful as a series goes on, Kell starts out powerful and has to refrain from a hunger for even more power. When he discovers a plot by rulers from other dimensions that could threaten all the Londons, Kell must find other intriguing characters to help him maintain the magical balance between all four Londons and keep the royal family that adopted him safe.

This book combines some sci-fi elements- like an alternate universe where everything is different- with fantastical elements like the magic system and main plotline. However, I would not recommend this book if you don’t enjoy very vague and mysterious magic systems, because the author mainly focuses on the plot and characters without really explaining the magic. Having read the rest of the series, a lot of the mystery surrounding the main characters is explained later on, but there are a lot of loose ends in the first book that can be frustrating, especially when it comes to worldbuilding. However, I did really like the magic system and I thought it was both unique and full of potential.

As for the characters, this book mainly focuses on a duo with a lot of potential that most readers will enjoy. Kell pairs up with Lila, a crossdressing thief with dreams of being a pirate, and in the process introduces her to magic (which is almost totally absent in her version of London). Lila is one of my favorite female characters I have seen in a book like this, as she is just as interesting and mysterious as Kell. Readers may also enjoy their friendship, which develops from their initial conflicts and hints at a future romance. Although there is not much of a romantic subplot in this book, in later books in the series there is definitely a romance for readers to look forward to as the author expands on their backstories and character arcs.

In terms of this book as a stand-alone novel, I found its character arcs fairly entertaining but lacking in some areas. Both Kell and Lila go through character arcs, although they are definitely meant to be expanded upon in future books. Kell learns to take responsibility for his actions and be more cautious, as well as more grateful for what he has. Lila learns to be less reckless, and how much friendship and family truly matter. However, most of the obstacles they faced didn’t require them to change their ways or overcome their flaws, so I thought that the plot could have fit the characters better.

I really liked how this book handled its villains and antagonists- every character is somewhat morally grey, and although I wish there was more information about the villain characters all of them were really interesting. However, the ending was a little bit rushed and was not as climatic as I would have liked.  I also loved the overall feel and aesthetic of the story- if you love pirates, royalty, dark magic, and cool outfits you will love this book.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading fantasy series, as I think the rest of the books in this series make the whole experience better. For those who like romance, magic, or anything to do with London this book is an excellent choice. I enjoyed it a lot despite its flaws, and would rate it a solid 9/10.

Checkout A Darker Shade of Magic from the Newport Beach Public Library.