A Darker Shade of Magic

Bookseller recommendation

“Four different versions of London that are split by the level of magic present, a jacket that has many sides that can be folded into different jackets, and one main character with the ability to move through them all. Kell is an Antari, which means he can move between the four versions of London and does so to carry correspondence between the monarchies of each dimension. After he is tricked into treason by carrying a piece of Black London into another London he must navigate returning the piece to its rightful realm whilst keeping it from falling into the wrong hands. I enjoyed this book because while there is a suggestion of a romance between characters, Schwab prioritizes the plot and the characters as individuals rather than the romance. The contrast of a protagonist who is a bit unsure of himself and a deuteragonist who has no choice but to be sure of herself was a very interesting dynamic to watch unfold, in addition to the concept of differing dimensions of the same city with differing levels of magical access overlapping each other.”

— Sol • Quail Ridge Books

Bookseller recommendation

“While this series takes a minute to get into the action, I felt like once it hits its stride it’s really great. Complete with a somewhat complex magic system, a lovable but deadly female rogue, dueling David/Goliath type magicians, truly sadistic blonde twin rulers and a high stakes world destroying evil coming in from all sides set in multiple 1800s Londons (Yes, I’m talking about a multiverse here!). A great start to this super dynamic trilogy. ”

— Zinna • A Great Good Place for Books