I’m here with another review of a book that’s been out awhile!
So one of my goals this year was to read more widely, and that includes reading some books that are marketed toward adults. I’m not going to lie, I found it really hard to find an “adult” book that appealed to my sensibilities. Enter V. E. Schwab’s “A Darker Shade of Magic.”
This book has the same out of the box imaginativeness that I’ve come to love in YA, while still being obviously an adult book. The characters are older, maybe in their 20s, and the storylines are reflective of that “what even is my purpose” life stage.
The worldbuilding is phenomenal and didn’t lean on generic fantasy backdrops, which immediately made the settings come to life. There was some fantasy flavored violence, but it managed to stay well away from the grimdark cynicism that has driven me away from many adult series in the past. That’s not to say the book is light- there is darkness here. But there is also hope and wonder, and that makes a world of difference.
If you’re an adult who usually reads YA because of the unique voices and out of the box plots, you will almost certainly love this book. Honestly, if you’re any sort of fantasy fan, this should be on your reading list. I look forward to reading more of the series, and I will be reviewing the later books once I make a dent in my TBR pile!
Happy reading!
Kat Pollock 