A Darker Shade of Magic

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab, 398 pages

In the universe in which the magician Kell lives, there are multiple Londons, each with their own corresponding world. Kell lives in Red London, a city and world in which magic thrives, but is in balance with the people who live there. There's also White London (a land where the magic has gone sour, turning White London's inhabitants into mean magic junkies ready to do anything for a fix) and Gray London, which is devoid of magic. At one time, there was also Black London, but in that world, magic consumed everything, forcing the remaining Londons to seal their gates in order avoid the same fate. And for the most part, nobody can cross between the Londons. But Kell can, and when he gets mixed up with a Gray London pickpocket and a Black London artifact, he learns that magic always has a price, and the question becomes whether the price is worth it.

I loved the juxtaposition between the multiple Londons, which Schwab created beautifully. Each has its own language, atmosphere, and style, and it's easy to tell which characters belong to which world. (Also, I LOVE Kell's coat, which has multiple sides and styles, depending on how you manipulate it, and allows him to blend in in whichever world he happens to be visiting. I need to get myself one of those.) The book ends in a way that ties up the threads of this story nicely, though it also leaves room for additional exploration of these Londons. If Schwab writes more, I'll happily go along on the adventure.