A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1)

by V.E. Schwab

The world vanished and an instant later reappeared, and Kell collapsed to the cobblestoned street, the subtle, steady light of Red London replaced by the dank, smoke-filled Grey London night. He stayed a moment on his hands and knees, and actually considered losing consciousness right there in the alley, but finally managed to get to his feet. When he did, the city slanted dangerously around him. He took two steps, and promptly collided with a man in a mask and a broad brim hat. Distantly, Kell knew it was strange, to be wearing a disguise, but he was hardly in a position to judge appearances, given his current state.

Long before A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC was a story, or even a real idea, it was nothing but an image in my head, a still frame of a single moment, when a young magician collided with a mysterious girl dressed as a boy, and she picked his pocket. This moment, the meeting of Kell and Lila, was the true first step on the journey that would become the Shades of Magic series.