ADSOM: April 2016 Main Pick: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

[Michelle]

More of an aside at this point, but earlier on in the discussion it was mentioned that this was Schwab's first attempt at adult...it's her second. Vicious was her first. Anytime she is published as V.E. Schwab, it's marketed as adult. Anytime it's with Victoria Schwab, it's generally YA, though she also writes middle grade.

I enjoyed the story a lot and have loved all her other books, YA and not. They are making this series into a television show and have allowed her to write the pilot script which is pretty cool. Vicious is also in the long-drawn out works to be a movie.

After reading everyone's thoughts on the characters and descriptions, I think I agree. I can certainly see the merits to those arguments. This to me was a book I flew through, not caring too much about the details because I was enjoying the ride. I do wish it was longer so that way more details could be added to really add to the atmosphere.

[E.J. Xavier]

So I just finished Rachel Aaron's Nice Dragons Finish Last

Putting aside what I consider to be a truly awful title, in every other way I think this book succeeds for me where I felt like ADSoM failed.

- Light hearted and extremely whimsical universe.
- engaging young competent female protag of sometimes questionable morality
- engaging young male protag with independence issues
- romance hinted at but not primary driver
- actually funny and witty dialogue on every page
- well motivated villains
- engaging secondary characters
- setting is well drawn and characters fit well inside it. It's also set in Detroit, and damn was that a good choice.

Basically, I think it hits all the points that I see so many people saying they loved about ADSoM, but in my honest opinion, I think it far more successful. Also it cracked me up that after my jokes about Detroit I wound up reading a very similar book that was actually set in a future Detroit. Has anyone else read?

[Rob]

I have not, but after that writeup, and with that title (which is only "awful" in the sense that I love it so much it inspires awe in me), I'm going to!

[E.J. Xavier]

Rob Secundus wrote: "I have not, but after that writeup, and with that title (which is only "awful" in the sense that I love it so much it inspires awe in me), I'm going to!"

Honestly, I would never have picked it up with that title, but a more discerning friend of mine told me to read it, and she has a very good sense of my personal taste so I always read what she tells me to.

If you get to it do let me know what you think.

[Troy]

I finished the audiobook version this week and I liked it mostly. Maybe 3.5 stars worth. The ending left me with a feeling of "that's all there is?" so I'm not rushing into the next one in the series.

[Greg]

I think my main issues with this book come from expectations; what sounded intriguing and what I was looking forward to was the exploration and expanding of the different Londons but I felt like we didn't really go beyond the first paragraph of the blurb on goodreads in any meaningful way.

[Richard]

Finished the book today. It was decent, and turned into a book I was excited to pick back up in the last third of the book. But it was because I became intrigued about (view spoiler)[seeing Black London (hide spoiler)] and was disappointed when it didn't happen. I looked at the description of the second book and with no clear promise that I would get that, I just didn't feel strongly enough about this world with it's head-scratching magic system to continue with this series.

[Rob]

Richard wrote: "Finished the book today. It was decent, and turned into a book I was excited to pick back up in the last third of the book. But it was because I became intrigued about [spoilers removed] and was di..."

I have to say, two things that were heavily telegraphed didn't come to pass, I guess saved for sequels, and both dissapointed me. One was the one you mentioned-- (view spoiler)[ if you have a story whose entire point is "WE HAVE THESE NEAT ALTERNATE REALITIES-- AND ONE IS MEGADOOMOPOLIS, THE EARTH OF EVIL then you need to visit Megadoomopolis. (hide spoiler)]

The second, (view spoiler)[ SHE IS CLEARLY AN ANTARAEI OR HOWEVER YOU SPELL IT. SHE HAS POWER, SHE CAN GO BETWEEN WORLDS, SHE'S MISSING AN EYE. How Kel didn't put this together is beyond me; how Schwaab expected the reader to either A) not put it together until a later book or B) be ok with it being just a dropped plotline is also totally beyond me. (hide spoiler)]

[Tassie Dave, S&L Historian]

Both are picked up in Book 2 (as you suspected)

Spoilers are not major spoilers for the story just comments and minor spoilers 1: (view spoiler)[We do visit Black London (hide spoiler)]

2: (view spoiler)[Kel is a boy. Boy's don't notice anything.
It is only the priest Tieren that notices it. He suspects she is more than she realises.
But is she just magical or an Antari?
It is obvious that the eye leads us to think she is.
But we won't get all the answers until Book 3 (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

This was my first read with Sword & Laser, and wow! I'm so glad I joined in time for this one. I thought it was a lot of fun, 4/5 stars. I'll copy my review here.

How fun was this book?!

Magic and treachery abound in four parallel Londons (actually, Kell describes them as stacked like pages in a book). The pacing was quite good here, with hardly a moment to catch your breath once the action starts. Such delightful imagery in the different worlds-vibrant Red London, cutthroat White London ruled by the perfectly creepy Dane twins.

I enjoyed Kell as a main character, he was easy to like and empathize with, easy to root for.

Lila was a wonderful character-which is not to say I LIKED her. It's hard to like someone who would rather be a thief than a beggar, rather take without permission than be indebted to kindness by accepting something freely given. In other words, she would rather be an a*hole than admit she could use a little help sometimes. However, she was perfect for her part in this book, and never dull.

A Darker Shade of Magic is a super fun story, very well spun together, and I highly recommend it to all fans of the genre.

[Jessica]

Someone else pointed out that the letters delivered between monarchs really only seemed to exist as a plot device, there was no real reason for them, and I do have to agree with that. And what was that with (view spoiler)[Lila's eye? Master Tieren asks her if Kell knows that she is missing an eye and has a glass one in its place, making it seem like it was somehow going to be a big deal and factor into the story, but then...nope. Also, I'm sure you can learn to compensate, but I admit I did wonder at how dexterous of a pickpocket/swashbuckler Lila could possibly be lacking any depth perception (hide spoiler)]

I'm sure there are other little things people noticed (I haven't read through all of these comments yet) and so no, it's not a perfect book. But it had a, I don't know, a "light" enough feeling to me that I didn't need to take it too seriously and examine those things too closely. I was able to enjoy the book despite them. And I did :)

[Joseph]

The spoiler is mentioned in the second book. As for the letters, I didn't have too much of a problem imagining them as a fading remnant of a time when there was more back & forth between the different worlds; and I'm not surprised that the rulers want to at least stay in touch just in case, say, something horrible starts happening ...

But yeah, I generally agree with your review -- super fun, well spun together.

[Jessica]

Joseph wrote: "The spoiler is mentioned in the second book. As for the letters, I didn't have too much of a problem imagining them as a fading remnant of a time when there was more back & forth between the differ..."

Gosh, I feel so dense now after reading the above comments. Of COURSE (view spoiler)[ Lila's eye was removed because it was a black Antari eye and people were creeped out by it and didn't want it to mark her as a demon or somesuch. Duh. Now I get it :) (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Tassie Dave wrote: "Both are picked up in Book 2 (as you suspected)

Spoilers are not major spoilers for the story just comments and minor spoilers 1: [spoilers removed]

2: Kel is a boy. Boy's don't notice anything. ..."

To be fair, Kell DID notice that her eyes were two different shades. He just didn't then conclude that one of them was fake.

[Joseph]

Jessica wrote: "Gosh, I feel so dense now after reading the above comments."

TBH, I didn't pick up on that either until I read the second book.

[Jessica]

On the topic of YA-my understanding was that it has mostly to do with the ages of the protagonists and the issues being faced usually being those that young adults face. But sometimes it's applied to books whose subject matter is very...NOT young adult. I am super confused with Pierce Brown's Red Rising being marketed as YA, with all the murder and rape and cannibalism (AMAZING book, btw!)

[Jessica]

Joseph wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Gosh, I feel so dense now after reading the above comments."

TBH, I didn't pick up on that either until I read the second book."

Oh good, it wasn't just me then :)

Sorry to flood the thread, but some last thoughts here: I agree with some others that the characters could have been fleshed out a bit more, but again, the book was fun and somehow 'light' enough that I didn't mind overly much. Perhaps I just would have liked it that much more if it had been otherwise.

And the fortress in White London totally reminded me of the White Queen's castle in Narnia's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, with all those who would oppose the rulers being turned into statues and left displayed all over the courtyard leading to the castle doors.

[Joseph]

From my review: Gray London, Red London, White London, Black London. Or, if you prefer, Dull London, Magic London, Melnibone, Dead London.

[Leesa]

I didn't know (view spoiler)[she had a fake eye until they went to the sanctuary to save Rhy (I might have missed this early on?). I assumed that Kell knew Astrid was a fake Lila because when fake-Lila appeared, she had a black eye instead of a fake eye closely colored to her other regular eye. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Leesa wrote: "I didn't know [spoilers removed]"

No, you didn't miss it, I think that was the first time it was mentioned.

[Sean]

Leesa wrote: "I didn't know [spoilers removed]"

I don't remember it being mentioned or anything other than being very obliquely hinted at before. I did guess what it meant (and it did explain a few things), and I was a bit bothered that it was dropped afterwards. But I guess something had to be saved for the sequel.

[Heather]

I'm finally next in line at the library to get this book. Apparently, everyone wants to read it.