Kell is a character from the fantasy novel series "A Darker Shade of Magic" written by V.E. Schwab. In this series, Schwab introduces readers to a world where there are multiple parallel versions of London, each with its distinct magical properties. Kell, the protagonist, is one of the last remaining Antari, or blood magicians, who has the ability to travel between these different versions of London. Kell comes from Red London, a place rich in magic, where he serves as an ambassador of sorts, carrying messages between the different Londons.
“I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”
Lila has to kill a young guard to get to Astrid s body, but the first time she tries to shoot it the shot reverberates to hit her, and the second, Astrid reawakens to take on Lila s form. Her language evokes the atmosphere, her words propel the narrative, the diction and syntax so purposefully crafted that I felt transported immediately in the first chapter.
Kell comes from Red London, a place rich in magic, where he serves as an ambassador of sorts, carrying messages between the different Londons. However, Kell also has a dangerous side gig - smuggling magical artifacts between the worlds. One day, Kell stumbles upon a forbidden relic from Black London, the darkest and most corrupt of the Londons.
A Darker Shade of Magic Recap and Review
What if our version of the world wasn’t the only one? In A Darker Shade of Magic there are four: our world which doesn’t believe in magic, Grey London; one where magic flows everywhere, Red London; a dead world, Black London; and one which is dying, Grey London. As an Antari, Kell has the ability to travel between London’s, despite the name, they have little in common, aside from a tavern he conducts his business in in every world. Lila is a resident of our world, a thief, but when her path crosses with Kell’s she discovers the truth of magic.
Lots of quotes from this book are famous on YouTube, and there are some inspiring ones, as well as some cringey! (List of my favourites at the bottom). I seem to be in the minority in not being a huge fan of Lila, who’s a little too abrasive for me, although I really enjoyed both Kell and Rhy. The character building was good, however it seemed to damage the plot a little, it didn’t feel like too much happened even though there was a clear plot point looking back, it did seem strung out over longer than it needed to be.
Rating: B
Here in Grey London, Kell plans to meet with a Collector who wants a magical artefact, but an Enthusiast, someone who wants to perform magic, shows up instead, trying and failing to use the magical box Kell produces. He tells him to remain there for a month if he is truly dedicated.
He goes to visit King George III in Grey London with a letter from the Red Queen, elaborating on it’s shortness so as not to hurt him. Then Kell returns home to Red London and his family- the Royal Family, although he isn’t a biological member and he never lets himself forget it. He showed up with a memory charm when he was five, which he suspects the royal couple sanctioned. His brother has been meeting with another Antari, Holland, while he was away, as he is rather unskilled, magically speaking, himself. When Rhy was 13 he was captured and Kell saved him. Rhy pardoned his captors but Kell was more like Lila and killed them. This Holland was a contender for the throne of White London but instead the Dane twins who took it used a binding spell to make him their servant, although not emotionally.
A commoner on the street begs Kell to take her letter to her only family, who is sick in Black London, but the letter is actually blank, although the payment is not. It is a stone, with the symbol for magic on it. A pair of hired swords catch up to him with royal swords, strangely trying to get him to surrender rather than steal from him. He kills one, and somehow freezes the other using the stone. Escaping to Grey London where they can’t follow, he crashes into a seemingly kind girl, except she’s stolen his stone.
lesyablackbirdLila looks manly enough to fool many, but wants to be a pirate, so she takes lodgings on a ship, however the owner turns rapey one night and she kills him, burning his body with the ship. She feels drawn to the tavern, so that’s where she goes for a room, able to hide as she’s wanted, but as an even skinnier, taller man than she pretends to be. She sees three thieves stealing from a young boy so tries to steal for them in retribution but has to run when they realise she’s a girl.
Lila takes the stone she steals back to the inn however Kell creates a door to follow her back. She ties him up and tries out the stone, creating a fake version of him, but he eventually turns the tables, getting the stone back and leaving her in the position she put him in. Lila also summoned her dream sword, but she’s smart enough to realise it came with a cost so throws it out the window; the right choice as a drunkard called Booth picks it up intending to sell it, but it takes control to make him stab himself, turning his veins and eyes black. Nevertheless, Lila feels lost without the magic, as if it’s been missing all her life. She goes to a pub and is grabbed by Holland to drag Kell back out, which works, despite their rather negative previous exchange. Because he saved her, she comes back to save him, and decides she’s going with him to the destroyed Black London, whether he wants her to or not! She doesn’t say goodbye to the sweet tavern owner Barron, and sadly she’ll never get to as he’s killed by Holland when he can’t tell him where they went.
Another issue, they don’t land together in Red London. Lila watches a royal procession, and Kell finds her trying to steal from an enchanted market. He takes her to the inn, only to find Holland has magically burnt it down, including Kell’s tokens to stop him from travelling. That means he has to go see Fletcher, a merchant he cheated years ago. They travel there under invisibility to hide from Holland, and the royal guards, but when they arrive, Fletcher has summoned them. They take Kell away, kill Fletcher without him knowing and Lila uses the stone to stay hidden, grabbing the talisman Kell gave Fletcher years ago.
She dresses up to attend Rhy’s birthday ball, while Kell wakes up in his brother’s room- except it’s not really his brother; Astrid has taken his body to get the second half of the stone her brother found so they can open the doors between the worlds. When Lila refuses to give her the stone she stabs Rhy, but they get away to his old school, the London Sanctuary, and threatens the laws of nature by bringing Rhy back, tying him to his own life, but he’s also now physically attached to the stone. He wants to leave Lila there, but his teacher believes she has untouched potential. So they set off together, and Lila arrives in White London, but Holland keeps Rhy back to fight. Kell has to kill him to get to Lila, so when they arrive at the White Palace, Athos has decided to kill him in return. However, the snake Athos summons turns against him and when Kell kills it his side of the stone shatters.
Lila has to kill a young guard to get to Astrid’s body, but the first time she tries to shoot it the shot reverberates to hit her, and the second, Astrid reawakens to take on Lila’s form. Kell isn’t tricked by this for a moment though and turns Astrid into one of her own statues. The magic overtakes him, but he destroys it and returns the stone to Black London via Holland’s nearly dead body. They get home to Red London and the monarchs forgive Kell when he brings Rhy back, but it’s clear there’s a rift in the relationship now.
Rhy and Lila might start a relationship as there were some sparks there, and I think Kell will be protective over both of them.
Tbh I can’t see too many directions for this too go. I’m gonna make a random guess that isn’t substantiated in any way: the stone is going to find its way back and take control of one of the pair without the other knowing about it to take control of Red London.
“Men who waded into waters claiming they could swim should not need a raft.”
“Trouble is the looker. It keeps looking till it finds you. Might as well find it first.” “Why do you want to die?” “I don’t, I just want to live.”
“Love doesn’t keep us from freezing to death, Kell… Love doesn’t buy us anything, so be glad for what you have because you may want for things but you need for nothing.”
“Some people steal to stay alive, and some steal to feel alive.”
“My life is mine to spend and I will not spend it here.”
“Magic bent the world. Pulled it into shape. There were fixed points. Most of the time those points were places. But sometimes, rarely, they were people.”
“I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”
“I’m not going to die. Not till I’ve seen it.” “Seen what?” “Everything.”
“A respectable prison is still a prison.”
She dresses up to attend Rhy’s birthday ball, while Kell wakes up in his brother’s room- except it’s not really his brother; Astrid has taken his body to get the second half of the stone her brother found so they can open the doors between the worlds. When Lila refuses to give her the stone she stabs Rhy, but they get away to his old school, the London Sanctuary, and threatens the laws of nature by bringing Rhy back, tying him to his own life, but he’s also now physically attached to the stone. He wants to leave Lila there, but his teacher believes she has untouched potential. So they set off together, and Lila arrives in White London, but Holland keeps Rhy back to fight. Kell has to kill him to get to Lila, so when they arrive at the White Palace, Athos has decided to kill him in return. However, the snake Athos summons turns against him and when Kell kills it his side of the stone shatters.
This relic, a stone, possesses immense power that could potentially destroy everything if it falls into the wrong hands. With the help of a skilled thief named Lila Bard, Kell embarks on a quest to return the stone to Black London before it wreaks havoc on all the worlds. Throughout the series, Kell's character is portrayed as complex and multifaceted. On one hand, he is a powerful magician with unique abilities, but on the other, he is burdened by the weight of his responsibilities and the secrets he carries. Kell's journey is not only a physical one as he travels between the Londons but also an emotional one, as he grapples with questions of identity, purpose, and the consequences of his actions. He forms unlikely alliances, confronts formidable enemies, and faces his own inner demons along the way. As readers delve deeper into the series, they uncover the layers of Kell's character, his vulnerabilities, and his growth. Schwab masterfully weaves a tale of magic, adventure, and self-discovery, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Overall, Kell is a captivating and compelling character, whose story in "A Darker Shade of Magic" explores themes of power, morality, and the blurred lines between good and evil. His journey through the parallel Londons offers readers an immersive and enchanting reading experience..
Reviews for "The Unique Fashions of Kell in A Darker Shade of Magic"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I had high expectations for "A Darker Shade of Magic" but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The storyline felt disjointed and confusing, making it hard to fully immerse myself in the world that the author was trying to create. I also found the characters to be underdeveloped and lacking depth. Overall, I was left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied with this book.
2. Mark - 3/5 stars - While "A Darker Shade of Magic" had an interesting concept and premise, I found the execution to be lacking. The pacing was slow, and it took a while for the story to really pick up. Additionally, I struggled to connect with the protagonist, Kell, as I found him to be rather flat and uninteresting. The world-building was also lacking in detail, leaving me with more questions than answers. Overall, I think this book had potential, but it ultimately fell short for me.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - I was excited to dive into "A Darker Shade of Magic," but I found myself struggling to get through it. The writing style was a bit too flowery for my taste, and I found myself getting distracted by the overly descriptive passages. Furthermore, the plot felt predictable and lacked any real surprises or twists. The characters also didn't leave much of an impression on me, and I struggled to feel invested in their journey. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed by this book.