Mission: New Baby

You know those books that make your heart melt from the first page and your inner literary critic go WOW? A Darker Shade of Magic is one of those rare finds. From the beginning, the book promised me an adventure along with Kell, a magician with powerful little trinkets in his multifold coat, and Lila, an audacious, strong-headed girl used to living on the edge. The setting is London: three co-existing Londons, to be precise. Kell is an Antari, a powerful magician with the ability to move between all three worlds. As expected, the whispers of magic draw the attention of Lila as well as other, more threatening powers.

A Darker Shade of Magic is fast-paced, imaginative, and delightfully unusual. One of its best features is the protagonist Kell, who is introduced as an aloof, sensible young man and eventually reveals and develops aspects of his character throughout the story. I was intrigued by the backstories and interactions among the diverse cast of characters. Although the worldbuilding was a little weak, I loved the concept of having three alternate, coexisting worlds and cannot wait for a sequel.