Introduction 11/3/19
I didn’t go into this expecting to find a new all time favorite, but I thought it would be a solidly fun read. Alas, it is proving not to be. I’m 24% of the way in. I don’t really know what’s going on, and that’s more because I just don’t care. I’m not finding the story particularly gripping. I am not about to DNF this. I have the limited signed edition of this and an unsigned limited edition of the sequel. I am going to finish this. I’m still disappointed this isn’t proving to be the entertaining ride Vicious was. I may take a break for this for a couple days then return to it. Hopefully, it will pick up for me.
Update 11/6/19
I’m nearly finished (~90%), and I am enjoying it a bit more. I find the second half is about as enjoyable as I expected the book to be when I started reading it. That is, it is a fun easy read. One reviewer described this book as character driven, and that may have been why I didn’t like it at first. Don’t get me wrong. I love character rich stories; the problem is with the uninteresting characters. I get they each have their own drama. I still struggled to care about them or what they were doing for the longest time. Now, I still don’t really care, but the plot is more interesting.
My hope is that by the end of this book, I’ll feel more invested in the characters so I can enjoy the next book in the series more. Despite my misgivings, I am still enjoying it enough to continue. Granted, part of that is me having already bought the second book when I saw it at a book store in the collectors edition.
Finished 11/7/19
They can’t all be rock-stars. The book was good. It wasn’t great, nor was it bad. I still intend to read the next novel. I am hoping my familiarity will help me get into a bit sooner. Nevertheless, I found this book to be uninspiring. I struggled to connect, and even when I did, the story failed to excite like I hoped it would. Schwab is a good write. That is a big reason why I choose to read this and why I wish to continue. Her popularity makes me think of King. In truth, it may just not be for me. My love for viscous was not as large as many others, but it was akin to my feeling for King. Often, he isn’t revolutionary, but he is safe. At least he is for me. I am beginning to understand and appreciate how tastes differ in books, and that is okay. I don’t regret reading this. It’s the only way I can learn, and if anything, it made me enjoy If We Were Villains even more. 3/3 stars.
For the Love of Science 
3 thoughts on “A Darker Shade of Magic, by V.E. Schwab ★★★☆☆”