Mini Review: [Excerpt of] A Darker Shade of Magic

 Title: A Darker Shade of Magic
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Fantasy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads summary:

From V.E. Schwab, the critically acclaimed author of Vicious, comes a new universe of daring adventure, thrilling power, and parallel Londons, beginning with A Darker Shade of Magic.
Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes—as such, he can choose where he lands.
There’s Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there’s Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne—a place where people fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was Black London...but no one speaks of that now.
Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see—a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations, who first robs him, then saves him from a dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.
But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—and that is proving trickier than they hoped.

*This is a mini review of the 150 page preview excerpt. I'll post another review of the entire book when I read it!*

Just look at that summary. Magical travellers who can move between parallel universes, accidental treason, a badass young woman who happens to be an excellent thief..did I mention fabulous coats that have more than two sides?

I may only have gotten a glimpse at this fantastic book,  but it was amazing! I love the idea of many overlapping Londons, each with a defining characteristic and mood. The story was darker than I was expecting, but that only made me more excited to read the full book. I loved Kell and his fabulous cloak, and although I didn't see much of Lila, she is definitely character I am looking forward to reading about. This excerpt had me gasping, gagging, smiling, and catching my breath; just imagine what the entire book will do!

I cannot wait for this book to be out! Less than 10 days to go!

*A free sample of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*