Key themes
- The privilege of access — and what it costs those who abuse it
- Multiple Londons as a meditation on possibility and corruption
- Found family as the emotional core beneath the adventure
About this book
A magician moves between parallel Londons; brisk, inventive and fun.
Published in 2015, A Darker Shade of Magic is the first of Schwab's Shades of Magic trilogy. It became a major bestseller through word of mouth and social media, and established Schwab as one of the most popular fantasy writers of her generation.
Discussion questions
- The novel imagines four parallel Londons in different states of magical vitality or corruption. What is Schwab saying through this structure — about parallel worlds, about the relationship between magic and civilisation?
- Kell is a rare Antari — one of only two people who can travel between worlds. How does Schwab use this privilege as both a gift and a source of obligation?
- Lila is a pickpocket and thief who inserts herself into events she doesn't understand. How does Schwab develop her character — and what does the choice of a woman who takes what she wants say about the novel's values?
- The novel is the first of a trilogy. How does it work as a standalone — and what specifically does it withhold to make a reader want the next volume?
- A Darker Shade of Magic has been enormously popular among 'BookTok' readers. What does it offer that explains its cross-generational appeal?
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