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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Fantasy combat and magical violence; some deaths in the White London sections
Language
Some
Moderate language in a propulsive fantasy register
Sexual Content
Barely any
Mild romantic tension; nothing explicit
Substance Use
Barely any
Period drinking in the tavern settings
Emotional Intensity
Some
The weight of being the last of your kind; political intrigue between the parallel worlds
What this book is about
Kell is one of the last Antari — rare magicians who can travel between parallel Londons. There is Grey London (grim, magicless, Georgian), Red London (vibrant, magic-rich), White London (desperate, power-hungry), and the destroyed Black London that nobody talks about. Kell carries messages between the ruling families of each world, but also occasionally smuggles small illegal artifacts. When he ends up with a dangerous stone from Black London and a pickpocket named Lila Bard steals it from him, everything goes wrong. V.E. Schwab's fantasy debut series is propulsive, witty, and builds a magic system that feels genuinely original.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
fantasy violence and deaths
first in a trilogy
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