A Darker Shade of Magic

In the interconnected Londons, even seemingly minor choices can have major consequences that ripple across the worlds. Generations before the story begins, Black London fell to corrupt magic, and Red London decided to seal itself off rather than fight the darkness alongside White London. As a result, White London became a cold and cruel realm in the aftermath. In a way, Astrid and Athos’s villainous plan is a revenge plot centuries in the making. They weren’t born when Black London fell and Red London retreated into itself, but they inherited a world ravaged because of other domains’ choices. In Chapter 11, Astrid explains the reasoning behind the Dane twins’ attempt to conquer Red London: “It made of us a shield, and now it thrives while we perish. It seems only just that I should take it, as reparation. Retribution” (301). The twins believe that they deserve to rule Red London because Red London is, in their minds, the reason their White London is so desolate. Astrid and Athos’s plot shows how far-reaching and destructive consequences can be.

Rhy’s choices give the Dane twins a foothold in Red London. Rhy Maresh, frustrated at his powerlessness, accepts a necklace from White London because he believes it will make him stronger. Rhy’s intentions are not malicious: He wishes for power, but it is because he does not want to depend on Kell’s protection, rather than out of any innate urge to dominate the worlds. Nonetheless, this necklace allows Astrid to take control of him and endanger Red London, and he is, once again, dependent on Kell Maresh to come to the rescue.

Schwab further develops the theme by fashioning a protagonist and deuteragonist who must contend with the consequences of their actions. In Chapter 5, Lila Bard steals the black stone from Kell. The theft is the work of a moment, but this choice forever alters the course of Lila’s life. The black stone is a catalyst for many significant events for Lila. Her theft of it leads to her discovery that magic is real, and it inextricably ties her to Kell, which puts her on Holland’s radar. This later leads to Barron’s death, which leaves Lila with no home to return to once her and Kell’s quest is complete. In Chapter 13, Lila reflects on the consequences of her actions as she fights for her life against Astrid: “Perhaps she never should have stolen the damned stone, but even here, and now, facing death in the form of a pale queen, she didn’t regret it” (367). Lila embraces the negative consequences, even the imminent threat of death, because her choice also yielded positive results. Namely, she finds the freedom and adventure she yearns for.

Like Lila, Kell accepts the consequences of his choices, but he does so with great guilt and regret rather than exhilaration. Kell’s smuggling is an act of treason, and his beloved brother begs him to stop over and over: “[E]very time he traveled, he had to endure Rhy’s questioning and with it, the reminder that what he was doing was foolish and wrong” (52). This habit of Kell precedes the beginning of the book, which adds depth to Kell’s background and defines his personality. Kell has grown used to his dangerous actions having little to no consequences, and the defiant freedom he feels from smuggling outweighs the risks of alienating himself from his family. Despite Rhy’s reminders, Kell continues breaking the law until he unwittingly destroys the balance between the worlds. To make things right, Kell puts his own life in jeopardy and is even willing to remain in Black London forever, in order to safeguard the stone and ensure it does not end up in the wrong hands. Kell makes grievous errors in judgment, but he strives to correct his mistakes through courage and self-sacrifice.