Explore the real-world places that appear in A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Grey London, Red London, White London, Black London, The Stone's Throw and 3 more.
The magicless London of mad King George III
Kell crosses into Grey London on his errands to deliver letters and smuggle trinkets. There he is mugged by Lila Bard, who is disguised as a boy, and he later takes her back to Red London. The city is dull and magicless, which Kell finds both oppressive and strangely free.
In 1819 London was the capital of the British Empire under the regency of the future George IV, while George III was ill and secluded at Windsor. The city was growing quickly, with coal smoke, crowded streets and sharp divisions between rich and poor.
London is a global capital of about nine million people. Its medieval, Georgian and modern buildings stand side by side along the Thames.
The vibrant, magic-honoring capital of Arnes
Kell was raised in Red London as an adopted prince alongside Rhy. The city is built around the glowing red Isle, and its people balance magic with respect. Kell and Lila return here to deal with the threat to the royal family.
The Strand and Westminster have been London's centers of royal power for centuries. The river has always been the heart of trade and ceremony.
The area is home to Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Embankment. Thousands of visitors walk the river each day.
A cruel city where magic is taken by force
Kell and Rhy travel to White London to hide the stone, and they meet the cruel twins Astrid and Athos Dane. Holland serves the rulers under a binding spell. The city's frozen streets show how it lives by seizing magic.
The City of London has long been the financial center of the country. It was once a walled Roman settlement and has been rebuilt many times, including after the Great Fire of 1666.
It is now a dense financial district with towers such as the Gherkin and the Walkie-Talkie. Roman and medieval traces remain among the glass buildings.
The sealed city destroyed by its own magic
Black London was sealed off after magic consumed it. Kell is asked to carry the dangerous Black stone out of it. The stone corrupts those who hold it and drives the main plot.
The South Bank has been a place of entertainment, industry and theatre since the Middle Ages. Bankside was once outside the city's laws.
Today it is a cultural area with the National Theatre and the London Eye. Many visitors walk the riverside path.
Red London inn where Kell stays
Kell stays at the Stone's Throw whenever he is in Red London, and the innkeeper Faustino knows him well. It is where he meets Lila and where he trades with travelers. The inn is a quiet refuge from palace life.
The Strand has long been lined with taverns, inns and coffee houses serving travelers. Many were rebuilt or lost over the centuries.
Historic pubs still line the Strand and nearby Covent Garden. The Coal Hole is one example.
Red London inn and smuggling hub
Kell meets his contacts here and trades with smugglers. It is a quiet place where dealings in forbidden magic go unnoticed. Kell's smuggling is part of what draws the attention that endangers him.
Covent Garden was once a convent garden, then a market and theatre district. Alleys behind it housed trades of every kind.
It is a busy shopping and entertainment area with a restored market hall. Street performers work the piazza.
The royal palace of the Maresh family
Kell grew up here as the adopted brother of Prince Rhy, and the two are close despite Kell's duties. Rhy's recklessness threatens to cause a crisis. The palace hosts the royal court and the Element Games.
Buckingham Palace became the official royal residence in 1837 under Queen Victoria. It was previously Buckingham House.
It is the working residence of the British monarch and hosts the Changing of the Guard. The State Rooms are open to visitors in summer.
A magical riverside market on the Isle
The Floating Market is where Kell trades and where the city's magical goods change hands. Kell, Lila and Rhy are drawn into its crowds as the plot escalates. It is a lively place where traders meet along the water.
Borough Market has operated near London Bridge for around a thousand years. It is one of the oldest food markets in the city.
Borough Market is a major food market with hundreds of traders. It stands close to Southwark Cathedral.
More by V. E. Schwab: All V. E. Schwab books
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