The Shadowhunter Chronicles is a young-adult fantasy franchise comprised so far of three series (ten novels as of 2016) and several short stories written by American author Cassandra Clare, along with some companion books, a graphic novel, manga, film, and TV series adaptations.
These works are set in a universe where fairy tales and mythologies, both pagan andJudeo-Christian, are true with its figures existing alongside the mundanes (normal humans). A race of humans who possess angel blood, the Nephilim or Shadowhunters, is organized to patrol the Shadow World and prevent demons as well as Downworlders, including warlocks, faeries, werewolves, and vampires from attacking the mundanes. There is an uneasy peace, a treaty known as The Accords, between the governing body of the Nephilim, known as the Clave, and the Downworlders, not all of whom want peace or respect the Clave’s authority.
The Infernal Devices
The Infernal Devices is the prequel trilogy to The Mortal Instruments. It takes place in Victorian London at the London Shadowhunter Institute.
The series follows Tessa Gray, an orphaned teenage girl who discovers she has the power to shapeshift, but doesn’t bear a mark that shows she is a warlock, and abilities that plunge her into a world she never knew existed. She will have to learn to master them if she wants to find her brother Nate and she will have to forge an alliance with Shadowhunters if she wants to survive in this dangerous world.
The trilogy features William (Will) Herondale, James (Jem) Carstairs, Theresa (Tessa) Gray, and other Downworlders and Shadowhunters in the London Institute. It also features Magnus Bane, Camille Belcourt and other characters who appear in The Mortal Instruments series.
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Clockwork Angel
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times best selling Mortal Instruments series.
The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them…
In Clockwork Angel there is evoked a sense of old-world glamour that was Victorian London, a place of creeping fog and horse-drawn carriages. This was my perception of London that Clare evoked with her writing, and I believe it made me enjoy this world a lot more.
Tessa Gray is the newcomer to the world of Shadowhunters, and her character does not disappoint in that she is in almost every sense the proper lady of the 1800s: polite, courteous, respectful, and modest. So it is with great pleasure that I watched her transform into a stronger and braver person, one who was not afraid to defend her loved ones with her all and verbally spar with others in humor or defense of her beliefs. Will Herondale is the resident bad boy with the probable heart of gold. He’s handsome, tormented, sarcastic, and cold, yet occasionally we glimpse a softer and more passionate side to him. And then there is Jem Carstairs, who is walking, talking, living proof of a terrible cruelty, and yet despite this he is kind, and caring, and understanding.
One thing I’ve realized that I enjoy in Cassandra Clare’s work is that her stories never center solely on just one female lead and one male lead. The universe does not revolve around the girl and the guy. But, rather, there is always a rich cast of characters that supplement each other, that give each other depth and personality; there is a warm sense of rivalry that makes me care for them. Clare can write some truly amazing characters, authentic and engaging and unique.
The plot is alternately thrilling and chilling, hilarious and somber, lighthearted and tragic. The combination is one made just right, a winding adventure through the London of Queen Victoria’s time. Clockwork Angel is amazing in its ability to present a story that is both character-driven and plot-driven, with both done superbly well. I adored practically every single character and was captivated by the story until the very end.
Final Verdict: I enjoyed the ride and will continue the series of course. I heard it gets better as you move onto the next book. So fingers crossed!
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Clockwork Prince
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, but her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.
When you delve into Cassandra Clare’s fantastic world of Shadowhunters it’s very hard to stop! I have just finished the second book in The Infernal Devices trilogy, Clockwork Prince; it stole my heart.
Becoming acquainted with the characters in the first book, I feel that in this book we get to know much more in depth information about the emotional aspects of them. I’d say the main protagonists are most certainly Tessa, Will and Jem. I’d not so much go as far to say this book includes a love triangle between the three, just bad timing and love that is so strong yet so beautiful.
Tessa was easily my favourite character in the first book. I loved (and still love) her feisty attitude and the compassion she has for all those around her; she thinks of others more than herself.
However, in this book I found myself eager to hear about the boys, Jem and Will. Especially Will, who my heart breaks for: in the first book it’s clear he’s troubled by some darkness that tortured him deep down, but we were never sure what. Finally, we find out but I was so sad to hear the news – not because of what is revealed to him, but of the way it turns out. His fierce devotion to Jem as his parabatai is something that cannot be explained, only through the way Cassandra Clare describes their relationship, as well as the things they do for each other, can anyone truly understand.
Personally, I felt that we also got to identify with the lesser characters in this book such as: Henry, Charlotte, even Sophie. Family is talked about a lot too, even though most of the characters have lost, in whichever way, their blood relatives, it is proven that by living with each other in the Institute a family is formed.
Victorian London in these books still intrigues me, the description is so detailed that I can imagine it so clearly – which I think is very important when reading a book; you know it’s great when you can picture the story playing out in your mind. Yes, for all those who have read these books, I do very much want to be a part of the Shadowhunter world. Who wouldn’t?
Final Verdict: I liked this book more than Clockwork Angel because we got way more back story on the characters and certain things in the end happened that made me smile.
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Clockwork Princess
A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.
Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.
As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?
Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.
Happy, sad and what I can only describe as tears of love – how much love and respect I have for certain characters in not just this book but the trilogy as whole. Cassie Clare really can make you feel the emotional roller-coasters these character go on, identify with those feelings even if you’ve never experienced them.
So, the Tess/Jem/Will triangle is in my head not a triangle. Why? Because you think of a classic love triangle, it often ends up those in it fight over one another; however the three of them don’t. I could not describe in words how touching their love is. Each of them loves the other two with every bit of their heart and soul – they just seem incapable of hurting each other. I do have to say I have a lot of respect for Will in how he handles his love for Tessa. In one of my previous reviews I’m sure I mentioned how my heart broke for him when he knew he was hurting her, but was doing it to keep her safe. Now, he could’ve had her except she was engaged to Jem; rather than ruin it and beg, he took a step back, chose to be pleasant and endure his pain for both Tess and Jem.
Again I’m going to have to mention Charlotte. What a women! *round of applause* She never takes defeat, tirelessly fighting for all that’s good amd right even when people (Consul Josiah) make it so difficult. Ooo, also how awesome is it to now know how the portal came about! Magnus and Henry… What legends!
Again the relationship between Henry and Lottie, I absolutely adore the way Cassie describes Henry’s gazes at Charlotte. Relationships in this book are outstandingly full of love, but if there was a word for love that meant more I’d use it. Love in this trilogy seems to be that you’d do anything, give anything, be anything or anyone for the other. It’s deep, soulful. There strong, make two people whole.
Final Verdict: It was sad, happy and humorous. A thrilling conclusion to a wonderful trilogy.
The Mortal instruments
The Mortal Insturments is a great fanstasy series and is great for the supernatural creature fan and who likes fighting and a bit of Romance……
The series follows Clary Fray, Jace Herondale, Simon Lewis, Isabelle Lightwood, Alec Lightwood and other Downworlders and Shadowhunters in the New York Institute. Seemingly normal at first, Clary soon gets sucked into the world of Nephilim and other creatures when she finds out that she is a Shadowhunter.
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City of Bones
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know…
At first, I didn’t like City of Bones very much at all. It actually took me about two thirds of the book to begin to fall in love with this story.
It really is a rich story world to fall in love with, filled with complex characters. All the characters, especially Alec, just seemed so artificial. Jace, who once seemed so badass, just fell flat. I particularly loved with Jace’s dialogue and personality.
I’ve always liked dystopian and weird books with creatures that don’t exist, so this book was right up my alley. Cassandra Clare is an amazing writer and has become one of my favorite authors just in this short period of reading this book. Her style keeps you hooked right through to the end.
Final Verdict: Despite the narrative flaws, this version of New York, full of Buffyesque teens who are trying to save the world, is entertaining and will have fantasy readers anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.
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City of Ashes
Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what’s normal when you’re a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who’s becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn’t ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary’s only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.
To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?
Despite the magic themes, City of Ashes definitely isn’t your average fairy tale or fantasy book. Clare’s vision of modern-day Manhattan is gritty and edgy: Punked-out warlocks wear glitter eyeliner and leather pants, and faeries throw wicked dance parties. The plot’s twists and turns will keep you guessing, and Clare’s descriptions are so detailed, you’ll be able to imagine the characters and places clearly. Still, the real reason you won’t be able to put down City of Ashes is its awesome characters. You’ll get so drawn into the drama between Clary and her friends that the fact that they carry seraph blades, ride flying motorcycles, and get turned into vampires will barely register as anything out of the ordinary.
Clary is feisty and smart — totally the girl you want on your side when creepy Drevak demons are attacking. She isn’t just a fighting heroine, though. You’ll have compassion for her when she’s feeling insecure next to her gorgeous friend, Isabelle, and unsure about the awkward romantic tension with Simon. You’ll also fall hard for gorgeous Jace and his snarky one-liners. The love triangle he, Simon, and Clary get caught in is a little weird, but Clare does a great job of mixing it into City of Ashes’ complex plot.
Of course, there are enough supernatural action sequences and gory battles to keep even the most hard-core fantasy fan’s adrenaline pumping. But be warned: Clare’s expert descriptions of the otherworldly dark forces Valentine summons can be truly creepy, and more than a bit disgusting.
Final Verdict: This book encompasses more than City of Bones and gives the reader a far wider scope into how the Shadow World works.
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City of Glass
To save her mother’s life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters – never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.
As Clary uncovers more about her family’s past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he’s willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City – whatever the cost?
My absolute, unequivocal favorite thing about City of Glass was the multiple points of view. I LOVED the fact that we could see into the motivations and thoughts of each of the main characters – Clary, Jace, Simon, Luke and Isabelle. Clare does a fabulous job of keeping each of these POVs exciting and bringing them together at the right moment. I especially like the cliffhangers within chapters where the POV switches to someone else.
The imagery was wonderful – I felt at times that I was in Alicante! The writing was fast-paced and kept building straight to the end with an oh-so-satisfying fight scene/conclusion. The plot was fascinating and Clare made sure to tie up all loose ends (something I find missing in a lot of books with this much detail and side-stories going on).
I was drawn into the world of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders and I lost track of time. The tension between the characters, the battles that were either raging or building, and the mysteries of who everyone really was just drove me to keep reading. I couldn’t see what was coming or where the book was going and I loved it.
Final Verdict: This is where the series starts to rock for me. I loved being back in this story and seeing our characters grow and develop. The characters has this way of staying in your heart after you read it.
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City of Fallen Angels
The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend. But nothing comes without a price.
Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.
A lot of new plots and characters had to be introduced, and without the wonder of a new fantastical world (like our introduction to Cassandra Clare’s world in City of Bones) this one was kind of lacking. Little plot links and interesting bits of dialouge make this my favourite book out of The Mortal Instuments Series.
The start of the second half of this series, City of Fallen Angels is no longer just the story of Clary, who discovered that her mother was born to a secret society of demon hunters—therefore making her one as well. It’s now a much bigger story, and this book brings in many of the threads introduced in previous volumes, knitting them together cleanly and with such flair that they feel like a reward for loyal readers. The books have been consistently opening up the series, and this one goes another step in that direction.
City of Fallen Angels is the story of Simon and what it means to be not quite vampire but definitely not human—as well as cursed with the oldest curse in the book. It’s about Maia, turned into a werewolf by the only guy she loved and then left to fend for herself. Then there’s Alec, trying to figure out how to function in his first real relationship, which happens to be with a warlock several hundred years older than he. Isabelle is a character who can’t trust anyone. And the book also explores the Clave and how they rebuild after the near-devastating war that closed Book Three, City of Glass. Finally, it’s the story of Clary and Jace, as it has been from the beginning, learning to be together with a love that appears about to destroy them both.
It’s hard to increase the stakes when you had a world-altering war with a nearly indestructible villain for the climax of your previous book, but Ms. Clare manages to do just that, and in the best way possible: The next phase of the story grows directly out of the consequences of every character’s actions in the previous three books. As usual, the consequences are worse than the events that led to them—and the drama amps up almost immediately.
Add to all this the literal sins of the fathers, ancient evil that’s been gifted a loophole, more than a few self-destructive tendencies, a weakened and shattered status quo facing challenge, and a whole lot of real, honest grief, and you have a tight, tense, involving read.
Final Verdict: Cassandra Clare continues to produce consistently original, imaginative stories that manage to fit cleanly into the genre without falling into its clichés and pitfalls.
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City of Lost Souls
What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other.
As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?
I love and hate Sebastian so much after reading this! Yes, he’s a pyschopath and undoubtedly evil. He tears me apart so much… The thing is, I also got the feeling that, in his own way, he really does care for his sister.
I loved learning more about the characters and seeing their personalities develop, as well as seeing the romantic developments that were taking place. The writing was really good and the action scenes were extremely well written! I really have grown to love the characters in this series. It took me awhile to warm up to some of them in the first two books, but since then I’ve really adored watching them grow and live their lives.
The book was unbelievable! There were plenty of action-packed fighting scenes, and Simon, Jace, and Magnus delivered their trademark humor for some laughs. The character development with Sebastian left me torn over him and vey syoathetic, which I think is a symbol of clare’s writing. You know the author’s good when you can sympathize with a main antagonist. There was no shortage of romance with the various couples. As always with Casie Clare books, there were plenty of perfect quotes and thoughtful conversation between characters to help the book feel very moving and memerable.
Final Verdict: I felt that this was yet another great book by Cassandra Clare. Her story telling ability never ceases to amaze me.
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City of Heavenly Fire
Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.
The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris – but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?
When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee – even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned.
When this book came out, I devoured it in a matter of hours despite its 733 pages! Cassandra Clare has managed to weave in hints from her previous and upcoming series, which is pure genius.
City of Heavenly Fire is a brilliant climax to a series that will have you gripped from the beginning. Anyone who is a fan of Clare will be used to her ingenious ability to hook you in and leave you begging for more. She is one of those rare authors that manages to encompass various emotions in one chapter.
I don’t know what else to say other than the book is a perfect ending to the series. If you have read Cassandra’s other books, you’ll know what a skilled storyteller she is and she doesn’t let down with this book. As usual she manages to weave a story that has you laughing on one page and in floods of tears the next. Or, sometimes, at the same time.She masterfully manages to link everything together fluidly, especially the characters’ ancestry. All questions and theories that have plagued you for months are answered and justified, along with extra surprises and sweet moments. Also, the six people that were foretold to be killed off meet their ends.
Final Verdict: City of Heavenly Fire is an exhilarating page turner that you will always cherish. One can only be grateful for the beauty that is Mortal Instruments.
The Bane Chronicles
The Bane Chronicles is a series of connected novellas featuring the character of Magnus Bane from Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series. The novellas are co-written by Clare, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Rees Brennan.
A fan-favourite character from Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter Chronicles, Magnus features in The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, City of Bones movie and the soon to be ABC Family series Shadowhunters.
Magnus will never be able to tell all of his tales. No one would believe him. But these stories shed a little light on his often inscrutable character. They are stories he probably wishes had never got out.
The books in Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter Chronicles are some of my favourite YA novels, so I’ll read anything Shadowhunter related. Magnus was also one of my favourite characters due to his outrageously colourful fashion sense and sassy, laid-back attitude.
I had been meaning to pick this one up for awhile and did when my local bookstore was having a sale, but I was a bit apprehensive. I thought City of Heavenly Fire, the last book in The Mortal Instruments wrapped up the Shadowhunter world nicely for me and I was worried that this was just a cash grab by prolonging the series.
Honestly, it was funny. Cassandra Clare knows her characters inside and out and I really enjoyed diving into the crazy world of the illustrious High Warlock of Brooklyn. In some parts you can clearly tell it’s co-authored and sometimes the stories do lack a bit of pizzazz, but the witty dialogue and banter between Magnus and his many magical friends did keep me going. I will, however, admit that I didn’t care too much for the illustrations before each chapter. Arguably, they make the book look pretty but they just spoiled some of the story a little bit.
Because this book is compiled up of eleven short stories, I’ll rate each short story out of five stars and give my opinion as there were definitely stories I liked more than others. I will say that generally the book was a good read.
If your sole purpose of reading this book is to find out what crazy caper got Magnus banned from ever returning to Peru, then stop now. It’s been teased throughout the The Mortal Instruments that Magnus for some unknown reason is banned from Peru and when I first this title I thought “FINALLY! We’re getting answers!” Warning: Do not be fooled by the first chapter’s title.
We spend a whole chapter following Magnus’ adventures in Peru each one seemingly more audacious than the next. Alas, none of these get him banned from Peru. While I love Cassandra and I think there are some very humorous one-liners in this chapter, I felt her and Sarah Rees Brennan definitely copped out on this one. Instead of getting an answer, we are fobbed off with a typical and eye-roll inducing “the world will never know” type ending. Don’t call it What Really Happened in Peru if you’re not going to tell us what really happened in Peru.
“There was also a woman who referred to me as her sweet peapod of love” – Ragnor Fell, 1791
Slightly more enjoyable. This time Magnus finds himself in the City of Love, Paris. After being captivated by an attractive count, Magnus finds himself with the task of saving the royal family from the horrors of the French Revolution.
This was miles better and funnier than Peru. I thought that the actual plot was very well done. The descriptions of both Paris and the Parisian Vampires was brilliant, but again because this was co-authored I could see some inconsistencies in the writing. One minute it was very effortless and dreamlike, the next it would be the total opposite. However, I really did enjoy this one.
“Still. If one could look this fabulous, one had an obligation to. One should wear everything or one should wear nothing at all”
Three of my favourite things; Vampires, Scones and a Herondale boy. I did love the banter Edmund and Magnus exchanged. I thought it was hilarious and Magnus always has a great dynamic with the Herondales. Plus Linette and Edmund were adorable!
“I’m so sorry. Somebody incredibly attractive just came into the room, and I ceased to pay attention to a word you were saying”
I mean, how could I not give it four stars when I was reunited with three of my favourite Shadowhunter Chronicles characters? The Holy Infernal Devices Trinity; Will, Jem and Tessa all featured in this chapter. I may or may not have cried profusely at reading about them all being together again. It was a lovely few minutes where I could pretend Clockwork Princess had never happened. The Infernal Devices is my favourite series Cassie has written. I love everything about the era it’s set in and the characters she created, it was nice to see that all revisited.
Although, I wasn’t too fond of James Herondale. (I know, I know). While I felt some pity for him, I wasn’t all about the “(unnecessarily) tragic broken boy” trope Clare and Brennan had given him.
“How they loved each another, these three, how they had suffered for each another, and yet how much joy they took from simply being in the same room…Tessa, Will and Jem stood together in a tight knot. Magnus knew for moments nothing existed in the world but the three of them”
This time we’re in 1920’s Manhattan and Magnus is out hobnobbing with the elite at a glamorous Jazz hot spot, the glittering new addition to New York that is the Hotel Dumort. The Roaring Twenties may have all the glitz, but it seems there is a different type of glamour at work.
Now, I love the Hotel Dumort setting. You always know that something crazy exciting is going to go down there. This tells us how it came to be the notorious vampire haunt that we’ve read about in The Mortal Instruments and it was increasingly interesting.
“Aldous Nix is two thousand years old?” “So I’ve heard. He doesn’t invite me to his birthday parties.”
This one was definitely the best story in the entire novel. I’ve always had this soft spot for Raphael when reading The Mortal Instruments and through this chapter we’re able to learn more about his origins. I have to admit that after reading Saving Raphael Santiago I adore him even more. This one is my favourite because the banter between Magnus and Raphael was top notch and I liked the friendship they had when Magnus takes Raphael under his wing. This one had both humour and heart to it which is why it’s my favourite.
“Do you know he spends hours in the bathroom sometimes? He wastes actual magic on his hair. On his hair!”
We’re back at the Hotel Dumort! But things aren’t going so well for the Vampire Clan of New York. Magnus comes face to face with the woman he once loved more than anything, Camille, but what he is greeted with is not a pretty sight. If Camille’s clan doesn’t shape up and put a stop to the mess they have caused, then the werewolves will.
I thought this one wasn’t too bad. There’s a lot more history in this one than the previous tales as we explore the 1970s and the interest in drugs.
“Are you in fashion? You look like you’re in fashion.” “No,” said Magnus, “I AM fashion”
Another one that I really, really enjoyed. Alex and Magnus are always going to be OTP and I’m probably going to forever enjoy reading about them. However, this one was made more wonderful by the hilarious, charming and ever-so-lovely, Elyaas.
Magnus summons the comedian cecaelia demon as per request for a client. While they wait for the client’s arrival, Elyaas provides his input on what Magnus should get Alec for his birthday.
Elyaas is adorable and I wouldn’t mind having a spin-off series just all about him. Forget a dog, I want a cecaelia demon. As long as it’s as cute and charismatic as Elyaas.
“You should get him a mixed tape. Kids love mixed tapes. They’re the cool ‘in’ thing right now.” “Was the last time you were summoned the eighties?” “It might have been…”
This one didn’t blow me away either. It was clearly co-written that I couldn’t even cope with it. I think I pretty much glazed over this one because I couldn’t get into it.
Magnus meets Valentine in the battle as the Circle attack New York City’s Downworlders. It only gets two stars because of my faves Jocelyn, Luke and Baby Fray.
“”Is she part banshee?” Magnus asked over the piercing wail. Clary sounded like a police siren.”
Magnus and Alec might fall in love — but they first they must get through their first date. Dating a Shadowhunter was never going to be easy.
This one was fun. Magnus and Alec are a fictional couple that I absolutely love and they’re always written so well. Their first date was eventful, but definitely did not disappoint.
“We call it the Butt Song…Roses are red, and they say love’s not made to last. But I know I’ll never get enough of that sweet, sweet ass” To hear the rest purchase the Butt Song on iTunes. (I’m kidding)
While thoroughly entertaining, I felt this one was a little bit of a filler and had virtually no point. It was just one last showcase of funny one-liners. I did think it was entertaining, I just didn’t see the point. Although, I suppose it rounded the book up pretty well.
“Hi Magnus. It’s Simon. You know me. Well, you called me Saomes last time we spoke”
Overall, The Bane Chronicles was an enjoyable read. It’s just a shame that it started off with such a lacklustre story as towards the end Magnus’ adventures definitely got more exciting.
Tales From The Shadowhunter Academy
Tales From the Shadowhunter Academy or simply called Shadowhunter Academy is a series of connected novellas featuring the character of Simon Lewis from Cassandra Clare’s bestselling The Mortal Instruments series.
Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. The events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. Whomever this new Simon might be.
But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. At least Simon’s trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.
Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. Written by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman, these moving and hilarious short stories are perfect for the fan who just can’t get enough of the Shadowhunters.
Because this book is compiled up of ten short stories, I’ll rate each short story out of five stars and give my opinion as there were definitely stories I liked more than others. I will say that generally the book was a good read.
This is the first of the stories and introduces Simon and the reader to the Shadowhunter Academy and it is sort of funny. Simon has a Scottish roommate that comes from a Shadowhunter line, whose best trade is to run away. I like the roommate. The interaction with the other kids there is written very funny.
This is a story within a story, not only do we see Simon on his first ‘mission’ with his school friends, we are also told a sorry about a Herondale that lives somewhere in the world. The story about this lost Herondale was interesting and it wasn’t really what I expected. The circumstances surrounding the story were sad, but it also has a possible happy ending in the future.
We get a fleeting visit from Jace who is there to teach the students about falling, and how to do it correctly. He is also using Simon’s amnesia to his benefit, telling Simon things that they used to do together, and it did make me laugh several times.
We also get taken back back to Tessa and Will when they are older and have their own children, to hear a story about them and the Whitechapel Fiend, which the Mundanes called Jack the Ripper. I forgot how much I loved Will’s sense of humour, and the dynamic relationship he has with Tessa.
This story takes us back to the Herondales, as Catarina tells Simon a story about James Herondale. We hear about James’s experience at the academy, and why he got expelled.
We also get to see more about what happens in the academy between the students, the prejudice against Mundanes and Downworlders. Simon stands up for them all, knowing what it feels like to be a Mundane, a Downworlder, and a Hero. He also gets to see what friendship really is for him, who his friends are, and what he wants from his future.
This is the beginning of the circle, how it was started and what they did. We get a glimpse into life before it all hit the fan and before we really saw what evil really was.
Simon is back in the academy after a break over the summer. We get to see a familiar face with Helen, who comes back to teach the students about Fae and who she is. After the lesson we find out why she puts herself through this, being degraded by students and staff.
This story takes Simon on an unwanted adventure, when he finds himself captured by the fae and imprisoned. We also get to see Mark, and I liked how he hasn’t changed much and is just as much a Shadowhunter now as he was then.
This story also takes us to see the familiar faces of Emma and Julian. I was a bit worried for Simon and Clary before this event, especially as I was just as unaware as they were, but getting to see the parabati ceremony happen was a great experience.
This has to be my favourite story out of them all. I loved getting to see Magnus and Alec with the baby and how they react to it. They are just so cute together and I love how they try to make things non magical for him.
I liked how this also brought the family together, and all of their friends, which meant we got to see them all together for a while doting over this new addition to the family.
This is the final book in this series, and is one that had me crying and smiling. I never expected this event to happen, and I was left speechless over it. I did like how Simon reacted to his own event, and this is the one that had me smiling.
It is nice to read how Simon wraps up his old life and gets ready to start anew.
The Dark Artifices (ongoing)
The series follows Emma Carstairs, the fiercest warrior and most skilled young Shadowhunter since Jace Wayland, and Emma’s sworn partner in arms, Julian Blackthorn. Despite Emma’s complicated feelings for Julian, the two must band together to investigate a demonic plot that stretches from the warlock-run nightclubs of the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica.
Lady Midnight
The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series. Lady Midnight is a Shadowhunters novel.
It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.
Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…
Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it.
There was a shippy romance, and in Clare fashion, our characters were not fated to be together. Clare tends to pull her lovers apart and give them significant reasons why they can’t be together and this novel is no different. There’s also another side romance that was really well done and plays on diversity which was nice to read.
I won’t say too much because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I just want to give a huge shout-out to the girl power in this book. Emma definitely takes center stage and she is incredible! In every way. All the girls are seriously fantastic. They’re strong, smart, loyal, and totally fierce. We are also introduced to other new and intriguing characters, too…teen Shadowhunter Cristina Rosales, L.A. high warlock Malcom Fade, the Blackthorn’s tutor Diana Wrayburn, and several others.
And I can’t write this review without mentioning the amazing family dynamics of the Blackthorns. I adored all of them, and reading their interactions with each other. Julian has had to go through so much to keep his family together and cared for, and Cassie made me fall in love with each of them.
We also catch glimpses of old favorites like Magnus, Jem, Tessa, Jace, and Clary. The intertwining of all the Shadowhunters series is one of my favorite parts of Clare’s books, not to mention the seemingly impossible situations the characters get themselves into and the twists and turns in the plot. Some of my favorite moments in the book, however, were the lighter ones.
Cassie herself described The Dark Artifices as “a noir inspired romantic mystery” and I completely agree with it. Reading Lady Midnight was very close to reading a detective story, which is not surprising since the book is about a new series of murders as well as Emma’s ongoing investigation in her parents’ murder back in 2007. I thoroughly enjoyed how the Blackthorns, even little Tavvy, and Emma put all the clues together to solve the recent murders. The way everything fell together was very natural and when the characters found out who was responsible, it was a big ‘Oh shoot’ moment.
Every time I thought something was going good in this book, Cassandra throws a huge plot twist right in my face. To be honest this whole book was a major plot twist. A plot twist that kept me wanting more so I can’t say the pain wasn’t worth it.
Lady Midnight is action packed, emotional drama that left me gasping for breath and grasping for more even after it left me hanging. It was just such a fantastic book.
The fast pace, beautifully executed romantic scenes, and dynamic characters all made Lady Midnight a pleasure to read. I can guarantee that if you are a fan of any of Clare’s prior books you’ll adore this one as well. Those that have issue with her books will mostly likely continue to have similar complaints with this new series.
Upcoming Books
Lord of Shadows (2017)
The Queen of Air and Darkness (2019)
The Last Hours (upcoming)
The Last Hours is an upcoming trilogy written by Cassandra Clare and is the sequel series to The Infernal Devices. It is the fourth series to be published in The Shadowhunter Chronicles, but is the second chronologically. Its export rights were acquired by Walker Books.
Set in Edwardian London and fin de siècle Paris 1903, right around the time the Victorian era tips over into the Edwardian era, The Last Hours will deal with Will and Tessa’s children (James and Lucie), Jem Carstairs’ cousins (Alastair and Cordelia), Charlotte and Henry’s children (Charles and Matthew), Tatiana Blackthorn’s children (Jesse and Grace), Cecily and Gabriel’s children (Anna, Christopher, and Alexander), and Gideon and Sophie’s children (Thomas, as well as Barbara and Eugenia, though their presence in the series is still uncertain), and many more.
The story will be told in James and Lucie’s point of views, among others.The main characters, at 16-17 years old, will beJames, Lucie, Christopher, Grace, Cordelia, Alastair, Matthew, Charles, and Jesse, the children of characters from The Infernal Devices. Most of the characters from The Infernal Devices, now aged and older, will make appearances.
The Last Hours will deal quite a bit with Clave politics, as well as their attitude and view about certain issues such as homosexuality, and moves back and forth between London, Paris, Cornwall, and Idris. Iron Sistersare also expected to become important in the series.
Upcoming Book in the Series
Chain of Thorns
Chain of Gold
Chain of Iron
The Wicked Power (planned)
The Wicked Powers is a planned trilogy written by Cassandra Clare. The fifth in the series chronologically, it is so far set to be the last and concluding series of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.
The title is derived from a Shadowhunter children’s rhyme: “And bronze to summon wicked powers.”
Known Information
* It is expected to take place either three to four years after The Dark Artifices, or in 2015.
* The series is currently set to be about two of the younger Blackthorns.
* It is also set to feature a Herondale aside from Jace, presumably Kit Rook.
* As of 2014, Cassandra Clare shared a plot line she intends to write, presumably in The Wicked Powers, being the last in the series, wherein “eventually the Shadowhunters will face the greatest threat they’ve ever faced, and the generations [from the Shadowhunter Chronicles] will have to unite to take it down.”This was reinforced in 2015 when Cassie said at a Books Kinokuniya book signing event in Sydney that it will feature all the surviving characters from the Shadowhunters world and would have them joining forces in the biggest battle yet. She has also stated that “It will bring the Shadowhunter Chronicles to an end. The Shadowhunter world will change forever
The ongoing comic series that’s been getting rave reviews. Set during the same era as the classic Marvel comics, we get to see the early days of Luke, Han, and Leia’s friendship during the Rebellion’s struggles against the Empire.
A new adventure taking place in the days immediately following the deaths of Vader and Palpatine and the destruction of the Death Star. Concerns a new Rebel character who tries to stop an emergency meeting of Imperial power players who want to regroup for a counterstrike.
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