Author: Cassandra Clare
Published: March 8th, 2016
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Read: March 26th, 2016
The Hook: Possibilities of Jem and Tessa
Oh, yes. The only reason I gave in to start this series now instead of waiting for the release of all in the series is because I needed more Jem and Tessa, and possibly Will (because here’s hoping. But don’t get me wrong, I am perfectly happy with the way things are so if Will only appears in memory for Jem and Tessa, that is perfectly okay with me.).
I was pulled into this world because of The Infernal Devices series and not the first series of The Mortal Instruments. For some reason, Jem, Will, and Tessa’s story had more pull for me. Anyway, moving to the reason I blog. The discussion.
Biblio 411: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
Biblio 411: City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6)
Summary: (for whatever reason, I stopped using summary to explain this part) This story starts five years after the siege of Battle of Alicante which the Shadow Hunters successfully thwarted. For a price, of course, but they stood their ground. The story focuses on Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn set in the background of Los Angeles. If you remember, they lost a lot in the siege. Julian’s older sister, Helen, is in exile and his brother, Mark, is part of the Hunt due to their fairy-folk heritage and because the Fae allied themselves with Sebastian. Emma has been adopted by the Blackthorns since her parents were killed during the Sebastian debacle (not at Alicante) and she stays with them because she and Julian became parabatai.
Okay, that’s explaining the backstory. I felt that was necessary because during my read of Lady Midnight I kept going back to The Mortal Instruments to center myself in Emma’s world. You don’t really need to read the other series of the Shadow Hunter universe, but it is helpful.
So, Emma and Julian are facing challenges together, as they always did. Emma’s investigation into her parents’ death, because she’s never believed they were the result of Sebastian’s plan, takes her on an interesting journey and develops a new twist. Someone is killing Downworlders, specific Downworlders. To make things even more challenging, since the Fae and the Shadowhunters are at odds because of the penalties imposed upon the Fae for their betrayal, the Fae have decided to use Mark as a bargaining chip to get some help from the Shadowhunters, if only through the Blackthorn family.
And the plot thickens!
Verdict: All I have to say is … the next installment is way too far away, which again brings me back to the annoying part of book series (feel free to read my temper tantrum here).
Of course I’m going to say more though. That’s the reason you review these things, you know?
I am amazed at Ms. Clare’s flair for storytelling. As annoyed as I am at waiting for two or three books for closure, she weaves such an enjoyable fictional world to escape to. It reminds me of The Harry Potter series. Not in the sense that it copies that world, but more in the sense that she has the ability to weave other parts of this world that we love, like The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments, into the recent story line that connects everything. I’m pretty sure that’s impart of character usage. Since Downworlders are immortal, she can use Magus Bane as an anchor throughout the series. It’s … amazing.
The story for this series can stand on its own two feet. There are enough challenges specific to these cast of characters you don’t need to rely on previously written books. Those challenges grip at your heart, make you laugh, make you cry, and at the end of the day, when your stripped down to the raw emotions Ms. Clare makes you feel, you can’t help but cry out More! That may sound so dramatic, but I’m serious. I have had so many feels it’s unbelievable and I’m frustrated that I am left waiting.
The pace of the story is well done. It moves along smoothly. It has the right balance of moving the story along and not telling things too soon. It’s brilliantly done. I didn’t get bored. I didn’t feel rushed. It was on point.
The character arcs are awesome. We see some of Emma’s and Julian’s personality in The Mortal Instruments but that was five years ago. They’re older, more has happened, and the strain of what Emma and the Blackthorn family had to deal with surfaces in this book. We have Emma and Julian. I love the chemistry between them. Not just a possible romance between them, but I admire their friendship ever since The Mortal Instruments and it was good to see that carry over, and the development, in this one. The supporting characters are just as awesome. I enjoy Cristina. I enjoy all of Julian’s siblings and appreciate that Ms. Clare has so much to work with, as well as a little concerned because of the same fact, but overall I love what she’s done with what she has so far.
If you haven’t given this world a shot yet, I suggest you do and in my humble opinion, I’d start with The Infernal Devices. I found this worked better for me, timeline wise.