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rylee_vaughan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.75
abby_can_read's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
📱
This was a fine book. I have mixed feelings about the series.
This was a fine book. I have mixed feelings about the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Transphobia, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Fatphobia, Torture, and Sexual content
thepeonyinink's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
aryaareadss's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
daragulj's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
char42's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lilibucs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ashjreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
4.5/5 stars
"The way I love you is fundamental to me, Emma. It's who I am. No matter how far we are from each other."
I will try my best to write a spoiler-free part of this review but please know that I am coming from a sob session on the couch while hugging my cat.
It says a lot that a book can pull such a reaction out of me, and it seems always to be these dang Shadowhunter books. I think part of it is that I have read so many of them, so I am really emotionally invested. The other part of it is that Cassandra Clare is just really good at what she does and makes you care about every character. I am not ready to type the words to explain why I was sobbing, but Cassandra knows what she did. IYKYK, I guess.
This book tackles some hard issues such as discrimination and bigotry. Although it is a fantasy setting, there is a lot that can be taken away from this book and the other in this particular series. It is not too far off from the reality that we live in every day, just with magical creatures/Downworlders. I have
Sadly, this isn't a perfect 5-star book. I won't lie, some parts of it really did drag. Sometimes, I found myself wishing we weren't in a certain POV simply because of something wild happening in another POV. The first half was just slower than I would've liked.
Lord of Shadows spoilers from here down, but nothing too crazy to the plot. Simply just little details about characters. I just need to yap for a minute...
Let's talk representation here! We finally got a CONFIRMED Autism representation in Tiberius and I love that. He's super special to me. He's tied as my favorite Blackthorn. Also, Diana is trans? That really means a lot to me. Kit is definitely fruity in some way... I can sense it on him (he talks about Ty's eyelashes too often).
Continuing on the idea of representation... After reading how everyone else felt about this book, it seems that everyone's main complaint is the "love triangle" issue again. Guys, the love triangle is an ACTUAL triangle here. Just ship them all together. Embrace the polycule, I surely have! They can ALL hold hands in my house. "It was weird" or "Why does there need to be a threesome?" you ask. FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO NEEDED THIS FOR HERONGRAYSTAIRS. Kieran/Mark/Cristina, whatever your trio ship name is, if you have no fans? I am dead.
Cassandra Clare is just pulling ALL the stops here. The Dark Artifices will end with someone from every letter of the alphabet mafia, perhaps?
(Random, but I spent this whole audiobook trying to figure out why I recognized the voice. Guess what? It's Spike from Buffy! That's wild!)
I got to see my boys in this, too, but at what a cost. Seeing Alec and Magnus again was fun... until it wasn't. I am not having fun anymore. ALISSA I AM NOT HAVING FUN ANYMORE. I AM VERY VERY SAD.
I don't know how I am going to start Queen of Air and Darkness tomorrow. Maybe I will feel braver in the morning, but for tonight I need sleep and a cuddle from my cat.
"The way I love you is fundamental to me, Emma. It's who I am. No matter how far we are from each other."
I will try my best to write a spoiler-free part of this review but please know that I am coming from a sob session on the couch while hugging my cat.
It says a lot that a book can pull such a reaction out of me, and it seems always to be these dang Shadowhunter books. I think part of it is that I have read so many of them, so I am really emotionally invested. The other part of it is that Cassandra Clare is just really good at what she does and makes you care about every character. I am not ready to type the words to explain why I was sobbing, but Cassandra knows what she did. IYKYK, I guess.
This book tackles some hard issues such as discrimination and bigotry. Although it is a fantasy setting, there is a lot that can be taken away from this book and the other in this particular series. It is not too far off from the reality that we live in every day, just with magical creatures/Downworlders. I have
Sadly, this isn't a perfect 5-star book. I won't lie, some parts of it really did drag. Sometimes, I found myself wishing we weren't in a certain POV simply because of something wild happening in another POV. The first half was just slower than I would've liked.
Lord of Shadows spoilers from here down, but nothing too crazy to the plot. Simply just little details about characters. I just need to yap for a minute...
Let's talk representation here! We finally got a CONFIRMED Autism representation in Tiberius and I love that. He's super special to me. He's tied as my favorite Blackthorn. Also, Diana is trans? That really means a lot to me. Kit is definitely fruity in some way... I can sense it on him (he talks about Ty's eyelashes too often).
Continuing on the idea of representation... After reading how everyone else felt about this book, it seems that everyone's main complaint is the "love triangle" issue again. Guys, the love triangle is an ACTUAL triangle here. Just ship them all together. Embrace the polycule, I surely have! They can ALL hold hands in my house. "It was weird" or "Why does there need to be a threesome?" you ask. FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO NEEDED THIS FOR HERONGRAYSTAIRS. Kieran/Mark/Cristina, whatever your trio ship name is, if you have no fans? I am dead.
Cassandra Clare is just pulling ALL the stops here. The Dark Artifices will end with someone from every letter of the alphabet mafia, perhaps?
(Random, but I spent this whole audiobook trying to figure out why I recognized the voice. Guess what? It's Spike from Buffy! That's wild!)
I got to see my boys in this, too, but at what a cost. Seeing Alec and Magnus again was fun... until it wasn't. I am not having fun anymore. ALISSA I AM NOT HAVING FUN ANYMORE. I AM VERY VERY SAD.
I don't know how I am going to start Queen of Air and Darkness tomorrow. Maybe I will feel braver in the morning, but for tonight I need sleep and a cuddle from my cat.