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em_davies7019's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Miscarriage
beckyyreadss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book mainly follows Cordelia Carstairs who we met in the first book. She seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood and London’s most eligible bachelor. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming friends, the Merry Thieves, she is also about to be reunited with her father who is now healthy again and she has her legendary blade of Cortana. But the truth is a bit different. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it and her father has grown bitter and angry at the community that has shut him out. To make matters worse, there is a serial murderer that is targeting the Shadowhunters of London and then vanishing without a trace. Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James and Lucie must follow the trail of the killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each are keeping a dangerous secret – Lucie plans to raise Jesse from the dead, Cordelia is sworn to a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power and James is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself might be the killer they seek.
This book hurt my heart, I didn’t like the tension or the secrets in this book. I like the gang working together against a bad guy, not the gang working alone and hiding their secrets. I hated the tension. I didn’t like love triangle aspect in this book being Cordelia, James and Grace and Cordelia, James and Matthew (thought for the second one I am now rooting for Matthew based on the end of this book not James!). I just really, really want Cordelia and Alastair to be happy they both deserve it. I enjoyed the storyline in this book and I know the next book is going to hurt my heart, I can feel it and I'm not ready for it, but at the same time, so ready for it.
Cassandra Clare manages to do it Every. Single. Time - you don’t have to read any of the other series to know what’s going on, some immortal characters make an appearance but you could read this series on its own without having to read The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, The Dark Artifices or The Eldest Curses.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Miscarriage
__rasberry__'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
But don’t get me wrong, I liked a lot of it. I liked getting to know Grace some more, and if not starting to like her, at least starting to understand why she is the way she is. I think she is the character that developed the most during the book, in my eyes. And i liked the mystery element and i think it was wonderfully done. I didn’t suspect a think, and that could just be me not using a lot of critical thinking while reading, but still. And i liked the realtionships, i loved the Merry Thieves. They are found family in the best way and every moment at the Devil Tavern just warmed my heart. How they accept and fight for each other no matter what and how they deeply do care about everyone, even newbies Lucie and Cordelia.
Also special tribute to all the queer characters and the surprisingly good representation. There’re a handful of them and i love all of their stories and that they are all unique and not stereotypical. They are not only their queerness, they are fully fleshed put characters with millions of problems, their queerness never being the biggest one. And lastly i love how they are accepted, even though that was rarely the in those times, and it is not a big deal to those around them. Kiss on the forehead to Anna from me.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Gore and Blood
the_true_monroe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
“Chain of Iron” picks up right where “Chain of Gold” left off. Cordelia is engaged to her dream partner: James. She has secretly loved him since they were children. She has the powerful blade of Cortana in her possession and she will soon be reunited with her father. Everything seems to be going perfectly for her. Unfortunately, nothing is as it seems. James is not in love with her, the Cortana sword burns her whenever she tries to hold it, and her father has grown bitter and mean. And, to top it all off, there is a serial killer targeting shadow hunters. Together with her friends, Cordelia works to uncover the truth behind these murders, and maintain her marriage facade.
This novel was action-packed, and I loved every second of it. With it being the second book in a trilogy, I do think it dragged a bit because there needs to be set up for the epic conclusion, but overall, I still enjoyed it.
I am so excited to see the chaos that ensues in “Chain of Thorns”.
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Violence, Grief, and Murder
green_amaryllis's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, and Death of parent
faduma's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Death of parent, and Murder
andrikkk's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Incest and Sexual content
xyloblue's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Bullying, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, and Miscarriage
fromjuliereads's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail