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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
I would only recommend this for the most devout fans of Cassandra Clare and all of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.
This was an enjoyable read, and the comments added by Jace, Clary, and Simon were cool. The art and Clary's sketches were amazing! That said, it was kind of boring at times, and I already knew about 80% of the information from The Mortal Instrumemts or The Infernal Devices.
I would only recommend this for the most devout fans of Cassandra Clare and all of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.
This was an enjoyable read, and the comments added by Jace, Clary, and Simon were cool. The art and Clary's sketches were amazing! That said, it was kind of boring at times, and I already knew about 80% of the information from The Mortal Instrumemts or The Infernal Devices.
funny
This was interesting (one of the most interesting textbooks I've read since Percy Jackson's Greek Gods lol), but it's not a necessary read if you are interested in The Shadowhunter Chronicles. In fact, if you read this before City of Glass, you will be spoiled. So do not. And by the time you finish City of Glass, you have a pretty clear understanding of the Shadow World. By the end I was skipping entire pages looking for Clary/Simon/Jace notes.
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was good as it was interesting to find out the backstory behind one of my favorite series ever. It’s a little dry since it reads like a textbook but I appreciate the side notes from Clary, Jace, and Simon. The drawings are stunning and I wish the book had more of them. This book isn’t essential to read in order to understand the series but still good nonetheless.
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I thought that this book was really interesting. It made it feel like you were actually reading a rule book. The only thing that bugged me was that it didn't mention anything about Tessa's situation. How she's a warlock because her mom was an unprotected shadow hunter. Other than that, I thought it was great that it was written to be like clary had written in it. Overall, this book was great.
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
the best part of the entire book were the notes under the entry on treating vampire bites:
jace: Important! Note!
simon: why's it gotta be like that, man?
ur welcome
jace: Important! Note!
simon: why's it gotta be like that, man?
ur welcome
Reading this companion text to Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter series was so much fun. I’m a huge fan of the intricate fantasy world she’s built and being able to read one of the primary texts that’s referenced so often was a great way to learn more of how things work (because I’m one of those readers who’s always asking “How is that possible? How did that happen? Why do they do that?”) and a great refresher before I read City of Heavenly Fire, seeing as I didn’t have time to re-read series (which was oh-my-goodness-intense and which I will post a review for as soon as I am able to process everything that happened!) This book is very similar in format to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages which JK Rowling wrote as companion texts for the Harry Potter series, complete with the character’s own snarky comments and personal sidebars.
What I really loved about this book was that it showcases the intricacy of Clare’s research into creating her universe, especially from a religious point of view. She pulls from many religious traditions and even addresses the role of religion and cultural backgrounds in the Shadowhunter world, taking a pluralistic view in which diversity is accepted and no one tradition or country is superior to others. There are also some truly beautiful illustrations from both series throughout the book (which I assume are supposed to be Clary’s work, as it’s her Codex copy) as well as inside the front and back covers. The Codex even includes illustrations of the specific runes used in the series and oaths, passwords, and nursery rhymes taught to Shadowhunter children. The intricacy of it was fantastic and it gave me so much more of an appreciation for the series.
What I really loved about this book was that it showcases the intricacy of Clare’s research into creating her universe, especially from a religious point of view. She pulls from many religious traditions and even addresses the role of religion and cultural backgrounds in the Shadowhunter world, taking a pluralistic view in which diversity is accepted and no one tradition or country is superior to others. There are also some truly beautiful illustrations from both series throughout the book (which I assume are supposed to be Clary’s work, as it’s her Codex copy) as well as inside the front and back covers. The Codex even includes illustrations of the specific runes used in the series and oaths, passwords, and nursery rhymes taught to Shadowhunter children. The intricacy of it was fantastic and it gave me so much more of an appreciation for the series.