Cassandra Clare is the author of the #1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shadowhunter Chronicles. She is also the coauthor of the bestselling fantasy series Magisterium with Holly Black. The Shadowhunter Chronicles have been adapted as both a major motion picture and a television series. Her books have more than fifty million copies in print worldwide and have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Cassandra lives in western Massachusetts with her husband and three fearsome cats. Visit her at CassandraClare.com. Learn more about the world of the Shadowhunters at Shadowhunters.com. You can find more of reviews of Cassandra's work here.
Cordelia Carstairs has lost everything that matters to her. In only a few short weeks, she has seen her father murdered, her plans to become parabatai with her best friend, Lucie, destroyed, and her marriage to James Herondale crumble. Even worse, she is now bound to a powerful demon, Lilith, stripping her of her power as a Shadowhunter. After fleeing to Paris with Matthew Fairchild, Cordelia hopes to drown her sorrows in the city's glittering nightlife. But reality intrudes when shocking news comes from home: Tatiana Blackthorn has escaped the Adamant Citadel and London is threatened by the Prince of Hell, Belial. Cordelia returns to a London in chaos. The secret that Belial is James and Lucie's grandfather has been revealed, and the Herondales are under suspicion. Cordelia is torn between a love for James she believes in hopeless and the possibility of a life with Matthew. And her friends are ripped apart by their own secrets. Time is short, and Belial's plan is about to crash into the Shadowhunters like a deadly wave, one that will separate Cordelia, Lucie, and the Merry Thieves from help of any kind. If Cordelia and her friends are going to save their city—and their families—they will have to muster their courage, swallow their pride, and trust one another again. For if they fail, they may lose everything—even their souls.
I've been a fan of the Shadowhunter universe since middle school, and this book has been on my Goodreads TBR the longest (seven years!). I've loved watching Clare's writing chops grow and evolve. I think Chain of Thorns is her most character-driven novel. If you love the Merry Thieves and their adventures, intrapersonal conflict, and watching relationships evolve, you'll really love Chain of Thorns. It wraps up all of those questions we have about Cordelia, James and Matthew; it resolves the hesitations between Thomas and Alastair; it closes the pages on Grace's previous actions. Most of the novel is all of this conflict and resolution; so, if you love these characters like I do, you'll be completely engrossed in them figuring out their feelings.
If you're unlike me, and looking for a really action-packed finale, however, I don't think we can see that exists in Chain of Thorns. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of action—however, the bulk of it truly occurs in the last 300-200 pages. And, once you hit those pages, a lot of what happens is rather predictable. At least, it was to me. I'm not sure if that's because the foreshadowing wasn't as ambiguous as it could have been, or if it's just because I've read so many of Clare's works that I was able to follow the logic behind the writing, but I was able to guess the fallout of the big battle. Either way, I still felt like the finale was enjoyable, but definitely not as explosive as The Dark Artifices finale was.
Clare's writing has evolved over the years, and I really think she hit her stride in The Dark Artifices trilogy. I was so glad that so much of what she does well in that trilogy is present in this one—the strength of the character relationships, the intricacy of the plotting, the ability to effectively move between a large cast of characters without losing the threads of the story. But, what makes this finale so interesting and fun, to me, is the different elements she incorporates into the plotting. I enjoyed the Intermission—such a fascinating addition that provides a really nice pause before the beginning of the end. I also liked the Coda. I felt that it very much is present to foreshadow what might happen in the final trilogy to be set in the Shadowhunter universe—no one is entirely sure that this is happening, but I know we are all incredibly hopeful, and part of me wonders if what happens in the Coda is meant to be a hint of what's to come for the Wicked Powers. I also love how the epilogue nods to The Dark Artifices. All to say, I just love how this world connects and how the threads all tie together.
I am so excited for Clare's next release, which is Sword Catcher later this fall! Hopefully there is more for the Shadowhunter universe, but I'm really excited to see how Clare puts her writing to use in a new world. You can Clare online at CassandraClare.com. Learn more about the world of the Shadowhunters at Shadowhunters.com. You can find more of reviews of Cassandra's work here.
*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*
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