[EDIT 7/12/2024 = finally finished my re-read of this with my spouse, and on his birthday no less! Still a lot of fun and a worthy addition to this world.]

GAH, I'm so happy to finally have gotten around to reading this book! I guess I just needed to be in the right mood for it. Either way, more insight and development into Magnus and Alec's relationship is always a treat, and getting to see

the origins of Aline Penhallow's and Helen Blackthorn's relationship

was honestly really exciting. I wasn't sure what to make of seeing that Cassie Clare had collabed on this with a name I don't think I've seen on one of her books before (no, really, offhand I can't remember seeing Wesley Chu ever having worked with her on any of the short story collections?) but I have to say it was completely worth the read.

Some of the pacing and several scenes didn't read like that of a normal Shadowhunter installment, but I enjoyed it no less for that. Seriously, this book is a breath of fresh air, and I love all of the background development that it gives us. It's also so much shorter than most of the main installments, and I think that genuinely adds to its readability. So much of my reluctance to start Shadowhunter novels these days is because of their length, and the fact that a lot of the pacing will slow down to focus on character development. Thankfully, the vast majority of the groundwork for the characters in this book has already long since been laid down, and this is more of a chance to flesh out both Magnus and Alec as individuals as well as a blossoming couple.

AND THAT ENDING. WOOF. You'd best believe I'm already ready to get the next book and see what happens!