to no one’s surprise, this is the newest entry to my fave books of 2021

my expectations were met. And then some.

This had my favorite romance trope/s (best friends to lovers + forbidden romance + a mystery trope i will not be mentioning because it is a spoiler, even though we aren’t seeing the full extent yet? maybe?) in CC’s best execution yet.

[ let it be known that I think this book/series should be read after you have read every other shadowhunter series (TID, TDA, TMI) ]

I know we love the romances in this book, but we need to take a second to bask in the glory of the sibling relationships and how they were represented. All the sibling relationships had my heart sputtering with the actual romanes. I am now appreciating at how brilliant of a set up The Infernal Devices was to this book/series.

DYNAMICS. DYNAMICS. DYNAMICS.

“There is no better distraction in this world than losing oneself in books for awhile.”

cassie clare has officially turned into an expert and a genuis when writing character dynamics T_T I am incoherent right now but that’s okay. Do any of you really expect a proper shadowhunters book review from me anyway… I’m out here just ranting about how much I love the character dynamics and references, I’m always so unhinged (in the best way possible) after reading a book from this series but don’t we all just love that feeling? I was really not able to focus on anything else.

Bonus: Mr. Will Herondale in this book… basically all the parts… amused me to no end. A story hits different when you’re reading the children of characters you have previously loved. And simultaneously falling in love with their children too.

It took me so long to read this but it was worth every second that I waited.

I feel like CC covered a lot more holes in the character dynamics compared to every other of the shadowhunter series. I still think there is more to be done in terms of world building and detailed descriptions… if we’re being technical about it… but we aren’t because I just AM IN LOVE with the characters and how they interact T_T

They are all absolute perfection and COG character slander is not welcome here because they're all amazing:

James x Matthew
James x Lucie
James x Cordelia
Alastair x Thomas
Alastair x Cordelia
Alastair x Merry Thieves (I am in love with Alastair)
Matthew x Everyone

Anna x Matthew. I love them so much you guys have no idea. I already know what Matthew's secret is from the short stories and I just want him to have a happy life.

and ofcourse:

Cordelia x Lucie x Matthew x James IS THE INTERACTION WE ALL NEED

”She did not love James because he was beautiful: he was beautiful to her because she loved him.”

I would tell you who my favorite character is, but they’re all my favorite. Except maybe Grace but that’s irrelevant. This book made me yearn for that kind of love that comes from a best friend turning into your partner and find a little group of Merry Thieves and honorary Merry Thieves of my own… it's that’s just everything I want in a friendship group. Half of them are cousins and seeing them get into trouble just makes me feel alive.

It’s not even just between the main couple/s but all of their little group’s interactions with one another is just amazingly written and I feel like CC gets better with handling them every series. She always finds a unique way to put tropes into play and each of her twists HITS, making you feel that strong angst.

”He thought of her soft voice as he fell asleep, reading to him in a language he did not yet know.”

Something about the quote is so beautiful to me.

I absolutely loved the way the book is structured with the “Days Past” chapters and the PLOT. I’m going to be honest saying that CC’s writing and plot just fits the Victorian/Edwardian Era more, in my opinion. I just find it way more angsty and believable and the YEARNING hits on a different level that the more modern plots can’t achieve.

The pacing is so fast and this series is so easy to read while feeling like home.

After reading about Cortana with Emma, I got giddy every time I saw Cortana here, it felt like I was in on some kind of secret xD… which made me appreciate the way CC decided to order the publications of the whole shadowhunter series. And Corderlia is just a force of her own. We stan powerful women and that’s a fact.

↣ I don’t know what else to do aside from bombard the reader of this review with quotes but if you like character dynamics that will make you fall in love with everything in your life, will make you laugh, will make you cry, will make you addicted, and will make you want to hug a book and keep it in your heart forever…. that involve a demon hunting race of humans that are the definition of ANGST in different generations…. this series is for you. If you are already a fan of this series but have not started TLH, what are you doing with your life? Don't be like me with how long it took to read this.↢

“I never thought of friendship like that— as something that makes you more than you are.”

I could not stop smiling throughout this whole story.

— 4.75 —
⇢ content warnings//

Spoiler

Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Grief, Loss of loved one, Manipulation, Miscarriage (past), Sexism, Trauma, Violence

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the fact that I voted this for the Goodreads Choice Awards and haven't read it yet... is me manifesting how much trash I will be for James and Matthew

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I just realized that "Chain of Gold" and who exactly has gold eyes