I liked it; it was good
Second book in the Last Hours trilogy! I started enjoying book 1 more about halfway through, so I kept with this series, but it’s been tough with how hefty they are.
Read: Dec 25 – Jan 7, 2024
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural, Mystery
Audience: Young Adult
Book contains: monsters & demons, violence, murder, death, alcoholism, implied sexual content, mild gore
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Cordelia and James believe that they’ve destroyed Belial and his realm, but the danger isn’t over yet. Tatiana Blackthorn has prevented his falling, and new threats lurk on the horizon.
This book was a fun mess for the characters—most of the problems caused by politics, as usual. To save James from Tatiana’s accusations of treason, Cordelia claims to be an alibi. In return, to save Cordelia from being ruined (as a single girl spending a night alone with a man) James agrees to marry her for a year. He once again believes he’s in love with Grace, and so many other characters are facing their own problems as well that it’s almost hard to keep track of everything.
Clare once again writes this book in third person, with each section/scene focusing on a single character, whether it be one of the main three (Cordelia, James, or Lucie) or one of the others, such as Anna Lightwood, Grace Blackthorn, or Matthew Fairchild. This book also has sections between each chapter, either following the mysterious serial killer who has been murdering Shadowhunters, or following Grace in the past to provide more of her backstory as she endeavours to raise her brother from the dead.
I once again read this book without assistance, which only made it take longer, but I found that despite the length of time, I enjoyed reading silently. My workspace has been moved recently, so there’s a new large armchair that I’ve found delightful to use while reading.
Cordelia is still outrageously in love with James, so her fake marriage to him is a sweet form of torture, which is conveyed beautifully through the writing. At the same time, James is struggling with his overtaken thoughts, confused about whether he loved Grace, as her enchantment dictates, or Cordelia, whom he is still able to notice and love in their close quarters. I enjoy the overlapping plotlines given the sheer number of characters in this series.
Love and betrayal are a big theme in the relationships within this series so far. Cordelia grew up believing her father to be chronically ill, and to find out he was a drunkard has hit her hard since it was a betrayal of her trust and sympathy. She and James have their own mess going on—a little slow for now, but I’m rooting for things to eventually be cleared up. I also have high hopes for Matthew, even though it seems like he’s going down the same route as Cordelia’s father.
The writing style is excellent for the young adult audience, and it’s very rhythmic and flowing, very poetic. It’s clear that the author has also done a lot of reading and research, considering the references to both poetry and fiction works. The characters’ way of speaking is a bit better in this novel, which greatly relieves me.
Again, this is such a hefty book with so many overlapping plots that the pacing is really slow. There were several chapters about Cordelia and James’s wedding alone. It’s something that visual readers love—being able to picture every scene and savour the world—but I prefer more fast-paced books where no scene is wasted. Not that there are any wasted scenes here, just that several storylines could be written out with no massive effect on the main plot.
Clare’s work is certainly a delight for young adult readers who love that mix of mystery, action, and romance. If you’re reading this review, you’ve probably already read her other works, so I highly recommend continuing this series. If not, you’d have to go back to The Mortal Instruments and read everything in order for the best reading experience. It’s not a world for the faint of heart.
The Last Hours Book 1: Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
The Last Hours Book 2: Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare
The Last Hours Book 3: Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare
The Infernal Devices Book 1: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
The Mortal Instruments Book 1: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
The Dark Artifices Book 1: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
*The Other Side of Daylight by Nicole Chartier*
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