Chain of Iron (2021)

Death by someone else's literary brain-baby, that's my current state of being... eviscerated by a gifted artist's imagination AND I (happily) paid for the privilege... hard cash for a premeditated and blatant act of emotional homicide AND for that I say " Bravo Mrs. Clare... well done" and "PLEASE take my money in advance for your next assault on my mental well being?"

Cassandra Clare can write! She can especially write full bodied, robust, interesting characters and gift them, and by extension we devotees, with an unbelievably detailed/lush/gritty and vivacious World to romp about in. If you are not acquainted with the ShadowHunter Universe then #1) what rock have you been residing under? And #2) this is not the place to start. Imo you should head on over to Infernal Devices and start your journey there.

Mortal Instruments was fantastic and this series, Shadowhunters The Last Hours, is amazing as well but I believe that Infernal Devices is still stop #1 and my favorite series (love me some Will Herondale!!) WHICH happens to transition beautifully into this series chronologically.

Full stop!! If you are fishing about and have not read Infernal Devices then there is a spoiler or two in here for you with regards to that series.... you've been warned!!!

Ok, back to the matter at hand...The Last Hours features Will & Tessa Herondale's son James, his sister Lucie and a slew of other amazing characters including the younger Herondale's friends... the Merry Thieves. This book has a bit of (my book hubby) Will in it but it mainly features the next generation of our beloved families... Herondales, Carstairs, Fairchilds, Lightwoods, Blackthorns etc. James, as well as most of the Merry Thieves, is most definitely swoon worthy (he IS a Herondale afterall) and his frustrating matters of the heart are both vexing and severely trigger my anger issues. BUT, I must admit that, amongst all of the love triangle back and forth "does he... will they...", I absolutely love Cordelia! She is one bad ass female MC!! She is smart. She is lethal. She is honorable. She is trustworthy and she is in love... hopelessly so. Cassandra Clare has a flare for dreaming up love triangles so yummy you won't only be interested... you'll be fully invested in, and rooting for, all 3 ill fated lovers... and I normally despise love triangles especially if they are done wrong... not that we have to worry about that here. Oh, and just to put it out there, I am 100% team James BUT I hope that Matthew gets his own Happily Ever After... just not with Cordelia.

ANYWAY, Mrs. Clare has a special way of connecting to, invisioning and portraying Victorian/Edwardian London, its ambiance and populace. She breathes life into every aspect of this unique universe in an unbelievably visceral way. I can't get enough of it and you won't be able to get enough either... I'm almost certain of that fact.

Overall:
Cassandra gutted me, left me reeling and the only foreseeable cure is book #3... STAT! The Shadowhunter's universe will forever hold a special place in my heart and this addition is a thing of beauty. It's got it all. It is well written, fully developed and the characters are deliciously tormented.... they are also blessed/cursed by each others loyalty and destinies. I love this series, universe, author and I highly recommend this book!!

~ Enjoy ( )

The Shadowhunters are back in Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare. With the wedding of James and Cordelia and the joining of two families, for a moment things seem to have settled down in London. As more mysterious murders targeting shadowhunters begin around the city, the group is once again chasing the forces of evil to find the newest threat. To read the rest of my review - https://bythecoverreview.com/2021/06/01/review-chain-of-iron-by-cassandra-clare-... ( )