This review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
My soul aches in such a way right now that I can scarcely breathe. Time has stopped and all thThis review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
My soul aches in such a way right now that I can scarcely breathe. Time has stopped and all thought has become transcendent. I am a bloody mess right now. This book, this story, these characters...OMG, send help. I feel like my chest has been mauled. I feel savagely broken. I thought that Lady Midnight broke me, but Lord of Shadows has gone beyond that. I never feel quite so happy to be so shattered inside as I do when I read a Cassandra Clare book. And her books get better and better with each passing title in the Shadowhunters universe.
Clare's books are full of so many emotions. The well-written characters play an important role in her books. Her characters have incredible growth and fascinating story arcs. They are so vivid that they are completely believable. You will feel like you are in the same room with these characters living alongside them. Clare is extremely talented in crafting strong relationships between her characters. Their every interaction will evoke emotions in you. And what I like about Clare's books is that no character is unimportant. The side characters are equally as moving as the main characters. Sometimes even more so. Her characters become ingrained in every part of you until you are breathing them like air. I urge you to let these characters become your oxygen. Experiencing a Cassandra Clare book is like making new lifelong friends. Her characters are special. I don't know how else to put it.
The other thing that pulls emotion into her stories is the masterful way she plots them. Everything happens for a reason and everything is linked in one way or another. Her plotting is clever, purposeful, and I can't even fathom her brilliance in crafting stories. She is an unparalleled storyteller. She can truly plot her heart out and do it better than most authors out there. The details, the foreshadowing, the wonder woven into her books, all of it!
I enjoyed the world building in this one. We've all read at least one Shadowhunter book before Lord of Shadows so we know that aspect of the world building already. It's there, it's awesome. What I liked more about the world building in this book is the way that Clare brought the political issues of the Clave to the forefront of the story. Prejudice and bigotry are powerful themes in this series, and Clare has shown that the Shadowhunter world is not just about slaying demons. These people are real. Just because they are Nephilim does not mean that they don't experience the same things that mundanes do. There are a lot of political ideas expressed in the book. This part of the world building is done extremely well and it sets the tone for the book marvelously.
I loved the transgender representation. I thought that the character's story was told very well. I liked that it had a purpose and wasn't just thrown in for shock value. It also shines a light on more Shadowhunter rules and laws that are unjust and outdated, which ties into the already pressing issues with the hate surrounding Downworlders and the Cold Peace.
The romance in this book will mar your heart so thoroughly. I love Julian and Emma's tragic love story. It has brought me so many feels. And I adore the strange relationship between Mark, Cristina, and Kieran. The way that the three of them are coming together is so beautiful and I can only hope that it will end with a polyamorous relationship. I would LOVE to see that representation in Clare's books. I also adore the growing relationship between Ty and Kit, though I am unsure what type of relationship it is becoming. I kind of like that I don't know yet, and honestly, I don't care if it is romance or friendship because it is beautiful to the core. And I don't know if Jaime is going to pan out for Dru, but I can only hope so. I love that girl.
And that ending shook me to the core. I just...oh god. December can't come fast enough for me so that I can read the final book of this series.
Overall, I urge you to put this book on the top of your TBR list! Clare's books are so good that they could be a religion. I gladly worship her genius. Her stories stay with you long after you finish reading. If you enjoy books that make you feel something then Clare is the author for you. Being tortured by her books is a privilege. I will always volunteer as tribute!
Vanessa Gayle ⚔️
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