Book Reviews

Review: LORD OF SHADOWS // a painful & amazing book

lord of shadows

Title: Lord of Shadows
Series: The Dark Artifices book #2
Author: Cassandra Clare
Page count: 699
Date published: 23 May 2017
Genre: Young Adult urban fantasy

Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
Star (Rating System)-1Star (Rating System)-1Star (Rating System)-1Star (Rating System)-1Star (Rating System)-1

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love. Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides? Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own. When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.


I AM LITERALLY DECEASED RIGHT NOW AND AM IN PAIN!!! RIP ME

Boy oh boy did that take me 5ever to read and I thought I was prepared but I was not. I just DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF.

Also, this is going to be spoiler filled because it’s a sequel so go away if you haven’t read Lady Midnight.

But just know, it’s amazing and hilarious and everything I could want but also heartbreaking and tear-jerking. I cannot explain emotions okay?!

Spoilers ahead blog graphic-1
WHY
DID
CASSIE
HAVE
TO
DO
THIS
?!?!?!?
I just,,,,,,,,,,,
General thoughts Review graphics

  • I would die for Jules tbh
  • Ty and Kit are precious and I LOVE THEM TO PIECES YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW
  • This book man!!
  • HOW DO YOU DEAL
  • Just all the Blackthorns okay
  • I love the London Institute
  • Loved it when Kit found that “idiot” who “wrote Will H. on all the pages” omgggg DYING
  • I just cried at the mention of Will okay
  • Also when Kit made a joke and Ty didn’t laugh… omg SO GOOD
  • Also “Watson is back up” – these two are so precious I can’t handle
  • JUST JULIAN OKAY
  • He raised these kids at 12 and his sons and daughters just ahhhhh I want to die
  • MY HEART WAS CLENCHED THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE BOOK HELP ME
  • ASKSKAGFAChgDY
  • When Emma rolled off the bed in Cornwall omggg Julian’s comeback though
  • Magnus just has clearance to walk in on everyone in bed okay!
  • “Everything sucked, Dru thought”I feel you girlfriend
  • Dru is awesome btw
  • Omg, when Magnus mentions how he didn’t know anyone more prone to “insane, self-destructive decisions” than Jace and Clary!! I JUST DIED OF LAUGHTER
  • I JUST CAN’T WITH THIS BOOK

Character review graphics-2

  • Annabel: at first I thought you were just creepy but now I actually hate her HOW DARE YOU DESTROY YOUR OWN FAMILY?? Screw you
  • Malcolm: I don’t exactly have much to say apart from I hate him too??
  • Arthur: um wow I did not expect his sacrifice AT ALL. Round of applause?
  • Unseelie King: I am super scared as to what he might do LIKE PLEASE SAVE ME.
  • Cohort: I HATE YOU ALLL HOW DARE YOU TRY AND HURT THE BLACKTHORNS! GET AWAY FROM MY BABIES!! But also they’re all narcissistic horrible people
  • Magnus: yess just throw glitter @ everyone! I love Magnus okay! He’s epic and amazing just,,, I love Malec and they’re adorable! What else is there to say??
  • Diana: I really like her in this book. I lover her backstory and she’s just so cool.
  • Alec: Ahh my little one! I reread City of Bones (click here for that) this year and he’s grown SO MUCH I JUST CAN’T EVEN!! Malec is just so in love and they have kids and will hopefully be running the London Institute. I just give up!!
  • Kieran: I still kinda have mixed feelings but I did love how his relationship with Mark and Cristina developed – so good!
  • Cristina: Ahh she’s just awesome okay. Always wanting to help my babies in every possible way, so I’d just like to say thank you for all you do for them.
  • Tavvy: awww he’s so cute. He loves his daddy Jules and just,,,,
  • Helen: I was so happy when she arrived and her and Mark’s reunion was so perfect
  • Mark: Mark’s also just a sweetheart and I love him. I love how he loves his family and has really been falling into place with them just,,,
  • Jace & Clary: I read that part ages ago so don’t remember specifics but ya’ll know I love my Clace so I, of course, loved all their scenes. My babies running their own Institute just warms my heart. But also like help them PLEASE
  • Dru: I love her SO MUCH. Dru is just awesome and really relatable. Shes just my spirit animal tbh.
  • Livvy: she just,,, Livvy cared for my little one Ty so much (well I mean obviously but you know!) and I loved her and Julian’s relationship and my heart just aches all over. I will get more into those feelings later and I AM SCARED TO FREAKING DEATH
  • Kit: Mr Christopher Herondale everybody. I just have a thing for Herondales okay!! I ADORE KIT SO MUCH!! I love Kit/Ty and how he grows to love the Shadowhunters and becomes part of the Blackthorn (like the rest of us) and I just love him okay do you need an explanation?
  • Emma: hmm I don’t knoww! She’s epic and badass and amazing, obviously, but she made me so mad with the way she dealt with Jules. I love you Emma but you just…
  • Ty: Tiberius has my heart and won’t give it back. He is truly amazing okay I WILL FIGHT YOU. His autism is spot-on and I love how he deals with it. He’s just,,,, kill me know pls
  • Julian: Jules my dear precious one I would die for you. This soul brought up 4 kids at the age of 12 and he cares for them so freaking much I don’t even know how to express my feelings. My heart breaks for him and I don’t know how to deal SAVE ME PLEASE!!!

Story and plot Review graphics

Where do I even begin?!

Okay, so when Jules and the gang went into Faerie. OMG so much went down. First, that phouka thing SCARED THE HECK OUUTA ME! And then the dance. And Emma’s father ahhhhhh!!! And the Seelie Queen??!! What even…. That scene where Annabel kills Malcolm, omg did not see that coming.
I love Kit, Ty and Livvy’s friendship. They’re just adorable. I love their humour and how literally Kit just walks into all battles with absolutely no training. SO GOOD. They’re just all amazing. It’s also amazing how they all let Ty be Ty and I LOVE HOW KIT UNDERSTANDS HIM AND JUST TOTALLY GETS HIM. #ship
I’m still shaking over the whipping scene in LM so of course, I’m not a huge fan of Kieran. We also don’t get much of them in book 1 so it kinda feels weird in the beginning but I did come to like him over the course of then book because he truly feels horrible about what he did and didn’t intend it to happen.
I loved going back to the London Institute. Will’s books!! Jessamine!! Bridget!! The clothes!! JUST ALL OF IT.
I was so frustrated with Emma because she pushed away my precious baby who just cannot lose people he loves just,,, I wanted to shake her. I get it but WHY HURT HIM DO YOU NOT SEE!!! ARGHHHH!! I loved that they made up and that they’re fine now. Well, obviously not because umm Robert (whose parabatai was in love with him which is obvs why Magnus said to go to him) is well… HELP THEM AND ALSO ME!!
Ty is a genius okay!
I want to murder Annabel. She literally killed Jule’s daughter and I want literally strangle her… your own f**king family HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love when Emma and Jules MELT that church ahhh so epic!! Just the whole Cornwall part was amazing. I also just want to point out how I love when in books two people who clearly like each other land up creeping toward each other whilst asleep… I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!!
I love how Dru develops a friendship with Jaime. And that faerie child ahhh DYING to know who it is.
Those last 40 pages had me seriously scared. And that council meeting was WAY PAST INTENSE. I hate all of the Cohort and just,,, I love how Cassie has woven in modern politics and also topics of “racism”, she’s just amazing okay!
The pain I felt when Jules let out that sound at the end has me sobbing. He’s calling her and begging and I want to cryyyyyy. Ty literally faints I CANNOT DEAL. Just!!! Sister and daughter to my babies is gone and I cannot handle this pain. And Alec holding his dad. It just went to sh*t and what are we going to do now. I was crying late into the night. I JUST WANT TO CRY IN A CORNER AND SCREAM AT CASSIE. THE PAINNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!! Those last 2 pages DESTROYED ME!!!
 
Review graphics - quotes

“I need to be whole again. Even if it doesn’t last.”
“It can’t last,” she said, staring at him, because how could it, when they could never keep what they had? “It’ll break our hearts.”
He caught her by the wrist, brought her hand to his bare chest. Splayed her fingers over his heart. It beat against her palm, like a fist punching its way through his sternum. “Break my heart,” he said. “Break it in pieces. I give you permission.” –
Julian & Emma

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“There were valuable first editions of books in the enormous library, most of them had been scribbled in by some idiot named Will H.”Kit

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“Morning is probably in just a few hours. And if we don’t have Energy runes, we’ll have to get our energy the old-fashioned way.”
Mark looked puzzled. “Drugs?”
“Chocolate,” Emma said. “I brought chocolate. Mark, where do you even come up with these things.”

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“Maybe he could frustrate the Shadowhunters by refusing to work out and sitting around eating carbs. I defy you, Shadowhunters, he thought, thumbing the top off the container and popping a cookie in his mouth. I mock you with my sugar cravings.” – Kit

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“I am so ready to hunt down those tiny adorable creatures and give them what for,” said Emma. “SO READY.”
“Emma…”
“I may even tie bows on their heads.”
“WE have to interrogate them.”
“Can I get a selfie with one of them first?”
“Eat your toast, Emma.”

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Lex malla, lex nulla,” said Julian with a regretful wave of his hand. It was the Blackthorn family motto: A bad law is no law.
“I wonder what other family mottoes there are,” Emma mused. “Do you know any?”
“The Lightwood family motto is ‘We mean well’.”
“Very funny.”
Julian looked over at her. “No, really, it actually is.”
“Seriously? So what’s the Herondale family motto? ‘Chiseled but angsty’?”
HE shrugged. “‘If you don’t know what your last name is, it’s probably Herondale’?”
Emma burst out laughing. “What about Carstairs?” she asked, tapping Cortana. “‘We have a sword’? ‘Blunt instruments are for losers’?”
“Morgernstern,” offered Julian. “‘When in doubt, start a war’?”
“How about ‘Has even one of us ever been good, like ever, seriously’?”

^^ love this so much!!

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Emma set down her fork with a clang. “Pretentious hair prince is right.”
Kieran blinked. “What did you call me?”
“I’m trying it out,” Emma said, with a wave. “And I said you were right. Enjoy it, because I doubt I’ll say it again.”

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“Emma. I need you, always, always think about you, I was wishing you were with me in that goddamned attic and then I turned around and you were there, like you heard me, like you’re always there when I need you …” – Julian

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“Fiction is truth, even if it is not fact. If you believe only in facts and forget stories, your brain will live, but your heart will die.”

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“What’s the Nephilim motto again?”
“ ‘We are dust and shadows,’ ” said Ty, not looking up from his book.
“Some of us are very handsome dust,” Jace added”

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“I know you have nothing to worry about. I wasn’t in love with Mark. I’ll never be in love with anyone again who isn’t you.” – Julian

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“I couldn’t keep a fish alive,” she said. “I kill plants just by looking at them.”
“I suspect I would have the same problem,” Mark said, eyeing the fish. “It is too bad – I was going to name it Magnus, because it has sparkly scales.”
At that, Cristina giggled. Magnus Bane was the High Warlock of Brooklyn, and he had a penchant for glitter.
“I suppose I had better let him go free,” Mark said. Before anyone could say anything, he made his way to the railing of the pier and emptied the bag, fish and all, into the sea.
“Does anyone want to tell him that goldfish are freshwater fish and can’t survive in the ocean?” said Julian quietly.
“Not really,” said Cristina.
“Did he just kill Magnus?” Emma asked, but before Julian could answer, Mark whirled around.”

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“You could sketch me,” said Emma. She flung herself down onto her seat, leaning her
head on her hand.
“ ‘Draw me like one of your French girls.’ ”
Julian grinned.
“I hate that movie,” he said. “You know I do.”
Emma sat up indignantly.
“The first time we watched Titanic, you cried.”
“I had seasonal allergies,” Jules said.”
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“Zara: It’s just a registry…
Kit: Am I the only one who’s read X-Men and realizes why this is a bad idea?”
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“Huh,” said Kit, thinking of the Cold Peace. “Are you a prisoner?”
“No,” said the faerie. “I’m Mark’s lover.”
Oh, Kit thought. The person he went into Faerie to save. He tried to stifle a look of amusement at the way faeries talked. Intellectually, he knew the word “lover” was part of traditional speech, but he couldn’t help it: He was from Los Angeles, and as far as he was concerned, Kieran had just said, Hello, I have sex with Mark Blackthorn. What about you?”
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“Ty: Just words I like. If I say them to myself, it makes my mind – quieter. Does it bother you?
Kit: No. I was just curious what words you liked.
Ty: It’s not the meaning, just the sound. Glass, twin, apple, whisper, stars, crystal, shadow, lilt.
Kit: Whisper would be one of mine, too. Cloud, secret, highway, hurricane, mirror, castle, thorns.
Ty: Blackthorns.”
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“[Julian]”Remember, Mark is in charge.”
“Does he know that?” said Livvy.
Julian sought Mark in the crowd on the steps. He was standing with his hands behind his back, exchanging a mistrustful look with a carved stone gnome. “Your pretense does not fool me, gnome,” he muttered. “My eye will be upon you.”
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“Alec: So you met jace. What did you think?
Kit: Of Jace?
Alec: Just making small talk.
Kit: Jace isn’t much like you.
Alec: That’s an understatement. But it doesn’t matter. Parabatai don’t need to be like each other. They just need to complement each other. To work well together.
Kit: And you and Jace complement each other?
Alec: I remember when I met him. He walked out of a Portal from Idiris. He was skinny and he had bruises and he had these big eyes. He was arrogant, too. He and Isabelle used to fight … But to me everything aobut him said “Love me, because nobody else has”. It was all over him, like fingerprints.”
flowerpot

I need book 3 now but I cannot handle it!! It sets off right after this one so I WON’T DEAL WITH THE PAIN. But I also know that her conclusions are everything but that doesn’t console me. HELP ME I LOVED IT OKAY BYE!


Let'sChat-1

HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK YET? WHO ARE YOUR FAVES? HOW READY ARE YOU FOR BOOK 3? I’D LOVE TO KNOW!

xo
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