Title: Lord of Shadows
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Pub Date: May 23, 2017
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 701
Source: Purchased
Genre(s): YA, Fantasy,
Rating: ★★★½
[Goodreads] ● [Amazon] ● [Book Depository]

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Would you trade your soul mate for your soul?

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.

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My review:

“Everyone is afraid of something. We fear things because we value them. We fear losing people because we love them. We fear dying because we value being alive. Don’t wish you didn’t fear anything. All that would mean is that you didn’t feel anything.”

I started reading this book 10 months ago. I finally finished it today. That doesn’t necessarily mean it was a bad book… but it does mean that I’m not fully invested in the story.

I don’t know if it’s because there are so many characters to keep track of (or so many relationships to keep track of) but I found it difficult to truly care for most of the characters. I love Julian’s love for his family. The way they all care for each other is beautiful. That being said, there’s 1,001 possible love triangles and squares in this book and it’s too much for me. There is such a thing as too many ships and this book should win an award for that.

Best parts of this book:

– Learning more about Diana. Her bravery in telling her story.
– Hearing more about Ty’s feelings through his own perspective.
– Kit being so observant. He’s slowly starting to care for others.
– Some specific people finally not lying about their feelings.

What I didn’t like:

I honestly couldn’t even tell you what was wrong with this book other than it definitely does NOT need to be 700 pages long. That’s a bit of a stretch for all that took place in this novel. In any case, I’m glad I finally got through it (and sadly, saw that tragic ending) so that I can prepare myself for the next book. Of course I’ll still be reading it. And I hope it’s better than this one.