Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: March 2016
Synopsis:
(from Goodreads)
It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.
Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…
Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?
–Possible Spoilers! Read at your own risk!–
“He knew in the way that she was a part of him, the way her breathing was his breathing, and her dreams were his dreams, and her blood was his blood, and when her heart stopped he knew that his would too, and he would be glad, because he wouldn’t want to live one second in a world that didn’t have her in it.”
This book was fantastic. I still and always will remain fiercely loyal to The Mortal Instruments, but gosh darn it, Lady Midnight was amazing.
Maybe I’m just another Cassandra Clare fangirl, but to the people who are mad because Cassandra Clare keeps writing about Shadowhunters stop. Cassie has created a fantastic world and it’s not like all of her books are the same. If you’ve read them you’d know that. The plots are different, the villains are different, the characters are different, the feels are different, it’s just set in the same world.
As soon as I opened up to the first page of Lady Midnight, I was instantly transported back to 2013 when I had first read City of Bones, I’d forgotten how much I missed it. This wonderful Shadowhunter world that Cassie had created, with her hilarious and wonderful characters.
You can definitely see the improvement in her writing. Every sentence was beautiful and kept me wanting to read more. If I wasn’t so adamant on trying to prolong the book I probably would have stayed up all night reading it until I finished.
I fell in love with all of the characters; Emma, Julian, Mark, Cristina, all of the other Blackthorn children, even Perfect Diego.
Emma is a total badass, a bit of a hothead, but I loved her anyway. It was a different experience reading from a character whose been a Shadowhunter their entire life. I loved her relationship with Cristina, their bond, friendship and trust was just so beautiful perfect. Even in such a short amount of time! I could definitely see them becoming parabatai.
I was a bit skeptical of both Mark and (Perfect) Diego, but really they both won me over later on. Mark’s my precious baby and ugh, I just ship everyone okay?
But words can’t even begin to describe my love for Julian Blackthorn. Julian Blackthorn is the sweetest, most kindest, and the greatest brother ever. I love, love, loved him so much. Julian is flawed, but still perfect. Absolutely perfect. I loved his and Emma’s relationship, the love and complete trust they have in each other, it was absolutely magical.
“These pictures are my heart. And if my heart was a canvas, every square inch of it would be painted over with you.”
And I especially loved his relationship with his family, it was so very heartwarming. The way he cares for them, the way he always put their feelings above his own, the way he loves them, so unconditionally and so, so much. Julian is such a kind soul and literally the definition of an amazing brother.
“And he knew it was true. Someday he would have to open his hands, let his brothers and sisters go freely into the world, a world that would cut them, bruise them, knock them down and not help them back up again. Someday he would have to do that.
But not yet. Not quite yet.”
I definitely recommend reading the Shadowhunter books in the order of publication for the full experience and feels! (although you don’t have to, Cassandra Clare does a good job of rehashing the Shadowhunter world in Lady Midnight) I absolutely love all the references to past character’s Cassie puts in her books, they never fail to put a smile on my face.
And finally, the end. That freaking ending. The ending killed me. I am completely, and utterly ruined. I don’t know how I’ll survive until Lord of Shadows. I need it now because that end? That ending was the epitome of cliffhangers. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO US CASSIE?! (not to mention that really cute short story, “A Long Conversation” at the end of the book, destroyed me in feels. am I even still alive? I can’t tell.)
Overall, Lady Midnight was all parts amazing; plot, characters, romance, everything. I definitely recommend it 100%! This book deserves all of the stars! I adored it so much, I’m so very proud of Cassie and I can’t wait to read the sequel!
I’M A CASSANDRA CLARE FANGIRL AND PROUD OF IT!
5 out of 5 stars
★★★★★
“Everyone is more than one thing. We are more than single actions we undertake, whether they be good or evil.”
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