Book Review: Chain of Gold

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: March 3, 2020
Pages: 592 pages
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating: 5/5

 

Synopsis:

Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to battle demons. When her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother travel to London in hopes of preventing the family’s ruin. Cordelia’s mother wants to marry her off, but Cordelia is determined to be a hero rather than a bride. Soon Cordelia encounters childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and is drawn into their world of glittering ballrooms, secret assignations, and supernatural salons, where vampires and warlocks mingle with mermaids and magicians. All the while, she must hide her secret love for James, who is sworn to marry someone else.

But Cordelia’s new life is blown apart when a shocking series of demon attacks devastate London. These monsters are nothing like those Shadowhunters have fought before—these demons walk in daylight, strike down the unwary with incurable poison, and seem impossible to kill. London is immediately quarantined. Trapped in the city, Cordelia and her friends discover that their own connection to a dark legacy has gifted them with incredible powers—and forced a brutal choice that will reveal the true cruel price of being a hero.

 

 

Review:

This review is long overdue. I actually read this book back in March, but figured it would be appropriate to write this up now before the sequel to this book, Chain of Iron, comes out in less than 2 months. 

 

For those of you who have never read a Cassandra Clare book before, welcome to the long and exciting road of Shadowhunters. For those of you who have read her books, you have made it this far and are well aware of her craft and storytelling. 

 

I will try to keep this as spoiler-free as possible. Since this is Clare's fourth series in the Shadowhunter universe, there are many aspects and plot points of this book that have been alluded to in her previous book. This series, titled The Last Hours, is a follow-up to her Victorian Shadowhunter series, The Infernal Devices, one of my all time personal favorite book series. If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading that trilogy first before delving into Chain of Gold.

So where do I start? First off, the world. Part of the reason why The Infernal Devices was so remarkable was the aesthetic of the Victorian era. Chain of Gold continues this, transitioning into the Edwardian times, which really fits the plot and the characters. Clare was a master when it comes to weaving in elements of fantasy into these historical periods in her previous series, and she continues to excel at that in this book. There is something intriguing, magical, nostalgic, and almost romantic about having Shadowhunters in these historical times. It also offers a bit of escape, especially amidst this pandemic, and an opportunity to learn a little about the life and times of this bygone era.

 

Next, the characters. I've alluded to this before in my Lady Midnight review, but Cassandra Clare creates some of the best characters in the YA world. She really takes her time to map out each and every aspect of the characters and makes them as real as possible. Even though this series just started, I know these characters will be well-developed. Chain of Gold probably has her most extensive character list, compared to her previous series. I know some people noted that it got confusing, but honesty I didn't have an issue with it. Then again, I've read every single book of Clare's and knew about her previous characters leading up to this series. A lot of the characters are interconnected, so I believe having that knowledge base from all her other books helped in setting these new characters straight. Again, this is why I highly recommend reading all her other books before, or at least The Infernal Devices trilogy. 

All the characters are fantastic. Cordelia Carstairs may just be my new favorite leading lady. She's bold, strong, witty, and defies all the norms of her times. I also absolutely adore Matthew Fairchild, who had a much bigger role in the series than I anticipated. I thought he was more interesting to read about than James Herondale, who I was originally invested in. Lucie Herondale is also a gem among the characters, and her storyline took a different twist than I expected (I don't want to reveal too much). I also loved the side characters, particularly Anna, Christopher, and Thomas Lightwood. 

 

The plot was good too. A bit predictable, and there were some times I wanted to slap the characters because the answer would be staring right at them. However, I know Clare's writing and each word and action she chooses is deliberate - there is a reason why things are happening, and if I know Clare it will all tie together by the third book. Now, what I'm curious about is how this connects to The Dark Artifices and her upcoming final series The Wicked Powers, which are both set in current times. 

 

As with all of her other novels, there are loose ends left by the end of the book meant to be partially tied off by the end of the series. Clare's books always leave me craving for more, but at least the wait for Chain of Iron is not terrible - there have been longer waits before! Compared to some of Clare's previous works, this one does not have too much of a cliffhanger, so the anticipation has been bearable.

 

So again, highly recommend Chain of Gold. It did not disappoint and was worth the wait (to put it in perspective, I waited nearly 7 years since the end of The Infernal Devices for this one to come out). I'm excited to see what she has in store with the rest of the books in this trilogy. With that, feel free to share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section. I will leave you readers click here to see a glimpse of Charlie Bowater's art, who made gorgeous art for the characters of this series. You can see the rest of her art on Instagram (@charliebowater).