The Shadowhunter Chronicles

If you were to ask me what books got me into reading, I'd have to say the Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare.

I remember seeing Clockwork Angel in a bookshop about 10 years ago (unbeknownst to me, it'd just been released!). The cover was gorgeous and the blurb sounded pretty cool so I persuaded my mum to get it for my birthday. Little did I know that I'd still be obsessed at the age of 23!

After Clockwork Angel, I quickly got up to speed with The Mortal Instruments and waited for the rest of both series to be released. The wait between each book was torture and I often found myself rereading the series so far ready for the next release! Both series finished just before I went to university. While there, I didn't read as much and so the next series (The Dark Artifices) passed me by. It wasn't until last year when Chain of Gold was released that I got back into the Shadowhunter world. And now that I've found it again, I am hooked!

What are these books about?

The Shadowhunter Chronicles is set in a fantasy world hidden within our own. This world contains vampires, werewolves, warlocks, faeries and a race of people called Shadowhunter. The Shadowhunters are superhuman demon hunters who police the supernatural world. Each series centres around a group of Shadowhunters.

There are currently four series that make up the Shadowhunter Chronicles: The Mortal Instruments (TMI), The Infernal Devices (TID), The Dark Artifices (TDA) and The Last Hours (TLH). There are also a number of spin-offs and companion books.

The Mortal Instruments

This series is set in New York in 2007. Clary Fray thinks she's a normal girl. But when her mum suddenly disappears, she's thrown into the world of magic and Shadowhunters. This series is sort of split into two halves. The first 3 books are the best ones to start with as they lay-out the world and characters. The series was originally going to end with City of Glass so the story comes to a conclusion with a couple of loose ends that get picked up in the final 3 books. The second half of the series I found slowed in pace as there were more characters and more character development. While I've reread the first half of the series many times, I haven't read the second half as much - in part because they're so chunky!

The Infernal Devices

This series follows Tessa Gray who arrives in Victorian London to look for her brother, but gets thrown into the Shadowhunter world. This series also sets out the world really well as we approach the story from Tessa's point of view. There are fewer characters in this series and it mainly centres around Tessa, Will and Jem. Personally, I love a good historical setting and the setting of London is much more familiar to me! The pacing of these books is closer to the final three books of TMI. There's a lot of character development and a heavy focus on the main love triangle.

The Dark Artifices

I am currently reading this series so will be posting more thoughts when I've finished. The story picks up 5 years after TMI and follows Emma Carstairs and the Blackthorn siblings as they investigate a series of murders in LA. This series relies on you having read TMI (and in some places TID). This means that there isn't as much basic introduction to the Shadowhunter world, but there is still some further world development.

The Last Hours

This is the sequel series to TID and follows the next generation. Again, this series relies on you having read TID as it alludes to the previous series and expects you to know the basics of the Shadowhunter world. So far, only the first two books of this series have been released. There are a lot of characters in this series and each time I pick up one of these books, I have to remind myself who's who - well which TID character everyone is related to!

 

Why do you like the books?

I love these books for two reasons: the world and the characters.

Cassandra Clare is amazing at world building. I'm a sucker for a fantasy and for supernatural creatures. But she has clearly put in a lot of thought around how these species behave and interact. Throughout the books, you learn more about each species, the politics, and you see the flaws in the laws the Shadowhunters have set out.

I love the variety with the characters. There are a lot of badass warriors and, even better, strong female characters I could aspire to! In each series, the main characters (and some of the side ones!) get developed and you get to see the many sides to them. Often, there's a burning secret being held or some tragedy that happened to them. But then, who doesn't love a tormented soul?! I love how even some of the "bad" characters get developed, making you understand their motives and question whether they really are bad.

One thing I've noticed as more books are released is how diverse the characters are becoming. Even better, how natural the diversity comes across. Call me a cynic, but often you can tell when an author includes a gay couple just to tick a box. But in the Shadowhunter books, the inclusion feels natural. The Shadowhunter world stretches around the globe, meaning we get to meet Shadowhunters from China, India, Iran and Mexico (to name a few!). In The Dark Artifices, we meet Ty, who has autism. There are also characters who have suffered great trauma, so struggle with mental illnesses. However, the LGBT representation is much more noticeable. In particular, the representation in The Last Hours is wonderful. I think it's the first series I've read with an all-male love triangle! I also love how Cass Clare doesn't shy away from the grittier side of things, showing how even this supernatural world is subject to prejudices.

 

Who is your favourite character?

This is a tough question as I have favourites from different series! My first favourite was Simon from TMI. He's the nerdy best friend who gives off guy-next-door vibes. I also love Magnus Bane (because he's just so fabulous!). I think my favourite set of characters are the ones from TLH. I adore Matthew's flamboyance, Cordelia's selflessness and Christopher's ambivalence to anything that isn't science. However, I'd say Anna Lightwood is my current favourite character. I love how she defies all the expectations on how an Edwardian lady should behave. She dresses like a guy and is the ruin of many married women. In short, she is the female equivalent to the "bad boy"!

 

What order should I read these in?

Personally, I'd recommend reading them in publication order:

1.       City of Bones

2.       City of Ashes

3.       City of Glass

4.       Clockwork Angel

5.       City of Fallen Angels

6.       Clockwork Prince

7.       City of Lost Souls

8.       Clockwork Princess

9.       City of Heavenly Fire

10.   Lady Midnight

11.   Lord of Shadows

12.   Queen of Air and Darkness

13.   Chain of Gold

14.   Chain of Iron

15.   Chain of Thorns (when released!)

I haven't read many of the spin-offs or companion novels as most of them came out while I was at uni. In general, I'd say wait until after reading both TMI and TID, but I'd recommend checking their publication date just in case!

Honestly, I can’t recommend these books enough. As corny as it sounds, every time I pick one of these books up, I feel like I’ve come home. If you’ve read these books, let me know what you think in the comments below!