Cassandra Clare - Queen of Air and Darkness.

Cassandra Clare – Queen of Air and Darkness.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars.

Hey Everyone! Continuing on from my previous post today we are reviewing the last book in The Dark Artifices trilogy. Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare. This book had everything I could ever have asked for. It had love, war, trials, defeats, victories, it even brought in characters from the other series Clare has written. It was brilliant. Here is an insight into my thoughts and feelings on the book.

Synopsis:

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks.

Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined.

Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

A little about the author:

Cassandra Clare is an American writer who publishes mostly YA novels. She is most known for The Mortal Instruments series and has published a number of books based around the Shadowhunter world. Her most recent works being Chain of Gold and The Lost Book of the White.

A little about the story:

The third book in the trilogy see’s the aftermath of the fight in the Council Hall, we see how two of the major Shadowhunter families cope with their devastating losses. We see Emma and Julian continue to fight their feelings for one another because of the fear of the parabatai curse. The Shadowhunters and their world is on the verge of imploding. We see characters from The Infernal Devices, The Mortal Instruments and The Dark Artifices come together to protect everything they know and love from the poison of the Cohort and the damage the Cold Peace has done.

The main characters in this book is a bit of a weird one. Because every single character and interaction in this book is so well thought out, that without one person, the book would feel incomplete. We have of course Emma, Christina, Julian and the Blackthorns. Then we have The Mortal Instruments gang, Clary, Jace, Izzy, Simon, Alec and Magnus, all playing really crucial roles. We have Tessa and Jem from The Infernal Devices who appear and add a new member to their family. And I could not picture this story without a single one of them. Even the characters that are made for us to hate such as the Riders and the Cohort. Each one of them is perfectly placed.

In this story we see the main characters fight against the problems the Cold Peace caused. They have to try and mend the problems with faerie. This is one of the main issues. The Cohort is growing in strength, and their fascism and hatred is spreading like wildfire, the gang must try to put a stop to this without people being hurt, if that is possible. And Emma and Julian. They know what will happen to them if they do not put an end to their relationship and cut off their feelings for each other. Their original plan went up in flames at the end of the second book, so the story follows them as they try to come up with a new way to escape the curse. We watch as Christina comes to terms with her complex romantic feelings and Kit struggles to support Ty and the plan he is cooking up. All whilst trying to stop the spread of the illness that is putting an end to the warlocks. This book is jam packed with action and adventure and everything fits, it never feels like too much is going on.

My favourite character in the third installment of the trilogy bounced back to being Emma Carstairs. She is a warrior. She has fierceness in her veins and isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in. The love she has for Julian and the Blackthorns, the way she brought Christina into the group even her friendship with Clary was beautifully written.

Honourable mentions go to Julian and Christina though. I love them. Julian in this book was hurting so much, having just essentially lost one of his children, having the world falling apart at his feet, he still manages to come up with a plan to save the world. Christina is so optimistic and loving. She is exactly the kind of balance that Emma and the Blackthorns needed. What I loved more was her dynamic with Kieran and Mark. When I first read it I wasn’t sure, but having re-read it over and over again, now I couldn’t picture it any differently.

As always with this trilogy I relate to Julian and Emma so much in this book. The ties of family, the way they would do anything for each other, and how deeply they love those around them. It all just clicks with me.

My personal opinion is that this book is incredible. Just at a first glance, the way it brings in characters from the series that came before made me happy. To get an update on beloved characters and how their lives are going, and how they fit into this story. Whilst they weren’t the focus, they were a big positive for me.

I loved the evolution of Emma and Julian’s relationship. They just fit together. When we first meet them it seems like Julian loves Emma a lot more than Emma loves Julian. However, in this book we see how equally they are devoted to each other. How much of a hold they have on each other’s hearts. We can almost imagine how happy they would be if the curse wasn’t a thing.

I honestly didn’t expect how the Cohort storyline came to a conclusion. This shocked me, but it was really well done. A lot of the times you expect the good guys to get everything to go their way, and it all ends happily, but this little twist wasn’t one I saw coming and I was so grateful for it.

My favourite part of the book was in the final battle at the end so I can’t write about it, it is the conclusion to a massive story point. But it is based around Emma and Julian. If you have read it, you know exactly which bit I am talking about. If not, trust me when I say, it is good.

I don’t have a least favourite part of this book. I couldn’t even bring myself to write a part I didn’t love. It was perfect. I had so many high hopes for this book, and Clare’s writing exceeded every single one of them.

So since this is the final book in a series I wouldn’t recommend it as a standalone. I’d have to write a recommendation for the entire series. Which I am absolutely okay with because I loved it all. I recommend this series first and foremost to fans of Cassandra Clare and the universe she has created. If you have read any of the earlier series, or even if you have seen the TV show and movie adaptations, you would love this series. Secondly, I would recommend this series to the young adult group, who love fantasy. This book is so relatable for young adults, as that is the age of the main characters. You can put yourself in their shoes. Lastly, I recommend Cassandra Clare and her masterpieces to everyone. There is a little something in there for all.

So there we have it. My thoughts and responses for all three of The Dark Artifices books. I’m so glad I stumbled into Clare’s work, every new book she brings out tops the previous one. I hope you liked reading them too, and I hope if you haven’t read them, that my thoughts encourage you to pick up one of her books and have a look.

Stay Curious!

J x