It’s always a satisfying pleasure to be back in my favourite Shadowhunter world.
I just adore it all so much, ok? I’m in deep. I love that we get backstory and extra time with favourite characters. I love the indulgence of seeing characters grow up over the course of all the series and get married and have kids. Like, ok sometimes it’s totally sappy. But I don’t CARE. I am a soft leaf of grass these days. Let me be happy with my kids.
This is a collection of 10 short stories.
They’re set from the 1900s to 2012 and all sort of incorporate the Shadow Market. Most are through Jem Carstair’s eyes (when he’s a Silent Brother and when he’s free) and dude is a miserable eloquent mop and I love him so much. I was #TeamJem the whole way ok (he deserved better), so this was just nice to be back with him as he searches for the lost Herondale line as a tribute to Will.
TL;DR version of my feels
- love love love because it’s Shadowhunters ok
- the Shadowhunter family tree is convoluted and exhausting
- I resent everyone in TID growing up to name their children all after each other. I cannot tell anyone apart or know who belongs to who.
- I really don’t like the Thule!Jace storyline I just…thought I’d get onboard but I am not. That’s my only criticism for the whole series oops.
- Freaking HERE for a certain couple having a baby at the end.😍
- Magnus/Alec are a GIFT; eternally.
- I’m so glad Clare keeps gifting us with little in-between moments and giving these domestic scenes + action and relaying important info. (But the domestic scenes make me heart eyes.)
- I really loved the art starting each story!!
Cast Long Shadows
This was the hardest to follow because we have like ALL the TID kids here and holy heck I could not keep them straight. Fairchilds and Herondales and Lightwoods galore. They all had so many kids hahah. Anyway it was sad? But rather made me think Matthew was an idiot for trusting a faerie potion instead of talking to his parents.
Every Exquisite Thing
Butch lesbian appreciation. We stan. I also just loved this quiet love and acceptance of queerness by Anna’s parents!! Also Jem being badass and solving Shadow Market mysteries.
Learn About Loss
Brother Zachariah (cough*Jem*cough) and Sister Emilia go to a carnival to discover more about the Lost Herondale line. And look, Jem has a dream where he and Will run hand-in-hand across a moonlight rooftops and u tell me that’s very heterosexual.
A Deeper Love
Oh wow this one was STRESSFUL. Jem gets hurt and Tessa freaks out and it’s set in WWII and also features Catrina Loss! I really liked this one. Nothing like some good wretched feels.
The Wicked Ones
This was like…ugh [throws up a little] a 17yo shadowhunter crushing on Stephan Herondale (23yo and married) so much that she’ll do anything to make him fall in love with her. These are Jace’s parents! And it shows more how Valentine controlled his inner circle.
Son of the Dawn
ok this one made me laugh because it has Raphael in it (LOVE Raphael) and Lily Chen, who ends up calling Jem “Brother Snackeriah” which ya know. She is not wrong. They also go pick up baby!Jace (he’s like 10 or something, but a baby) from being shipped to the Lightwoods on a boat loaded with drugs. Also Jace is so deeply damaged. Also BABY ISABELLE AND ALEC. They’re adorable.
The Land I Lost
100000% my favourite story of the book. Laughed out LOUD. Wanted to cry. Omg. This is when Alec finds and adopts little Rafe and I just!!! Ok I am a mess for Alec/Magnus domestic scenes and while this was mostly Alec being badass alone in Buenos Aires and finding the Institute there is super corrupt…it still had the most ADORABLE scenes in it. Also Rafe was such a feral little thing and every time Alec was just holding him comfortingly. 😫💛 Also Magnus’ line of “you left for 3 days and adopted a child…imagine if we let you roam for a week.” I LOVE THEM.
Through Blood, Through Fire
Jem and Tessa are still looking for that Lost Herondale kid. They are not good at this hide and seek. This one is angsty but I appreciate Jem/Tessa together. Aw.
The Lost World
Finally we get some BLACKTHORNS. This is mostly by Livvy, but some of Ty’s POV. I really miss Ty and I’m crying…he is so sad. He refuses to acknowledge he has a hole in his life without Kit. Shows more of what Livy can do now…I liked it but made me SAD that we don’t get Wicked Powers for so so long….I want it now.
Forever Fallen
Ok this was soft sweetness with Baby Carstairs and Kit stopping being an abandoned orphan. LOVE the Carstairs family 100%. Also more of Thule!Jace who I do not understand and do not want to see ever again 🤗 I assume this is warning that there will be lots of Thule storyline in Wicked Power and bleh. Do not want. But I do want Ty and Kit and will die for them. So. (Yes, I’m chill about it.)
Also the last sentence is: “This evening, the whole sky was bronze, as though to summon wicked powers.”
SCREEEEAMING
Thank you to Walker Books AUS for the review-copy! It released June, 2019.
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The Shadow Market is a meeting point for faeries, werewolves, warlocks and vampires. There the Downworlders buy and sell magical objects, make dark bargains, and whisper secrets they do not want the Nephilim to know. Through two centuries, however, there has been a frequent visitor to the Shadow Market from the City of Bones, the very heart of the Shadowhunters. As a Silent Brother, Brother Zachariah is sworn keeper of the laws and lore of the Nephilim. But once he was a Shadowhunter called Jem Carstairs, and his love, then and always, is the warlock Tessa Gray.
Follow Brother Zachariah and see, against the backdrop of the Shadow Market’s dark dealings and festive celebrations, Anna Lightwood’s first romance, Matthew Fairchild’s great sin and Tessa Gray plunged into a world war. Valentine Morgenstern buys a soul at the Market and a young Jace Wayland’s soul finds safe harbor. In the Market is hidden a lost heir and a beloved ghost, and no one can save you once you have traded away your heart. Not even Brother Zachariah…
| what do you think? |
tell me your favourite Shadowhunter series! and have you read these short stories yet? are they on your TBR?
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