LADY MIDNIGHT by CASSANDRA CLARE (2016)

Title: Lady Midnight
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Dark Artifices #1
Pages: 698
Published: Mar 8th 2016
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books


I got this as soon as I heard it was out. I saw it at WHSmith but didn't have money with me so when I went to Waterstones the day after I bought it. The Waterstones copy had fancy blue edges that I was very pleased with. And then I heard that the WHSmith had fan art in it which I had missed. I got slightly annoyed at myself but then I thought that there is an unlimited amount of fan art online.

It took my a while to adapt to the book. I had just fallen asleep crying the night before from the ending of City of Heavenly Fire and still recovering from it not to mention that Emma and Julian had been 12 years old in City of Heavenly Fire and they were all of a sudden 17. After a few chapters though, I was hooked.

I was afraid that the characters might be dull and the plot less unique after two series set in the same Shadowhunter world. But fear not! This book was sooooo good. All the characters were special and unique and had really strong personalities. I loved little details such as Ty's way of thinking, Dru's love for horror movies, Tavvy's need for a push animals, Liv's talent in maths not to mention Julian's passion for painting and Emma's fear for running and fondness for vintage clothes. The plot was crazy good, full of action and tension like in all Clare's books. 

I absolutely adore Mark Blackthorn and I started to ship him and Christina until Perfect Diego turned up and ruined it. I loved their moments of talking and from the beginning I thought Christina and Mark may develop a bond which he couldn't with his siblings or Emma. His torn emotions for his family and the Hunt was great. And I thought for a good while that he might choose the Hunt (it wouldn't have surprised me considering what Clare has done to us in the past) but I think it was evident after the whipping that he wasn't.

The whipping itself was an amazing scene. I'm just gonna leave it at that.

The plot surrounding the poems and Malcolm were all really clever. I must have been as confused as everyone else. And I like that no dramatic irony is created, but that we know just as much as the characters and find out with them.

Finally, I am so grateful that Clare keeps returning to her other characters and we get to catch up with their lives. Simon and Izzy getting married. OMG!!!! And Malec having children. Everything about it is just wonderful. That Jem and Tessa keep on turning up and the link to Kit Rook. The only pain is seeing Jem and Tessa without Will. Hopefully though we will get a glimpse of him in The Last Hours, the new trilogy that Cassandra Clare is coming out with in 2017.

The Infernal Devices will forever be my favourite series from Cassandra Clare because nothing can beat Wessa and I'm in love with Victorian London. However, this book had brought different values to the spotlight. In all her books, themes such as love, friendship and betrayal have been precent. But never has family been so important as in Lady Midnight. This plot surrounded around family and the importance of it and I feel like that aspect of life can often be overlooked in fantasy or science fiction. If you want to cover that theme you often have to turn to the YA contemporary genre, but this was interweaved so well in the plot and through the characters.

Plot Summary:

In a kingdom by the sea...

In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word. A parabatai is your parter in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other - but they can never fall in love.

Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter. She lives for battle. Alongside her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols Los Angeles, where vampire party on the Sunset Strip, and dearies - the most powerful of supernatural creatures - teeter on the edge of war with Shadowhunters. When bodies of human and dearies are found murdered in the same way Emma's parents were when she was a child an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma's chance for revenge and Julian's chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held by the dearie Courts. All they have to do is solve the murders within two weeks... and before the murderer targets them.

Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets. What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents - and can she bear to know the truth?

My Rating:

10/10
One of the best. So looking forward for the next book.

Other Books in this Series:

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1)
Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2)

Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices #3)

Other books by Cassandra Clare:

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2)
City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3)
City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)
City of Lost Souls(The Mortal Instruments #5)
City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6)

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)
Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)
Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3)