Chain of Gold is the first instalment of The Last Hours trilogy, a sequel to The Infernal Devices trilogy and a prequel to the bestselling Mortal Instruments series. In it, Cassandra Clare takes the reader a whirlwind step back in time to Edwardian London, navigating the branches of the most prominent Shadowhunter family trees, from the the Herondales to the Lightwoods, Blackthorns, and Carstairs, to expose the secrets and untold histories that are scattered within.
Cassandra Clare
The story is told through the eyes of Cordelia Carstairs, a strong-willed and loyal warrior who is desperate to save her family from disgrace. Cordelia ventures into London in an attempt to position herself in high society and find a suitable marriage to safeguard her family name. In London, she is reacquainted with her childhood friend Lucie and her brother James, the children of the infamous Shadowhunters Tessa and James Herondale, who walk the line between light and dark while bearing the special talents of their Downworlder heritage. Upon her arrival, Cordelia is forced to contend with not only her feelings for James, which have grown stronger since childhood and must remain hidden, but also the demon attacks that have begun to take place unexpectedly in broad daylight. With the aid of their friends, the three Shadowhunters move through the picturesque gardens and institutes of London where the attacks are taking place, in contrast to the mysterious alleyways and Downworlder-inhabited bars of London where they stray in search of answers.
Fans of the Shadowhunter books will delight in the familiar presence of the warlocks, mermaids, vampires, and werewolves that populate the period, brought to life by Cassandra Clare in a curious and oddly elegant fashion that makes this world vividly clear. They give the novel a fresh variety of perspective from which the secrets of the plot can be brought to light amidst all the demonic chaos. Sacrifice and heartbreak are woven into every twist and turn of this novel, and the loyalty of each character to their family is tested in ways they could have never imagined.
The Edwardian setting also gives us a glimpse at the ways in which the young hunters struggle to balance the responsibilities of the Shadowhunter life they have been born into with the obligations of the society that surrounds them. I particularly loved that in this portion of the Shadowhunter legacy, Clare chose to explore the struggles of female Shadowhunters, who are bound not only by their duty as protectors of the world but also by the social obligation to marry for more than love. The hidden romances that have undoubtedly altered the lives of their descendents truly gripped me.
Decadently mixing existing Shadowhunter lore with an exciting new story, there’s plenty in Chain of Gold for diehard fans of this incredible world to sink their teeth into. I can’t wait for the next one!
–Review by Renae Adolfson, Trade Books Coordinator
Chain of Gold
The Last Hours: Book 1
From internationally bestselling author Cassandra Clare comes the first novel in a brand new Shadowhunters trilogy. Evil is hiding in plain sight and the only thing more dangerous than fighting demons is falling in love.
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 Edwardian London in hopes of preventing the family’s ruin...
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