I have long been a Cassandra Clare fan. The Infernal Devices series remains one of my favorites of all time and I will often re-read the series just so I can listen to Will and Tessa and Jem tell me their story again. So it should come as no surprise that I was delighted to hear she had written about the offspring of my favorite characters in Chain of Gold.
I enjoy the period in which these books are written far more than I do the modern series.
I quite loved Lucie Herondale and her brother James and I did enjoy Cordelia. It was fun meeting the Merry Thieves and watching them interact, even if I was having remind myself who was related to who and how. There really are a lot of names on the page, which I imagine shows the Institute bursting with life and thriving under the leadership, so there is a purpose to having so many.
However…
There were so many points of view that I simply couldn’t fully attach to one. I still love them and I will get the rest of the series, but there were sections of the book that felt rushed, as though the author were not given the proper amount of time to let their voices come through. It may be a space issue, since this is a larger book, but I am not shy of large books and would have loved more.
Parents, these are safe. There are no explicit scenes to be wary of, though there are adult conversations.
I am looking forward to the next book, but this series cannot unseat the Infernal Devices from my favorite shelf. I’m afraid I just could not “befriend” these characters like I was able to do with Will, Tessa, and Jem.
AJMaguire 