Review: Chain of Thorns

Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yes! I’ve literally waited for over a decade for the full story of the Merry Thieves. I remember reading the Magnus Bane short story that includes the absolutely tortured James Herondale and wanted nothing more than to get his full story.

First off, let’s talk about the beauty of Clare’s writing. She grounds her story in an epic Persian poem called Layla and Majnun. Two people who are desperately in love, yet find themselves torn apart. She centers the love story of James and Cordelia as if it were also an epic poem. One summer, Cordelia cares for James while he has a fever and James falls epically in love with her as she reads the epic poem to him every day. Unbeknownst to anyone, Tatiana Blackthorn plots her revenge against the Herondales, using her ward Grace. She gives Grace a bracelet that ensorcells James and makes him fall madly in love with Grace. So begins a tragic story of love triumphing over evil and the beauty of friendship.

So many beautiful characters in this piece being the pages to life. Thomas and Alastair, gay shadow hunters struggling to express their feelings for each other (though not quite so beautiful a story as Mark and Kieran). Lucie, who loves her brother so epically that it brings tears to your eyes (no doubt that Lucie is an ancestor to Julian who was also so loving of his siblings in Lady Midnight). The sweet friendship between Jem and Will- the love that Will and Tessa have for one another. And the absolutely sad reality that is Malcolm Fade and his eventual revenge against the shadow hunters.

I have to express frustration with the shadow hunter family tree. I recently read on Clare’s blog that the tree published with Clockwork Princess is no longer correct (not surprising after reading this installment). I don’t see why a writer has to feel locked in by something like a family tree- it is a beautiful thing that your characters are so beloved that people with to create a connection whether emotional or imaginary with their ancestors, but she seems to dislike that idea. I think it could bring beauty to the story.

Ultimately I felt the story was good, but unimpressive. In no way does it have the feeling of Clockwork Angel and Lady Midnight. And by feeling, I mean the true emotional connection created between character, author, and reader. Perhaps it is time for her to move on as an author to a new fictional world.

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