The Dark Artifices series by Cassandra Clare

I read the first and second book in this series before I started doing book reviews on this blog, so this review will be a short wrap-up of Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows, but then focus more on the third and last book, Queen of Air and Darkness.

The story in Lady Midnight starts off five years after the ending of The Mortal Instruments series and at the Shadowhunter Institute of Los Angeles, with Emma Carstairs and the Blackthorn family in focus. Emma is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses. Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her own skills and make some hard decisions investigating a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, while struggling with the blossoming forbidden feelings for Julian. Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark, who was captured by the faeries five years ago, has been returned as a bargaining chip to acquire the Shadowhunters’ help in finding out who is murdering their kind.

I loved this book so much more than I had anticipated! I have read the Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices and both the series I loved immensely. I think Cassandra Clare did a really good job in writing a fresh and exciting story in the familiar shadow world. I loved the characters and the emphasis on the unconditional of a brother (“parent”) of his siblings. I felt that the ending was pretty unpredictable and awesome! I didn’t suspected any of it. I really hope there will be a happy end for Jules and Emma.

In Lord of Shadows, Emma has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden, it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian,but puts her hope in the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie.

I loved this book, it broke my heart and gave me so much joy. I love that there are so many characters to fall in love with, all the Blackthorn children, the Spanish Shadowhunters, Faeries, they all add something to the book. But what I love the most, is the inclusion of the originals, Magnus, Alec, Jace, Clary and Robert. This really makes it feel like a world, makes it feel real and that is what gives these books their power. But I warn you, the ending will destroy you!
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After the devastating ending in Lord of Shadows, it was an agonizing wait for Queen of Air and Darkness. In the aftermath of the tragic deaths, the Clave now teeters on the brink of civil war. Fascists are trying to control the Clave and dictate how Downworlders should be treated. In Faerie, the Seelie and the Unseelie court are trying to hurt each other, while the Unseelie King has something that the Seelie Queen doesn’t want to live without. Warlocks are hurting, so many of our main cast of characters are missing, and so many people are grieving the loss of loved ones.

“There was blood on the Council dais, blood on the steps, blood on the walls and the floor and the shattered remnants of the Mortal Sword.”

Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined.

This third and final installment in The Dark Artifices series does get rather dark, with all grief and sorrow, and the growing hatred, mistrust and revenge going on, but the chapters in faerie were exciting and I liked seeing so many different characters play a role. Simon, Isabelle, Jace, Clary and more appearing was so fun and I loved the cameos. And the part thereafter, with Emma and Julian just giving up the fight and allowing their love was so amazing, definitely my favorite part!

“Perhaps being parabatai was a weakness that could trap you. But so was any kind of love, and if love was weakness, it was strength, too.”

What I love so much about this series is the characters. I love stories that have strong relationships and this has so much love between the characters you can’t help but become invested in them. To start with Emma and Julian, honestly all the way throughout I was so worried for what was to come, their love for one another is just so strong and I just wanted them to be happy! Then we have the trio that is of course Cristina, Mark and Kieran! The balance between them all is just so pure and perfect. They all just fit together in ways that just balance each other out, just so pure and perfect. And I loved seeing the family dynamics, it was so lovely to see Helen and Aline back

Overall I’m so happy with the way this turned out, it was my most anticipated release for the year and it didn’t disappoint! It’s bittersweet that it’s over but hopefully there will be more to come? I mean, the way in which it ended, it’s not what I expected what so ever and now I’m super intrigued to find out what’s to come, surely there must be another series continuing the plot?