Chain of Gold

Author: Cassandra Clare

Rating: 2.0/5

Recommend: No. Just don't. There is no bigger pain than spending a ton of money on a book which you believed in - despite everyone telling you not to - and then having to slog through the pages, miserably cursing your dumb decision all the while.

I have read The Mortal Instruments. The Infernal Devices. Even Tales from the FRIKKING SHADOWHUNTER ACADEMY. All of those were classic Shadowhunter novels - drama mixed with monsters, and in the case of The Infernal Devices, some beautiful scenes of classic era London. I bought Chain of Gold expecting another thrilling story set in the Shadowhunter world - instead, I received a bore of a novel which has put me off the Shadowhunter world for good.

Cassandra Clare wanted The Last Hours series to be set several years after the events of Clockwork Princess: with the children of our delightful heroes all grown up, she introduced a new set of characters in the backdrop of Edwardian Londond. Sounds great, right? HA. 

God, I miss you guys 

The first gaping problem in this deceivingly-promising tale is that the first part of the book absolutely sucks. I had to drag myself across the pages, with the memory of the money I spent in mind :) The plot is a watered down repetition of the older sequels, with a picnic, a ball (obviously), and some brief interactions between Will, Jem, and Tessa providing a few moments of relief. Where is the action here? Where is the BANG of events that was supposed to get me hooked???

You can't just write pages upon pages of nothing interesting happening and expect your fans to robotically say it's good. I'm sorry - you just can't. 

Next, was the character development. These people have nothing even close to the dazzling personalities of their ancestors or their future generation. They are bland. The saddest part is that James, Cordelia and Matthew actually had huge potential - but making James go between Grace (who we can instantly see as manipulative and wrong) and Cordelia (doubtless the one he'll eventually choose) is a trope that Cassandra Clare has used FAR TOO MANY TIMES.

Fanart of young James and Lucie with Tessa

The novel started with exactly that, and it was a huge turn-off for me. 

On the matter of Grace and the other weird ghost character who shall remain nameless, I will only say one word: unnecessary. Bland. Tiresome. I disliked them so much, that I've written three. 

It's safe to say that I won't be picking up a new Cassandra Clare book again. I think she's done as much as she possibly could with her Shadowhunters, and reading the watered down versions is simply ruining the glowing image I had of her work. Read this book if you want to ignore the world and take the plunge like I did. Don't blame me if you don't like it though - I warned you. 

Here's some comic relief before you go.