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Summary
Sunny Los Angeles can be a dark place indeed in Cassandra Clare's Lord of Shadows, the sequel to the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Lady Midnight. Lord of Shadows is a Shadowhunters novel.
I haven't come across a book series that takes me on such a wild emotional ride like this one does. The level of detail in its brilliant execution is mind-blowing. I don't know how I'll be able to patiently wait for the next installment in the series to be released!
I gave Lord of Shadows three stars because I felt that Cassandra Claire's storytelling in this installment felt forced and contrived. It seemed like she was trying to include trendy relationships just for the sake of it. It felt unnatural to try and squeeze a love triangle, multiple gay couples, and a transsexual character into one book. These books are beloved by teenage readers for their supernatural elements, such as vampires, werewolves, and Shadow Hunters, rather than focusing on the struggles of LGBTQ+ individuals. We read these books to escape reality, not because we expect the author to tackle real-world issues.
I've devoured all the books in this series, but I found 'Lord of Shadows' to be a bit overwhelming in its attempt to accomplish too much. It seemed like there was an incessant rehashing of information we were already familiar with. I understand that the intention may have been to subtly introduce newcomers to the story, but it ended up feeling like unnecessary babble. For instance, there were multiple mentions about Jem Carstairs' slow aging, which, in my opinion, could have been handled more effectively without going into excruciating detail about every little aspect that a new reader might not be aware of, like Kieran's hair, runes, the market, and so on. This excessive repetition only served to elongate the book and, at times, became rather bothersome.
Additionally, while I wholeheartedly support the idea of inclusivity and representation, I felt that the author, Cassie, somewhat forced the presence of every conceivable LGBTQ+ relationship into the narrative. I understand the intention behind showcasing and normalizing such relationships, but it seemed like every possible pairing was being forcefully orchestrated. At some point, I even began to fear that she was going to introduce a ménage à trois involving Kier, Mark, and Christina, leaving me perplexed about the purpose behind it all.
It would have been better if the focus remained primarily on the story itself, without the need for unnecessary unions just to make a point. These relationships, like any others, should be portrayed naturally without the constant urge to unite every character romantically.
Lastly, it would have been beneficial to avoid repetitive explanations. It's important to keep the story flowing smoothly without becoming repetitive.
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