Chain of Gold: 1 (Last Hours)

Chain of Gold is a dazzling introduction to The Last Hours series, offering everything fans of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter world could hope for. The characters are vibrant and complex, with their struggles and relationships instantly drawing you in. The new generation of Shadowhunters brings fresh energy while staying rooted in the rich history of the series. Set in a beautifully rendered Edwardian London, the story is steeped in mystery, romance, and danger. The plot unfolds with gripping twists, blending heart-pounding action with moments of emotional intensity. Clare’s signature worldbuilding shines here, making the setting as much a character as the people within it. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the Shadowhunter universe, Chain of Gold is an absolute gem. It’s thrilling, heartfelt, and utterly unputdownable—a fantastic start to what promises to be an unforgettable series!

This is the first in the sequel series to the Infernal Devices. There are other stories in the short stories, the shadowhunter academy and ghost market etc. So things that happened between TID and TLH are known. If you haven't read them, I would advise doing so as you'll find out the reason Matthew is as he is. I had read this before but it was when the book came out. As always a very good read with Cassie.

'Stories offer a thousand fresh starts.' It's been quiet in the Shadowhunter world but Cordelia Carstairs arrives and it all goes off!!!! So it's no secret I love Will Herondale more than any other Shadowhunter, but James and Matthew are really right up there with him now but still not beating him for my affections! Actually there were parts where I wanted to slap James but it wasn't really his fault! Also the ending made me very angry! I wanted to add a few spoilers here to explain my anger but I won't! I'm actually heartbroken with the turn of events, it was painful, but I guess that's the mark of a great read and also there wouldn't be any further books with plain sailing so I'll say no more! So we have Cordelia, Lucie, The Merry Thieves and more demons, always a good mix for a Shadowhunter book! I did feel a bit slow up until the middle part and then it got going but still a great read! Need more now!

Loved how this carried on with Will and Tessa’s story a bit introducing their kids and their story, plus we get to glimpse at Jem lots too and his relationship not only with Will but with his kids! Absolutely loved and have already dived into the next part!

Chain of Gold, a new Shadowhunters novel, is the first novel in the brand-new trilogy where evil is hiding in plain sight and love cuts deeper than any forged blade. Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior who is trained since her childhood to battle demons. However when her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother will travel to London in the hopes of preventing their families ruin. Cordelia's mother wants to marry her off, but Cordelia is determined to be a hero rather than a bride who would be stuck in her house under her husband's thumb. Soon Cordelia will encounter her childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and is drawn to the glittery world full of ballrooms, assignations, supernatural salons where vampires and warlocks mingle with mermaids and magicians. In all the time tat she is experiencing this she must hide the love which is building for James and this is made all the more important as he is sworn to marry someone else. But Cordelia's new life is about to be blown apart when a shocking series of demon attacks devastate London and the whole of the UK. These monsters are nothing like those that the Shadowhunters have fought before and these demons can walk in daylight, strike down the unwary with incurable poison, and seem impossible to kill. London is immediately placed in a state of quarantine. This means that Cordelia and her friends are trapped in the city, and they discover their own connection to the dark legacy has gifted them with some incredible powers ... they are then forced with a brutal choice which will reveal the true and cruel price of being a hero. This is one of the most engaging books which i have read in 2020, I love the characters and the new story arc which has been built for them. As always Clare is able to balance the struggles of the time with the angst of the love troupe in a way only she can. I am a sucker for the Victorian London and the comraderies which is always evident.

I loved this book.

Book arrived quickly and in great shape.

It was okay, but difficult to follow and it wasn't as easy to read as the mortal instruments, the dark artifices or the infernal devices

Niestety książka dotarła do mnie zabrudzona. Dodatkowo klej przy ilustracji puścił i wygląda to bardzo nieestetycznie.

Bom livro

Quando postei foto desse livro no meu Instagram (@parforceinsider), algumas pessoas vieram me perguntar se eu já não estava cansada e saturada de livros da Cassandra Clare. Muito pelo contrário! Eu fico economizando os livros que tenho dela para ter certeza de que vou poder ler pelo menos um a cada seis meses, quero reler vários e mal posso esperar para quando ela lançar a próxima trilogia! São muitos livros, é verdade, são muitos livros mesmo em um mesmo universo, mas faz sentido, porque a escrita dela só melhora, os personagens só ficam mais interessantes e, se dependesse de mim, ela nunca pararia de escrever sobre Shadowhunters. Ou seja, esse livro foi ótimo! Senti falta de algumas coisas sim, de ver mais a Anna, mais interação entre Thomas e Alastair, do Matthew ter um ponto de vista durante a história (amei ele bem mais do que esperava!). Mas isso é porque eu já tinha lido os contos do livro Fantasmas do Mercado das Sombras, ou seja, eu já sabia de vários detalhes sobre eles e queria mais! Esse livro é focado realmente em Cordelia, Lucie e James. Eu adoro os três personagens, gostei mais da Cordelia do que achei que ia gostar e mal posso esperar pelo próximo livro! Ah, outra crítica importantíssima aqui: devia ter mais Magnus Bane. Pelo amor de deus, eu quero bem mais do Magnus! Ele é incrível, maravilhoso, melhora qualquer momento da vida e eu preciso de mais livros com ele. Sim, eu sei dos livros dele, mas quero mais mesmo assim. A melhor coisa que Cassandra Clare faz é desenvolver romance. Ela escreve sobre romance de um jeito tão profundo que eu não consigo não ficar completamente investida em todos os ships, sofrendo com eles antes mesmo de se tornarem romances de verdade! A segunda coisa que ela faz melhor é adaptar sua narrativa e seu universo para a época em que se passa. Amo livros que se passam em outras épocas assim, então isso é um ponto muito alto para mim. Mas o jeito que ela conecta tudo que veio antes ao que ainda vai acontecer depois, como se tivesse mesmo se desenvolvido naturalmente na vida real, me fez questionar se os Shadowhunters não existem de verdade e só a gente que não acredita ainda! Por exemplo, uma coisa bem pequena que foi só uma menção: Christopher, que é inventor, está tentando criar um jeito de enviar mensagens com uma runa de fogo, que é como os Shadowhunters mandam mensagens um para os outros cem anos depois! Como os portais que são usados na série Instrumentos Mortais e Artifícios das Trevas, mas que foram criados na série Peças Infernais. É tudo tão bem encaixado, que é bem difícil acredita que saiu tudo da cabeça de uma pessoa só! Ou seja, é claro que eu indico esse livro! Ele tem muitas coisas que eu adoro! Um grupo grande de amigos diferentes que se encaixam muito bem, paixões secretas, promessas de coisas bombásticas que vão vir e lutas emocionantes! Só acho que deveriam lançar o segundo logo! Esperar um ano para cada livro é tempo demais!