Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices, #1) in Around the Year in 52 Books

Sep 27, 2018 Vanessa Gayle ⚔️ Fangirl Faction rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio, cover-love, romance, 5-stars, dramarama, forbidden-taboo-romance, heroine-can-kick-ass, own-ebook-read, buddy-read, dual-or-multi-pov

10/20/2022: Reread on audiobook!
(view spoiler) 10/20/2022: Reread on audiobook!
(view spoiler)

ORIGINAL REVIEW
This review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

I am a bloody mess right now. A complete mess. A sobbing mess that has been perusing the interwebs for fanart of these beloved characters for the past hour and a half just to soothe my torn up soul. A part of me is glad that I waited to read Lady Midnight until Queen of Air and Darkness was almost ready to release because I don't think that I could have survived several years of not knowing what happens in this moving story. Another part of me is baffled why I waited so long to read it when I've owned this book since it was released, simply because this book destroyed me so thoroughly. I am talking TORE ME TO PIECES. The first series that I read by Cassandra Clare was The Mortal Instruments and I thought that nothing could compare to my love of the characters and the magical world within the pages. Then I read The Infernal Devices and my heart was shattered all over again. But it also grew. The Infernal Devices blew me away just as The Mortal Instruments had and left me with new character loves that shaped and defined my heart. I didn't think that it would be possible to love something more than those series but I was wrong. Cassandra Clare surpassed every expectation I had and then some with Lady Midnight. This book is by far the strongest Shadowhunter book to date. Granted I haven't read Lord of Shadows yet and Queen of Air and Darkness will be released in December, but I can only imagine that the last two books of this series will outmatch Lady Midnight. It seems that each Shadowhunter book that Clare writes surpassed the last. I can only be grateful for that.

So what about this book is so glorious? Well, everything. Most importantly are the characters. The characters are strong and moving. These characters evoke such emotion in me that I feel I can hardly breathe just thinking about them. They are written so beautifully. The characters have real struggles that will touch your heart. This book has a strong theme of family and loyalty. Most importantly is that these characters are three-dimensional. They have so much depth and are so vivid that you feel like you are living alongside them. When these characters are in pain, you are as well. When these characters are overjoyed, you feel happiness also. The very art of these characters emotions is so skillful that it is almost intimidating.

The next thing that I must praise is the masterful plot. I don't think that it could be called anything less. The plot of this book was set up in The Mortal Instruments, but this plot is so deep-rooted that it is mind-blowing. This plot is engaging, compelling, and so very flawless. All of the pieces fall together like a magic jigsaw puzzle. The foreshadowing is instrumented so phenomenally. One of the best words that I can think of to describe the plot is complex because there are so many components.

The world-building is just as strong as in other Shadowhunter books. I like getting a sense for the Shadowhunter world in other parts of the world.

The romance in this book will have you on the floor crying your eyes out. It will devastate you so completely. The romance is well written and full of so much emotion. It will pull on your heartstrings until you question everything about the Shadowhunter world. Apart from the main romance of the book, there are other love stories. One such love story is a tragic one that will make you question morality in the face of love and loss. Another love story is encompassed by betrayal and brings into question the lengths someone will go to in order to protect those they love.

Overall, this is the kind of book that you shout out your love for from the rooftops. This book will make you feel every single feeling you could imagine and then more. This book will gut you and leave you in limbo. There is a quote from Harry Potter that I think best describes the way this book will make you feel. [Queue Ron Weasley's voice.] "You're gonna suffer... but you're gonna be happy about it..." And that's the truth. I have never been more happy to feel destroyed and shattered. I recommend all of Cassandra Clare's books. ALL OF THEM! If you haven't experienced her genius then you are missing out on something truly special.

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Jan 14, 2017 Jessica (BookRockGoddess) Bolton rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-on-cd, tbr, 100-in-2017, 2019-read

Cassandra Clare has done it again. I love this new series. In her amazing style Clare brings us another master piece from the world of the Shadow Hunters. I love the new characters and the visits from my old favorites. I also, love the forbidden love elements that always seem to grace Clare's books. I can't wait to read more. ...more

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Sep 25, 2016 Tweller83 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books, fantasy, district-book-committee

Sometimes the audio is great, others less so. This one was decent but a little confusing, especially at the end. I think I'll have to look at the print version to see why the music came on twice at the end. This book is about a new generation of Shadow Hunters. Those introduced in the last book of the City of Bones series. I liked it, but I have to admit, not as much as the previous series. A cliff-hanger ending makes me realize this will be another series. I should have expected that. I don't w ...more

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