Chain of Gold (The Last Hours #1) by Cassandra Clare - Restarting June 3rd 2024

[Sarah Elizabeth]

Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

[Amanda]

I read a sampler of this through Netgally a month or so. I enjoyed it and am excited to read the whole book.

[Katie]

Just seeing when people will be starting this one!!

[Katie]

Chapter 4- (view spoiler)[ I’m finally starting to get into this... I enjoyed the beginning but the amount of names dropped in the first two chapters was a bit much for me. Especially since I’m not a mega fan like some are with this world... I do enjoy the flashbacks where we have learned more about the characters. (hide spoiler)]

[callie]

I'm somewhere in Chapter 6 and just had a REVELATION! (view spoiler)[As soon as I met Grace. I didn't like her. I didn't know why cause I didn't know her. Turns out though, I do. The Midnight Heir story from the Bane Chronicles was about Tatiana and Grace Blackthorn. It's been a while so I don't remember it clearly but I'm pretty sure I know whats gonna happen with Grace. I AM SHOOK. I CANNOT BELIEVE I UNINTENTIONALLY SPOILED MYSELF!

Now I really need to hurry up and read this. --actual update coming soon with more formulated thoughts. (haha who are we kidding? formulated thoughts? me?) (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Callie!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to read your revelation!!! I'll do more reading this evening to catch up!!!!

[Katie]

Callie wrote: "I'm somewhere in Chapter 6 and just had a REVELATION! As soon as I met Grace. I didn't like her. I didn't know why cause I didn't know her. Turns out though, I do. The Midnight Heir story from the ..."

I can't wait to read more of your thoughts on this!!!!! HAAHAH! But I'm really enjoying this so far!

[Katie]

Chapter 11- (view spoiler)[ I feel like so much is happening and that everything (every little detail) might be important!! I still don't know what's up with Grace. I don't like her, and I want to know why she's so desperate to marry. And what's up with that bracelet? Does it have power over James or something? I do like Cordelia quite a bit, and I'm enjoying the side characters...there are just so many names (siblings) to keep track of. I prefer books with 3-4 main characters, so this is a lot for me. When Barbara died, I almost forgot who she was and who she was related to...so I didn't feel much honestly. But so much is going on! (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Just started this. Opening certainly sets up some interesting potential relationships.

[Karen]

Up to ch4. Wondering (view spoiler)[ why can Cordelia see Jesse? (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Up to ch6. (view spoiler)[ The way Grace gave details about the bracelet but tried to seem offhand makes me think it’s important. Is it the thing James is seen wearing at the ball? Is he under their control? Or is that too crazy (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

End of part 1- (view spoiler)[ it’s ramping up for their plan! I hope it all works out for them! I also want to know why Matthew is so withdrawn. I hope he survives the ending of this book.... the way his character is being written makes me wonder if something will happen to him while he’s not at 100%. Or something will happen to James because he wasn’t at his best. It’s starting to get a little easier for me to follow the names because we’re only following the main characters now. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Karen wrote: "Up to ch6. [spoilers removed]"

I agree!!! Yes! I want to know more about it!!!

[Katie]

Chapter 16- (view spoiler)[ With this chapter, I couldn’t stop picturing the ghost busters and that box they would throw out when trying to catch Slimer. Hahaha! (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Chapter 17- (view spoiler)[ finally stating to learn more about Lucie and her ability to see ghosts. And Jesse thinking he would need to use his last breath to save her.... oh my... I just love him.

And Matthew committed murder??? That is why he’s so withdrawn and sad!!! I need to know more! I love getting some of the answers to the questions I had! (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Up to ch13 so, Katie, I’ll need to come back to your spoilers in a bit. I’m getting bogged down in trying to keep track of who’s who and how they’re linked. The stuff about the ghosts feels as if it’s going to be important.

[Karen]

Up to ch17. (view spoiler)[ The reference to a contagion infecting people was a little concerning. Loved the bridge scene, though this is a long way from over. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Katie wrote: "Chapter 16- [spoilers removed]"

Oh no, that is now an image I'm not going to get out of my head.

[Karen]

Katie wrote: "Chapter 17- finally stating to learn more about Lucie and her ability to see ghosts. And Jesse thinking he would need to use his last breath to save her.... oh my... I just love him.

And Matthew..."

(view spoiler)[ How did I miss that about Matthew? I'm curious to know more about what was going on with Cordelia's dance, and James's behaviour afterwards. (hide spoiler)]

[Karen]

Up to ch21. Here would be a good place to leave it. With two chapters left I’m not keen to know what new torment is going to be unleashed on them before we’re left hanging.

[Karen]

Finished. Review on home page and, as I thought, those last two chapters were a killer...but they definitely have me interested in what comes next so I guess they work!

[Katie]

Finished- (view spoiler)[ Great start of a new trilogy! I'm interested in what happens next! James and Cordelia will have a fake marriage for a year, and Matthew might have a thing for Cordelia?? I didn't see that one coming....

I can't remember...but when Grace (in her mind) told Matthew to kiss her, and he did, did he have the silver bracelet on? I didn't think he did. I was starting to think the silver bracelet had controlling powers over people, but then I was confused when it happened to Matthew as well. Now I'm starting to think Grace has a mind control power as her ability. (But I could have just missed the bracelet being slipped onto Matthew's wrist?) I'll have to write down a lot of my thoughts as notes because by the time the next book comes out, I think I'll forget a lot of the details.

But I liked it...just too many characters for me to keep track of. (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Karen wrote: "Finished. Review on home page and, as I thought, those last two chapters were a killer...but they definitely have me interested in what comes next so I guess they work!"

Karen- You're right about those last two chapters!!!!!! Dang!!! Glad you enjoyed it!!!!

[callie]

Karen wrote: "Up to ch4. Wondering [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Can Cordelia see Jesse? I thought on'y Lucie could..... (hide spoiler)]

[callie]

AHHH I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING! I finished this a WHILE ago and honestly this book broke me like no other so I decided to hold off of writing a review and whatnot until I had actually processed everything... and then I just forgot. Anyways this is probably my favorite Cassandra Clare book yet (Infernal Devices reread pending to decide for sure).

(view spoiler)[Okay, I still have no idea how to talk about this book so bare with me. This book utterly destroyed me and still, all I want to do is reread it. Honestly, just thinking about it makes me want to cry and I have only cried at one book in my ENTIRE life. I almost cried while reading this over 10 times, and almost cried just thinking about it for a few days after finishing it. It's rare if I tear up at ALL while reading so this book really was something.

Let's start with the plot. I loved it! I loved seeing James and Lucie kinda discover and figure out what abilities they have being the only children of a warlock. It was actually really interesting having the demon sickness and quarentine at this time, it was quite ironic. The journey to finding James' grandfather and Tessa's father was amazing, I really enjoyed it. Let's be honest here though, the characters are what made this book so amazing so let's just jump right on into them.

Let's start with the parent's. The OG Infernal Devices squad. Seeing everyone being parents, ESPECIALLY Will and Tessa was EVERYTHING. Just thinking about that alone makes me feel like crying happy tears. (for reference: I'm not a crier, I'm cried at one book in my entire life and rarely every tear up). Everyone was here, Charlotte and Henry, Gideon and Sophie, Gabriel and Cecily, & Will and Tessa. EVERYONE IS JUST DOING AN AMAZING PARENTING JOB AND I'M SO PROUD OF ALL OF MY BABIES! I could talk for hours sole-y about Will, Tessa, and Jem in this book but I will spare you.

Can Alastair and Thomas PLEASE get together? I honestly kept getting Charles and Thomas confused because Charles was with Alastair, but hadn't Alastair gone on dates with Thomas in Paris? I had just assumed Thomas and Alastair were together because of their serious chemistry in Paris which made it quite confusing, but that's my bad. I just seriously ship them so much!!

I know everyone already loves Anna so I'm not going to spend too much time on her because y'all already know that she is amazing but Anna is just amazing and I love her so much! She is just an iconic character, and if you haven't read Ghosts of the Shadowmarket I HIGHYL recommend you do so because Anna's story in that one is just suberb (also Cecily and Gabriel's parenting in that one is so freaking amazing I just- I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!)

AND OMG CHRISTOPHER. I love Christopher so much, he is just a precious little cinnamon roll and I would give my life for him. There needs to be more of him in Chain of Iron or I will sue. That's all. I just need more Christopher.

I LOVED getting a female Herondale! I absolutely LOVE Lucie! She is just so amazing, I can't wait to see her and Cordelia become parabatai! (minor family tree spoilers) (view spoiler)[I'm really curious as to how she and Jesse get married cause he is, you know, dead, and necromancy is illegal (if you've read TDA, you know how it turns out). I mean, I LOVE Jesse, he is just- I mean, he is a GHOST and he was worried about sitting on Lucie's bed. HOW CUTE! And he was willing to sacrifice his last breath from Lucie and James, I can't not love him. And as much as I would love to see him alive, to quote Dean Winchester, "What's dead should stay dead." and I just can't condone Necromancy. I am REALLY intrigued on how it's all going to go down though! (hide spoiler)]

Grace however, I knew she wasn't good news cause of the Midnight Heir. I keep forgetting Grace is supposedly absolutely gorgeous and flawless, and not completely average looking. I just keep picturing her as grey and drab as I imagine her soul is. I suppose I feel a little sorry for her because she doesn't know any better and was literally raised ALONE in a huge deserted mansion with nothing but a ghost and crazy aunt for company. I mean I can't really BLAME her, but man do I hate her guts. Like just get you and your bracelet away from James and let him be. (Though I am really thankful she decided to take off that bracelet for a bit cause who knows how that one fight in Belphegor's realm (that was stolen by Belial) would have gone down.

Now, let's talk about James. I bet you all are so incredibly surprised when I say that I love James. In every Cassandra Clare series, then Herondale has always been my favorite but James does have some competition in this one… Nonetheless James has become one of my all time favorite characters and I just want to go into this world and both hug him and strangle him (or maybe just rip Grace's bracelet off his wrist because man is he annoying with that thing on!) James and Cordelia are a MAJOR OTP and I will ship them til my dying breath. BUT- when the family tree said that they were going to get married THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED. I repeat. THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED!! This relationship has been a WHIRLWIND of all the feels and emotions and I am NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THIS!! I mean, James FINALLY gets out of Grace's grasp and realizes he loves Cordelia. HE GETS SO CLOSE TO TELLING HER SO MANY TIMES. And then Grace puts the friggin bracelet back on AND JAMES JUST GOES BACK UNDER HER SPELL AHHHHHHH! Poor Cordelia, I mean she cares so much about James and she knew something was going on between them JUST TO HAVE HIM REJECT HER LIKE THAT. But does that stop Cordelia from being an amazing badass woman and comprising her virtue just to clear James' name JUST BECAUSE THAT IS THE AMAZING PERSON SHE IS? NOPE! OF COURSE NOT! BECAUSE SHE IS AMAZING!

Then James proposes to her because that's just who James is. But that whole conversation was just- there are no words. I mean:

"Daisy" he said. "Will you marry me?"
The world seemed to stop. She thought of the clocks in Blackthorn manor, all frozen at twenty to nine. She thought of the thousand times she had imagined James saying these words, but never under these circumstances. Never like this.
"James," she said. "You don't love me."
He rose to his feet. He was no longer kneeling, and she was glad for it, but he was still close to her- so close to her she could have reached out and set her palm against his chest.
"No," he said. "I don't."
She knew that. Hearing him say it still felt like a blow, unexpected and shocking, like the moment when you were stabbed. The surprise was how much it hurt.


I MEAN…. JAMES JUST BROKE CORDELIA'S HEART AND SHE IS FEELING ALL THE PAIN HERE AND NOW BUT HE JUST BROKE HIS OWN HEART AND DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IT!! WHEN THAT BRACELET COMES OFF HE IS GOING TO BE SO SAD BUT WHO KNOWS WHEN THAT WILL HAPPEN. I JUST- the poor boy just broke his own heart and doesn't know it and I just cannot deal with those feels. I wanted them to get married, but not like this! Cordelia is the BEST female protagonist by far in The Shadowhunter Chronicles in my opinion. (I love Tessa and Emma and everyone but I'm sorry, they just can't compete with Cordelia, though Tessa comes pretty close). I just absolutely ADORE Cordelia.

Anyways, to top off this whole romance mess with James and Cordelia the wonderful Cassie Clare is adding another Jem/Tessa/Will love triangle to the mix. I AM NOT PREPARED! The Jem/Tessa/Will love triangle was brutal enough WHY ARE YOU MAKING THEIR KIDS GO THROUGH THE SAME THING, HUH CASSANDRA CLARE? REALLY? I mean Matthew even compared himself to Jem. I CANNOT. Chain of Iron is going to be BRUTAL!

Poor beautiful broken Matthew doesn't deserve this. I don't even have the words to describe how I feel about Matthew but I will try. I just really want to go give him a hug. I feel like he really needs a hug. He is a precious baby and doesn't deserve any of this pain, especially after everything he is already going through. (Ghosts of the Shadowmarker Spoilers): (view spoiler)[I mean, accidentally poising your mother which kills your unborn sibling is BRUTAL. I can't imagine that level of pain. I'm not surprised he turned to alcohol, but it's not making anything better! He needs to open up and let himself heal. (hide spoiler)] I really can't wait to see his character development in Chain of Iron.

I love James, Matthew, and Cordelia SO. FREAKIN. MUCH. I know I ship James and Cordelia, but I really hope Matthew finds happiness. Matthew deserves a lot more happiness than what he is allowing himself to have AND I AM NOT OKAY ABOUT IT!

Okay, I am going to stop ranting about this book now. I am proud to say that I have very nearly cried a couple times just writing this… ha… ha… yay…. (hide spoiler)]

In conclusion, I have many feels, I am not okay, and I need Chain of Iron ASAP. If you read all this, thank you! If you haven't… I mean it’s a 3 page long review, I don't blame you.

[Saar The Book owl]

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Date changed. Restarting October 2nd 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm up to Chapter 6.


(view spoiler)[There was a ball and Barbara passed out. The next day there was an attack by demons. Many people were hurt. James can enter the demon world and Lucie can see Jesse's spirit. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm up to Chapter 11.


(view spoiler)[James and Grace have a thing. Then she wanted to get married but he said no. Her mother is a horrible woman. Barbara ends up dying. The man they were going to see ends up being dead. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm up to Chapter 18.


(view spoiler)[Cordelia and James kiss. Things are complicated with her parents situation. Especially now that her mother is pregnant. James is about to cross over into the archway. (hide spoiler)]

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

I'm finished.


(view spoiler)[James met his grandfather who is a demon. He hurt a powerful demon while there. Cordelia lies to protect James. Now they are engaged to be married. (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

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Date changed. Restarting March 2nd 2021. Happy Reading ☺

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[Fernanda]

Chapter 2 - I'm loving all the characters so far! I'm excited to read more about Matthew Fairchild, I'm here for the scandals lol

[Fernanda]

Chapter 5 - I just finished this chapter and I have thoughts...(view spoiler)[ Why does it feel that James was set up by Tatiana Blackthorn to meet Grace and have him fall in love with her. It seems she wants James close so that she can use his ability to go into Shadow Realm and save Jesse Blackthorn? 🤔 (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

I started this one last night and got through chapter 2, but as soon as I started reading it, things were coming back to me....so I won't comment too much on things I "think" might happen since I feel like I remember more than I thought I did from last year when I read this!

But I'm also loving this! It's so nice to be back in this world!!

[Fernanda]

Somewhere in Chapter 10 - (view spoiler)[ Hold on, so Grace is really asking James to leave the Shadowhunter world... what nonsense is this! I'm definitely Team Cordelia now (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Fernanda wrote: "Somewhere in Chapter 10 - [spoilers removed]"

HA! Same!!

[Jenn]

Starting my reread of this today :)

[Katie]

Yay! Looking forward to your thoughts Jenn! I'm only about halfway through it right now, but A LOT is coming back to me as I'm reading it!

[Fernanda]

Hi Jenn, I’m excited to hear what you have to say about this book. It’s my first time reading it and I’m about half way through as well 😊

[Jenn]

I remember really enjoying it the first time around so I'm hoping that stays the same!

[Katie]

Chapter 17- (view spoiler)[ I still love Jesse...so, so, so much! (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Jenn wrote: "I remember really enjoying it the first time around so I'm hoping that stays the same!"

I just finished it, and I think I liked it even MORE the 2nd time!!

[Katie]

The last 25% of this book- (view spoiler)[ was FLAW-LESS!!! I can't wait to pick up book 2. I really don't like love triangles, but the way Cassandra can make me feel for all the characters in her series, is just so incredible. The first time through this, I was so in love with the idea of Cordelia and James, but this time around, I felt so much for Matthew...maybe because I knew he was in love with Cordelia this time around. SO. GOOD! (hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

Anyone going to read the next book this month or next month?

[Fernanda]

Chapter 19 - The suspense towards the end of this book is intense. I love Cordelia and James but it feels like Cassandra is messing with my emotions lol

[Fernanda]

Katie I'll probably read Chain of Iron this month

[Katie]

Awesome!!! Let me know when you pick a date, and I'd join you!! :)

[Jenn]

Chapter 5: (view spoiler)[ the plot is all coming back to me now and I'm remembering how much I dislike james and grace together. But I absolutely adore Cordelia. Also the relationship between james and matthew is a very interesting one - just how they know each other so we'll like how matthew knew exactly what to say to get james to slip into the shadow world (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

Fernanda wrote: "Chapter 5 - I just finished this chapter and I have thoughts...[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ such a good catch so early! I always felt something was off the tatiana and grace (hide spoiler)]

[Connie]

I might jump in on this one....