Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices Series 1)

 Lady Midnight

By Cassandra Clare

  In a kingdom by the sea

  I’m finally reading this book!!! I purchased it as soon as it released without knowing anything about it. (Well…the truth is…I don’t even know there is going be another Shadowhunter series…) Because I haven’t read City of Heavenly Fire, not until this summer. So, after I devoured both The Infernal Devices and The Mortal Instruments series, I moved forward to this book. (I know it seems a bit weird that I haven’t post any review about The Mortal Instruments series…but I simply must do this first, or I’ll miss all the good thing to tell you.) Now, after reading City of Heavenly Fire and Clockwork Princess with tears washed through my face, I’ve really high expectation for Lady Midnight. But sorry to disappoint you…I’m so disappointed with this book.

  Who am I kidding? I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! EVERY SINGLE PAGE.

  In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred world.    
 

  A parabatai is your partner in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other—but they can never fall in love.
 
  Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter, and the best in her generation. She lives for battle. Shoulder to shoulder with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols the streets of Los Angeles, where vampires party on the Sunset Strip, and faeries—the most powerful of supernatural creatures—teeter on the edge of war with Shadowhunters. When the bodies of humans and faeries turn up murdered in the same way Emma’s parents were when she was a child, an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma’s chance for revenge—and Julian’s chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held prisoner by the faerie Courts. All Emma, Mark, and Julian have to do is solve the murders within two weeks…to do is solve the murderer targets them.

 

  Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets. What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents—and can she bear to know the truth? 

   Ah…The Dark Artifices series is perfect. I never give such a high rate for the first book of Cassandra Clare, better than City of Bones, better than Clockwork Angel. Don’t get me wrong, I still love both of them, but Lady Midnight is something beyond measure, something wild beyond your imagination. It just blows your mind. My only problem with it is that it isn’t longer. Although…it’s already 600 pages more? I hope we’ll get more at Lady of Shadow. And wait a sec…it occurs to me that I can’t wait until all of them are out and buy the box set! HOW AWFUL!!!! Never mind…it’s always more important to get the book sooner than the box set.

  Why do I love this book so much? Well…we got wonderful plot twists, I can never imagine that coming. And problems solving…I just love the minutes when they solve the cases and I was like “I KNOW WHO IS BEHIND ALL OF THOSE MURDER!!!!” It’s so much fun when you got the cases right. It’s simply…FANTASTIC. And the romance? Heartbreaking, honestly heartbreaking. All of them. Especially Emma and Julian. Like…they obviously love each other and there’s so much for them to come across. Law is hard, but it’s law. Or…are you telling me “Bad law is law?” I hope that will do…but…

I don’t know if this will happen, but I somehow think that after all of those cases, Julian and Emma’s parabatai rune will disappear and they can be together!

  Oh darling, don’t look at me like that. I don’t think it’ll happen…but guess. Although I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Is their love bigger than their parabatai bond? Wait and See!!!

  Emma Carstairs

  You like my hair down.

  Is that all you have to say?

  Haha, oh Emma. How am I going to describe you? Emma Carstairs is one of the best characters created by Cassandra Clare. So their rank will be like Emma the first, Tessa the second, and Clary the third. I love all of them, but Emma is so funny and fearsome. She got both humor and bravely in her. Somehow, she reminds me of Cecily Herondale, but much more. If I must choose a bestie? She’ll do. We’re going to be BFF!!! (Absolutely)  

  However, Emma has such a terrible childhood memory, as we Shadowhunters all knows…her parents’ death during the Dark War. Fortunately, she got Julian and the Blackthorns to accompany her, most important of all, Julian being her parabatai. I love Emma so much that I feel so heartbroken for her every time! Her rage of revenge and her forbidden love. As the summery said, parabatai is forbidden to fall in love. But why? That seems a nonsense! How come two of the people who care for each other more than anything can’t be enough? Won’t that make them stronger? 

 Sorry, it won’t. Blablabla, who cares the Law? Love is the strongest among all. But Emma’s horrible romance isn’t the only reason I ached for her. There are so many terrible things during her life since the murder happened. Mark’s come back, more schemes, and more dark plan. Not to mention there are betrayals inside the institute. Bu Emma faced them all. And she was never the damsel in distress…well…perhaps sometime? But she is definitely strong. Perhaps being a Shadowhunter for all her life also matters, but she shows not merely her excellent skills but also her courage. Ahhhh…I figure that I’d just keep saying her bravely…just read and you’ll know how you’ll fall in love with her!!!! 

  Julian Blackthorn

  Everyone has things they’re afraid of, it’s part of being human.

  Julian…Julian, oh my. He’s the new Jem, but with a bit fire inside him. Like…he’s the mixture of Jace, Jem and Will, but of course with his own personality. I just love that. Although he’s not really my type? I still love him very much! I love how he takes care of his sibling when they need him most, and how he carried all those burden on his shoulders. It’s not really an easy thing for me to compliment people, but you did it, Julian!!! He just did so many great jobs gently and wonderfully that he’ll definitely fit for a great leader of the Institute someday. If Emma is the future Jace Herondale? Julian will definitely be Clary, but with wisdom beyond his age. I think he did things more properly even better than Clary sometime when they’re the same age.

  But, not all of those things make me fall in love with him, well…perhaps part of the reasons. Julian got secrets, forbidden secrets. Since the beginning of their arrival at Los Angeles and since the moment he became parabatai with Emma. And I love how he keeps them to himself and handle his life with such perfection. Well…I might not be approved of his ways, but I definitely be wow of his behaviors.  

  Mark Blackthorn

  The stars will go out before I forget you, Mark Blackthorn.
  Someone been forgotten for a long time, isn’t he? The only Blackthorn taken by the Wild Hunt and forced into a different life. But why is he back to the Institute? Not telling you. 

 Some should remain secrets until you read the book. Mark is such a complicated character in this book, I can’t say that I like him or hate him or even sympathy. He’s just…complicated. The truth is, it’s acceptable to be different after joining the Wild Hunt for such a long time, but you simply must try to blind in! Oh wait, you don’t even have to change yourself, but you need to think of other. I think both Julian and Mark isn’t perfect after all. And there’s something more than back to Shadowhunter life, like I said, this is a book full of broken heart. Mine too. My heart hurt for Mark so much, especially when his hatred strength all. It’s an interesting thing to read his story, but with really, really complicated emotions.  

 

  Christina Mendoza Rosales

  There is a difference between having your heart break and having your soul shatter.

  Christina is a brand new character in Lady Midnight, and a quite successfully one. To be honest, she might not be a pretty unique character, you can even find all of her trade in most YA books: loyal to friend, something hurt in the past, wisdom to support her friend…and so on. But, I think those characters is often the one that support the protagonist and that’s why we love them. Christina might not be as fun to read as Cecily or Sophie in The Infernal Devices, whom I’ll say is one of the most successful side characters of all time, but there is something in Christina that makes her likeable. She’s not special, her skill is as efficiency as any Shadowhunter…but her wisdom and her support are great. I love how her personality balances Emma’s, they’ll make a great parabatai.  

  I suddenly realize that I didn’t really talk much about the schemes…but I’ll keep it from you, since that’s the most interesting and exciting part to read. It’s mysterious, dangerous, and betrayal. Who don’t love a great betrayal? Especially when there are so many possibilities and poems to solve. And I LOVE THE SHORT STORY BEHIND TH BOOK!!!!! I LOVE JACE AND CALRY!!!! AHHHH!!!!!! 

 You know, it’s a great thing that those old characters appeared in Lady Midnight frequently. Both Jace and Clary, Jem and Tessa. Oh! Yes, Jem and Tessa are together now…you seem not surprised…neither am I. (But I still ship Tessa and Will!!!)(Quietly…) I just keep laughing and heart swooning when I saw them appeared in the book, and when Magnus said “I’ve walked in on your ancestors doing worse” I just can’t help but laughing hardly. Yeah, your right. Tessa and Will!!! Jace is the direct great grandchild of Will Herondale. I figure that out when Will got the Clockwork Angel on his shoulder that night. (I know you all did.) But I still love ever moment of their appearance in this book. It’s great to read that they’re doing fine in their life, and their friendship. I think it’s always a great way for reader to keep connect with your books and at the same time, making introduction to new characters. I just love how Cassandra Clare mix them all together. It won’t be weird to read Lady Midnight derictly without reading the previous series, but it’ll be great to read them before reading Lady Midnight. You know…it’ll reduce a lot of stress for read if they want to read Lay Midnight without having any knowledge of Shadowhunter world.

  So, this is the end of the review, and I urge you to read this fantastic book! Oh wait, did you hear the news? Lord Shadows the sequel of Lady Midnight is about to come out in May 2017!!! I can’t wait for this book!!!! 

Get free worldwide delivery from Book Depository