The Silver Mask Review

The Silver Mask

by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Spoilers

Synopsis:

A generation ago, Constantine Madden came close to achieving what no magician had ever achieved: the ability to bring back the dead. He didn't succeed . . . but he did find a way to keep himself alive, inside a young child named Callum Hunt. Now Call is one of the most feared and reviled students in the history of the Magisterium, thought to be responsible for a devastating death and an ever-present threat of war. As a result, Call has been imprisoned and interrogated. Everyone wants to know what Constantine was up to and how he lives on. But Call has no idea. It is only when he's broken out of prison that the full potential of Constantine's plan is suddenly in his hands . . . and he must decide what to do with his power. In this spellbinding fourth book of Magisterium, bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare take us beyond the realm of the living and into the dangers of the dead. 

My Thoughts:

I gave this book 4 stars. Since I read this book all on my own, no one asked me to review it, it’s not from Netgalley, that means this is going to be my first spoiler review in a billion years. I honestly don’t remember what the last spoiler review I did was. I have a lot of things to say about this one.

I don’t recall if this was ever an issue in the past three books, but this book felt very middle grade with the writing. Now I know it is middle grade, but it never really felt this level of middle grade before. I just feel like the writing has been simplified a lot and the characters act a lot more immaturely. I mean in the earlier books it felt justified that they were really immature because they were a lot younger, but now they’re about 16 and I feel like the characters should have reached a higher level of maturity, but I don’t feel like anything has changed.

I could almost forgive the lack of growth, what I can’t forgive is what they did to my precious Aaron. If you haven't read the first three books then you shouldn’t read this book and you most certainly shouldn’t be reading this review. Anyway, if you are unaware that in the third book in this series, one of the main characters, Aaron, died tragically. Well, in this one they brought him back. It was beautiful I was so happy and I couldn’t wait for them to fix him and everything would be okay again. That was not the case, he came back all angsty and all Maddison Montgomery from American Horror Story, he just wasn’t right. We all think, “oh it’s fine, they’ll figure something out”. That didn’t happen. These cruel, cruel authors decided to kill him again!!!!!!!!! I was so completely upset by this I wanted to scream. Now I was in the middle of a crowded room when I finished this so I couldn’t actually scream, but the sentiment was there.

Call and Tamara are actually so cute together. It’s funny seeing Call trying to rationalize everything that is happening between them even though Tamara is obvious with her crush on him. It’s cute. 

Call basically lost most of the leverage he had from the first three books and I have to say that it was so completely frustrating I just wanted to throw the book at the wall. While it makes for a good plot line, it is not so good for my stress levels. 

Also, this has nothing to actually do with this book but is anyone else having fun watching the title for the last book constantly changing. I think it was originally The Golden Boy or something like that; Then it was the Enemy of Death and now it’s the Golden Tower. Honestly, I'm interested to see if this third title will stick

Overall, I love this series. I love everything even though there are definitely problems with it at times and I’m just going to keep reading them and suggesting them. I love that the hero is also the villain, I love the friendship dynamic, and I love the magic.

Teasers:


1.

Master Joseph only laughed, though. "I have a proposal for you, how about that? Callum, once you complete the task I set for you, you can leave the island with your friends if that's what you still want.""A task?" Call asked. "Is this some kind of trick thing where I have to tame an impossible elemental or separate dirt from sand on an entire beach?"Master Joseph smiled. "Nothing like that." He flung open the doors at the far end of the room. After a moment, Call and the others joined him at the entryway.Inside was a large, white-painted room. There was nothing in it but a metal table. On top of the table lay a body that was perfectly preserved, covered to the neck by a thin white sheet. "The task," he said. "Is to raise Aaron Stewart from the dead."

2.

"I'll kill you—" There were tears on Call's face as he flung himself at Alex. "I'll kill you—""Stop him," said Alex lazily, and seconds later, Call felt himself seized by a dozen Chaos-ridden, their grips like iron.Alex's eyes danced. "I made these, Makar," he said, gesturing toward the Chaos-ridden in the clearing. "I am their creator, not you, not Constantine. They belong to me. They're obedient to me."