Queen of Air and Darkness Review

Queen of Air and Darkness
by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: December 4th, 2018

Synopsis:

What if damnation is the price of true love?

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the blight that is destroying the race of warlocks. 

Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

Spoilers

My Thoughts:

I gave this book 5 stars. It earned every single one of the stars that I gave it. All I wanted to do was finish this before the end of the year because I knew it would be on my top 10 list of the best books of 2018. I had a space all picked out for it and everything so I had to make it work. And I did with an hour and fifteen minutes to spare before midnight. Pat on the back for me.

Something Cassandra Clare has always been amazing at is character development. The case that stood out to me the most was Alec. Look at Alec in City of Bones and then look at Alec in QoAaD and they are two completely different people, but the story leading to that second point makes so much sense. 

You know what, all my thirteen-year-old self ever wanted was a Malec wedding and finally after five years I got one. You see, dreams do come true.

I miss Will. I know that isn’t what I should have gotten from this book, but it is. I would be much happier about Jem and Tessa if the whole Will thing wasn’t hanging over my head. It just makes me sad that Will is dead and Jem is no longer immortal so he’s going to die soon and then Tessa will be alone once again. Just her and Magnus hanging out for all of eternity after their loved ones are all gone.

Cristina, Mark, and Kieran was the most unexpected part of this story. I feel like I should have seen it coming, we knew that Mark and Kieran were bi, we knew that they had a thing for each other and that they also seemed interested in Cristina. I just never expected a YA novel to have a threesome in it. It seems pretty NA if you ask me, but there weren’t any explicit scenes so I guess it still counts. The three of them work so well together, it was unexpected. 

I actually cried during this book, not a ton, but you can imagine from where the last book ended off things were pretty emotional. I shed my first tears over Tavvy’s reaction to Livvy’s death. I legit could not handle it. I’m pretty sure I cried later on in the story but I don’t actually remember what it was over.

My favorite part of this book is that part, when Kit forgets to fucking, bring a sword with him to the shadow market and instead pulls out a fork. He is 100% a Herondale.

I really love Aline in this book. She wasn’t taking anyone's shit. Every time she thought people were walking all over Helen she would step in and tell everyone to respect her wife or listen to her wife. Seriously, Aline throwing a lamp to get people to pay attention to her wife has the same sort of energy as John Malaney saying “That’s my wife!” and punching someone. It was really great. If you didn’t like Aline before I think you will now. She and Helen were just the most supportive couple it was so cute. 

It was so interesting to see the alternate future if Sebastian had won. I honestly didn’t know that I needed that until I got it. I’m also really digging evil Jace. I don’t think we will be getting that story anytime soon, I know the Red Scrolls of Magic is coming out soon, but I don’t think that’s what that story is going to center on so we might have to wait till The Wicked Powers series before we can find out more.

This is probably unlikely to ever happen but I just want another book about Clary and Jace. I miss them too and I just want another book of their adventures and such. I should probably just reread TMI again because I need some of them in my life. And I feel like I forgot how fucking funny Jace is. He’s so funny I can’t handle it. He had me cracking up every time he spoke. I need someone to compile a list of funny things he’s said/done so every time I’m in a crappy mood I can just look at the list.

I’m thoroughly impressed by the allegorical reference to the current political situation our world is facing. I know a lot of authors shy away from writing so opposing to a political group out of fear of alienation audiences, but Cassandra Clare didn’t and I appreciate that. It’s really nice to know where she stands in all of this and that she is willing to use her author voice to convey a message to her audience. Good job Cassandra Clare.