What do you think?
Rate this book
Navigating the Shadow World: The Unofficial Guide to Cassandra Clare's the Mortal Instruments
An exploration as well as a literary celebration of the fascinating young adult fantasy series, this companion guide takes readers deep into the rich universe of Cassandra Clare's "New York Times"-bestselling Shadowhunter Chronicles franchise. With intelligent yet accessible dissections of each volume of both the Mortal Instruments series and the Infernal Devices series, Liv Spencer delivers the next best thing to a Shadowhunter's codex with commentary on the books as well as their references to folklore, legends, and literature. The guide also recounts Cassandra Clare's publishing story, from journalist and fan fiction writer to bestselling author; explores the cast and crew who brought the first book to life in the film "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones," premiering in August 2013; and delves into the franchise's fans, a passionate community that is anything but mundane. From the Clave to Chairman Meow and demon pox to dastardly ducks, "Navigating the Shadow World" is both an insightful introduction to the world of Cassandra Clare and a satisfying companion book for fans.
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
17 people are currently reading
1477 people want to read
About the author
Liv Spencer
9 books13 followersLiv Spencer is the writing duo of Jen Knoch & Crissy Calhoun.
Jen Knoch is an editor at ECW Press and the founder of the Keepin’ it Real Book Club, where you’ll find her thoughts on books she reads and on other book-related adventures. Crissy Calhoun works with Jen at ECW Press, as its managing editor, and she also writes companion guides to The Vampire Diaries (the Love You to Death series).
One fine day while toiling at ECDubs HQ, Jen and Crissy decided they should join forces to write books together about subjects they love — hey, half the work, double the glory! — and Liv Spencer was born. (Fun fact: our pen name is a combo of Olivia and Spencer, the children of one of ECW’s pop-culture-minded bosses.)
Despite book-writing being kind of a heck of a lot of work, we can’t seem to stop — there’s nothing better than diving into something we’re fans of and emerging 60,000 words later looking a little haggard but feeling even more in love with our subject than when we pitched the idea to the editorial team at ECW. And once our little books go out into the world, it is the best, most nerve-wracking thing to hear what readers think!
xoxo
Jen and Crissy
Jen Knoch is an editor at ECW Press and the founder of the Keepin’ it Real Book Club, where you’ll find her thoughts on books she reads and on other book-related adventures. Crissy Calhoun works with Jen at ECW Press, as its managing editor, and she also writes companion guides to The Vampire Diaries (the Love You to Death series).
One fine day while toiling at ECDubs HQ, Jen and Crissy decided they should join forces to write books together about subjects they love — hey, half the work, double the glory! — and Liv Spencer was born. (Fun fact: our pen name is a combo of Olivia and Spencer, the children of one of ECW’s pop-culture-minded bosses.)
Despite book-writing being kind of a heck of a lot of work, we can’t seem to stop — there’s nothing better than diving into something we’re fans of and emerging 60,000 words later looking a little haggard but feeling even more in love with our subject than when we pitched the idea to the editorial team at ECW. And once our little books go out into the world, it is the best, most nerve-wracking thing to hear what readers think!
xoxo
Jen and Crissy
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Read
June 12, 2022Got to the point of view that I know what Cassandra clare means. Even the characters for the movie where literally my favourite characters in the book. Just as I pictured them when I read the mortal instruments.
Want to read
September 30, 2017Yes, finally! Now I can stalk *clears throat* find out more about the cast!
February 4, 2018
4.5 stars.
This is a great companion novel for The Infernal Devices and the first five books of The Mortal Instruments. I loved all the background information and actually discovered things I did not know.
It's a pity that Liv Spencer didn't wait until City of Heavenly Fire was released but I get why they (it's two authors) decided to publish their book in 2013. It'd be so amazing if they offered an ebook for Cassie's final TMI book.
My one very big complaint is the missing footnotes/exact sources. They quoted Cassie or articles and there is a kind of bibliography but instead of mentioning the exact links for, say, Cassie's tumblr posts, they only cited cassandraclare.tumblr.com as their source. I think footnotes would have worked much better in these cases.
It was great to see quotes Katie from Mundie Moms and Alyssa from TMI Source in the last chapter "We Are Shadowhunters", these two really deserved to get mentioned ♥
I was also really pleased to find my tumblr as one of the selected sources and I'm pretty sure I know which of my posts Jen and Crissy used for their book :-)
This is a great companion novel for The Infernal Devices and the first five books of The Mortal Instruments. I loved all the background information and actually discovered things I did not know.
It's a pity that Liv Spencer didn't wait until City of Heavenly Fire was released but I get why they (it's two authors) decided to publish their book in 2013. It'd be so amazing if they offered an ebook for Cassie's final TMI book.
My one very big complaint is the missing footnotes/exact sources. They quoted Cassie or articles and there is a kind of bibliography but instead of mentioning the exact links for, say, Cassie's tumblr posts, they only cited cassandraclare.tumblr.com as their source. I think footnotes would have worked much better in these cases.
It was great to see quotes Katie from Mundie Moms and Alyssa from TMI Source in the last chapter "We Are Shadowhunters", these two really deserved to get mentioned ♥
I was also really pleased to find my tumblr as one of the selected sources and I'm pretty sure I know which of my posts Jen and Crissy used for their book :-)
June 29, 2018
This book has proved once and for all that I am way to much of a The Shadowhunters Chronicles dork. I was already aware of a good chunk of the symbolism mentioned in the books. The only things I really weren’t aware of was everything relating to religion. I knew there was some reference to Christianity and The Bible but, there is so much for than that. There are also a lot of references to Islam, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism. Which I thought was cool.
There are also quite of few wrong things in this book. Because it was written in COB movie era it talked about how the movie was going to be a huge success. That didn’t happen. It also referred to Julian Blackthorn as the “Pennhallow boy” which is not true. That for some reason really bothered me.
There are also quite of few wrong things in this book. Because it was written in COB movie era it talked about how the movie was going to be a huge success. That didn’t happen. It also referred to Julian Blackthorn as the “Pennhallow boy” which is not true. That for some reason really bothered me.
November 7, 2018
This is an excellent book with actual information rather than just stating many many (not exactly boring) facts.
I have not been a shadow hunter fan for long (maybe 6 months) but I was sucked in the deep end so fast. I didn't know a lot from the first 2 series, though I have been tracking QoAaD's release.
I enjoyed the sections, and (though I do not like most of the casting from the movie) I enjoyed (while cringing) learning more about the cast.
A great guide for those who have read both series, cause they break down the Entire Plot! I would've liked some fan art and more pictures for the full 5 stars.
4 Stars
I have not been a shadow hunter fan for long (maybe 6 months) but I was sucked in the deep end so fast. I didn't know a lot from the first 2 series, though I have been tracking QoAaD's release.
I enjoyed the sections, and (though I do not like most of the casting from the movie) I enjoyed (while cringing) learning more about the cast.
A great guide for those who have read both series, cause they break down the Entire Plot! I would've liked some fan art and more pictures for the full 5 stars.
4 Stars
August 31, 2020
If you are a The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, this book lets you totally fangirl and geek out over it! From the poets Cassandra Clare quotes in the starting of the chapters to Jace's bible references to the real life locations where the story occurs! This book covers it all in great detail! Disclaimer: Reading this book might give you the urge to explore poets like John Keats, Dante Alighieri, Swinburne, Alfred Tennyson and many more. Along with authors like Charles Dickens, Emily Brontë, Jane Austin, etc.!
August 19, 2021
Very well written. Bursting with facts about Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments movie and more.
July 20, 2013
As a big Shadowhunters fan, I was thrilled when NetGalley approved me for an ARC of this book. I sat down and devoured it in one sitting!
Unlike some companion's guides that have bordered on awful despite how much you loved the given series, this guidebook is a definite must-read for all Cassie Clare fans and won't disappoint! It is divided between The Mortal Instruments (TMI) and The Infernal Devices (TID) series, both of the Shadowhunter world. You will want to finish all the books before reading, because the guidebook does contain spoilers.
The first chapter starts off with Clare's history and how TMI & TID came to be. And, yes, they even acknowledge the plagiarism controversy. That interesting chapter alone was worth getting this book.
The guidebook then goes through each TMI book in this format: plot summary and literary analysis; how it was based on real life events or mythical/biblical history; the locations as they relate to real NYC geography and spots; and an annotated literary guide to related quotes and published texts that were referenced in TMI. The same format is used for TID, but locations in London. Unlike some other guidebooks, the analysis the authors made of Clare's work was both spot-on and engaging. It was also a fun way to relive the books and be transported back into that world and your favorite scenes.
The other awesome chapter of the book was dedicated to the upcoming City of Bones movie. Again - you should get this book just to read this chapter, if nothing else, to tide yourself over until the movie comes out. It gives a great behind the scenes account of the development of the movie and Clare's involvement. It also provides a bio on all if the main actors, including interviews surrounding their roles in City of Bones. In this chapter I learned that Clare insisted an Asian actor be casted in the role of half-Indonesian Magnus Bane. She acknowledged that there are less acting opportunities for actors of color and Magnus' heritage is important to show. From this I developed a whole new respect for Cassie Clare.
Finally the book concludes with a chapter dedicated to the fandom for Clare's books, included fan websites, Twitter accounts, etc. It shares interviews with Clare where she discusses how much her fans mean to her. Finally, we get an outline of her future writing projects which include the last TMI book, a graphic TMI novel, a new Dark Artifacts series set in LA in 2012 in the Shadowhunter world, and another series in development. This leaves fans excited that there will soon be more to read in this world Clare built.
My only reason for not giving it five stars is that I was hoping for more pictures and for some fan art to be included.
Unlike some companion's guides that have bordered on awful despite how much you loved the given series, this guidebook is a definite must-read for all Cassie Clare fans and won't disappoint! It is divided between The Mortal Instruments (TMI) and The Infernal Devices (TID) series, both of the Shadowhunter world. You will want to finish all the books before reading, because the guidebook does contain spoilers.
The first chapter starts off with Clare's history and how TMI & TID came to be. And, yes, they even acknowledge the plagiarism controversy. That interesting chapter alone was worth getting this book.
The guidebook then goes through each TMI book in this format: plot summary and literary analysis; how it was based on real life events or mythical/biblical history; the locations as they relate to real NYC geography and spots; and an annotated literary guide to related quotes and published texts that were referenced in TMI. The same format is used for TID, but locations in London. Unlike some other guidebooks, the analysis the authors made of Clare's work was both spot-on and engaging. It was also a fun way to relive the books and be transported back into that world and your favorite scenes.
The other awesome chapter of the book was dedicated to the upcoming City of Bones movie. Again - you should get this book just to read this chapter, if nothing else, to tide yourself over until the movie comes out. It gives a great behind the scenes account of the development of the movie and Clare's involvement. It also provides a bio on all if the main actors, including interviews surrounding their roles in City of Bones. In this chapter I learned that Clare insisted an Asian actor be casted in the role of half-Indonesian Magnus Bane. She acknowledged that there are less acting opportunities for actors of color and Magnus' heritage is important to show. From this I developed a whole new respect for Cassie Clare.
Finally the book concludes with a chapter dedicated to the fandom for Clare's books, included fan websites, Twitter accounts, etc. It shares interviews with Clare where she discusses how much her fans mean to her. Finally, we get an outline of her future writing projects which include the last TMI book, a graphic TMI novel, a new Dark Artifacts series set in LA in 2012 in the Shadowhunter world, and another series in development. This leaves fans excited that there will soon be more to read in this world Clare built.
My only reason for not giving it five stars is that I was hoping for more pictures and for some fan art to be included.
October 18, 2014
Such a fun little book I flew through it. It brought a lot of feels back :)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews