Kráľ trhanov

The Chronicles of Castellane #2

by Cassandra Clare, Mária Rafajdusová (Translator)

Kel Saren, dvojník Conora, korunného princa prístavného štátu Castellánia, uviazol medzi dvoma mlynskými kameňmi. Ak chce ochrániť princa, musí nájsť páchateľov zodpovedných za krviprelievanie v kráľovskom paláci. Jediný, kto ho môže naviesť na správnu stopu, je Kráľ trhanov, neslávne známy pán castellánskeho podsvetia. Pátranie Kela privedie späť na Pahorok, známy zhýralými večierkami, kde sa rozmáha sprisahanie s jediným cieľom - zvrhnúť kráľovskú rodinu. Na jeho čele je zjavne Artal Gremont, násilník, surovec - a snúbenec ženy, ktorú Kel roky miluje.

Lin Casterová sa neprávom označila za Znovuzrodenú Bohyňu, legendárnu spasiteľku, a tak musí prejsť skúškou, čo pre ňu pripravil exilarch, knieža jej ľudu. Trestom za zlyhanie je vyhnanstvo, preto Lin pokračuje v tajnej spolupráci s Kráľom trhanov a študuje mágiu, ktorá môže zachrániť nielen ju, ale aj jej umierajúcu priateľku. Navyše jej do života opäť vstúpil princ Conor s príkazom, aby vyliečila jeho otca zo šialenstva. Lin zanedlho zistí, že kráľa zväzujú starobylé hrôzyplné čary. Volanie mágie jej nedáva spať, vábi ju a láka - celkom ako Conor.

Napätie v Castellánii stúpa a jediný chybný krok môže znamená smrť... Alebo niečo horšie.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Audiobook, Romantasy, Adult, Fiction, High Fantasy

576 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2025

About the author

Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.

Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).

After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.
Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.

City of Bones was her first novel. Sword Catcher is her most recent novel.

Reviews

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ The last 100 pages in this go absolutely CRAZY !!!!!!

Edit: literally been sat staring at a wall for 2 hours like I’m still in shock. Need book 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 3 out of 5]

WTF JUST HAPPENED?!?!? 😭😭

I AM LOSING MY MIND. THE LAST 15% OF THIS BOOK??! INSANE. CHAOS. I AM TERRIFIED. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT??!?!

Okay, let’s back up. I have so many qualms with this book. First of all, WHY is it so long when NOTHING HAPPENS for 80% of it, and then BOOM, in the last few chapters, EVERYTHING GOES UP IN FLAMES?? Also, why are the chapters SO LONG?! My attention span is suffering 😭

BUT WAIT. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE ROMANCE. We actually get more romance here, which I appreciate… but also I AM SCARED.

Kel & Antonetta??? FLAT. ZERO development. They have one scene and then… nothing. It was like Clare just threw them together because they had to be paired up. And LIN & CONOR?????

I HAD HIGH HOPES FOR THEM. AND NOW I AM SO CONFUSED. 😭

Listen, I DO NOT trust Conor. Not one bit. This man had the AUDACITY to ask Lin to be his mistress because, "Oh no, my duty, I can't marry you,"—LIKE EXCUSE ME?! Sir, just say you want your cake and to eat it too. I don’t know what it is about MMCs in royal books thinking this is a valid offer but IT GIVES ME THE BIGGEST ICK. And Lin says no, and then suddenly Conor FLIPS A SWITCH??? Like one paragraph later, he turns into this completely different version of himself and I AM NOT OKAY.

The way he treated Kel broke me. MY LOVE KEL 😭. Lin and Kel deserve so much better than whatever mess Conor is on right now. The epilogue kind of gives me hope that Conor might be playing a long game… but IDK. If this man actually turns full villain, it will be the first time I’ve experienced the emotional devastation of being BETRAYED by a fantasy male lead in real time. LIKE, I KNOW IT HAPPENS—(Adam from Shatter Me, Tamlin from ACOTAR even tho I never read it but I KNOW THE LORE)—but with those guys, I was prepared. I KNEW. THIS ONE? I AM LIVING THE UNCERTAINTY RIGHT NOW AND I HATE IT.

ALSO WASN’T THIS SUPPOSED TO BE A DUOLOGY?!?! WHY IS IT A TRILOGY NOW?? The plot barely moved and yet we are getting another book?? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.

✨ Final Thoughts ✨
✧ This book stressed me out.
✧ I still don’t trust Conor.
✧ Kel is suffering and so am I.
✧ Lin deserved better.
✧ Why did this book exist if it was just setup for book three??
✧ The epilogue gives me hope but also I AM STILL TERRIFIED.

Will I read the next book?? OBVIOUSLY. I need to know how this mess unfolds. 😭

Rating: 3 stars, but mostly bc I need THERAPY after that ending. 😭

[Lia Carstairs]

I wonder.

Why is the average rating for this 2.73 when the 1st book hasn't even come out yet???😶

[chan ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

cassie really knows how to write male leads i love to hate lmao. conor, you piss me off. also? would probably have raw intercourse and NOT take the abortion tea iykyk

beyond that, this was good. nice continuation of the series with some fun reveals and interesting villains. it wasn't quite as juicy/well paced as the first book but was still incredibly satisfying. excited to read the next one!

[alyssa✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

the way i was physically gasping at the ending because i couldn’t believe what was happening ???? i- i have no words.

this is peak yearning 🧎🏼‍♀️

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sequel to Sword Catcher. It can't be read as a standalone. This review contains ✨spoilers✨

The book was a good read, though I felt some aspects could have been explored more like Lin’s prophetic dream of Conor torturing someone, which wasn’t explained. And Joss’s betrayal… I still need more on that. Why? How? He grew up with them and secretly hated them the whole time?. However, since there are still two more books (and possibly more), there’s a chance those elements will be developed further in the series.

Update: Cassie now says there will only be one more book, so we’ll see how much of this gets resolved. The world is big, so there is still plenty of room for stories, maybe in a spin-off or a separate series. I can dream 😭💔🤞.

That being said, I’m incredibly excited for what’s coming next. Lin going on an adventure with the Exilarch? Potential political engagement? Possible romantic tension? I can already see the angst forming, especially if Conor finds out. I was so sure we’d get jealousy scenes in this book, but we got nothing. Conor’s throwaway comment about the Exilarchs being old had me thinking, “Oh, you’re in for a surprise.” But they never even met! Robbed.

And speaking of surprises, Lin and Conor?? I did not expect them to go all the way, let alone in public, against a wall, in the rain. The way they both separately thought about a child with gray eyes was heartbreaking. Conor seemed crushed when Lin said she took Plan B (Ashkar Edition™), and it really felt like he wanted her to get pregnant because that would have tied them together forever, even if he had to marry someone else. He even offered to make her his mistress, which, wow. I had such mixed feelings about that. Lin initially saying no made sense, but then she changed her mind, and the way Conor treated her afterward was awful. I kept thinking, “Oh no, Conor turned evil. He’s out of control. Oh no, he’s going to kill Kel.” I was sure the Crawlers would rescue Kel, but nope, it was Conor himself.

And Antonetta being Prosper Beck??? That was such a wild twist. I didn’t see it coming at all. I know some people had theories, but I was completely caught off guard. I never liked Antonetta much in the first book, she felt vapid, and even when Kel said she was more than that, I wasn’t convinced. Finding out she’s Prosper Beck actually made me like her even less. Unlike most people in the Maze, she didn’t turn to crime out of necessity. She had privilege and resources but still chose to become a criminal for fun. Kel even calls her out on it, and her response is basically, “Yeah, I was spoiled and bored, so I wanted to learn how to fight.” Girl.

Lin being exiled was just unfair. She passed the test with flying colors and still got sent away. It feels like Conor and Lin are meant to mirror Adassa and Suleman, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Conor ends up getting a Source-Stone of his own, making them true equals. Maybe they’ll even get that whole family of gray-eyed babies after all. Lilibet’s going to be shocked when she finds out who her future daughter-in-law is.

Overall, this book left me with a lot of emotions, excitement, frustration, heartbreak, but mostly, I just need the next one ASAP.

Art, along with my unsolicited commentary 😏😜:

My favorite artwork ever of Conor and Lin! They’re my favorite ship ❤️🧎‍♀️ He calls her 'sweetheart' *swoon*


Why is Antonetta so hot? For real, I low-key hate her, but I have to admit it 😔


Antonetta & Kel (poor Kel honestly deserves better 😥)


Anjelica Iruvai (I don’t like her 🤨)


Conor & Kel (They’re so parabatai-coded in this book: 'Kel? Kel, is that you?' 🥺)


Ciprian Cabrol (He was okay, kind of a lil bitch 🤣)


Conor & Lin (This is when they do it 😏😌🥵)


Aron Benjudah (AKA Ashkar Jace Herondale™ 😃)


The Ragpicker King (Asher Benezar, I was shooketh 🤭).


Aron & Lin (Aren’t they cute together too? I mean, I love Conor/Lin, but you can’t deny they make a beautiful couple 🤧)


Artal Gremont (He looks like a thumb 🤢. Good thing he’s no longer among the living 💀)


Elsabet Belmany (Our resident villain, she’s crazy… can she die already? 💀 She hates Lin, so she’s my #1 enemy. No one disrespects our Ashkari Queen! 🧎‍♀️)

[Carleen ☾ ☀︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You shall leave everything you love most: this is the arrow that the bow of exile shoots first. You are to know the bitter taste of others’ bread, how salty it is, and know how hard a path it is for one who goes ascending and descending others’ stairs.” —DANTE, Paradiso


════ ⋆6 𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼⋆ ════ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼:
✴︎ Court intrigue ✴︎ Erased magic ✴︎ Hidden identity ✴︎ Forbidden romance ✴︎ Religion and politics ✴︎

𝓐𝓽 𝓪 𝓰𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮:
⚜️ Second book of a fantasy series, possibly 4-5 books total
👑 Character-driven plot with multilayered minor characters
⚔️ Pacing - slow start, strong finish
♡ Romantic subplot with some spice scenes 🔥 and yearning ❤️‍🩹
✨ Multiple character narration with third-person POV
🏰 Historical fantasy kingdom
📜 Intricate, immersive world building
🔮 Simple magic system

𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂:
➳ There's a dark conspiracy within the royal court of Castellane. Kel, now deeply involved with the Ragpicker King's underworld, seeks to expose the culprits behind a recent massacre at the palace. As his lies and secrets continue to mount up, he starts to crumble as new players are introduced into the game.
➳ Prince Conor, traumized by recent events, grapples with his responsibility to his kingdom. Struggling with the political turmoil around him, he seeks assistance from Lin. Conor and Lin must decide where their loyalties lie as they grow closer to each other and a secret that will change everything.
➳ Lin Caster has falsely claimed to be the Goddess Reborn. She must prove her ability to save her people, but when the leader of the Ashkar returns, she must pass a set of trials or risk losing everything.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀:
That ending?! Are you kidding? I'm screaming and throwing up. Those last 30 pages were indeed batshit crazy. How am I supposed to move on with my life now? This was so much better than the first book, and the next one will only be better. Holy shit I'm in awe. 👏 😮 Wow...

“Kel knew that Conor feared the fall, the tumble into the vast empty abyss of despair. Anger was better than despair—even anger against someone you loved. Anger was fire, and despair was darkness. And Conor had for years been afraid of the dark.”

Cassandra knows how to write a strong sequel, and this was no exception. As much as I loved the first book, this was even better. Dare I say 6 stars? It seamlessly picks up from where the story left off, whilst taking the plot and characters to new and amazing directions. We get to explore this new world that Cassandra created and dive into new characters. And boy, do I love these new players, namely Aron Benjudah, the swoon-worthy Exilarch, and Princess Elsabet, a sinister female villain.

I remain more invested in Lin's storyline compared to Kel's, although I did enjoy the scenes with team Ragpicker —Merron, Ji-An, and Jerrod—the golden and comedic trio. Merron is adorable and must be protected at all costs. Ji-An is such a bad ass queen. And Jerrod's cute little crush on Merron? Ahhh. The one relationship I don't completely understand is Kel and Antonetta. There hasn't been enough development between them for me to feel invested. I almost wish he didn't have a love interest at this point.

Now, my favorite part of this book was the yearning and tension between Lin and Conor. Damn it was soooo painful in the best way possible. It nearly broke me. I am completely in love with these two, and I need them to be together right now. Cassie, why oh why do you do this to me! And the direction we are going in the next book makes me think there will be little interaction between them. Sigh.....

“I asked you because when I am not with you, Lin Caster, I feel as if some part of me has been torn away. I feel as if I am bleeding, insensible with the pain of a wound no one can see save myself. When you are with me... It is the only time I feel whole.”

𝓑𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓸𝓶-𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓮:
If you liked Sword Catcher, then you will absolutely devour this sequel. It is an emotionally charged, well-written continuation of the first novel with expansive political intrigue, characters that will rip your heart out, and an ending that will leave you gasping. Are you ready?

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“I want a different life than the one I have.”<?i> 😭💔🩹

[Beenish]

Hopefully, the Ragpicker King will have a pov in this book.

my review/rating of
Sword Catcher — 3.5★

spoilers for Sword Catcher❗️
Sword Catcher left a lot to be unpacked about some characters, and I'm really curious about this criminal king, the exiled boy (Asher), and character who told Kel that he ruined his plans by the end of book one.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The yearning, the world-building, the politics…. AHHHH.

Prince Conner is still reeling and feeling guilt over the attack and massacre of his engagement party but wastes no time in securing another betrothal alliance to fend off war.
Kel is balancing his role as Swordcatcher and hiding more and more secrets from Conner in his secret finding for the Ragpicker King.
Lin has claimed she is the Goddess returned and she must prove herself.

This is much stronger than the first instalment as we are more settled in the city, the manipulative charter families, and the characters.

“You are a healer,” he said with a bitter laugh. “If you could cut this fascination out of me, like a cancer, oh, I would let you. For it has tortured me, Lin. I have neglected every duty, every requirement, just to steal another moment with you. I feared that if anyone ever saw me with you, they would see it on my face, that I was an addict, that I would barter my birthright just to touch you—”

The yearning in this one is threefold. Conner is still lovesick but must put duty over himself.
Lin will not let herself be drawn into Conner’s world when it is clear they have incompatible lives and paths.
Kel longs for and hides his attraction to Antonetta who is recently engaged to a truly despicable man.

“The selfish among them will say in fear, ‘But these people have no home; surely they will try to take ours.’ And I tell them to remember that those people are wrong. That we do have a home, in each other. We make our homes within, and not without; that is how we are different.”

Those last 30 pages?! Absolutely whiplash in the worst and best way. This had a great reveal, twist, and cliffhanger.
Yay, hahahha *SCREAMS*.

I do think we were told Conner has changed so much instead of shown, and Conner’s development was neglected slightly to augment Lin and Kel and incorporate a whole host of perspectives which can sometimes feel overwhelming but do add a lot to the story.

I do wish we had a bit more explanation of the wider world and the magic, but we did get more on it, and I’m sure book three will expand even more.

Physical arc gifted by BookBreak Panmacmillan.

Bookstagram

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie did it again! I love these characters so much and adore being in their world! I am completely obsessed with this story there was so many moments I could not predict what would happen and I need the 3rd book now!

[Lily the Lilac ✩‧₊˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

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🐦‍⬛≋⚔️≋💫 The Ragpicker King 💫≋⚔️≋🐦‍⬛

꒰➛ Stars: 6 ⭐!
꒰➛ Pov: Dual third-person, sometimes others
꒰➛ Spice: 2 / 5
꒰➛ Content: Swearing; violence; mentions of SA (not an MC's backstory); two semi-detailed spicy scenes; one man that you legit want to murder

꒰➛ This review contains mild and vague spoilers for Sword Catcher in the characters section!

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✎𓂃 Story! 𓂃✎
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Where do I even start? My thoughts are so jumbled from this amazing story, I'm scared this review might come across as a crazy person doped up on high fantasy 🫣 So lemme just say first: IUFWIBEFWEIBF WHAT THE HECKKKK HOW IS THIS SO GOOD AAAHHHHH

Okay, so first off, the writing draws you in to Castellane. You are THERE, with Kel and Lin and Conor and the others, right beside them. There's something hypnotic about it, transporting you to this kingdom, making your heart pound when things are tense, making you giggle when there's banter, making you cheer when a plan goes right, and making you dread when something devastating is about to happen. There's one particular moment which I won't name late in the book where I felt genuine pain in my heart, but let me just say... when you build a house of cards and lies, it eventually has to come tumbling down

And the high fantasy aspects!! 😍 I've never read of a kingdom that felt more real and fleshed-out than Castellane, with its Broken Market, the Ashkar, the candied rose petals, the posy drops... the author really thought of everything, and I mean EVERYTHING. The attention to detail is mind-boggling!

THE COURT POLITICS TOO OMG THE COURT POLITICS!! It makes your brain hurt in a good way, keeping up with alliances, duty and personal want, liars and schemers, twist and turns, plans that have a good chance of going awry, conspiracies, and more 💞💞

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✎𓂃 Characters! 𓂃✎
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

╰┈➤ 𝒦𝑒𝓁

Oh my poor sweet Kel, he's really torn between his duty as the Sword Catcher and his working with the Ragpicker King in this one 🥺 The Hill is full of snakes just waiting to sink their teeth into House Aurelian, and Kel is perhaps the only loyal person that can actually be trusted. Every lie is made with the idea of protecting Conor, every move for his benefit. Kel is someone you really can trust your life with, even as the conspiracies of Castellane threaten to tear him down

╰┈➤ 𝐿𝒾𝓃

She also has pressure squeezing on her, after her stunt in Sword Catcher. The Exilarch has come to test her, and whether she passes or not determines her exile from the Ashkar. Which would mean exile from her family, friends, religion, and even home, forcing her to start a life with nothing outside the walls of the Sault. So yeah, pretty big stakes. Of course, she also has to keep up with her duties working with the Ragpicker King, unraveling a conspiracy against Castellane the likes no one has ever see in unfolding

╰┈➤ 𝒞𝑜𝓃𝑜𝓇

I'm almost 100% certain that Conor is one step away from a mental breakdown with everything happening. After the incident in Sword Catcher, for the first time, he feels the weight of a kingdom on his back. He really changes in this, hardened by the trauma. Not only that, but he's also dealing with his budding feelings for Lin, to top off all the mess that Castellane is under the surface. So many things are being hidden from him, and you have to ask how exactly he'd react with such intense pressure if the hidden lives of his friends came to light...

╰┈➤ 𝒪𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈

Alright, there's so many side characters that I can only write about the ones who truly spend a lot of time in the spotlight, because if I didn't, then goodreads would cap my letter count 🥲

First, the members of the Black Mansion. I love Merren so much, he's such a little sweetheart who's just oblivious to Jerrod's feelings 🤭 And being a poisoner is an epic job, right? Then of course, there's Jerrod, who is stoic to literally everyone except Merren. He spends a good amount of time staring at him, he's got it so bad 💓 Ji-an, every serious and quiet, and Andreyen, both cool in his uncanny unreadableness and exhausted with those working for him and their sometimes-failed plans. Oh, and getting his cool speeches ruined by Lin pointing out there's a hermit crab under his chair. That really annoyed him

On the Hill, Antonetta is scheming more than anyone could imagine (even me reading it!), hoping to finally claim her birthright of the silk Charter if she just follows her mother's marriage demands. But she's not going into this marriage without a plan. In fact, there's a plot twist to her I never imagined 👀 Next, I want to murder Lady Alleyne 😇🔪 And finally, I want to triple murder Artal Gremont 😇🔪🔪

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✎𓂃 Romance! 𓂃✎
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whereas the romance in Sword Catcher was barely there, more a seed-planting than anything, The Ragpicker King ticks up the burn! There's plenty of love, yearning, and impossibility to go around: Kel longing for Antonetta, now engaged, Conor confused about his feelings for Lin (who feels the same) but both with duties to Castellane and the Ashkar respectively, even Merren and Jerrod, a side romance that I'm absolutely rooting for! 🥰 Also, how rare is it when the two MCs of a book, Kel and Lin, aren't actually the ones to be romantically involved? I liked seeing that for once!

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✎𓂃 Conclusion! 𓂃✎
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SOMEHOW THIS WAS EVEN BETTER THAN SWORD CATCHER?? Legit, this book just solidified The Chronicles of Castellane as one of my all-time favorite series'! 😫 I know this review is longer than most of the ones I write, but there's just SO MUCH to talk and rave about, especially when the book is so addicting you HAVE to pick it up each night. I'm so sad that I can't read what happens next until 2028 (😭) but when The Bone Carvers comes out, guess who's gonna be camping out in front of the bookstore 😋

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[curtis :)]

why does this have such a low rating already lol

[Hniereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this book but at the cost of my sanity.

[Tina➹ lives in Fandoms · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Silver Stars
with Golden Sparks
(think I should consider it Golden Stars, & Complete 5)

TOP5 (most likely the Best of) 2025

Wowwowowow! So many things happened! started from the beginning!
I didn’t see that coming! The horror!

my favourite moments that I kept track of:
new characters; Aron, Anjelica
& the new side of this old character, that I didn't think was important in book 1 (for a while, I'd even forgotten his look)
the new ship! I'm all for it! though it was very small moments, the chemistry building. I hope we have more about them & more POV around them (or just having their POVs)

Chapters 6 & 17 were fire!
Chapters 14 & 15 were wild!
Last chapters... a wild Roller coaster on fire! it broke my heart. I cried. I loved it. I mean I expected something like that would happen. something bad. but this was the worst possible way! (Yeah, it's Cassie Clare after all. not only tormenting characters (& us) in the romance side of the story, but in the main plot as well. (my dark side enjoys it. I love the thrills.)
the Epilogue made me whoop! it was one of the anticipations I wanted for long!

book 1 seemed slower because introducing us to the world & the characters & the routine took time. but I love that too. it showed the big potential the series has. & this book showed even more; it was all action-tender romance & mystery. love the characters! (well, except Gremont, an ass! but every book needs these kind of characters, right? :D )

I should reread them before book 3 coming out. I forgot some details from book 1 (I remembered by the mention here, but I want to remember the whole scene & how it ended that way)

you can read my more coherent review about the characters & world building & not fangirling screams in book 1; Sword Catcher
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Plot: ★★★★★/5 (Pace: medium-slow, but didn't bother me, I was devouring every chapter & enjoying reading the story.)
Characters: ★★★★★/5 (likability)
Writing style: ★★★★★/5
World building: ★★★★/5
Concept: ★★★★★/5
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Pre-read:

wait wait wait!
we have a date & a blurb!!??? why I didn't notice it before! yes! I thought now I've read book 1 I should wait an unknown amount of years book 2!

first most anticipated book of 2025! (finger crossing that the date won't change!)

I even love the temporary cover. (do you think the final cover be purple or blue too? I have a feeliiiiing....)
Updated July 20: told you it's gonna be blue!

[Valeria Andrea]

In addition to Kell's and Lin's pov I need:
•Antonetta's POV, with extreme swordplay and politiking
•The Ragpicker King's pov. And a backstory too.
•House roverge destroyed.
•A map of the whole of Dannemore
•A list of characters, charters and their houses, and history timeline (like in the Roots of Chaos books)
•A summary of the last book cuz this will release in 202∞ and I can't

[Eva Gavilli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trama/Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐⭐
Spicy ⭐

Già migliore del primo libro della saga, anche se la quarta stella se l'è guadagnata grazie ai capitoli finali, che si fanno più densi di avvenimenti, più movimentati ed avvincenti. La prima parte, invece, è sempre un po' lenta, come lo era stato Lo scudo del principe. Vediamo se il miglioramento continua nella prossima puntata.
***
Already better than the first book in the series, though the fourth star was earned thanks to the final chapters, which become more eventful, more lively, and more compelling. The first part, however, is still a bit slow, as was The Prince's Shield. Let's see if the improvement continues in the next installment.

[Nancy Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure why people are posting that they are currently reading this book and creating reviews when it hasn't even been dropped yet.

Since people are downrating a book that they haven't read yet, I'm uprating it because I loved the Sword Catcher #1.

Can't wait for The Ragpicker King to actually drop...

[acupofteaandabookplease · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second book is really shaking my nerves... I sometimes had to slow down my reading because I feared what would happen! The writing is very good and the story is easy to jump into. Now I can't wait for book 3 to be published!!!!

[jagodasbooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

too much yapping, wrap it up😒

[Liana Cincotti]

cassie clare you absolute genius—i will forever envy your mind, give me the next book NOW

[Readaholic Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 stars!! Full review to come. I need the next book now already 🥹

*********

I finished The Ragpicker King a few days ago and can't stop thinking about it. After reading The Sword Catcher last year, I was left waiting for the next book. The Ragpicker King picks up exactly where The Sword Catcher left off.

We get to see more of Lin, Kel and Conor. Of course there are many of the same side characters and quite a few new ones that we are introduced to. I love that every character has a part to play and the twists and turns kept unfolding.

While technically not a fantasy romance, Cassandra Clare knows how to write YEARNING. These characters yearn and you feel their passion. Every single passage between Conor and Lin had me screaming - I love them so much!!

If you are a fan of audiobooks, the audiobook of The Ragpicker King was narrated beautifully. I couldn't stop listening and kept extending my chores/walks/runs just so that I could listen to more of this book. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook of The Ragpicker King.

My only gripe with this book - I wanted a pov from Conor and The Ragpicker King - maybe in the next book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and audiobook from PRHaudio.

[Hallie (thecommonroomshop) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Changing my rating to 4🌟 because I miss these characters so much!!!

The pacing in this is different than I’m used to, but the writing is beautiful as always!!! There is a lot of focus on the small, in-between moments. A lot of times when something exciting happened the pov would switch *cue me screaming* I love the story and the world building, but I would also love to dive more into the ANGST and emotions of it all!!

That being said these characters have my heart! I love how their lives are so entangled with each other and with the kingdom of Castellane. Cassandra Clare’s world building is ALWAYS going to be detailed and fleshed out!

[abby :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75/5

the high i feel after finishing a good fantasy book is unmatched..

this is the long-awaited follow up to swordcatcher and while this was a bit all over the place i still ate it up. i guess we pick right back up where the first book left off but we also don't. for a large chunk of this book nothing is happening and i didn't think i'd be rating it so highly but the end was literal crack and i got hooked all over again. i can't really point out what felt like too much because i feel like we do need all the politics but it gets overwhelming sometimes because there is just so many people and some of their names are interchangeable in my mind.

the reason this book is so good for me has to do with the characters. i am so emotionally connected to all of them even if miss cassandra clare doesn't want to fully develop their relationships. don't get me wrong, i love what we're doing with lin and conor but the other romantic relationships felt underdeveloped. where was the development for kel and antonetta, yeah they had a bunch of other shit going on but they are kinda in the same place they were in swordcatcher... just more threats of war now. merron and jerrod... what's a girl got to do for more scenes of them. we needed more focus on them and on alys, i'm just so interested in merren's past and his family.

lin and conor did steal the show for me. their connection can lead to frustrating actions from the characters but i can't help but be utterly obsessed with them. all the tabs in this book are because of them and i need conor's point of view in the next book. speaking of the next book... we're so fucked. this series is going to be so long, i can feel the wait now. we have so much to resolve, lin on her mission, the war plans, and the new magic???? (just to name a few) i really hope we don't lose the plot too much but i am stressed. i trust miss clare but i also think this will get so much worse before it gets better. please just let my babies, lin and conor, be happy.... I BEG!!!!!!

[Brooke ☯︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A goddess is a goddess if her people believe she is……. princess, Like me, You are becoming, and I need you to become what you are destined to be”

Pardon me while i gush! This epic dark fantasy romance has everything that I look for when I read. The characters are incredibly well-developed from having a first book The Sword Catcher where they were introduced. There is not one but two forbidden romances that are well-handled. Kel is a sword catcher (a fancy body guard) for Prince Conor of Castellane. His sworn duty is to protect Conor at all costs, even when he is being insufferable, and even when he gets bethrothed to a princess he does not want to marry. Lin is a healer who comes from a kingdom where magic was used for healing. Castellane has a more complex relationship with how magic is used, hence tension insues :)

This was full of palace intrigue and elegant world-building and well-earned romantic scenes with slow-burn. The intrigue around the Ragpicker King and his scene with Lin - no spoilers - was just so pinnacle for I don't think I'll ever forget the emotional journey of yearning and desire that Queen Cassandra has created for us. I will be swooning about this forever.

[Melanie (meltotheany)]

1.) Sword Catcher ★★

blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon

[fem – femsbookshelf(f) · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATE: changed my rating to 5 stars because months later I am still not over this book… I need the next one omg!!!

Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for sending me this ARC!!

This book did everything I wanted it to do! I loved getting lost in Castellane. The world is so vivid and immersive. I am a huge fan of chunky, complex fantasy books with a large cast of characters and this series truly lived up to my expectations.

I really enjoyed Sword Catcher, but Clare truly blew me away with its fast moving sequel! There was something going on in every chapter, she had me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire book! The betrayels, court intrigue, high stakes… This sequel had it all and it was a true nail-biter until the very last page! Every character in this book has their own agenda, their own goals and means to persue those. I got played by so many of them (because this book is packed with scheming nobels, criminals…)!

What I love most about this series, is that we follow two equally captivating characters: Lin and Kel. I couldn’t pick a favorite POV if I tried. Both their stories and character arcs are alluring and interesting to follow. I have a soft spot for both of them! It’s as if they are pawns on a board being moved in certain directions (against their will).

The crumbs of romance we got in Sword Catcher, become a tad larger in this sequel. It’s definetly still a subplot but the slow burn, the forbidden love, the pining… It was enough to make me melt! I need more of all of them! Writing two forbidden love stories in one series should be illegal! Cassandra Clare brought back yearning and I can’t thank her enough for it!

I just know book 3 will be at least as epic and I cannot wait! The ending of TRK had me gasping and I got sooo anxious and worked up. The final 150 pages of this book were wild! I had to close the book at certain points to breathe! It was just THAT good!

This series will become a new pillar in the adult epic fantasy genre, with the perfect balance between court politics, mysterious alliances, criminal networks, magic, romance, loyalty and more… I’m curious to see what Cassandra Clare has planned next for these characters.

I truly don’t think I’ll survive the wait!

[Sian · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one does acute emotional torment like Cassandra Clare does. Also, second book syndrome who?

The 600 pages of this book absolutely flew by and left me wanting more. Every page felt packed full of action and necessary to the plot so it didn't drag at all.

The main characters are so well fleshed out. They develop so naturally throughout the book in response to the political goings on in the book. Clare manages to interweave their storylines seamlessly. Certain reveals about certain characters were done really well.

I will say, I wasn't entirely sure of the function of the scattered pov chapters when the book is in third person anyways. It felt a little unnecessary. I spent far too much time while reading trying to figure out why they were included the way they were.

Clare really gets to stretch her political intrigue wings in this series. She feels really in her element with the politics of the world and all the secrets and plotting that comes along with that. The world building is as interesting as ever.

Thanks so much to the publisher and netgalley for this arc! Can't wait for book 3!!

[Sotiria Lazaridou · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Ragpicker King" offers a rich and immersive reading experience, blending fantasy with elements of intrigue and adventure. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because, while the book is undoubtedly engaging and full of vibrant world-building, there are a few minor moments where the pacing falters slightly.

the story takes place in a beautifully crafted world with unique characters who feel real, flawed and incredibly dynamic. the protagonist stands out, balancing moments of vulnerability with strength in ways that keep the reader invested. the plot weaves together layers of mystery, politics and personal growth, keeping you hooked through twists and turns.

the world-building, especially the social structures and the underlying tensions between different factions, is one of the strongest points of the novel. the interactions between the different characters and groups feel real and are executed with a keen sense of political maneuvering and emotional depth. that being said, I believe that some subplots seem to linger a bit too long and there are moments when the pace slows down in order to develop secondary characters.

the central conflict is driven by personal stakes and a deeper, more complex agenda that will keep readers intrigued, but at times, the twists may feel a bit too intricate.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Ależ mi się to rewelacyjnie czytało, chciałabym więcej takich serii!

[SourLemons · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75⭐️ rounded to 5⭐️

What an absolutely incredible sequel! I have been anticipating this book since Sword Catcher was released and it did not disappoint one bit! The plot, characters, and their relationships just kept me so invested and I was unable to put down the book even though I was in the midst of studying for TWO exams for grad school...thanks for that Cassie xD (I think I did alright, though lol). In terms of the 0.25⭐️ deduction, my only point of contention, which I believe many other people might also have, is the lack of a Conor POV or some sort of transitional chapters between the two books that show more of Conor's growth. I also wanted a little explanation for some loose threads in Sword Catcher that I might have looked too closely into and also for some people's motivations, though this might actually be addressed quite well in the next book, now that all the cards have been laid out. Now, I will delve into spoilers and how I feel about each character and the theories I have for the Bone Conjurers (an incredibly badass name btw!) Sorry in advance, this is a HUGE review with ALL of my thoughts, so feel free to skim if you'd like, just wanna get all my feelings out there! 🫶

Kel: My sweet little boy...Kel is such a kind, genuine person and you can clearly see how it comes out throughout this book. With how he always gave people the benefit of the doubt, from Antonetta to Jolivet to Joss, and how he has to learn from that. But he's also incredibly badass and silly and was a fun treat to read in this book. I remember being a little bored with Kel's antics in the first book and preferring Lin's sections, but Kel and the Ragpicker King gang were super fun to read about, whether they were on a secret mission or just chilling in a noodle shop. I will get to the Ragpicker King gang in a bit, but Kel had such great banter and chemistry with them and it really gave me Six of Crows vibes (obv Merren is Wylan and Jerrod is Jesper xD). He was also down bad drooling over Antonetta in a lot of the scenes which I found quite amusing but after I saw THIS fanart of them at the masquerade, I totally understand why 😍I was on the edge of my seat for a lot of the action sequences, and I found myself piecing the mystery together just as Kel did (though I had a previous hunch about Antonetta due to a theory I read online) and hated the awful circumstance of timing in classic Cassie fashion at the end with the Council Meeting. Of course, Kel simply had to tell Conor everything after the Council Meeting and not before...AHHHHHHHHHH! The only thing that had me guessing that Seven was Joss was the one detail stated about Seven having "dark hair"...I was suspicious of Joss but nowhere near to fully consider him a TRAITOR!!! It really hurts for them since they've all been friends since childhood and Joss is immediately ready to trample Kel to get a crumb of power for himself. Ugh, disgusting, fuck Joss, YOU DONT DESERVE SEVEN AS A NICKNAME OWN IT BITCH U ARE A TRAITOR!!!!! Also, the fact that Jolivet ALSO threw Kel under the bus was such a blow too, everyone is just looking out for their own skin and don't give a shit about anyone else, so it was so infuriating what Conor had to do, even though he didn't want to do it. However, I absolutely knew that Conor would not leave Kel to die and would find some way to get him to safety. I am so glad he gave Kel the amulet, though Conor likely needs it more, now that he's all alone... But I am super excited to see Kel, the Ragpicker King gang, and Antonetta all working together. And speaking of Antonetta....

Antonetta: What an INCREDIBLE twist! I did not want to believe Antonetta could actually be Prosper Beck, but rather knew him and was the sponsor on the Hill that people were suspecting, which she essentially was. There were some confusing and rather odd things Antonetta did throughout Sword Catcher and this book that made me go "huh?" at the moment and kind of just dismiss due to her whole persona being a sort of "airhead," like her randomly stating that "Kel is good in bed" lol when she was near him at the Shining Gallery as Conor and also her saying to Anjelica at the banquet that she used to actually pursue Conor but is glad Anjelica is happy. While I never fully believed she was stupid, I do remember dismissing some of the odder things she said as just her being silly and mysterious, so I love that Cassie used Antonetta's personality to not only make the characters in the story underestimate her, but also the audience. Her motivations as Prosper Beck make sense, which I suspect were to blackmail Conor into a marriage with her using the dowry money so she could keep the Silk Charter, since Conor cannot hold it being king. However, I would like to know how she feels about kind of starting this entire mess with Sarthe, since she did force Conor to get married in secret, even though it wasn’t with her, leading Sarthe to be insulted, then the Shining Gallery stuff and blah blah blah... however, you can argue that the whole Malgasi conspiracy plot would have happened whether Prosper Beck existed or not because Elsabet was "promised" to Conor, so it might actually be better that Antonetta intervened so Conor would not have to be married to that bitch. Antonetta seems to be a very morally complex and deep person, she's been born in material privilege but unlike Lin, who is openly able to defy those stereotypes, Antonetta is suffocated and must do so quietly because of her societal status. Lin is just a random girl, while Antonetta is the daughter of the head of the Silk Charter, so clearly Antonetta has a mold to fill that she does not want to. I can't believe she was willing to put herself through the First Night "ceremony" in order to protect her identity as Prosper Beck, but it goes to show how dedicated she is to her one form of freedom. Finally, I think she and Kel do have a sweet relationship and I hope to see them develop and get to know each other more, as their actual personalities, because Becktonetta (I came up with that btw) in the end of the book with her pants and alcohol was making me feel things xD. I still wonder why she asked him to steal her locket, was it to make him confused about Antonetta and not connect her to Beck? Also, their sex scene was pretty hot and it reminded me of Clockwork Princess with Tessa asking Will to make love to her before she dies haha. Kel is a giver which I am very happy to know and NSFW warning.....I was expecting him to munch and he didn't, so he BETTER do so in the next book, I'm watching you Cassie 👀.

The Ragpicker King Gang: AKA Andreyan, Ji-An, Merren, and Jerrod. These guys were a HOOT, I had so much fun reading scenes with them! Ji-An especially is so dry and funny, her humor reminds me of Susie from the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (who is also a lesbian icon and has a sad romantic past :() Jerrod and Merren were so sweet and def gave me Wesper vibes, though Jerrod is more of a combo of Matthias and Jesper to me since he is more serious and was kind of not on our side last book lol. Andreyan did not show up as much as I thought he would, considering he is the character the book is named after, and I did wish that he came more frequently. To be honest, I feel like we saw more of him in book 1 than book 2, but my memory might just be off. I also predicted that Andreyan would be Asher since the last book since he seemed to be so interested in magic and already knew so much about the Ashkar, so that surprise did not get me. Cassie said he is planned to have a love interest, and I have to wonder if it might be Aron, they did seem to have a super close friendship but perhaps those feelings were more than platonic? I hope we learn more about Ji-An by maybe seeing some of the people she killed or family members of her lover, and also about Jerrod and how he owes Antonetta/Beck. It's gonna be super exciting seeing Beck and the Ragpicker King team up to take down Malgasi from the city while Conor is fighting on the Hill and Lin is fighting across the continent. And speaking of LIN.....

Lin: My girl, my queen, my GODDESS REBORN! Ugh I adore Lin so much, she can be stubborn and unrelenting but she is absolutely someone who strives to be the best in everything and cares so much about her work. In my Sword Catcher review, I related to Lin as a woman in STEM, and I couldn't agree with that comparison more in this book. She has such a inner strength and strong moral compass in her, and while she feels terrible for lying about being the Goddess, she undeniably has a part of that ancient magic in her, which Aron himself recognized at the end. It infuriated me that she was exiled in the end of the book, but it actually makes sense in terms of religious history and precedent. I mean, Jesus was crucified lol, so people aren't necessarily welcoming to people who claim to be a higher power or have an otherworldly connection to one. She and Aron going on this trip to Aram to connect the Soul Stone with her person is going to be very interesting, I wonder if they end up forming some sort of connection which will make a certain other prince quite jealous, which I think was actually was a wasted opportunity in this book. And now about Conor....their relationship had me absolutely SQUEALING in this book, from that scene where he called her Goddess in Antonetta's engagement party while she wore that sexy dress haha, to when she walked in on him DRESSING and he pretended to be cool and nonchalant, the cute "florticulture" bit, the hand holding with the burn on his arm, him calling her "sweetheart", the kiss in Fausten's room, THE FOLLY???? THE FOLLYYYYYYY???? Damn Lin, losing your virginity OUTSIDE in the middle of a rainstorm against a pillar is CRAZY but I support women's rights and wrongs (not that it was wrong in any way lol). I did not expect Conor and Lin to go all the way, but I guess emotions got the better of them in that scene and they just gave in. Their relationship kind of stands at a place where they both know and acknowledge their feelings of each other, but they literally cannot do anything to be together. I was initially shocked and upset with him trying to offer her to be his mistress, but Kel's explanation did make sense with him trying to have any part of her that he could. Later, I was upset with how he was mad with her in the end of the book when she tried to convince him to let Kel go, but I now understand how he was feeling with being lied to and also his strategy of pushing Lin away so she could not be in danger. I want to see them live a happily ever after and have a bunch of adorable silver eyed babies and another NSFW warning, I am also expecting some decent munching or at least some body worship for the "Goddess" Lin in their next sex scene, Conor didn't even get to see her naked or call her "my goddess" during sex which is SUCH a missed opportunity smh, so I hope you're taking notes for the next book Cassie ✍️ xD. I definitely do think Conor might be Suleman reincarinated from her dreams and she is the goddess reborn, and instead of betraying her, the sorcerer king Suleman fights beside her? I hope Lin's weird visions are explained more too because it is not fully addressed in this book.

Conor: This poor, tortured boy needs a damn break lol. You could see the effects ruling Castellane had on Conor for the past few months and also how he is trying to secretly deal with his feelings for Lin, all from Kel's perspective. It has taken an emotional toll on him and he feels like he is being tortured by having to marry Anjelica and not be with Lin. He even said he would abdicate the throne if he could because he doesn't want the life he has and would rather be with Lin, but he knows he cannot because the entire country's lives are at stake with his marriage alliances. I wonder if this is foreshadowing for a possible ending, where Lin is the queen of the Ashkar and she marries Conor who abdicates the throne to Kel?? (idk Im just making shit up at this point lmao) Conor and Kel's relationship is also a wonderful highlight and so nice to read about. We had an adorable parabatai "___? ___, is that you?" reference in the book, and these two are truly this world's version of parabatai. It sucks that they couldn't be open with each other on everything. While Conor had a point to keep things secret, like his feelings for Lin, Kel did arguably keep a lot of things from Conor which he should have known. I feel the moment Artal Gremont died and they found out that Malgasi was behind the whole conspiracy, he should've immediately went to Conor. And even though I agree that all the secrets were for Conor's good, I can also see why Conor himself is angry at Kel for lying to him, since he is the Prince and he wants to be fully aware of everything around him and Kel is Conor's blind spot, so he could be easily exploited there. Same with him being angry at Lin—it's the two people he trusted and loved most in the world going behind his back to, yes, help him, but under mountains of lies and pretense. Lin and Kel pretended to barely know each other in front of Conor but they met frequently at the Ragpicker King's house. I can see how he feels somewhat betrayed, but he is also a good enough person to know that Kel was not lying and set him free with a push off of a cliff xD. I am incredibly excited and looking forward to seeing him practice his phoenix powers with his dad and develop them into a weapon, and I was also wondering if maybe those powers were already starting to show...perhaps those burn marks on his arm were not from his father, but himself???? Just a theory....🤷

Anjelica: I really enjoyed Anjelica and her personality when she first came onto the page. She seemed similar to Antonetta in a way, where people were intimated by her appearance and therefore underestimated her personality. Her brother was a funny comedic relief character, and so was Sedai, her cute big getaway elephant. And that was the part that made me annoyed-the getaway. When I found out that Laurent was her lover that wanted to whisk her away and not a scorned ex, I shipped them too! I thought it was like one of the Story Spinner's tales that Lin talks about the princess falling in love with the rogue pirate. But I also appreciated that Anjelica said she would wait a year for the engagement to make sure Conor's business is in order, which turned out not to happen. While I understood her reason for wanting to leave because Malgasi would kill her, I was annoyed and upset at her for flip-flopping and leaving Conor to himself. Yes, a dead Kutani princess would be worse than a fiancee that fled with her lover in the night, but Conor is still all alone without any help! Also this is unrelated but I was wondering if the "Beck" that Laurent talked to on his ship was the stand-in Ana sends to meetings to be Beck, especially since the person is described as a "him" and also Laurent does not seem to know that Ana is Beck? Either way, I'm annoyed that Anjelica dipped right at the end when Kel needed her there. If I am correct, Lin and Aron will be going on Laurent's ship, the Black Rose, to Jiqal, so they possibly might meet up with them and more information can be exchanged. I hope Anjelica comes back and helps Castellane when the inevitable war with Malgasi and Sarthe happen. We could use their fleet lol.

That is all I have for specific characters and their plot lines/stories. I will likely add more above if there is something I end up remembering. Thank you for your time and I cannot believe I have to wait 2 more years again at least for the next book 😭

UPDATE: LAURENT ADEN THEORY!!!

Laurent: I’d like to thank gracecarstairss on Tumblr for this very well put-together theory about Laurent Aden. I just wanted to add it to my review to perhaps spark some discussion on here! The theory basically states that Laurent Aden is Cas, Kel’s friend from the orphanage as a young boy! I’d say the evidence quite compelling when all put together. For one, Laurent Aden and Cas are both described by Kel and Anjelica separately to have blue eyes and fair hair. Kel also never sees him up close or without a mask, so it is understandable he wouldn’t automatically recognize him, plus it’s been over 12 years so he’s definitely changed physically. Whenever Kel hears about Laurent Aden, he also thinks about his childhood friend Cas wanting to be pirates with him, saying on pgs. 136-137, “Eveyone knew Aden…He’d only made a name for himself in the past five years or so, but his exploits were already legendary in the city…Kel could recall being a boy at the Orfelinat, where he had dreamed of being a pirate with his friend Cas, thieving from the rich to give to himself.” Laurent also mentions in his POV that Castellani is the language of his birth, so he likes hearing it when he can. The most compelling details are when Kel is with Anjelica when she is about to run away and hears Laurent’s voice out the window and recognizes his voice?! (Pg. 479: “Something about his voice was oddly familiar—possibly he had heard him speak at the Solstice Ball?”) But he certainly never talked to him or went near him at the ball, so this is not the case! How else would he find his voice oddly familiar? Finally, Laurent even responds to Anjelica telling him to wait by asking “Kel’s up there?…Tell him to get the gray hell out of Marivent, too. There’s enough room on Sedai.” (pg. 479) First of all, how does Laurent know Kel so well enough to offer him to run away with them? How does he even know Kel’s name in the first place?? I’m sure it’s possible Anjelica mentioned something about Kel but in the convo in Anjelica’s POV he clearly showed he doesn’t care about Conor or the entire monarchy, so why would he care about Kel Anjuman….unless????? There was also one final thing that gracecarstairss didn’t mention in their theory but is a quote I find super compelling and kind of seals the coffin on this theory that sounds very interesting from Laurent’s mouth but fits perfectly with Cas. On page 400, Laurent says to Anjelica while they are dancing, “Suddenly you care about Castellane?…Do you truly think it such a wonderful place? Imagine growing up an orphan here, looking up at the Palace, knowing you would never have any of the riches and luxuries enjoyed there—that your only task was to starve and to die?” Hmmmmm 🤔….that seems like a very specific hypothetical, Aden….Or should I say CAS????? Anyways, thank you for my ramblings and ALL THE CREDITS TO gracecarstairss FOR BEING SO ATTENTIVE WHILE READING TO CATCH THESE CLUES!!!