L'ultimo Re della Terra delle Fate

The Wicked Powers #1

by Cassandra Clare

Per Drusilla Blackthorn, quello che doveva essere un normale anno all'Accademia Shadowhunter si trasforma in un incubo quando un incontro fortuito in un locale notturno sfocia in un rapimento. Dru si ritrova nella Terra delle Fate - luogo tanto incantevole quanto mortale -, prigioniera dell'enigmatico Principe Ash Morgenstern. Nonostante sappia che un suo singolo passo falso potrebbe esserle fatale, Dru non riesce a opporsi all'attrazione che avverte verso Ash e l'oscurità che lo circonda. Nel frattempo, un'inaspettata e scioccante scomparsa scuote il mondo degli Shadowhunter fin nelle sue fondamenta. Per salvare tutto ciò che amano, Kit Herondale e Ty Blackthorn saranno costretti a unire le forze in una rischiosa missione, lasciando finalmente da parte l'amarezza e il rancore che li separano. Tra viaggi insidiosi e antichi segreti, si dipana un'avventura travolgente ricca di mistero, romance e l'inconfondibile umorismo che ha conquistato milioni di lettori.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult Fantasy, Romantasy

590 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 3, 2026

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

[✨ jami ✨]

can u believe this is gonna be abt Kit Rook and Ty Blackthorn 11/10 cannot wait

AND YEAH CASSANDRA HAS WRITTEN WAY TOO MANY SHADOWHUNTER BOOKS

BUT IT'S BECOMING LIKE A GENERATIONAL SOAP OPERA AND I AM LOVING IT

LITERALLY FIGHT ME

[Sandra]

By the angel, am I the only one who reallllly wants more shadowhunter books? Keep 'em coming Clare!

[Lucy Qhuay]

A Cassandra Clare series featuring a gay couple?









Thank you, Lord!

[chan ☆]

ya know what? hell yeah

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie Clare just doing what she does best: writing about yearning Herondale’s and showing us why no character in this universe is safe from chaos.

Can be read as a standalone series but I highly recommended going into this after you’ve read The Mortal Instruments series & The Dark Artifices trilogy for the best experience. This is set 4 years after TDA ends and has many character crossovers!!

[Parker J]

12/18/2018
Every time I get a notification on this I cringe because of my edgy past self thinking ranting on here was cool. I still stand by my points, I think its dumb for people to be upset that an author wants to keep working on a world and characters that she created and enjoys, and readers like myself want more and more from. That being said after finishing QOAAD I cannot wait until TWP comes out (2022 why are you so far away). But we have plenty of good Shadowhunter books to tide us over until then!

(All the typos in my original "review" yikes!)


Why does Everyone Bitch and Bitch and Bitch about Cassandra Clare Writing more Shadowhunter books. Okay you don't like don't waste your time bitching about it. Why do you spend your valuable time bitching about something you give no shits about, and hate. Okay anyways another thing is I hear tons of bitching about more Shadowhunter books but hear no Bitching about Tamora Pierce who wrote Five Series in here book world Tortall. I mean come on people. Anyways I am excited about this, I am excited about anything Cassandra Clare writes!!! Oh another thing a lot of you guys say that she is milking the cow, I guess she is trying to make more money but its for people like me who want more Shadowhunter books. Anyways a lot of say why doesn't she try and write something different, well she has a another book series coming out that has nothing to do with Shadowhunters!!! Anyways YOU GO CASSANDRA CLARE YOU GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jiana]

KIT AND TY! YAS!

Honestly, all I want in life is for Cassie to continue writing Shadowhunter books till the end of time. Please and thank you.

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

maybe the nostalgia, maybe the emphasis on fae courts, maybe the reading of this during the blue tsunami, but i had SUCH a good time reading this lol <3 review to come soon

bonus: i do fear that mha brainrot truly had me picturing kieran like amajiki constantly - therefore mark and cristina like miro and nejire like >.< lol):


opened to the prologue and was immediately shot 57 times

♡ signed indie bookstore copies

blog | instagram | youtube | kofi | spotify | amazon

1.) City of Bones ★★★
2.) City of Ashes ★★
3.) City of Glass ★★★
1.) Clockwork Angel ★★★
4.) City of Fallen Angels ★
2.) Clockwork Prince ★★★★
5.) City of Lost Souls ★★★★
3.) Clockwork Princess ★★★★★
6.) City of Heavenly Fire ★★★★★
*.) The Bane Chronicles ★★★
*.) Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy ★★★
1.) Lady Midnight ★★★★★
2.) Lord of Shadows ★★★★
*.) Ghosts of the Shadow Market ★★★★
3.) Queen of Air and Darkness ★★★★
1.) The Red Scrolls of Magic ★★★★★
2.) The Lost Book of the White ★★★★
1.) Chain of Gold ★★★★★
2.) Chain of Iron ★★★★★
3.) Chain of Thorns ★★★
*.) Better in Black ★★★

[Lia Carstairs · Rating 5 out of 5]

”There is no greater sorrow for a mortal than remembering a happier time. Especially if that time will not come again.”

Wait no because that was actually so evil of Cassie to end it there come on, now😭 TELL MEEEE WHAT [REDACTED] [REDACTED]??????? I need TLPOH immediately.

One of my most anticipated reads *ever* since 2018. I remember a time when I thought this book would be coming out in 2023… boy, how wrong I was LOL. But she’s here and everything I was hoping for!!! Hello to another fav book of the year!

Reading a Shadowhunters book always feels like coming home. I could be having an awful day and just remembering that this world exists will make me feel better. I genuinely could not picture a lifetime where there aren’t any Shadowhunters to read about and yes, I know this book is the beginning of the end but I will always be rereading these books so technically this world is forever! Also disclaimer but nostalgia is coming strong (as it always does with a TSC book) with this one so maybe this isn't a perfect book but I loved every second of it.

I have been SO excited to see Dru as a protagonist since QoAaD and I knew she would be a new favourite–and to no one’s surprise she absolutely is already!! I just really loved being in her pov from page 1. Her bravery actually has me in awe (though after LoS I really shouldn’t have been surprised) because girl wdym you’re actually taking these risks?!?! But they were never stupid decisions in my opinion and honestly I really loved her for that. Considering the circumstances, they of course had a high chance of getting her in trouble but I mean, who wouldn’t do whatever they could to protect and save their family?? PLUS good on her for trying to do things and get whatever information she could even while being held prisoner in Faerie!! And I also adored her snarkiness like Dru is so funny omg😭 And how bold she is??? LIKE DAMN. I could not believe the things she was doing (she’s actually pretty ruthless like my jaw dropped???) but that’s my girl, I loved it!!! She is so cunning and I love it, it’s so refreshing to see.

AND THEN ASH, MY BABY😭😭 Ash “I have only ever been a vessel for the expectations of others.” Morgenstern, oh I wanted to hug him constantly. The whole time I was just thinking “SOMEBODY SAVE HIM FROM THESE PPL, THEY’RE AWFUL.” The way he’s been surrounded by so many twisted people/beings this whole time and still has so much humanity in him, like wow he’s really been through a lot🥲 His sense of humour was top notch and I loved how confused he would be around Dru like hey how come you keep arguing with me, shouldn’t my magic work on you??? Ash makes me so sad though like imagine being surrounded by people who just want to use you because of your power or please you because of your magic, and the amount of lies told to you because of this… I too would have trust issues. And the way he tries so hard to be good but also doesn’t know how to in certain instances because he’s never been surrounded by good people??😭 And yet still he has way more morals than so many other people… He is such a complex character and I have 89235792 questions about him and Dru after that ending especially like ????? I need more Ash asap.

AND THE ROMANCE. Okay so I have been shipping Dru and Ash since they first met and I’m so happy with how Cassie wrote their relationship because ohhh the way things are clearly super complicated and we don’t even know why?? That one Ash pov omg😭😭 Like actually just stab me in the heart. I sense lots of pain in their futures. When The Last Prince of Hell gives more of their history, I will absolutely be eating up every last detail. THAT FIRST KISS???? (well at least in the moment I thought that was their first kiss BUT THAT FLASHBACK DRU GOT CLEARLY MEANS THEY’VE KISSED BEFORE) but oh my gosshhh that was such a hot moment. And when Dru said they can’t do this, Ash being like "Can't what? Ravish each other here in the grass? Possibly not. I have never made love with an owl watching me, and I am not sure I wish to begin the tradition now." please😭 I love them so much. He’s down bad for Dru and I cannot wait to read all about their past together. And what did Dru remember!!!!! Why the complete 180??? What did Ash do😭😭

And then Kit!!! I’ve always liked Kit and was super excited to see more of his thoughts and omgg wow does he yearn so hard for Ty??? Like the yearning is on an insane level. But before I get to the romance–watching Kit forced into a fate he wants nothing to do with… poor guy. When that mess in the beginning happened and Kit was freaking out😭 Oh my gosh I was right there with him like OMG NO. His love for Jem, Tessa, and Mina was actually everything they’re all so adorable🥹 I really loved seeing him learn more about his faerie heritage and learning about his powers!!!! My jaw dropped for that reveal like how did I not realize it before it’s so obvious now??? I’m really rooting for Kit’s wish of not having to deal with all this Heir stuff but I don’t see it ending well at all honestly…

Now Ty is another character I’ve liked and found interesting, though I’ve always hated what he did with Livvy and watching him and Livvy in this book… oh yeah this is 100% ending badly. I’m waiting for that character development that’s coming in this series that will hopefully make me love him with every fibre of my being!! He only had like 2 pov chapters so I don’t have too much to say about his character but I loved the autism rep and need more of his thoughts asap!

Regarding the romance, I have to say I’ve never been *hugely* obsessed with Kitty the way the rest of the fandom is because everytime I think of them I just remember Livvy and it makes me sad every time… justice for Livvy. But the scenes between were full of yearning 100%!! The amount of quotes I highlighted because oh my god wow?!??!? There’s so much to unpack between Kit and Ty (gosh😭) and I truly cannot see how that will go especially with what Kit suggested at the end (frankly if I were him I wouldn’t have asked and just done it). But wow the longing from Kit and how Ty was his light. And Ty being unable to think whenever he’s around Kit and the idea of losing Kit being an endless swirl of darkness… the amount of pain that’s coming their way omg.

I really loved the format Cassie went with here with every chapter having a side character’s pov like oh!! I totally didn’t expect that, she’s never done that before with her previous Shadowhunter books. We get Clary’s POV and omg guys I was just constantly terrified for her. Give this girl a break, she’s already been through so much!!! Also WDYM SHE’S PREGNANT????? And the realization that she might never get to tell Jace oh😭 I’m sure everything will be fine between them but man… Oh also I really loved how her relationship with Ash developed like it’s really becoming a somewhat normal aunt-nephew relationship🥲 Thais and Jaime were super interesting and though they didn’t have a lot of chapters, it’s great having some of Team Good *there*. Also I definitely see them being a couple in future books👀

I was wishing for the deaths of the Seelie Queen and Janus the whole book. I would add on Zara and Manuel but they barely appeared (thank god) though they are 100% going to torture us with their presence more so in TLPOH unfortunately.

Plot-wise, I totally devoured this book and could not stop reading and making theories!!!! I think the one reveal at the end was super obvious in my opinion but also it definitely helped that the epilogue of the The Lost Book of the White has been seared into my mind since 2020 so of course it was obvious. Getting to be in faerie the whole book was so fun and I loved learning more about the faerie lore. And the prophecy!!!! I loved how things were set up and I’m so excited (and terrified) for the next two books. (Also on another note, why did I feel like crying so many times throughout this book??? If I’m this emotional in book 1, imagine later on…)

There’s no doubt that The Last King of Faerie is a new all time favourite book of mine (I mean just know that I have 16 pages worth of reactions… a book hasn’t made me do that in ages omg). Thankfully, the cliffhanger wasn’t too bad for this book other than me dying for answers to something but ohhhhhhhh I am NOT ready for the pain that book 2 will be. We all know how Cassie loves to write her sequels😭😭 Somebody make her sign a contract saying nobody we love dies please😭

“Let me tell you a story. A tale of Faerie, but not a fairy tale.”

___________________________

Also some of my fav quotes!! As in they’ve either made me laugh, hurt my soul, made me go ‘aww’ or I just loved the writing. Spoilers below of course!

"Ash. I know the power you have has made you doubt that anyone will ever love you without its influence. But it isn't true. And if you shut the door against the concept of love, if you resign yourself to bitterness, then you will never know who you could have been."

Longing was not some soft thing, Kit thought, as the rhythm of the train lulled him into a half trance. Not like a movie, not gauzy curtains and slow, soft music. It was sharp, honed and deadly as the edge of a knife.

Ash looked like an avenging angel, all stern fury and fiery beauty. It was like looking at the heart of a star

Ty managed to be smart, adorable, and hot at the same time, and Kit couldn't possibly be the only person who'd ever noticed.

Ty smiled, that rare bright smile that made Kit feel as if he'd been in a dark room and suddenly all the lights had been turned on.

Ash has told the Huntsman that he did not believe his heart would allow him to whip Ash, but Janus had proved it was not Ash-despite Court gossip--who had no heart. If Janus had ever loved Ash, he loved him no longer. That much was clear.

Dru. The stubbornness in her blue-green eyes, the determined set of her chin, the way she bit her lip when she was angry. How it had taken all his strength in the Juniper Room to walk away from her. [...] She was his hope and his weakness. The best and the worst of him. Poison and antidote all at once. And he could not think of her now. He had learned long ago to hide anything vulnerable from those who claimed him as family

His mother would read the truth on his face, and there was nothing worse than the thought of the Queen discovering how he truly felt about Dru. Save perhaps the thought of Dru discovering it herself.

In rescuing Dru, Ty might lose Kit, and the thought of losing Kit was an endless black swirling thing like the awful patterns in the hotel carpet.

“I am the hole in the heart of the world. I am the destruction that does not relent. I am the last light before the darkness. I am the star of morning that brings the final dawn. I am Lucifer.”

“Let me tell you a story. A tale of Faerie, but not a fairy tale.”

[i]f this was a storm, perhaps she could obliterate herself inside it, inside the chaos that was Ash.

She inhaled sharply and then his lips were on hers and it was exquisite and terrible in the way immensely powerful things were terrible: gods and angels and heavenly fire.

“Every interaction we've had," he added, a little wonderingly, "you've been lying."
"I understand that's rare for you," said Dru, as he came closer, the brooch in his hand. "And I wasn't lying to you all the time. Just when I had to."
"You feel no loyalty at all to me." He was close enough now that she could see the faint flecks of gold in his eyes.
"I have shown you exactly as much loyalty as you've earned."
"And how much is that?"
She looked up into his face. "None at all."
His pupils widened. "No one has ever said anything like that to me before," he said, and then the brooch fell out of his hand as he pulled her toward him and kissed her.

And you will know him by his companions: the Truth Seer, the Lost One, the Deceived, and the Traitor.

“When I'm with you, it's like that. My wires feel all tangled up. I can't think.”

The way that you look at things makes me rethink everything I thought I knew about beauty. The way you talk makes me rethink everything I thought I knew about music.

Ash's eyes darkened. Dru hooked a finger into his belt, feeling again the strange mixture of fear and excitement she'd felt earlier when she'd licked the wine off him. Touching a prince like this felt like a crime against the idea of royalty, against the invisible laws meant to keep someone like her apart from someone like him. It carried with it a quiet but intoxicating feeling of rebellion, like deliberately standing too close to the edge of a cliff just to show that you weren't afraid

He was filled with a longing he could not define, He wanted to turn around and look at Ty face to face. He wanted to say, I'm not angry at you anymore, and You broke my heart, is all, and he wanted to tell Ty what it felt like now that the pieces of his heart were coming back together, wonderful and terrifying all at once.

"The Herondales are an obnoxious bunch. And you are no different. But one thing they all have in common--they don't run away. Not when they can help; not when they're the only ones who can help. And not because things are unfair. Things are always unfair."

If Ty were to admit it to himself, though, he liked to have something of Kit's against his skin, over his heart. Sometimes he'd run his fingers over it, as if it were a fidget toy, but when he did that he couldn't help being reminded of Kit, and the reminder was good and bad at the same time.

"Don't you understand? No matter what, I want to be where you are. I'm not going to leave. Not a second time."

"You smell like train stations and rain. You smell like travel."

"Four centuries, and I haven't learned a thing! Anything involved with Shadowhunters is always a disaster. Herondales doubly so."

ALSO SOME (MAJOR) SPOILERY THOUGHTS/THEORIES:
So like we all know signs are pointing to this series ending with there being no more Shadowhunters🥲 but I really hope that’s not the case even though that would mean there are no demons but I just love them being Shadowhunters so much😭 And I can’t imagine them all living as mundanes ughhhhhhhh but that would also mean they wouldn’t have to worry about danger constantly BUT STILL.

Anyways regarding the prophecy, Kit is the king in it of course (although imagine there’s a twist where he’s actually not the king being talked about…) and then this part: ”And you will know him by his companions: the Truth Seer, the Lost One, the Deceived, and the Traitor.” has to be talking about Dru, Livvy, Ash, and Ty!!!! I know the Lost One sooo has to be Livvy but the others have me like hmmm. My guess is Dru is the Truth Seer, Ash is the Deceived, and Ty is the Traitor? Maybe it’s not about all of them and Jaime could be one of them or someone else but oh I’m just !!!!! I’ve missed this feeling gosh.

And then Dru with Ash at the end… WHAT DID SHE REMEMBER😭 For her to not trust Ash at all and want to bind him in cold iron????? And Ash being like let me explain and Dru being like I cannot trust you, she thought, but now, after all I have been through--now I must trust myself. LIKE WHAT. Clearly Ash betrayed her in some way but how I have no clue !! And the whole Ash has looked so conflicted about wanting Dru to remember or not so now I’m even more like ???? Also how would Dru have even teleported to Faerie to meet Ash these last 4 years that I cannot imagine. I really can’t wait to get these answers in TLPOH.

Plus the Lucifer reveal!! I was just waiting for it to happen the whole book but omggg I just want to know how’d they even get in contact with him. Like after Azazel appeared of course they got in contact with Lucifer through him but how?? How will they even defeat Lucifer like😭 The next book being called The Last Prince of Hell means that there will only be one left but like how on earth will that even happen… will Lucifer somehow do something to kill and absorb all the powers of the other Princes of Hell? Idk I’m making stuff up. Gosh I need that Eldest Curses book 3 (which Cassie said will be coming out between TLPOH and TLS and since TLS is coming out 2030, my guess is 2029 for TEC3? Oh thats painful just thinking about the wait)

Also regarding Kit and Ty. Ty’s refusal to let go of Livvy almost had me thinking that he’ll die at one point but that’s not really a move Cassie would pull for her main characters but something crazy is definitely going to happen. The scars that are appearing on his body?? Also the visions Kit keeps getting about Ty??? I wonder if the necromantic powers and dark energy surrounding him will make Ty evil? Or be possessed?? Really I think that’s the only way he’ll realize how badly he screwed up with Livvy. And Kit’s personality changing every time he puts on the crown is interesting, but when he takes it off he’s back to normal … though he was only able to take it off because of Ty’s voice and Ty won’t always be there so it’s looking like he won’t be able to take it off at some point because of the crown’s influence hmm. But whenever he takes off the crown is he still the King of Faerie??? Or only when he puts it on??? And if he gave it to Ash, then would Ash become the King of Faerie??? I’d assume no since only the heir can be the King of Faerie but Ash was asking for the crown at the end so??? Anyways this became a yap fest but I can’t wait to see what other powers the crown has👀👀

And lastly, WHAT DO YOU MEAN CLARY IS PREGNANT???!?!? MY JAW DROPPED. As if it wasn't already bad enough for her, oh Clary😭😭😭😭


__________
pre-read:

OMG COVER REVEAL!!!!!!!!!! my girl dru on the cover she's so beautiful😩

after 982935792 years we're finally getting this oh my god i cant wait for november😭

[NickReads]

Clare's not gonna stop anytime soon, not that I am complaining.

[Beth]

Kit and Ty! I cannot wait!
————-
Now I’ve finished QOAAD I’m actually scared!

[Kat]

can you believe we're going to get a whole trilogy about Kit and Ty?

THIS IS GOING TO BE SO GOOD I CAN'T WAIT

[Susan Carolynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

AH my most anticipated book OF THE YEAR, and The Last King of Faerie beyond exceeded my expectations! I feel hungover after finishing this book, and it took me way too long to fall asleep last night once I finished, because there were so many things to process. I'm going to keep this review short and extremely vague to avoid any spoilers!

The Dark Artifices is my favorite series (of all time and amongst the Shadowhunters books), so I was so excited to have almost a continuation of that series with Kit, Ty, and Dru. I can't believe I've waited a decade of build-up for Kit and Ty. I loved how all of the characters have come into their own and matured since we last read about them. All three feel more confident, mature, and have strong personalities. But Kit and his signature humor! So many times I laughed out loud.

And DRU. She's so bold, and I loved her as an FMC. She's evolved so much from when she's first introduced at the beginning of City of Heavenly Fire, protecting Tavvy in his crib. She's easily one of my favorite Shadowhunter leads. Ash was a fantastic and complex character too.

The Last King of Faerie is definitely one of my favorite books in the Shadowhunter universe, and I already want to reread it. And I'm kind of annoyed at myself for reading it in a day because now I have to wait for the next one.

Thank you so much to Get Underlined for sending me an ARC of The Last King of Faerie (A DREAM COME TRUE). As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)

[Carolina Carriço]

UPDATE

THIS IS GOING TO BE ABOUT KIT AND TY, IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED IN BOOKCON BY CASSIE.

KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY KITTY

Edit #1

I think I have to put this out here because no one seems aware. This will be about...

KIT AND TY!

They are not becoming Parabatai. And this is not about Malec.

KIT AND TY!

KITTY

Evidence for everyone: https://twitter.com/isabelalisbe/stat...

[ellie]

not Cassie Clare casually dropping the titles for all three books and the last book being titled The Last Shadowhunter



WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE LAST SHADOWHUNTER ?????? i can’t do this. how am i supposed to wait this long help.

****

*screaming, crying, throwing up*



if we dont get Kitty endgame, i am suing for emotional distress🖐🏻

[shannon&#x1f3f9;]

HOLD ON

KIT & TY
“TWO GAY MAIN CHARACTERS”

PLEASE SAY THEY ARE GAY TOGETHER
KITTY FOREVER

[- ̗̀ jess ̖́- · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

november 3, 2026
so. the last king of faerie probably was my most anticipated book of the, and i am not exaggerating, decade. i have been waiting for this shit since, literally, 2016. i told myself that i was going to savour it, that i was going to take it all in bit by bit. i did not savour it. i blasted through in less than 24 hours. did you know you can get a hyperfixation so bad you literally develop a low grade fever. hyperfixation so bad i almost fainted on the train

oops.

so this is my first reaction is -- was the last king of faerie everything i wanted and hoped for? no, not quite. i'm raising my eyebrows at quite a bit -- the pacing, the writing sometimes (i actually looked up if she got a new editor about 1/3 through the book because a lot of this like ... doesn't sound like cassandra clare in that her characters are usually where she shines, their relationships and banter and complexity), ngl this book felt like a prologue, not the first book of the trilogy. the tension wasn't as intense as i thought it would be in pretty much every aspect. this book starts slow, man. halfway through the book i still felt like i was getting recaps of the other books and series, disjointed POVs. this book ties together not only the dark artifices but two separate anthologies and secrets of blackthorn hall. if you’ve read everything it treads old ground and if you haven’t it’s a lot of new information.

that's not to say i'm disappointed -- i think cassandra clare's trying something different. notably this book doesn't have the massive casts of characters and weird love reticula and melodrama that all the other shadowhunter books share and that i have lovingly bitched about. we're mostly bouncing back and forth between kit and dru, who are on paralell but not touching plotlines, and basically everyone else is MIA but for said disjointed POVs. also generally i am not a fan of prophecy plots, and this ... is a prophecy plot. it's a lot smaller of a scale than i'm used to from her books, and i do prefer the sprawl, the heightened tension, the friendship -- i definitely preferred the latter half of the book where the tension is starting to pick up, and the last couple chapters was classic cassandra clare. man, if the last prince of hell is like that the whole way through, i'll be happy as a clam.

kit and ty, though. i am kicking my feet and giggling. okay so first of all their plot is very reminiscent of my other sick nasty all consuming special interest jet lag the game and like, that is a little bit of a criticism in a way, because they are Doing Challenges and In The Snack Zone and it felt convoluted, but KITTY IS REUNITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S BEEN YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i am on that kitty high and i cannot believe this is actually happening i am experiencing genuine derelalisation pertaining to two fictional characters. like they are reuinted i am no longer a child of divorce. they are <3 <3 <3 together <3 <3 <3 solving mysteries <3 <3 <3 like i can't believe they kissed. i've spent 7 years hyperventilating every time they so much as mentioned or thought or god forbid LOOKED at each other and they did a lot of ALL OF THAT AND MORE. like god for so long i was so scared i wouldn't live to see the day that kit and ty finally kissed and THEY KISSEDDDDDDDDDDDD THEY'RE IN LOVE. look my ship is canon. my ship is canon it's been 10 years. i am sailing and screaming and crying and throwing up kitty truthers got FED! i really was expecting more angst from them, i wanted my heart to be rent with it ... but i would happily read 500 more pages of kit and ty making out across europe and doing challenges and trying weird european snacks (everyone go watch jet lag the game). i guess that's really not the problem i guess my problem is that the order of the briar and guardians or whatever was like -- why couldn't we have ty and kit gallivanting around europe trying to figure it out on their own, y'know? like im sorry but this plot was sort of ass. but like. oh the kitty. oh the kitty. i need to reread again for all my quotes. it's not as subtle as it was in queen of air and darkness and i do sort of miss the subtlety and tension. but i wasn't expecting it to be, like qooad!kit never even fully admits his crush to himself like truly it's masterful but OH THE WALLS COME TUMBLING DOWN. we had one good fight praise god i we get more I WANT THEM FIGHTING... and then i want them kissing... god i love them. i love them i love them i love them. like i can't believe they're canon. i can't believe we get to see them making out on a deutsche bahn train and ty saying "i wanted you to love me" and ty pulling kit in for kissing MULTIPLE !!!!!!! TIMES!!!!!! ty and kit being FLIRTY!!!!!!!!!! OHGHALJHAHWR A HAWETKHT FJ ty dropping things and unable to think around kit jklfjklajdkha fjsdlkfjj jkhfkhafh and then them still refusing to communicate and being FUCKING STUPID!!!! i missed how FUCKING STUPID THEY WERE. FUCK. "i thought we could be friends" "FRIENDS??? DO YOU REALLY--" ojkjfhdfklahdt like ty is the autistic one in the relationship but like HE'S NOT THE ONE MISSING THE SOCIAL CUES THERE. YOU CHOSE THE WRONG WORD. omg. omg. omg. omg omg omg omg. like i don't know how to convey the adoration i have for kit and ty. there's truly no one else out there like them.

(ok day after and the kitty high has fully kicked in i am quite literally skipping down the street giggling thinking of them. i am ready to throw away my career to write kitty fanfiction. i stand by a lot of what i said though wrt the plot i think this is her weakest plot ever. also i had to add more after a week passed because every time i think of kit and ty i feel so incredibly giddy and happy like omggggg omg omg omg i can be critical but i am here For Life i fear)

i'm really excited to see more ty pov in tlpoh though. my #onefear was ty being written poorly. ty was so fucking instrumental in coming to terms with being autistic for me way back in '17-'18. and i do think, as a generalization across all the books, that cc attributes a lot of ty's character traits to autism, but i feel pretty good about how he's written here -- i think he's definitely not at the top of his game because he's like, struggling with severe fatigue in this book, but unforch that is Also part of the experience of Being An Adult While Autistic (it’s a metaphor) (also picked up on livvy masking around ty?!?) and ty and i are genuinely so similar. hey it's not MY FAULT i got into evolutionary biology and comparative anatomy and wildlife ecology in the year between rereading tda last and now!?!?! i also read all the brochures and infodump to the pour souls burdened with me during travel! i like the two bits of ty pov we got though he WOULD notice the lighting change to flourescents.

druash idk i don't know what to say i definitely need to give this a second read or at least parts of it because i was laser-focused on kit and ty #sorry but druash was your classic (generic, if i'm being unkind) romantasy. i've never been a fan of dru and ash (together i mean, i loved dru in this book, she was so determined and impertinent and so very julian and it was so fun to read), even during the dark artifices, so i'm not surprised i wasn't super into them here, but i was rereading the dark artificies before this and cc sure convinced me on kieran and i wasn't a fan of julian and emma at first, so: convince me. i really liked the last few chapters of druash, actually; that's where it starts to take shape for me.

i know i seem #critical but i also, like, very much find it difficult to get used to another entry in the oeuvre of a writer or artist i like - i hate all the new albums my favourite artists release at first. i did have high expectations and a lot of prior conceptions of what i thought this book would be like. part of it might just me being a little sad i don't get to speculate anymore, that kitty is no longer an amorphous ball of unresolved tension To Be Resolved at some vague point in the future. i really liked this in the end, though.

jube 2025
the first snippets are here and i could gnaw my own arm off i am so normal about this series

january 2025
guys … one more year until twp year … [insert that disheveled barbie meme here]

december 2023
WE GOT A TITLE.

not me in 2019 thinking this would come out 2022 at the latest … i’m laughing to hide the pain 2025 here we come???

EDIT JUNE 2021
two years later ... still cannot wait. listen, y'all: tiberius blackthorn and kit herondale are my two favourite characters of the shadowhunters!verse. it's been two and a half years and if i think about the wicked powers i get this ache in my chest. i miss them so much that it physically hurts. i can't believe we're going to have to wait what might be two more years until we see eighteen year old ty and kit and i'll have you know i broke down and sobbed over their flower cards for two weeks. each. kit herondale and ty blackthorn my little meow meows because their ship name is fucking kitty, i can't, please, god, i'm losing my sanity

also, can you believe that a gay autistic boy is gonna headline one of the largest ya fantasy series out there? it makes me so emotional every time i think about it.

--------

ummm i cant wait until 2022 for this book cassie please i'm crying

[Christine]

Wait.. really?
Another series?

Don't get me wrong. I love Cassandra Clare, but at this point, I'm sort of just like-
Is this really necessary?
I am completely on board for TLH. Plus, I was fine that the Dark Artifices was going to happen since there was already a prequel, so it made sense to have a series after The Mortal Instruments. But a third new shadowhunter series? This is too much for me. I can't.

[Ishmeen]

2026????

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ash Morgenstern welcome to my client list, the discourse on you is about to be insufferable but you carried this book on your back and I'll be in the trenches defending you

[Hallie (halliedreaming) · Rating 5 out of 5]

imagine reading your most highly anticipated book ever, ever, ever and it being ten million times more extraordinary, warm, captivating and thrilling and than you ever could have dreamed of…

everyone, meet my favorite book of all time. it IS that serious.

thank you so much to get underlined & cassie clare for three of the best days of my entire life!

(full review to come on release day🩵🩵🩵)

[Chloe]

If you don't like Cassandra Clare's writing or do not want to read any more Shadowhunter books then fine! Don't read any but don't come on here just to complain about it!

[Nasty Lady MJ]

You've got to be kidding me.

You know a part of me wants to applaud her for writing a LBGT relationship, but wait she already did that with the first one. And even though this relationship will be center of the novel, I'm betting there will be lots of shades of Magnus and Alec. Heck, Magnus might even be involved and while I would love to see him more I just..... And let me guess there will probably be a love triangle but this one will be completely unique becuase it involves three guys rather than two. Please. Just please. You can vary it all you want, but it's still the same formula. Same Shadow hunter mythology. There will probably be some special hero who doesn't know just how special he is. And Love interest One will either be a close friend and/or just a nice guy. While love interest two will be a Herondale or another angst induced fanon Draco wannabe. Or maybe the Special someone will be the Herondale or the character with the Herondale personality. Either way there will be a Herondale/Draco Wannabe.

And before you start yammering at me about how I should give Cassie a chance and how I have no right to write this little rant, well 1) I don't care and 2) Seriously, seriously, she hasn't even published the third series yet and she already announced two more.

All I have to say when it comes to cash cows, Cassie Clare has George Lucas beat. And considering how much the Star Wars prequels and Indiana Jones 4 (I hate that freaking movie) sucked that's not a good thing. I only hope that Disney buys out Clare like they brought out Lucas, but that's probably unlikely

[Jud]

I mean, yay for LGBT




But come one CC, just Stop it.

[autumn]

OMG ITS OUT

tykit is gonna wreck me

[annie ❦]

update: WE'RE HAVING A HERONGRAYSTAIRS REUNION YALL

update: CC IS CONSIDERING MAKING THIS INTO A FOUR BOOK SERIES– I'M UNWELL

sorry in advance for the annoying bitch I'm gonna be when this book comes out

[Annie Brewer]

OKAY CASSIE: You keep on producing more and more shadowhunter series. It's my MOST FAVORITE world EVER created! I will NEVER get tired of them!!!!!! I can't wait, can't wait!!!!!!! Seriously, Clare is my idol!!!!!!!!

P.S., I want more swoon-worthy heroes like Jace and WILL.....bring 'em on!!!!!!! <3

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

I have been looking forward to this book for YEARS.

I am so sad that this is the final series set in the Shadowhunters world. I have been reading about Clary and Co since I was ten years old. 

Please, DON’T read on if you haven’t read The Mortal Instruments and The Dark Artifices. 

Well. I binged this faster than Izzy watched Star Wars. CC manages to write in many, many POVs and yet, I am instantly situated and familiar with each change.

She is one of the best character writers in the Young Adult genre. Each character has their quirks, traits, strengths, and anxieties. Every POV is also intertwined with the rest, making them bounce off each other and see relationships and situations from different sides. 

"I said it was theoretical—" "If you opened a door to hell in your dorm room and a beast came through and ate you, that wouldn’t be theoretical." "No, I would call that empirical evidence. But I’m not doing that."

CC writes YEARNING like no other. I don’t think anyone will beat Emma and Julian, but Kit and Ty make me want to shake them. It’s not miscommunication, but it’s withholding an onslaught of thoughts and emotions to protect the other: he had worn that anger like armor, because it was better to be angry at Ty than to yearn for him.

The plot is weaving together all of the threads from the previous series wonderfully. Yes, even The Last Hours. 

I will say that Clary, while very present in this book, fell flat. Without Jace by her side constantly, she lacked the fiery personality of TMI. 

Dru was badass. She is insecure, yet confident. She is devious, yet hurting. She is definitely Gen Z. 

…he has been cut over and over, and scars have formed where the wounds once were. And scars are tougher than skin, and feel less pain." "And when you feel less pain," said Dru, "you feel less of everything."

I enjoyed this (although there were a few characters I hope get more page time as they were remarkably absent). It felt like CC packed a series-worth in one book which makes me excited and SO, SO NERVOUS for what comes next.

Arc gifted by Walker Books YA.

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[Ashlee » libraryinthecountry]

I’m going to be so old when this book comes out.
But I’m still going to fangirl for it.

[Angela]

Two gay main character? YESSSSSS!!!!!! Cassandra, you are my queen!