Tsc chronological readathon 2021 discussion

spoiler discussion on 30th December 2020 (Wednesday)

Common_reader wrote: "what part bothered you the most?"

As you asked me to comment in this section, the love triangle is just bad. As far as I know, CC has a huge interest in making love triangles in her books, but in this one I just think it's an unnecessary triangle. Of course it is linked to my perception of love - there's no need to make Jem fall for Tessa. We all know that she's in love with Will, as he's in for her, so what's really the point of making Jem also fall in love?

I'm not denying his feelings but there's no real connection between these two. To me they are just two very good friends, you can say they're kindred spirits or platonic lovers (we have parabatai, so why not platonic love?). So it reaaaaally seems forced to me. Like, of course these two men have to fight for her or instead there's no interesting plot in the book?

In the end of the book it is obvious that Tessa doesn't love Jem as she loves Will. Again, because it is not the same type of love - that's why I think the love triangle isn't just bad but it ruined the whole plot. Without it, I'd give it 5/5 for sure lol.

i agree with this actually. if Jem was supposed to have feelings for Tessa, then i felt that there weren't really as many scenes with them together. for the majority of the trilogy the story mainly focused on Will and Tessa's connection.

Mm-hmm. Me too. I was just so mad at this book cuz I just NEEDED to know why will was acting wierd. But after I finished this, I was like "Why didn't you tell me in this book, Cassandra!!!!!!!" and I had to wait a whole year to know what's wrong with will. As she got off saying it was fake. I mean SERIOUSLY?? It STILL gets me nutzz

hey I believe that this book served to make the love triangle credible, to make the reader feel that it is real and not forced. In more than one part it is made clear that Tessa is in love with Will, but since Will treats her like shit she goes and agrees to marry someone else. There is something wrong with this girl from the first book. I don't quite understand it. Will well let's just say he's not my favorite person, but it's funny how no one wants to break Jem's heart but it's okay if Will is broken. Another thing is that being Will and Jem as brothers, neither noticed that they were in love with the same girl. really??? I do not think so

Besides, there isn't much besides romance. We don't know anything about the bad, not what exactly Tessa is, nothing at all. Not to mention the amount of unnecessary detail, I don't care about the hair and clothes they wear to go on a mission. oh and i didn't forget that as Shadowhunters they are kind of useless, they go to a party to catch the bad guy and end up taking something poisoned (or something like that)

I think the main problem of these trilogy will be the same as you said before - plot is based on a poor love story. I didn’t read Clockwork Princess but I’m sure it’ll be the same thing over again. But as I know now, maybe we need to “understand” that this is how CC books work and with that being said, we have a very long journey in her works so we need to get used to it lol.

tid is very different from other books. the main thing which frustrates me the most, and maybe the only thing is the threat/villain of the book, who is soooo different from other cassie villians. you might understand more in clockwork princess....

also, merry Christmas everyone!

Oh right, Merry Christmas 🥰

@Common reader
Yeah , Mortmain's wierd. And his intentions with Tessa kinda sucks. But I've seen villians like him before. Not in Cassie's books tho. He's nothing like Valentine or Annabelle or Belial(considering We don't know if belial's the real villian in cog. Cassie has those swap villian tricks up her sleeve lol)

Btw, Merry Christmas, fellow bookworms :)

this is the last book we read in December 2020 :)

anyone wants to discuss this book in detail?

else*

1. Why is Tessa so...rude?

2. In the scene when Will and Tessa go to Benedict's party, Tessa is disguised like Jessamine and is with Nate. Then an automaton comes up to Nate and gives him a letter from "Mortmain" saying that he wants to meet Nate. After Late leaves, Will shows up and it is revealed that Will had sent the letter so that Nate would leave. But....how did he manage to give the letter to the automaton and to convivce it to give it to Nate ...??

Jessamine gasped. “How can you be so cruel?” Tessa shook her head. “You can’t see it, can you?” she said wonderingly. “For you it is al play, like those dols in your dolhouse—moving them about, making them kiss and marry. You wanted a mundane husband, and Nate was good enough. You cannot see what your traitorousness has cost those who have always cared for you.”

Reallly? Was the dollhouse comment reallly necessary??

I did NOT like the way Jessamine was punished. Sending her to the Silent City was simply too much. They could've maybe grounded her or something! But there was no need to send her there. I don't think Charlotte has that authority. The Clave altogether could've talked.
i stopped liking Charlotte in that moment

“Then they ought to at least give me better food. It’s dreadful here. Just gruel and hard bread.” Having finished scribbling the note, she handed it to Tessa. “The boys’ clothes I wear are behind the dol’s house in my room. Take care moving it,” she added, and for a moment again she was Jessamine, her brown eyes haughty. “And if you must borrow some of my clothes, do. You’ve been wearing the same four dresses I bought you in June over and over. That yelow one is practicaly ancient. And if you don’t want anyone to know you’ve been kissing in carriages, you should refrain from wearing a hat with easily crushed flowers on it. People aren’t blind, you know.”


Jessamine is nice. I repeat, Jesamine is nice. She was just desperate and so Nate could easily manipulate her. She was so scared in the Silent City! She couldn't sleep because she could here the dead noises and the food was bad. She didn't deserve that kind of punishment. Charlotte don't has that authority to do so. Locking her up! my God...

Even I hate the part when Jessie is sent to the Silent city... it's just way too harsh! But I think that Cassandra Clare wanted to show that Shadowhunters are harsh, like they don't let anything come before duty? Even when Edmund's marks were stripped in Bane Chronicles...
I feel like Clare didn't want us to sympathise with Jessamine, though I love her! I mean, she tried to show Jessie as someone who doesn't care what she has and makes rude comments, but Will does the goddamned same thing! I love Henry, the way he made Jessie the dollhouse and the parasol, and I love Jessie and Will and Jem, I feel like Tessa and Charlotte can kinda be a little...judgy? Just because they're women, they feel like they have to prove something, but then, not all women are perfect, so you can't force them to be, like they do Jessamine!

Okay, that was slightly too long, but yeah, those are my thoughts..

I'm so glad you agreed with me!! :))

Hey guys, I'm a bit late to this chat, but I agree with most of what has been said by you!!!

First off, the love triangle is so poorly made, in my opinion, all of a sudden Jem loves Tessa, Tessa just tries to feel the same way for the poor guy, but it's SO painfully obvious she's in love with Will. Bleh.
And, to think that in the first book I was Team Jem but all this try-hard attempt to make their romance feel passionate just makes it lacking in my eyes... *sigh*

Then, what happened with Jessamine was harsh, I agree, but also I didn't care for her one bit, anyway, so it didn't really make a difference to me. However, looking back, I can tell why CC made her an unlikeable character and ultimately made her a scapegoat for us to witness the cruel Shadowhunter Laws, and that makes me feel for poor Jess a little more.

Overall, my main complain about this book is that it was too centered around the love triangle and almost nothing of importance happened. Even when things happened, they were quick, sudden and ended abruptly, with almost no explanation given.

I really hope the last book makes up for a good ending to the series! *double sigh*

I agree. The series is too focused on only the romance. I think it could have been even better if the stakes were actually more high up there and we could see it too