Book Review: Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

By Kaylie Seed

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Content warning: alcoholism

Cassandra Clare’s Chain of Gold is the first book in The Last Hours trilogy and also belongs to The Shadowhunter Chronicles, making Chain of Gold a book that is part of a larger fictional universe. Clare has managed to write this story in such a way that newcomers to the series will be promptly filled in on all the important elements in The Shadowhunter Chronicles, and at the same time it also reads like a recap for those who are long-time readers of this universe; signs that Clare is a true master of her craft. A young adult fantasy novel, Chain of Gold is set in London during the summer of 1903, with an occasional flashback, and the story focuses on residents of the London Institute: a place where Shadowhunters meet frequently, while also being part of mundane (human) society. In this particular book, a ragtag team of teenagers are on a mission to find out why demons are attacking in daylight and at the same time are learning to grow up in this Shadowhunter world.

Clare’s characters are all incredibly interesting and while there are many of them, she has managed to make them each distinct enough that the reader won’t be confused as to who’s who. Cordelia, James, Lucie, Matthew, Christopher, and Thomas are the main characters throughout Chain of Gold and there is a slew of secondary characters as well, who are just as intriguing as the main characters. Clare has incorporated themes such as bravery, coming-of-age, strong female characters, love, queer characters, and friendship, while also making this a fun fantasy read that readers won't want to put down. Clare also nods to the Victorian and Edwardian eras by taking words from poems that the characters in Chain of Gold would have been familiar with and naming each chapter with them, while including an excerpt of that poem. Clare’s attention to detail is one of the reasons why Chain of Gold is a fabulous read.

Chain of Gold is heavily detailed but not in a way that is overwhelming for the readers, who can immerse themselves into the story without feeling like they aren’t going to know where Clare is taking them next. This 500+ page novel may seem daunting to some readers but even though Clare has given a lot of in-depth details to Chain of Gold, she has managed to do so with little redundancy. Chain of Gold has the perfect amount of action, humour, drama, and romance to keep the reader entertained throughout the story. I cannot wait to see what Clare has in store for the next book of The Last Hours trilogy, Chain of Iron.

Thank you, Simon & Schuster Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!