Authors: Cassandra ClareSarah Rees BrennanMaureen JohnsonEdition: HardcoverRating: 5 Stars
I've put this off for so long and I have no good reason to have done so. I got it pretty much when it was released, and while I love Magnus, I just didn't see a rush in reading this one. But I finished Lady Midnight last month, and I've decided that I'm going to read (or reread) something Shadowhunter every month. Bane Chronicles seemed like the natural place to start with this, and I'm really glad I finally got to it. I also think it helped kick me out of my book slump, or, at least, I'm hoping it did.
What Really Happened in Peru
Not my favorite from the collection, but a decent start. It served as a good introduction to the characters, particularly Ragnar and Catarina. Magnus is a bit too childish in this story for my tastes, but I suppose he is a much younger Warlock at this time in his life.
The Runaway Queen
My least favorite story in this whole piece. I was not a fan at all. Like, cute idea, I guess, but just not what I signed up for when I sat down to read it. I also think this one had the weakest writing throughout the whole book.
Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale
The Herondale's break my heart whenever they're on the page! This is about Will's dad, and that was really great, getting to see him. It was about, though, the way Downworlders and Shadowhunters used to interact. In the books, up until this point, while we do see some prejudice, we always see it from the Shadowhunters' points of view. Seeing it from Magnus, who was front-row and dealing with this prejudice every day, really changed my mind about some things. It certainly made it more serious and helped set the tone for the whole collection. Also, this is where Magnus meets Camille, which is very important.
The Midnight Heir
One of my favorite stories in here! Can I just say I'm more than ready for James Herondale? My heart hurt for him so much in these few pages. And also, turning into a shadow? Last Hours is going to be one hell of a series.
The Rise of the Hotel Dumont, Saving Raphael Santiago, and The Fall of the Hotel Dumort
I consider this, more or less, the vampire trilogy. I liked all three of the stories a lot, but the one about Raphael just broke my heart. I never really appreciated him as a character, but when I go to reread the books I won't make that mistake again. He's a darling and very important character that I will never take for granted again.
What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything (and You're Not Officially Dating Anyway)
This is absolutely adorable! It had me squeeing the entire time. Malec is the best ship in the Mortal Instruments (if you ask me) and of course anything where these two are on the pages together, or merely referencing each other, will more than please me.
The Last Stand of the New York Institute
This was a surprising story. I wasn't expecting it to be in here, and it shocked me. Seeing the Circle when they were younger, and seeing what they were actually capable of, and what they ended up doing to the Whitelaws was... wow. It was just wow. I can't describe this one so much. It was a great read, but it was probably the darkest in the whole collection.
The Course of True Love (And First Dates)
This was the most adorable story in the whole piece, and probably my second favorite one. It's Malec's first date and it's beautiful. If you were to buy the book for one story, this would be it. I think I was smiling the whole time.
The Voicemail of Magnus Bane
This was rather sad, but an important view of Magnus' character, particularly during a hard time (that I won't spoil because, you know, it takes place further in the series than any others do). However, it was probably on the lower end of stories for me.
Overall: It was a wonderful collection and I can't wait until Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy releases in hardback!
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Great review! I read What Really Happened in Peru back awhile ago when was freely available online, but I wasn't very thrilled by it. I still plan on reading the collection - and I picked it up for an amazing deal at a bargain outlet store!
ReplyDeleteYeah, that one wasn't too great, and neither was the follow up, but after that there's a shift where we start to see more familiar characters (like the Herondales) and it gets so good! It totally got me out of my book slump (and I'm so grateful) and I'm mad that I waited so long. Jealous that you got it on sale!
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