I can’t quite do a full trilogy overview as the third book has been pushed back till next year so I can’t but I thougth I’d share my thoughts so far.

Like how much I enjoy the tone of these books. Yes, they’re fantasies like the rest of the Shadowhunter Chronicles but I say the style is more rom-com travelogue with occult mysteries instead of world-ending missions of good vs evil. Which is good because it allows us to focus on our favorite couple, Malec!

First off, The Magnus Bane Chronicles may have filled some gaps in Magnus’ background but these books delve deeper into his feelings about his parentage as son of a Prince of Hell, his background in Indonesia and his biological mother and stepfather, the difficulties of immortality and of course, fatherhood. Not all at once but the themes weave together nicely to build up Magnus’ development from magical party-planner to reflecting and realizing the capacity he has for love and to be loved after the years of loss, and revulsion from other members of society. In fact, he finds that despite Alec’s mortality, love is worth it. To keep going and savor the experience even if their time is finate.

Alec’s trajectory of character development is a little less interesting to me because we have seen a majority of it-from an insecure, in the closet Shadowhunter to seizing leadership and believing in his ability to become a dipomat and envoy for change for the next generation-in the original/sequel series. But I do enjoy seeing more POV from him during the beginning of their relationship, the excitment and the fear and the thrill of it all when you finally meet someone who makes you feel like your best self, and pushes you to be better and do more than you ever thought you could be. From proclaiming his love to a warlock in public to becoming a father to two adorable little boys.

But Malec isn’t the only connecting thread between these two stories. There is also the overarching villain-Shinyun Jung. A Korean warlock and Greater Warlock who serves as a corrupt foil to Magnus in sharing a traumatic past and hardship thanks to the prejudice and fear of humans torturing and abandoning her but instead of still accepting love and being open to change, she chooses vengence and power to avenge herself. She’s what Magnus could have become if he became bitter and grew hardened and careless with other’s peoples lives. In fact, it is in their investigation to the demon cult he created and other past events he had a hand in, his continued interactions force him to look at some of his worse action despite his good or harmless intentions.

As I mentioned, it is sort of a travelogue. The first book takes place in three major (and romantic) European cities for Magnus to woo Alec while the second one takes the gang to Shanghei. This allows Clare to flex her descriptiv emuslces once again to immerse the reader in the cultural differences, beautiful architecture and unique locations so the readers feel like they’re in a new place too. She does an equally excellent job with describing Diyu, the Chinese Underworld with its specific cultural trappings and references that make it as dangerous and terrifying as the Anglo-Catholic beliefs of what hell and its demons must be like. The latter is probably strengthened by Clare’s co-writer, Chu who brings his knowledge of his heritage to make it accurate and detailed.

Plus the overarching theme of love despite prejudices with its side characters, Aline and Helen where The Red Scrolls of Magic allows readers to see the very beginning of their time dating and then their relationship. The Lost Book of White introduces Ke Yi Tan who’s in a relationship with a faerie, Jinfeng. Both couples add some diversity into the Shadowhunter world and reflect the shared struggle Alec and Magnus are facing against a prejudiced society. Nonetheless, the greater message is that love is worth it. It makes you stronger and being opened to accepting and embracing your love despite fear and hardship is worth it because everyone deserves someone in their life. This is especially poignant for Magnus as he has lived for so long and knows the pain it can bring and how they can fail. Still, you embrace it and chase it and cherish it because love is that strong.
But Clare writes in a way that sounds a lot less sappy than what I just wrote.

Like before, the characters drew me in, it helps that I know them so well from prevous series but I do feel that some of the urgency and high stakes are lessened because these take place between other series so you know it won’t be as life-changing as it could be. However, I do appreciate the demonology and horror that the occult focus brings to the book making it feel larger abd gradiose despite knowing it won’t change the series’ status quo. Plus Shinyun is interesting in how she continues to be one step of Magnus and Alec, without them knowing and I’m intrigued to see her endgame.

So yep, these are all my thoughts for now until The Black Volume of the Dead comes out.