Readers travels to Edwardian London in newest Shadowhunters series

     Fantasy fans, rejoice! The newest series in the Shadowhunters universe has begun and Cassandra Clare introduces us to a whole new cast of characters, while bringing in some fan favorites from The Infernal Devices. The first book in The Last Hours series, Chain of Gold, brings readers to Edwardian London where a whole bunch of trouble awaits the newest generation of Shadowhunters.
     Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to battle demons. When her father is accused of a terrible crime, she and her brother travel to London in hopes of preventing the family’s ruin. Cordelia’s mother wants to marry her off, but Cordelia is determined to be a hero rather than a bride. Soon Cordelia encounters childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and is drawn into their world of glittering ballrooms, secret assignations, and supernatural salons, where vampires and warlocks mingle with mermaids and magicians. All the while, she must hide her secret love for James, who is sworn to marry someone else. But Cordelia’s new life is blown apart when a shocking series of demon attacks devastate London. These monsters are nothing like those Shadowhunters have fought before—these demons walk in daylight, strike down the unwary with incurable poison, and seem impossible to kill. London is immediately quarantined. Trapped in the city, Cordelia and her friends discover that their own connection to a dark legacy has gifted them with incredible powers—and forced a brutal choice that will reveal the true cruel price of being a hero.
     Cassandra Clare does a fabulous job of introducing new readers to the world of Shadowhunters, while also inviting current fans back into the intrigue of the London Institute. We see snippets of old favorites like Tessa, Will, and Jem, but these older characters don't overshadow the new generation of Shadowhunters (aka their children and relatives) who are the main focus of the book.
     As always, the world-building, plot development, and character development are all fantastically done. Each of the characters highlighted throughout the book are so complex that you can't help but love them, yet also want to knock some sense into them at times. In addition to all of this, the detailed plot will have you questioning characters’ motives and crave all of the drama and comedy that Clare weaves into each of her novels.
     I don't think I need to tell current Shadowhunters fans that they need to read this book, but for those who are interested in joining the fandom, this book is definitely worth reading! I am eagerly awaiting the release of the next book in the series, Chain of Iron, which is set to be released this year!

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