The Lost Book of the White (The Eldest Curses #2)

Ahh Cassandra Clare. Where do I begin. I have read all of the novels. All of them. Her books are a drug that I try to shake but can’t seem to. I am so annoyed with them but I can’t stop myself from purchasing and reading the latest.

Pros: Shadowhunters are a cool concept. The mix of Shadowhunter, mundane and downworlders doesn’t seem to get old. Some of her characters are just great. (Jem, Tessa, Will, Magnus) The stories can be good.

Cons: Her books are becoming increasingly predictable. Personal irk from this book, SammaEL. El is a suffix denoting ‘of God’ usually attached to angelic names, yet it is used here for a demonic one. It just bugged me throughout the entire book.

The story was interesting: retrieve the book of the white, neutralize the effects of a mystical, magical thorny club, defeat a Prince of Hell and an insane warlock. But, I could see everything coming, even the ‘solutions’ to the thorny club problem. I hate predictability in books. I also get that the fandom is centered around the ‘ships’ but I could do with a little less reminding of who the couples are and how much they like to be physical with one another.

Kudos to Clare and Chu for neutralizing Simon Lovelace. I have detested Simon sisnce book 1. He has always gotten on my nerves and I just want him to go away. In this book, while he is present, he has taken a back seat. Thank you. I like this meeker, more human Simon. (Yes I know he wasn’t human through a lot of the saga, that’s not what I mean.) I was afraid I was going to have him in my face in this book. I did not. I am glad. Thank you.

Fans of Clare are going to love this book. Lots of Magnus and Alec and the integral characters from the first trilogy are present. Brief plot summary: The world is in danger, the shadowhunters, with the help of Magnus Bane, save the world. All the books have the same plot. Twist? Shinyun Jun and Ragnor Fell are teamed up with Demon Prince Sammael plotting to enter the world and destroy it. Magnus becomes caught up in it involuntarily. Shinyun Jun has her own agenda. Lots of cutsie Max memories sprinkled here and there. Interesting flashbacks. Runes rule the day.

It does deserve a higher score, but not from me. Too predictable. I am still waiting for Clare to match or top The Infernal Devices, still her best written trilogy.

Seeing Alec and Magnus as parents is EVERYTHING! Even though it was for a short period of time throughout the novel, it still made my heart warm and fuzzy. Now onto the book itself. The Lost Book of the White picks up 4 months after the events of Tales of the Shadowhunter Academy, so like 3 years since The Red Scrolls of Magic. Yeah, there is a significant time jump. This is going to be a very vague review because it is hard to review something that is book like 17 in a series.

Now this book definitely starts off with a bang and then the journey begins. Magnus and Alec are enjoying parenthood when and old adversary pops up out of the blue and steals the Books of the White and stabs Magnus. Our cast of characters are the usual Clary and the gang make an appearance. We also get to see Simon in Shadowhunter action but also how the events of Shadowhunter Academy has affected him.

I really enjoyed this book and after reading this I have no doubt in my mind that these books are so necessary. Cassandra Clare has an endgame planned out and the Eldest Curses is definitely a little gateway into knowing what that endgame is. I am almost positive that the last book in the Eldest Curses series will probably take place after the events of Queen of Air and Darkness.

Great edition to this series. Alec Magnus and Max moments were so perfect. I wanted more of Max, but the rest was so brilliantly done. It’s going be so hard waiting a year for next installment.

What went on in this book at times blew my mind and left me stunned especially one moment of what Alec did near the end. I definitely did not see that coming. However I should have known that he was not going to take it lying down and letting Magnus go.

It was definitely I must read for this saga about Shadowhunters. I love the cover how it flipped over and you got a second one. I have yet to read the short story and hear about Jem and Tessa wedding but I know that’ll be good too. I really hope Casdandra keeps writing more of these awesome books especially ones with Magnus, Alec, and Max and future Rafe.

I went into this book already in love with Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood. And I leave it even more enamored with them.

The balance of humor and romance and bitterness in this book moved me to tears. As much as I grieved for the fates of some, I rejoiced for others.

Watching Alec and Magnus grow, become fathers, become themselves in the truest of ways has been like watching myself grow and learn and love.

Thank you, Cassie, Wesley, Alec, Magnus and of course Max, for growing and loving with me.

I don’t know what it is about this trilogy. If it’s that it’s set in the past so there is no real danger or if it’s the lack of action compared to the other tales but sometimes its just hard to get through. It’s not that it’s boring it’s just that it lacks depth. If good to see the Lightwood-Bane family growing pains but there is just something missing from these novels that didn’t pull me in till the late nights. That being said I love the foray into Magnus’s past. As well as the return of the Alliance rune. I would really like to know how the birth control rune came to be and who was the first to test it out. That will make a nice short story.

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