Chain of Thorns

The Last Hours, Book 3

By: Cassandra Clare

Narrated by: Finty Williams

Length: 29 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

James and Cordelia must save London—and their marriage—in this thrilling and highly anticipated conclusion to the Last Hours series from the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Cassandra Clare. Chain of Thorns is a Shadowhunters novel.

All first edition hardcovers will include full-color reverse jacket art, ten black-and-white interior illustrations, and a bonus short story!

Cordelia Carstairs has lost everything that matters to her. In only a few short weeks, she has seen her father murdered, her plans to become parabatai with her best friend, Lucie, destroyed, and her marriage to James Herondale crumble before her eyes. Even worse, she is now bound to an ancient demon, Lilith, stripping her of her power as a Shadowhunter.

After fleeing to Paris with Matthew Fairchild, Cordelia hopes to forget her sorrows in the city’s glittering nightlife. But reality intrudes when shocking news comes from home: Tatiana Blackthorn has escaped the Adamant Citadel, and London is under new threat by the Prince of Hell, Belial.

Cordelia returns to a London riven by chaos and dissent. The long-kept secret that Belial is James and Lucie’s grandfather has been revealed by an unexpected enemy, and the Herondales find themselves under suspicion of dealings with demons. Cordelia longs to protect James but is torn between a love for James she has long believed hopeless, and the possibility of a new life with Matthew. Nor can her friends help—ripped apart by their own secrets, they seem destined to face what is coming alone.

For time is short, and Belial’s plan is about to crash into the Shadowhunters of London like a deadly wave, one that will separate Cordelia, Lucie, and the Merry Thieves from help of any kind. Left alone in a shadowy London, they must face Belial’s deadly army. If Cordelia and her friends are going to save their city—and their families—they will have to muster their courage, swallow their pride, and trust one another again. For if they fail, they may lose everything—even their souls.

©2023 Cassandra Clare (P)2023 Simon & Schuster Audio

Excellent series finale!

Tears, oh the tears! This finel book fulfilled & satisfied the closure I needed from this story. Although the bad guy ending was predictable, the bad girl one was clever. It pieces the other spin-off series well, too.
As usual, Finty did an excellent job with the narration.

epic ending! It was perfect!!

the narrator really brings the characters to life! I loved this series! !!! !!!

An Enthralling Story

From start to finish there was never a dull moment in this book. I am so grateful for the way each of the characters was written and where there stories were left off.
Another series I will cherish forever.

Chain of Thorns

I loved it very much. I felt that you were able to get lots of insights into all of the characters. It had challenges, romance, friendships, and true heroism in all of the characters. I want to go back and start this series again because I feel it has come full circle, but at the same time I would love more especially in the young days of Jace Herondale, Clary Fairchild, Alex, and Isabelle Lightwood's parents when they were betrayed by Valentin Morningstar.

Another phenomenal story

Cassandra builds a world that you cannot help but to fall in love with. The characters become so dear to you and she always gives you such a satisfying ending. Cannot wait to start another!

Great listen overall

I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. I have been a long time fan of the Shadow Hunter Chronicles. I believe there is something lost in the story, though I can’t quite put my finger on it. Perhaps it’s just much of the same. If this were the first series I read, I believe I would have liked it that much more.

Awesome conclusion to this generation for now

I came to the shadowhunter books kind of late. The Mortal Instruments were all out and the first of two of the Infernal Devices were out. Since then I have read and listened to all the books multiple times. I am amazed at Cassandra’s ability to keep the strings of all the different eras she is creating intertwined and not spoil stories about later stories in her timeline by the books from earlier dates in the timeline. Often book series like her’s that span such a timeframe feels like you are rereading plot points because what was a revelation in one story becomes background for the future. If you look at just Last Hours and Eldest Curses she timed the releases so that you get the actual progression of finding out Tessa is a child of a prince of hell before you find that she and Magnus are Eldest Curses in the other series.

We have been introduced to several generations of Shadowhunters in the series that she has written. Taking short stories and novels we have had a view of so many Herondale including Edmond, Will & Cecily, James & Lucy, Imogen, memories of Stephen, and Jace. We have seen the details about Will’s death many years from the time of this novel but here we see him in his prime dealing with the types of issues that only the father of two hero warriors would hopefully ever have to face. I like how this wraps up the time of this group of young heroes. As far as I know from the plan Cassandra has shared I don’t think there are plans to continue this group’s stories any further as main characters. I feel this closing along with what we know about the night Will passed away that there are no gaping holes in the story that needs to be filled and at the same time there is an opening to progress their story further. Even if there is never another story with this generation as the main characters we have three great characters that can be used in Eldest Curses or another series to elaborate more on these young heroes through memories in Magnus, Tessa, and Jen.

Magnus is by far one of my favorite characters she has created. I feel he is the common thread in all of the stories and he is not actually a Shadowhunter.

Awesome story

Action packed, new ideas, drama, and just enough romance to make you blush a little!! Loved every minute of it.

Loved it!

Great narrator! The story was fabulous as is the rest of her books. Amazing ending to a wonderful trilogy.

Loved it.

As always, CC has written a novel that I couldn’t put down, complete with mystery, passion, friendships to aspire to, and so much more.