My Nth Cassie Novel

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don’t believe I can change the world—it sounds stupid to even talk about it—but I’m going to try.

I listened to the audiobooks of these stories, and I absolutely loved them. I particularly loved those that were narrated by the famous Sam Heughan because of his perfect, Scottish inflection.

It was a delight to get to know more about Simon Lewis, who was literally given a clean slate in City of Heavenly Fire. I was able to sympathize with his memory and identity crisis, which inevitably caused a strain in his relationships, whether they be friendly, familial, or romantic. It was admirable how he did his best to scrape up the pieces of his past while gradually embracing his new future as a Shadowhunter.

Furthermore, I enjoyed getting satisfactory glimpses into the lives of The Mortal Instruments‘s main protagonists. Magnus and Alec were definitely the ones who stood out for me. I’ve never been one of their fans, but I was intrigued by the drama and complexity of their relationship.

The characters of The Infernal Devices were also given their own stories, and I especially loved learning more about their descendants, who were very diverse and well developed. Until now, I cannot get over how Tessa got to build families with both Will and Jem. LOL

Plot-wise, these stories were simultaneously nostalgic and refreshing. The familiar Shadowhunter world was expanded as a new generation of Nephilim was introduced. The missions and fighting scenes were engaging as usual, and the Academy was like an urbanized version of Hogwarts. Of course, Cassandra Clare’s signature, heartbreaking plot twists were present once again. 😉

All things considered, I highly recommend reading (or listening to) this collection. I am glad to have finished it before starting The Dark Artifices. This might be quite a shock: My copy of Lady Midnight has been untouched, so I hope to finally read it soon. I’ve been a fan of the Shadowhunter world since 2010, and I’m excited to read about Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn.