Chain of Thorns: The Last Hours, Book 3
Fierce friendships shine in mature Shadowhunter finale.
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Based on 1 review
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Chain of Thorns is the third and final book in The Last Hours series set in the vast Shadowhunter world of author Cassandra Clare that is geared specifically for mature teens and up. The Last Hours takes place chronologically after The Infernal Devices (early 20th century) and involves James and Lucie, the children of Tess and Will from that series. Like all Shadowhunter novels, there are demons to fight. Ichor spills freely in battles and the demons disappear in a cloud of ash after some gore, this time with dead bodies used as vessels for demons. One close friend of the main characters dies in battle and is heavily mourned and other minor characters die, one with a slit throat. Hostages, including one child, are possessed and burn alive from the inside. A character suffers from life-threatening alcohol withdrawal after hiding his drinking, and there's a bit more drinking from other older teen characters besides. Sexual content is ramped up in this finale, as expected. Readers have been waiting the whole series for the main straight married couple in the story to finally be together physically, so two scenes have some vivid details. There are also scenes of gay and lesbian couples kissing and undressing, but the details are left more to the imagination. This is an 800-pager with lots going on, but one thing holds the heart of the story together splendidly: the communication skills of the circle of friends featured, especially for these two emotionally charged topics: addiction and coming out. Alastair says of Matthew's addiction to alcohol that it is "a disease of shame as well as addiction and need. Shame poisons you. It makes you unable to accept help, for you do not believe that you deserve it." Ari says of coming out to her parents, "I am sure my mother is mourning the daughter that she never had. But if she loves me – and I believe she does – I think she most love the reality of me." Two other characters speak candidly of coming out and staying true to themselves. Others speak sagely of forgiveness and not holding onto anger or painful secrets. So there's much more to ponder for mature teen readers than romance and demon fighting.
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What's the Story?
In CHAIN OF THORNS: THE LAST HOURS, BOOK 3, James is having dreams of dark places with voices declaring, "They wake." Cordelia, on a trip to Paris with Matthew to forget her heartbreak over James, hears the same ominous message at a cabaret from a warlock channeling her dead father. And when Cordelia and Matthew are confronted by Lilith, the mother of demons, on a Paris street, Lilith repeats the mantra while demanding Cordelia's allegiance -- they had a deal that Cordelia would be her paladin, a deal she sorely regrets. But what wakes? Surely it has to do with James and Lucie's power-hungry demon grandfather Belial. Cordelia and her London friends are determined to find out, even as things get complicated among them. James goes after Cordelia in Paris to win her back and finds her kissing Matthew. Matthew is discovered lying about his drinking after his promise to Cordelia to stay sober in Paris. Lucie, finally united with a live and breathing Jesse she helped raise, faints every time they kiss and is mentally transported to a pit of the restless dead who are desperately trying to tell her something.
Is It Any Good?
This Shadowhunter series finale sticks to the best-selling formula: melodrama and sultry romance topped off with a world-saving demon battle royale. And because it's Edwardian London, toss in some gorgeous dresses and carriage rides and trips to historic places like Westminster Abbey and Cross Bones Graveyard. Unfortunately for fans of ye olde London, it's in pretty rough shape for much of the book because of one power-hungry demon -- Belial, aka James and Lucie's grandpa. It's only James, Lucie, Cordelia, and friends who decide not to abandon London when gramps comes calling; only they know about Belial's army, his nefarious plans, only they can figure out how to defeat him. And only they can travel to his depressing demon realm and come back alive. It's a blessed break from the usual infuriating Clave politics of the series -- the Clave that seems to exist only to impede and punish young Shadowhunters. Instead, when the worst goes down, James and friends get free reign to be fancy weapon-wielding, demon-fighting heroes together.
The young Shadowhunters are present for each other in other ways, too. Some truly thoughtful and touching scenes grapple with Matthew's alcoholism and how best to help him, and when Ari explains why she refuses to be anyone but herself, a woman who loves other women, all her friends rally around her. As usual, the main love story is full of complications, some of them that feel fabricated to keep the miserable couple apart just a little longer. But it does make their reunion all the sweeter. At 800 pages, Chain of Thorns is a long haul, but readers have plenty of demons, passionate kisses, and tender friendship moments to hold them to the end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how friends look out for each other in The Chain of Thorns. How do they help Matthew with his addiction? How do they support their friends who come out as gay or lesbian? What holds some friends back from asking for help they need? How are those hurdles overcome?
Readers have been waiting the whole series for a couple to finally be together. So when they have sex after more than 1,500 pages or so of waiting, is there an expectation for intimate details? Should teen books be less overt about sexual content? Or does it depend on the situation?
Do you think another Shadowhunter spin-off series is in the works? Whom would you like it to feature?
Book Details
- Author: Cassandra Clare
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Character Strengths: Communication, Courage, Empathy, Perseverance, Self-control, Teamwork
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
- Publication date: January 31, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 14 - 18
- Number of pages: 800
- Available on: Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: February 21, 2023
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