Lady Midnight--"The Law is annoying, but it is also flexible"

Title: Lady Midnight, Book #1 of The Dark Artifices

Author: Cassandra Clare


What it’s about (in 75 words or fewer): Emma Carstairs, with the help of her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, is determined to find out who killed her parents, but discover a demon plot in Los Angeles instead.  Julian is protecting his uncle Arthur and struggling to keep his siblings together, while trying to deny his love for Emma, which has gone far beyond what one should feel for his parabatai.  Julian's brother Mark returns, while a group within the Clave fights for control.


What I think: As I wrote in a previous review, I was slow to warm-up to Cassandra Clare, but by the time I read City of Heavenly Fire, I was completely hooked.  Clare's books just keep getting better and better, and wow, I really like Lady Midnight and its sequel, Lord of Shadows.  But right now, I'm going to go over some of my favorite aspects of Lady Midnight:

1. The quality of the writing and characters--Clare has come a long way since Jace and Clary. The Mortal Instruments characters make occasional cameos, but the story does not focus on them.  Emma and Julian especially are intense, complicated, flawed, and somewhat annoying and adorable, and these are only two of the super large cast of characters.  I am really impressed with how Clare created these characters.  I care about them so much more than I did about the original MI gang.
     
2. The LGBTQ+ representation--Malec returns, which is fabulous, and I love seeing them as parents.  Also rounding out the cast of characters are a lesbian character, two (and maybe more) bisexual characters, and a trans character! I was super excited about the trans character because I had no idea this character was trans.  I love how Clare creates characters who happen to be LGBTQ+ and kick butt and take names.
     
3. A character who has autism--Representation matters: after all, that is one of the reasons I blog. Books that happen to have a character with characteristics of those on the autism spectrum (when the book is specifically not about how "weird" and "special" that character is) are not written enough.  I do not know how to say how important the character of Ty is to me; my oldest son is on the autism spectrum.
     
4. The passion and sensuality--Yes, I went there.  Clare writes some darn good love scenes and some extended versions online that are HOT.  Everyone is just so passionate. I know that's not realistic, but I like it!  Plus Clary has created a birth control rune, which is a super convenient plot element practical rune.
     
5. The complicated villains--Who are the good guys?  Who are the bad guys?  Who can be trusted?  Why are the rules what they are?  What happens/should happen when rules are broken? None of these answers are easy and straight forward--kind of like life.

My final takeaway (in 75 words or fewer):  I'd recommend that you read the preceding books, but it might be possible to start with this book.  It is an excellent read--suspenseful, sensual, and with sensational characters.


Memorable quotes/passages from the book: 

• "'That's not the spirit of the Law, Emma.  Remember?  The Law is hard, but it is the law.'
  'I thought it was the Law is annoying, but it is also flexible'" (hardback edition, pg. 25).
   
• "When you love someone, they become a part of who you are. They’re in everything you do. They’re in the air you breathe and the water you drink and the blood in your veins. Their touch stays on your skin and their voice stays in your ears and their thoughts stay in your mind. You know their dreams because their nightmares pierce your heart and their good dreams are your dreams too. And you don’t think they’re perfect, but you know their flaws, the deep-down truth of them, and the shadows of all their secrets, and they don’t frighten you away; in fact you love them more for it, because you don’t want perfect. You want them" (pg. 100-101).
    
• "'In Emma's defense, Cameron's annoying, but he's hot.' Julian gave her a look. 'I mean, if you like guys who look like a redheaded Captain America, which I... don't?'
  'Captain America is definitely the most handsome Avenger,' said Cristina. 'But I like the Hulk. I would like to heal his broken heart.'
  'We're Nephilim,' said Julian. 'We're not even supposed to know about the Avengers. Besides," he added, "Iron Man is obviously the best-looking'" (pg 280-281).
    
• "'You don't want him,' she said to the pink-haired girl. 'He has syphilis.'
  The girls stared. 'Syphilis?'
  'Five percent of people in America have it,' said Ty helpfully.
  'I do not have syphilis,' Mark said angrily. 'There are no sexually transmitted diseases in Faerieland!' . . .
  'Sorry,' Jules said. 'You know how syphilis is. Attacks the brain'" (pgs. 282-283).

Other reviews: Hobby Lark and School Library Journal

This book is available in the Greensboro Public Library.