#i will never understand why magnus isn't in tmi's one

[myangelbach]

I love this, so cool

I colorized TSC spines

Don't look at TDA's one though, it's this bad because I COULDN'T FIND A FULL PIC OKAY??😭😞 There were separate spines which I tried to put together....and apparently it didn't go well, the quality is shit and my day is ruined

[ladyhindsight]

The latest chapter included many a bullshit and onward we go. We left Isabelle blackout drunk at Jordan's, Clary escaping Magnus' place via Portal, Simon at the Greenwich Hotel partaking in a job interview with Raphael who wants an indestructible bodyguard. Great. This chapter also greatly reveals how Clare sees the issues Clary faces in comparison to Isabelle's, and I am disgusted.

We now cut to Clary at Taki's waiting for Simon because it is the only Shadow World restaurant in the whole city of New York. Why visit any place else anyway? Simon arrives, his jokes don't land, and he gets concerned:

→ As much so that it needs repetition.

→ The bell as a gift from the Seelie Queen is mentioned in the very first chapter and recapped there. It is even written: "Clary remembered the words of the faerie girl who had handed her the bell." Clary tells Simon about "Kaelie's visit to Luke and Jocelyn’s reception, and her promises to Clary about the Seelie Queen’s help" in the chapter 2 "Thorns" of this book.

Ample opportunity to mention it was Kaelie who gifted the bell on behalf of the queen instead of cramming that information right there as if the readers can't keep up. We know who she is, we know what was her role in this. Hence:

→ It was Kaelie, (the blue-eyed faerie waitress,) who looked at Clary and grinned, a superior grin...

As I said, it is unfortunate there is no place else to go where Kaelie can't show off her happiness over Clary's dismay. Because they serve blood there but apparently there is no place else in the New York that serves also blood

But Simon isn't crying, even the edgy tears of blood. Clare has an annoying habit of delivering information with justifications that only weaken the purpose of delivering that information in the first place.

True, but I love to assign blame, especially to Jace and Clary, because the writing sure does not do it.

Clary tells Simon of her grand plan of infiltrating with Sebastian and Jace. She reveals where she went off to after leaving Magnus' place: She went to steal the faerie rings (conveniently mentioned only in this book once they became relevant to the plot) from the Institute library. They then test them out.

Brother Zachariah spoke to them in the previous chapter, it makes sense to call back to the similarity of that. But also now that Clare's intent on tying TID with TMI is more evident by the book, it also (to me) feels like forcing a mention of the characters or things from TID at every possible opportunity. Especially since Brother Zachariah is barely the first of Silent Brothers Clary has spoken to (or who have spoken to Clary).

→ the way she/they (as in everyone) heard the Silent Brothers → the way the Silent Brothers spoke

What I don't understand and the writing never cares to explain in this moment is why Alec and Isabelle aren't included in this part of the plan. How I see it, they'd rather throw Clary at any opportunity of getting Jace back than worry for her. Nothing in their relationship (because it barely exists) would make them side with Simon and be apprehensive of her safety versus getting Jace back.

We then cut to Maia visiting Jordan, and everything is awful.

Imagine making someone carrying a backpack of all things all about you.

Maia has arrived to Jordan's place to ask for help. Isabelle then pops up, and the three of them talk about the current situation with Luke and Jace. Maia delivers Isabelle a message from Magnus, asking Jordan to reach out to the Praetor Lupus.

A werewolf dying is not an affair of the Clave.

Not that long since they are already making out in a car in the next chapter. I remember Clary and Jace being the most difficult ones to read but no, everything to do with Jordan is just suffering.

Then Isabelle says: "I want my brother,” she said. “I want to see Alec." And Maia says: “Well, that’s good,” Maia said. “Because after Magnus called me, he sent a follow-up text. He said he had a feeling you’d be here, and he had a message for you. He wants you to go to his apartment in Brooklyn, right away.” This will be relevant just a bit from here.

We then cut to Isabelle arriving at Magnus' place.

This reads weird. It's like three things loosely related to each other strung together. The pause if a bit iffy when 'though' appears as a subordinating conjunction in the middle of a sentence.

→ The warmth came from a fire leaping in the grated fireplace though there were no chimneys in the building, but the fire had (or did have) the blue-green tinge of enchanted flame.

→ The warmth came from a fire leaping in the grated fireplace. There were no chimneys in the building, but the fire had the blue-green tinge of enchanted flame.

It just seems too convoluted way of saying there was an enchanted fire in the fireplace that has no chimney leading out.

Because Alec is barefoot (important detail) it is essential to mention what he is wearing. Also this book does this with basically everyone who appears for the first time.

MAGNUS. He was wearing what for Magnus was a somber ensemble—jeans and a black T-shirt with rivets around the collar and cuffs. + His hair was wet, dripping onto the shoulders of his white shirt and making it transparent. He wore jeans with holes in them and fraying hems + the canary yellow pajamas and green alien slippers with antennae

CLARY. She was wearing jeans and rubber-soled sneakers, and a soundless rune was carved into her ankle.

JORDAN. wearing a green shirt that hugged his leanly muscled body in all the right places and brought out the hazel color of his eyes. *barf* + Jordan stood behind her, wearing dark jeans and a black sweater half-zipped over a green T-shirt.

ISABELLE. Isabelle sat atop one of the boulders, wearing a long dress of bottle-green silk with an embroidered black and silver coat over it + She wore black suede knee-high boots, tight jeans, and a red silky top with her familiar red pendant around her throat

ALEC. He was wearing his usual ratty sweater and jeans, but a dark blue scarf that matched his eyes was wrapped around his throat + He wore a long leather duster open over a blue sweater

SEBASTIAN. He wore a white shirt, the sleeves pulled up + Sebastian had been wearing a long black wool trench coat that had looked expensive.

JACE. His hands were careless in the pockets of his jeans, his Marks visible through his white T-shirt. Over it was thrown an unfamiliar tan suede jacket that brought out the gold undertones to his skin. + Jace’s clothes had been clean, stylish, ordinary + He wore a dark blue sweater that made his hair look like sunlight.

MAIA. She was wearing jeans and a caramel-colored leather jacket, and her hair was pulled up behind her head with bronze chopsticks

CAMILLE. She wore a neat black suit now with high-heeled red shoes, and her hair spilled down her shoulders in waves and curls.

→ It's not wrong or any sort of error to describe what your characters are wearing, it shows the character's persona, but I feel like I am now constantly reading what everyone here is wearing any given day.

Where Clare reveals the issues are hierarchical. Just in previous chapter 6 "No Weapon in this World" where they discuss Jocelyn and Isabelle going to the Iron Sisters, Magnus literally says:

"It's late, and we don't need to wake her up. Everyone needs rest. If I am to send any of you through to the Iron Sisters, it will be tomorrow.”

But then Maia tells Isabelle Magnus wants her there right away? Everyone needs rest, except Isabelle. Because Isabelle did not witness her 9-year-old little brother brutally murdered when she should've been the one to protect him (just weeks ago), doesn't have his brother missing and in a demonic bond with the enemy, doesn't have any problems that could even supersede whatever Clary is going through any given moment. A proper answer to Isabelle's question:

→ "I know, I'm sorry. But we do need you." (Because Alec just previous to this says, "Don’t go to pieces. We need you.”

Also great how Isabelle isn't afforded to "go to pieces" but Clary is allowed all the tears and temper tantrums in the world.

→ The classic "As you know" when delivering information to the readers. Here Alec is delivering information they both have known for their whole lives basically. They don't need to explain this to each other. Also why do they only speak to women? They were all once regular Nephilim that spoke to also men. What is the reason for this?

→ Jocelyn's motivation for going is incredibly unclear. She isn't going for Jace because she doesn't give a crap about him aside from when it concerns Clary's happiness and Jace has barely made Clary's life happy with his antics. All I can assume is that she wants Sebastian dead for all he has done and she knows he'll do with the added bonus of not not killing Jace in the process.

→ Jocelyn is such a plot device. How come Jocelyn ever possessed one of the greatest magical books of all time? We don't know but the plot demands it. How come Jocelyn has visited the Adamant Citadel before and for what reason? No idea but she needs to go as a tour guide for Isabelle.

Alec just said, "in the morning." ↑

Magnus takes Isabelle to her room and hilarity ensues.

For someone who steals coffee and constantly changes his furniture in a whim, it's weird that Magnus can't magic himself proper curtain holders. Convenient for unfunny quips.

→ Great how Alec's emotional life is common knowledge apparently?

→ How is the writing so self-aware at points but refuses to apply this logic to characters like Jace? Because bias, and Jace is worth the destruction of everyone else's happiness.

PARABATAI? Parabatai. Parabatai? Parabatai.

Oh stooop, you're spoiling us with this much parabatai talk about Jace and Alec. But oh no, it's really not about Jace and Alec at all. It's another opportunity for Clare to flaunt Will and Jem and their bond (and make yet another TID reference). This in actuality has nothing more to do with Jace and Alec than having to mention their bond because parabatai exist again in the series.

→ Fuck yeah there ain't! Finally Isabelle standing up for Alec. Now let's implement this to arguments with Jace and Clary as well.

→ Love and blood are not the same, said the Seelie Queen once. You think Isabelle of all people needs to ask Clary shit about this. Isabelle could say the same thing about Jace, that of course Jace loves her, she is his sister. And then there is no bullshit argument like this where everything once again revolves around Clary.

We cut to Clary at Luke's house, baiting Jace to come and get her. She tests out the faerie ring with Simon and they say their goodbyes for the time being. There's this part after they finish their talk:

And that was all. There was no click, as when you hung up a phone; Clary just sensed a severing of their connection, as if a cord had been cut inside her head. She wondered if this was what Alec meant when he talked about the breaking of the parabatai bond.

Yes, their parabatai bond is so shitty is might as well be equated to ending a faerie ring telephone call.

Cut to Simon arriving at Magnus' place also because that is were everyone is gathering in this chapter to snooze. He gets in the bed with Isabelle and makes important discoveries:

Again, convenient magic does not act conveniently when it comes to repair work.

Then we cut back to Clary, and Jace arrives to take her.

And honestly, from what I remember the whole book is going to feel like this endless long time with Jace and Clary's adventures with evil brother. With Clary leaving with Jace, the chapter ends and the first part of the book is finished. A positive note I can make is that at least the part one "No Evil Angel" is somewhat coherent part of the book and makes a clear cut between the beginning of the story and whatever bullcrap comes next.

[clockwork-artifices]

Hello, tis I again who said the thing about the kierark not being the m/m fetish... I guess for me it's just that, well, I'm gay. I don't see it as a fetish as I actually kinda relate to it on a close level and just how things in their relationship got twisted around by other forces / people that made it go bad. And nah, Jemma isn't the relationship that I meant was manipulative. Just some on the other books. But I do see your point, some people just ship gay boys for the "aesthetic" of it.

lol Hello, well.. perhaps your reasons to ship gay couples are bc of representation, but there’s lots of other people who do fetishize them. My point still stands that whilst i do think rep is important, I do not think someone should like it just for the sake of it when that couple is far from healthy, in fact I think kierark is one of the most sexualized (in the books and by the fans), unstable, and “problematic” couples in the whole tsc world (yet they still are one of the most popular, which is… “curious”). I do not agree either on excuse their abusive dynamic and how things went through LM and LoS and blame it on other people(Cristina, I assume). This relationship was (is?) between THEM, they were the ones who decided to do the things they did, they could have managed things and their circumstances in a different way and not get carried away by their insecurities, confusion, desperation or jealousy, but they didn’t, mostly Kieran tbh, since he was the one who started their downhill, or maybe it was the fact that they only knew how to be together in the hunt, but in normal circumstances (the human world) they just didn’t know how to make their rs work, and when mark went back to the human world all the flaws and negative aspects in their relationship ( as mark mentions in LoS, acknowledging their unhealthiness even when they were in the hunt ) just came to light and out of control. Either way, it’s still no ones fault, but theirs and as unhealthy as they are now, as abusive their relationship has become (something that even cc tries to ignore and deny), I genuinely do not understand why would someone ship them, or consider their rs “cute”. And, as I said before, I doubt that in one last book cc can fix, in CREDIBLE way, all this “problematics”, considering she still hasn’t bothered to do that on 2 books and doesn’t seem to care to properly acknowledge it.

And as for the other abusive couples since you are not talking about TDA.. In TID, there’s no couples i would consider abusive tbh. In TMI… there´s sizzy? which even tho the beginning of their rs was kinda messy, their dynamic was never abusive, Clace? if I have to be honest, TMI is the series that I was less invested, I started to dislike (kinda) almost all of the characters since CoA, so I didn´t  cared about them or their relationship(s) that much, and malec? If i am not mistaken, they had their problems at some point and that´s why they broke up, but it was never on kierark’s level or involving so much manipulation and dependence as kierark relationship does, and even there it was acknowledged and magnus (i think) inmediately put a stop to it, something that didn´t happen in kierark’s relationship, or at least, not until a looot of crap occurred between them. 

[ladyhindsight]

hello! (Robert Crying Club #1 member in new acc) i've been working a lot on the Stephen piece and it should be ready for you very soon. i've also planning the other topics already because there's so many stuff bugging me!

while it isn't ready and since i don't think this thing here is part of any deeper subject i will be writing on separetely, i will address and be upset about, because the Robert x Luke issue is something we've been talking about.

from The Last Stand of the New York Institute - TBC. i won't take longer on the context because it will be for a separate post, but the Circle has definitely started its downworlder raid/murder activities and we get to see Robert and Luke on such a situation.

“We didn’t kill any Shadowhunters!” the only woman among the werewolves said. “And my children are innocent. Killing my children would be murder. Bane, you have to make him let my children go. He has my—”

“I would hear no more of your whining like a mongrel dog,” said the young man with the hawklike face, the one standing beside the black-haired woman. They looked like a matched set, and the expressions on their faces were identically ferocious.

Well my dear Robert aren't you such a rude thing!

Then, Luke thinks torturing children is wrong, good for him. (I mean, well, The Evil We Love's Robert couldn't be sure about that when teenager Valentine wanted to do it, so!). Anyway, my point here is on the opinions expressed. After all the shit happens, that's Luke's:

“Let’s go, Valentine,” he said. “All this with the Whitelaws was . . . was a terrible accident. We can’t have our Circle suffering for it. We should go now. These creatures aren’t worth your time, not any of them. These werewolves are just strays who broke off from their pack. You and I will go hunting in the werewolf encampment where the real threat lies tonight. We will bring down the pack leader together.”

it's important to remember that this is the guy who during CoB/CoA/CoG thinks of himself as very morally superior to Robert and their different opinions on downworlders is implied as the major reason. Which is curious because well, I don't see different opinions there. Robert is just ruder about it.

I will be fair though, and say that the Circle had all the right to be angry with Robert after the... massacre... of the NY Institute family (we don't know if they were though, this is me speculating) - it's shown that Maryse was very upset and it's implied that others also were, and under this kind of stress and duress, it would make sense for them to blame Robert for starting the Shadowhunter killing. I think I would be angry with him yes, and specially if I already thought of myself as a better person than him - as it's said in TMI that Luke never liked him.

But by my judgment of what Luke says to Valentine, IMO he would be blaming Robert not for murdering, but for turning the Circle into murderers. He seems more worried about his and Valentine's(!) conscience than about the lives of people who were cowardly killed in a very unfair battle. I am aware that we can't at all assume the killing wouldn't happen if Robert hadn't started it, but he did start it and I find realistic to put it on him then, since nobody would like to put the blame on themselves. I find very interesting how it's pointed that Robert doesn't try to justify his action, which can be something of a twisted consent to resent him about it because he doesn't care. (From The Evil We Love we can understand why would be that - after what he did to Michael, he can hardly get disgusted with himself more than he already is)

Magnus's very important and superior opinion:

Lucian Graymark might be the only one of the lot worth bothering with, and Magnus would bet he was as good as dead.

I get the slight impression that the reader is supposed to agree with this...? My feeling is that the one to show more humanity in the situation was for sure Maryse.

As if I would know better than Magnus, right!?

Robert Crying Club in session.

Luke’s dislike is somewhat unnecessarily underlined whenever it comes to Robert. For instance, when Max has been killed and Robert is devastated by the death of his son, Luke has to remark how he never really liked Robert before he can show any sympathy for Robert’s grief.

It’s like there is desperation to make them appear morally as different from each other as possible. That Robert is a hateful man and Luke is more fair and just. A leader. In The Last Stand of the New York Institute, Luke calls the werewolves “those creatures”, acts rather high and mighty towards Magnus, and laughs at Magnus for Magnus calling New York his city.

“There is nothing we can do to correct the questionable judgments of our ancestors,” Lucian said. Magnus hated this guy.

But Magnus’s feelings about Luke are never brought up later. Robert’s past attitude on the other hand is brought up again and again even after he has truly changed by multiple characters. The Last Stand of New York Institute tries to weave in this idea that Luke’s attitude is less bad because he believes the werewolves they are dealing with are guilty of breaking accords and tries to defend a child. Like, fair, but it doesn’t erase Luke’s bigotry at all.

Luke’s bigotry is not brought up the same way Robert’s is because Robert as a character is more harsh and forward. Luke then is betrayed by Valentine and turned into a werewolf, so I guess that was where his ideologies changed. He being a Downworlder now seems to have erased all what he took part in, said, and thought.

And I definitely agree, Maryse was the only character showing humanity. She showed the most, throughout. Definitely not Luke. I don’t think I’ve ever liked Luke’s character in the books, and now that I think of this, I really don’t like him at all. :’D

[wibblywobblyalec]

I definitely agree with a lot of the main points you make. I think her fetish with incest is disgusting and making it a theme in her tmi was disgusting. The girl on girl hate as a theme was sad as well. Slut shaming Izzy was a low blow and absolutely horrible. Blocking and being cruel to fans that try and ask valid questions or point out flaws is unnacceptable.

However, I would like to add some of my opinions on the other points.

1. I get why she shits on the show. I'm not saying it's okay to do so, but I understand her frustration. She created this entire world and the show didn't really allow her opinions to be heard. She didn't get a lot of control or respect regarding her opinions and wants for the show. She also should be able to take some credit for the show getting recognized because it is her world that is getting recognized. Yes shitting on it is rude and not the best way to go about things, but I can understand where her frustration is coming from

2. Taken out of context I can see why people think Alec is biphobic. In my opinion he isn't. What he is is an 18 year old boy in his first ever relationship. He is inexperienced and insecure. Yes, the comments he made were rude but it was his way of showing his emotions. Alec is emotionally closed off and if we learned anything from Jace it is that shadowhunters express their emotions through snarky comments. He was insecure with his relationship with Magnus and he was afraid Magnus would choose to leave him eventually because he was inexperienced. Once they talked this fight through and made up and addressed his insecurities alec no longer made these comments! These comments were only when alec thought Magnus was going to leave him for someone else. Obviously these comments were horrible and Alec didn't express his insecurities well. Alec is not biphobic he is an inexperienced insecure 18 year old boy scared that his love will leave him for someone else!

3. Helen and aline were sent off for plot reasons! On top of that they are given page time in many sorry stories as well as LoS and QoAaD! I want more of them too, but they are treated fairly well. We also will get their backstory in the rsom!

4. Once again the immortality thing was sorted out for Simon and Izzy because of the plot. Simon sacraficed his immortality to get everyone out of edom. He lost his immortality because it was the only way out. He was the only one who could do so because the loss of his immortality wouldn't kill him! This immortality thing will always be apart of malecs relationship just how it was apart of Tessa and Will's. Tessa and will were a straight couple in her series tid and eventually will died and Tessa lived on. Yes everyone wants Magnus and Alec to be together forever and that still may happen, but the lesson in it is to focus on the now and the later will follow. There is no other reason other than plot that she didn't sort out the immortality issue.

5. I agree there needs to be more character development for Izzy and luke. Magnus, however, is developed throughout the bane chronicles and the infernal devices. You get to see how he has grown throughout the centuries when reading these. Alec's character development is, in my opinion, one of the most prominent. He goes from a shy, unhappy, closeted guy who has never killed a demon to the leader of the downworlder alliance, consul of the clave, and a proud husband and father of two children. He grows into his skin and becomes one of the most respected members of the shadowhunter community who is an inspiration to other lgbt+ members of the community.

I definitely agree with a lot of the points you made and I do think that cc has many problems but I just wanted to point out my differing opinions. I mean no disrespect by this I just wanted to add on more information I felt was important. Also a lot of this is opinions but I did use all of the books from the mortal instruments and the infernal devices as well as the dark artifices when talking about the characters and plot!

i just really wanna know why do you hate cc ? bc if she is hella problematic i want nothing to do with her

my buddy my pal, how much time do you have?? because there is a lot of reasons….

- first of all she plagiarised her entire series from several other sources- she has an incest fetish and actively tries to romanticise it in her books- there’s also an attempted rape in the book that was romanticised by not only her but also book stans- girl on girl hate everywhere- she slutslamed show!izzy on numerous occasions- genuinely shits on the show, even said she regretted signing the rights to it over but then tries to take credit when the show gets recognised (e.g. she recently tried to take credit for shadowhunters getting nominated for a glaad award)- she cashes in on malec every chance she gets and claims she adores them yet shipped them off on vacation for an entire book, wrote zero communication between them, wrote alec as biphobic, planned on killing alec off in the first book, etc etc.- doesn’t care for her lgbt characters - another example of this is that she sent aline and helen off to some island so she didn’t have to write about them- another example is the immortality thing between magnus and alec in the books. she didn’t fix things between them but had no problem sorting the immortality issue out for izzy and simon. - oh and izzy, alec, magnus and luke may as well of been non existent in the books because there was literally no character development for them- she also makes it clear that she doesn’t consider Isaiah to be part of the main cast or luke to be a main character - if someone even disagrees with something she does or questions it in the slightest, she lets her stans bully them. (there’s a whole post somewhere about how serious this got but idk where it is, sorry) - again a huge love for incest, she legit wrote a fanfic? idk about Ginny and Ron from Harry Potter like tf? and also said she ships Damon and Stefan from the vampire diaries when they’re literally brothers yikes

there’s so many other reasons as to why I dislike her but these are ones I could think of off the top of my head. I’m sure if you look through the anti cc tag you’ll see a bunch more reasons, hope this helped :)