ashlyncherie's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really liked this book! I enjoyed the characters and complex world building.
I’m excited to see if Conor doesn’t actually suck in future books and who Lin ends up with!
Lin is my favorite!!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

anni_swanilda's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

wganas4's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

stormeno's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

enc3336's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This is a slow burn compared to The Shadowhunter Chronicles. I love that series and was excited to read this book, I went into this thinking it would be like TSC but I was wrong. 

I knew it wouldn’t be the same as her other books but I thought there would be more action like her other series. This is definitely setting up the characters and is world building. The last section of the book is where it begins to pick up. The ending of the book does leave you on a cliffhanger and the last half of the book has made me excited to see where the story goes. 

Go in with an open mind and just be ready for a slower paced series. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

a_mayt's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A very interesting storyline. However, some details are over explained when not needed & some wording used to frequently. Overall an exciting story making the reader hungry for more.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

tdawgg07's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

wordsmithreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

3.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

freshbatchofbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

I received a copy of this book as part of my FairyLoot subscription.
"Sword Catcher" is Cassandra Clare's debut into adult fantasy. Kel was an orphan and a child with a bleak future ahead of him, when he was taken to become a Sword Catcher, a body double for the prince, Conor. Kel and Conor grew up next to each other, and despite the difference in power, Kel thinks of Conor as a brother and would do anything for him. Lin is a member of the Ashkar, a small community that still have magical abilities. Lin has aspired to become a physician, so that she can hopefully find a suitable cure for her best friend's mysterious illness. After an unfortunate attack, Lin and Kel are brought together, and the pair each have their own run in with the Ragpicker King. Now Lin and Kel have to decide what knowledge is worth dying for, and who they can actually trust.
I was blown away with how much I was invested in this story, and I think it is my new favorite from Cassandra Clare. As much as I enjoyed the Shadowhunter world, I really appreciated seeing Cassandra expand her talents into a new world. This book is beautifully written, and it is very evident that the author is an experienced fantasy writer.
I really enjoyed the switching between Kel's and Lin's perspectives. Both characters were equally interesting to me, and I really appreciated getting both of their stories. I appreciated even more when their stories began to converge, and we got to see them come together.
Kel's story is devastating: an orphan who was taken in by royalty to act as the prince so that if there was an assassination attempt on the prince, the real prince would not die. Despite his humble beginnings, I loved seeing his loyalty towards Conor. He could have very easily grown resentful of Conor, but he really believed him to be a brother, and that relationship is so important to Kel. I also think he is a great influence on Conor, and I believe Conor really does care for Kel. Even when they were children, Conor asked if Kel wanted to be the Sword Catcher, because Conor wanted someone who wanted to be there.
Lin's story was incredible. She fought through so much adversity to become a physician, something women could only dream of. Not only did she get to practice medicine, but she was also really amazing at it. Lin's determination to become knowledgeable in the field of medicine was driven by such noble reasons, and it made her all the more relatable and likeable.
This book is rife with action. Just when you think the characters have a moment to breath, there is conflict, and someone's life is on the line. This really made the story progress quickly and helped to keep my attention throughout the entire novel.
The magic is really interesting in this world. I am very curious to learn more about it as the series progresses, because I do not think we got a full picture yet with just this first installment.
I am heavily invested in this story, and I cannot wait to pick up the next book! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings