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A review by savvyrosereads
Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Out October 10, 2023 [Thank you so much to the publisher for the gifted copy for review!]
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
The first adult fantasy from Cassandra Clare, Sword Catcher is the story of Kel, a body double for the Crown Prince, and Lin, a physician and member of a diasporic race called the Ashkar—the last remaining practitioners of magic.
It’s no secret that Cassie Clare is my favorite author, so to say I was excited for this would be an understatement. Fortunately, it delivered in almost every way! My favorite thing about Cassie has always been her characters, and the characters here are INCREDIBLE—in particular, I’m obsessed with Conor, Lin, and Antonetta (honorable mentions for Mariam and Merren) and I cannot WAIT to see all of their stories develop as this series continues.
The world building here is also fantastic—everything from the politics to the lore to the setting feels so intricate and fascinating, and I’m so excited to learn even more (including more about the magic system itself!) Because this book is the first in a series there is a *lot* of world building and foundation laying here, so just be aware of that when you pick it up—but I have a feeling it is building to something absolutely incredible, so I’m already dying to see what will come next!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: high fantasy; multi-layered characters; early-Throne of Glass meets Six of Crows vibes
CW: Lots of violence/blood/injury/death, including death of parents; mentions of terminal illness; sexism/misogyny
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
The first adult fantasy from Cassandra Clare, Sword Catcher is the story of Kel, a body double for the Crown Prince, and Lin, a physician and member of a diasporic race called the Ashkar—the last remaining practitioners of magic.
It’s no secret that Cassie Clare is my favorite author, so to say I was excited for this would be an understatement. Fortunately, it delivered in almost every way! My favorite thing about Cassie has always been her characters, and the characters here are INCREDIBLE—in particular, I’m obsessed with Conor, Lin, and Antonetta (honorable mentions for Mariam and Merren) and I cannot WAIT to see all of their stories develop as this series continues.
The world building here is also fantastic—everything from the politics to the lore to the setting feels so intricate and fascinating, and I’m so excited to learn even more (including more about the magic system itself!) Because this book is the first in a series there is a *lot* of world building and foundation laying here, so just be aware of that when you pick it up—but I have a feeling it is building to something absolutely incredible, so I’m already dying to see what will come next!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: high fantasy; multi-layered characters; early-Throne of Glass meets Six of Crows vibes
CW: Lots of violence/blood/injury/death, including death of parents; mentions of terminal illness; sexism/misogyny
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Mental illness and Terminal illness
Minor: Rape