Book Review: The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare & Wesley Chu

I am so excited to finally review this! I had plans to read the book when it initially came out almost a year ago (RIP me), but a lot of things happened, and long story short, I didn’t get to reading it until a few months ago. I’m going, to be honest—so much has been happening in the world and to me (I got a job writing for TV Fanatic!), that I forgot to sit down and actually write a review. Well, without further ado, here it is! ♡ (As usual, if you’re only interested in my overall thoughts, scroll to the bottom.)

He had thought he had unearthed every dark secret, wrestled every demon, accepted every personal flaw. The possibility that there might be secrets about himself even he did not know was a troubling one.

— i.

“You are brave to come back and face your past,” he said quietly. “I’d say ‘face your demons,’ but that seems too on the nose.”

In the months leading up to the release of The Red Scrolls of Magic, I wasn’t drowning in excitement like I normally am for Shadowhunter releases. Of course, I was excited, but I was still on my Queen of Air and Darkness high, and I was ready to read about what happened next. Now I kind of wish I was drowning in anticipation because this book truly deserves it. I didn’t expect to be so invested at one point during a timeline we read about (even if it wasn’t about Magnus and Alec’s vacation), and yet, here I am. This book takes place in between the events of City of Glass and City of Fallen Angels, or at the very beginning of Fallen Angels, I can’t really remember. Anyway, Red Scrolls documents the wild, adventurous vacation that Magnus and Alec had in Europe, shortly after the end of City of Glass. Let’s get started!

— ii.

Life was a joke, and the fact that his life would never end was its bad punch line.

The first thing I’d like to mention is how I love it when Cassandra Clare collaborates with other writers. I think it’s impressive to allow other writers into the world/characters she created, and help her build on them. Usually, she only collaborates on short stories, but she’s writing this entire trilogy with Wesley Chu. So, good for her! They seem to make a great writing team, and I’m looking forward to the next book.

I loved the semantics of the book, as well—the creative way the book was split into three parts, Clare and Chu’s writing, the dialogue, the pacing. They both have a way with words that makes you feel gooey inside (not to sound like a cliché or anything). And if you’re a writer, they just make you wanna be better. The book itself was inspiring. Even if The Red Scrolls of Magic had a boring plot (which it didn’t), it would be hard to not at least be impressed with the way they write.

— iii.

It’s natural to be afraid of losing the most precious thing in the world. But don’t be too afraid, Magnus. I know warlocks and Shadowhunters are very different, and there is a divide between your worlds that can be hard to cross. But as someone once said to me, the right man will not care. You can build a bridge over the divide and find each other. You can build something much greater than either of you could ever have built on your own.

Ah, Magnus and Alec. I wasn’t a fan of Alec at first (in The Mortal Instruments), but he really grew on me. Well, The Red Scrolls of Magic made my love for Alec grow infinity times over. I already liked him a lot more than I initially did before I read this book, but now it’s safe to say I love him. I can confidently say that I cannot wait to read two more books centered around him, which is something I really didn’t think I’d ever say. This is character development, folks. I can’t wait to learn more about him in the next two installments.

As for Magnus, I’ve always loved him, so getting to learn more about him and his complexities was a real treat for me. For someone who carries himself with confidence, it was interesting to learn about his past and his insecurities. I just want to wrap him in a bear hug, I love him so much. I hope as the series progresses, so does his self-esteem. But to be fair, he has lived for several centuries, so it would be hard not to build up baggage along the way. Thankfully, Magnus and Alec have each other.

And as usual, I adored Malec together. This vacation was such a pivotal moment in their relationship, and to be able to actually witness it on the page was truly incredible. Malec is one of YA literature’s most iconic relationships, and they truly deserve that title. Even if you know nothing about their dynamic, and learn about them for the first time through this book, you’ll immediately become hooked. They’re just that good together.

— iv.

Sometimes, love worked, past any hope of change, when no other force in this world could. Without love, the miracle never came.

I also loved the side characters. The villain was well written and captivating from start to finish. Helen and Aline’s first meeting was to die for; I hope to see more of them in future Shadowhunter novels in general. I really appreciated other cameos as well, like Raphael Santiago and Catarina Loss. Whether it was a brand new character or a character previously created, not a single one of them wasted any space. Every single character’s appearance was necessary in some way, shape, or form. Even the ones that made you super mad (looking at you, Malcolm Fade).

— v.

Tomorrow, he told himself, he would do better. He would stop feeling so crushed under the weight of the past and his fear of the future, and enjoy the present as he usually did.

The plot progressed in a really natural way. The book wasn’t very long compared to some of Clare’s others, so I was afraid everything was going to be too rushed or that it was going to feel like pieces of the book were missing. I’m so glad that this isn’t the case. Plus, that cliffhanger! I nearly died. I mean, we knew that already, but to find out where this person was during all this time… should have seen that one coming. I was already excited for the next installment, this cliffhanger made me jump out of my seat. Which I will continue to do until The Lost Book of the White comes out in September (but seriously, I’m ready for it now).

— vi.

Magnus had always had a wanderer’s heart. Over the centuries, he had adventured in so many different places, always looking for something that would fulfill his restless hunger. He never realized how all the pieces could fall together, how home could be somewhere and someone.
He belonged with Alec. His wandering heart could rest.

Overall, The Red Scrolls of Magic was a solid start to what seems like will be a great series. We got to read more about some beloved characters, and learn about new ones as well. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Magnus and Alec next (and it was definitely hinted at in Ghosts of the Shadow Market). Definitely pick up this book, even if you haven’t read any of the Shadowhunter novels!

Have you read any books from The Shadowhunter Chronicles? If so, which series is your favorite? What did you think of The Red Scrolls of Magic compared to the other Shadowhunter novels? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Rating: ★★★★ | GoodReads