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Kyera (8 KP) rated Lady Midnight in Books

Feb 1, 2018  
Lady Midnight
Lady Midnight
Cassandra Clare | 2016 | Children
10
9.0 (13 Ratings)
Book Rating
I do not discuss any plot points in my review, so you will not be spoiled.

While the Dark Artifices may not be my favourite Shadowhunter series, I believe it is the most well written thus far. It is difficult to accurately judge, as this is only the first book in a trilogy but the more that Cassandra Clare writes – the better a writer she becomes. Her books have always been fantastic but Lady Midnight just felt like another step up. Cassie has clearly grown as a writer and storyteller over the years, which gives me so much hope for all her future Shadowhunter novels.

While it is possible to come into the Shadowhunter Chronicles with Lady Midnight as your first book, I would not suggest it. The Mortal Instruments is fantastic for that, as we follow Clary a girl who discovers that there is more to the world than the mundane life she thought she knew. The world building in that first series really lays the groundwork for Cassie’s entire Shadow World. Even in the Infernal Devices, we mainly experience the Shadow World through the eyes of Tessa who has also not grown up with the knowledge of who she is. That is the first aspect that makes Lady Midnight so different from the previous two series – our two main characters Emma and Julian have grown up as Shadowhunters.

I felt that there was less world-building overall for the Shadow World, but that’s not to say that the world building in this novel wasn’t fantastic as can be expected from Cassandra Clare. The politics of the Clave and the Downworld, the role of the Shadowhunter and the world that they live in have been brilliantly described over the course of the novels that Cassie has written. It is for this reason that I feel that while it is not necessary to read the Infernal Devices or the Mortal Instruments before reading the Dark Artifices, I would highly recommend it. You won’t necessarily understand the history or the events that led up to Lady Midnight as well as you could. There are also spoilers from the previous series and character cameos that you won’t appreciate as much unless you read the previous series.

The world building the Los Angeles itself and the new aspects that Cassie writes about the Shadow World, like the Shadow Market, are absolutely fantastic in this book. With each book she writes in the Shadowhunter World, she continues to build and develop this immersive experience that is like no other. Her words are vividly descriptive and paint the image of the world in your mind. It is what makes her such an incredible writer and one of the reasons that I love her books so much.
Lady Midnight takes place in Los Angeles, the Institute that has been the home of the Blackthorn children for their whole lives. Our main characters, Emma and Julian are parabatai which makes for a nice change to the point of view that we have experienced before. You learn a lot more about the parabatai bond and its potential in this book.

With Helen exiled to Wrangel Island and Mark taken by the Hunt, Julian has had to raise his brothers and sisters for the last five years. This forced him to grow up a lot faster than he would have otherwise and changed him in various ways. He loves his family more than anything else in the world and would do anything for them, even if it meant crossing a line. That ruthless heart, willingness to betray, and capacity to lie was learned after the Dark War. Those were not traits that he had prior but were forced upon him when everything changed and the Clave tore his family apart.

Emma has made it her life’s mission to discover who killed her parents at the end of the Dark War and why. That mystery has defined her every day, pushing her to train for hours at a time, run along the beach to get faster and turn her into an incredible Shadowhunter. She is also very sassy, quippy in conversations and the midst of a battle, which reminds me a lot of Jace.
The other characters we spend time with throughout the book are Julian’s siblings: Ty, Livvy, Dru, and Tavvy; Cristina; Diana and Malcolm. Diana has a lot of secrets, which I’m sure we’ll discover over time, but she’s the character we end up knowing the least about. Beyond being their tutor, not wanting to take over the Institute and supposedly taking her travel year in Thailand, I can’t tell you anything about her.

It was nice to see the Blackthorn children grow and develop from how we knew them in the Mortal Instruments to this series. Their familial relationship and interactions were authentic and heartwarming. You fall in love with them, just like you do with Cassie’s other characters and understand Julian’s plight.

Cristina is a Shadowhunter from the Mexico City Institute who decided to spend her travel year in Los Angeles. It was nice to get to know her because we don’t always get to experience or hear from Shadowhunters from other Institutes. I really enjoyed her addition to the Blackthorn family (plus one) and the dimension she added. Plus, her backstory created a connection to the Scholomance and the Centurions which are going to add even more world building to the Shadow World we know – and I can’t wait to see more of it.

Malcolm is the High Warlock of Los Angeles and although his personality is very different, you immediately like him. He’s more playful and childlike at times than Magnus but seems to really care for the family. After falling in love with Magnus in the Mortal Instruments, and Catarina Loss to a lesser degree in Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, I wanted Malcolm to be the next warlock character I loved.

There is so much betrayal in this book that I could never anticipate what was going to happen next. It doesn’t just come from those you would consider “bad guys” but Shadowhunters, crooks and those with broken hearts alike. Cassandra Clare is the Queen of plot twists, fantastic character development and astounding, emotional rollercoasters in her books – and this was no exception.

Lady Midnight was a fantastic read that made me fall in love with the Shadowhunter World all over again or more than I was before? It’s unclear. Either way, I adore this book and I actually think that I enjoyed it more the second time through. I would also highly recommend a re-read prior to Lord of Shadows because the novel is so packed full of incredible character development, world building and plot that you will appreciate its sequel more if the story is still fresh in your mind.
  
The Florida Project (2017)
The Florida Project (2017)
2017 | Drama
Horrible
Halley an rebellious woman lives with her daughter Mooney in a budget type of motel on the outskirts of Disney world. Halley has no respect for anything and her attitude has passed on to her her daughter who is so disrespectful. Bobby (Dafoe) who is the manager knows the policy that longtime rentals are not allowed kind of has a soft spot for Mooney and the other kids who are there and bend the rules for them and allow them to keep switching rooms and stay longer. Disruptive behavior will be the end of Halley and have her daughter taken away for her with good reason.

This movie disturbed me so much. I know unfortunately that this type of living goes on in America and this movie just shines a light on it to a point that makes you sick. I am sorry I wasted my time on this film
  
Crystal Witness
Crystal Witness
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What is the best way to get lost in a book you may ask? Well, Kathy Tyers certainly will help you find the answer to that question in Crystal Witness. From what I can find, Crystal Witness is a standalone book and not part of a series.

The Setting/Storyline

The best way I know how to describe the experience of this book is by likening it to a dream that you do not want to wake up from. Kathy Tyers managed to make me feel as if I were immersed in a very different world, from her detailed descriptions of everyday life to the way people looked and dressed. It was fascinating. I liked how she gave just enough background at the beginning to get you curious, without feeling lost, and make you very involved in the outcome of the character's lives and that of the world they live in. One of the best total immersions I have read in a long time. At some points in the story, I did feel a little lost as I was not quite sure how the beginning of the story connected, but it did make sense by the end.

The Characters

Kathy Tyers brought to life some great characters. I enjoyed Ming’s artistic talent and how Kathy Tyers described the 3D and calligraphy aspects of it. Ming’s reactions to waking up after 20-year imprisonment were very realistic (not that I know what it would really be like), and I enjoyed seeing her come out of her shell; I think Ming showed a very intelligent and sweet nature. Tieg her male counterpart was a cross between a bad boy spy and an emotional musician, he was a well brought to life character that I could envision in my mind while reading. Both Ming and Tieg learned different aspects of trust and doing what is right no matter the cost. The secondary characters were great additions to round out the rest of the story and I sincerely enjoyed their interactions with the main characters, each one displayed growth throughout the story and by the end, I was wishing they had their own stories too! (Hint, hint
  
    Ruya

    Ruya

    Games

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    A game of tranquillity through the art of matching cute characters in Ruya's world of dreams. ...


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Joe Swanberg recommended Crumb (1994) in Movies (curated)

 
Crumb (1994)
Crumb (1994)
1994 | Documentary
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Favorite

"It’s in my top five list of best films ever made. I just think it’s perfect. It’s an amazing portrait of an artist, an amazing portrait of a family, Crumb is an incredible central character. I feel like whenever I watch that movie — I sort of watch it every couple years — I start talking like him afterwards. I mean he really infects me in a way that totally changes the way that I look at the world. All great artists have that sort of ability. When I read some of my favorite novelists after I put down one of their books, I’m thinking in their words. I’m seeing the world through their eyes and it’s the same with Crumb. I’m a big fan of his comics, but that film does such an amazing job putting you kind of in his headspace. It also looks amazing, it’s shot on film, Zwigoff does an incredible job framing Crumb’s world, and the Jazz music. it’s just great, I just think it’s great. I think the movie’s a pleasure to watch. I mean, his brother Charles is f—ing incredible, man. Like, the idea that this family produced not one great artist, three great artists. And that Crumb was actually the one who was political enough and sophisticated enough and just barely enough of a people person that his art got seen. But, you know, Charles and Matt also were like really pushing the boundaries of the stuff and also hugely influential on Crumb’s stuff. You don’t get Robert without Charles. You just never sort of have access to those stories the way that this documentary has access to that family. It’s a lot to think about, the artwork that we end up getting as a culture, you know, often times is less about what’s better, and more about how savvy the artist is and how able they are to kind of be in the right place at the right time so that there’s an audience for the work."

Source
  
    Chasing Silver Magazine

    Chasing Silver Magazine

    Magazines & Newspapers and Sports

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    A magazine for salmon and steelhead enthustiasts, published since 2008. Available on paper and for...

Brigsby Bear (2017)
Brigsby Bear (2017)
2017 | Comedy, Drama
10
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Sweet Flick!!
144. Brigsby Bear. An amazing movie, that's pretty original, therefore no one will go see it. So... one day James' world came crashing down. He lives in a bunker, cause the air outside is poison, the only two people he's ever known, his parents, aren't exactly telling him the truth about certain things. Like everything. Turns out, his parents arent his parents (and considering one of these people is Luke Skywalker, he should know about parent confusion). Ted and April kidnapped James as a child and raised him in this odd universe they created for him. And that includes Brigsby Bear, a TV show (the only TV show) that James has watched since his time here began. Brigsby pretty much teaches James all the lessons he needs to know and creates this whole world full of magic... And then the police come and end it all, now James is faced with the truth, his parents were criminals and the world as he knows it, does not exist. A whole new family, a whole new life... but, Brigsby Bear's role in it is far from over! See it.