Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, Books #1-10
By Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson & Robin Wasserman
ISBN# 9781481443265
Cassandra Clare’s Website: cassandraclare.com
Sarah Rees Brennan’s Website: sarahreesbrennan.com
Maureen Johnson’s Website: maureenjohnsonbooks.com
Robin Wasserman’s Website: robinwasserman.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
Review
This book takes place after Cassandra Clare’s final installment of The Mortal Instruments series, City of Heavenly Fire. If you have not read that far into the series, I’d turn away from this review now, as there are bound to be spoilers ahead.
Simon is a human again, with most of his memories gone. He is trying to figure out who he is, but can’t help, but to have feelings about not being who all his friends remember him to be. He must wade through his life trying to figure out how to become a new Simon without truly knowing who he was before. And, he must try to figure out how to bridge the gap between those two versions of himself.
Simon has decided to join the Shadowhunter Academy and start his journey into the process of Ascension. It starts out as a way to get away from everybody who looks at him with disappointment for not being the Simon they used to know. However, he truly starts to find himself at the Academy and he sees a future where he can help make a change from inside the very Clave itself. Be the change for a better tomorrow!
Throughout the series, I’ve never been much of a fan of Simon. I always found him to be a bit whiny and downright obnoxious, at times. So, I didn’t have high expectations going into this book. However, I will say this story really just seemed to work. Maybe it was the help of Clare’s author friends that truly brought out a new side of Simon. Or maybe it was always going to be that way. Regardless, if felt like watching him grow and change right before our eyes. And, I truly enjoyed his transformation.
This book was made up of ten short stories, but together they made up one big tale, two years at the Shadowhunter Academy. I really loved the cover; they made Simon a lot sexier than I ever imagined him. He’s got a bit of a John B from Outer Banks vibe to him. And, I enjoyed the comic-style illustrations at the beginning of each story, too.
I thought having guest speakers come into the Academy and speak to the students was a smart way to introduce flashbacks so we could get backstories on the characters’ pasts. And, learn a little bit more about the Shadowhunters’ history. And, of course, we got a reunion with characters we love.
We met a lot of new characters in this book. At first, I didn’t care for most of them. However, some of them really grew on me as the story progressed. George and Marisol were definitely my favorites. I liked George from the beginning, but Marisol was quite the surprise. I really enjoyed watching her torment poor Jon.
There was a big change for a certain couple we love in this book, but this story also housed a tragedy that made my heart hurt a bit.
If you have enjoyed this series, you should definitely give this book a chance, even if you were like me, and didn’t care for Simon. I’m really hoping that we will see some of these characters again and see them all grow into adulthood and beyond.
