115 Thoughts on ‘Queen of Air and Darkness’

Written by Emma Knight

If Queen of Air and Darkness could be summed up in four words they would be: Angst, rebel, and bad decisions. Waiting for this book was almost as exhausting and emotionally draining as reading it! There are so many plots going on at the same time that I needed to take a breather in the middle.

It’s no surprise that this was one of 2018’s highly anticipated releases and it sure did live up to expectations. Cassandra Clare has brought together characters from all three of her series to conclude this book with an explosive bang. So, after a whirlwind read, here are 115 very condensed thoughts I had while reading it! Also, be warned, HEAVY SPOILERS AHEAD!

1. Starting from the time my heart shattered into a million pieces. Great.
2. I’m not getting teary, it’s seasonal allergies I swear.
3. Why did you take Cortana? You’re not a Carstairs.
4. You cannot deny that Emma is a Blackthorn.
5. Screw the Clave. They’re still messed up.
6. Dru’s just being an angsty teenager. She just lost her sister. Let her be.
7. Poor Helen. She just wants to hug her family.
8. They all need a hug. I need a hug.
9. The Cohort is stupid and the Dearborns need to be obliterated. What kind of name is Cohort anyway?
10.  Showers are meant for one person at a time. This is not the appropriate time for sexy shower kisses. No.
11. Julian needs to find a better way to cope with grief, like talking out his feelings?
12. Whatever you’re about to do, don’t… Or just don’t listen to me and get your emotions removed by a dying Magnus.
13. Shadowhunter funerals are so sad and beautiful at the same time.
14. I would climb the pyre too, Ty. Defy the stupid rules about not showing emotion when in grief.
15. Emma and Jem have the best moments.
16. What is this Warlock plague and how can we save everyone? Especially Tessa. I need her to have that baby. She deserves happiness again.
17. Let’s take a moment to appreciate Kit and all he is doing for Ty. Sometimes all you need is company.
18. WE ARE NOT BRINGING NECROMANCY INTO THIS! BAD IDEA!
19. A SPELL TO DIM EMOTION? SERIOUSLY JULIAN?? HAS EVERYBODY LOST THEIR COMMON SENSE?
20. Dearborn is up to something. Don’t leave.
21. I missed Simon and Izzy, but mostly Simon and all his nerdy goodness.
22. Lord Montgomery Strikes again.
23. Cristina and Mark are perfection.
24. Why does a place like the Hollow place exist? *starts making a long list of all the things that REALLY should not exist. Like ever. ie, necromancy, a pool that tortures you and the Dearborns*
25. No one likes lettuce. It stupid and useless. Just like Zara.
26. Don’t mind me. I’m just going to make myself some frittata.
27. Emma’s sass is on point.
28. Of course Dearborn sent someone to kill them, this really shouldn’t come as a surprise.
29. Julian just stabbed someone through the heart even better. Yep he’s dead. Hmm *stares into distance. What is happening to the world?*
30. Julian has no feelings which means he’ll make even worse decisions.
31. I need more Kit and Dru moments. I love how they are bonding over picking locks.
32. There’s no better grand entrance than getting your magical horse to smash through the glass ceiling.
33. Why are you trusting her? Julian you’re going insane! In what universe is the Seelie Queen good??
34. It’s cute that Kit wants to impress Ty.
35. Cristina can be shipped with literally anyone and it would be a perfect match.
36. As we all have an infinite capacity to make mistakes, we all have an infinite capacity for forgiveness.
37. He is manipulating her and it’s breaking my heart. Anyone but Emma.
38. ‘I pretend to be asleep because it was awkward.’ The most human sentence ever said by a faerie.
39. I’m impressed they can fit three people in one bed.
40. Yes let’s follow the Seelie Queen into the Unseelie lands.
41. Over-protective big brother Mark is the best.
42. Everyone is leaving and so is my happiness.
43. The Cohort is getting out of hand. The Clave needs help. They need God and a whole lot of holy water.
44. Can someone please put duct tape over Zara mouth?
45. Dru needs some sisterly love.
46. Bad vibes. Get out!
47. And THAT is why you don’t take drinks from strangers.
48. The age old question: Cristina and Mark or Cristina and Kieran or Mark and Kieran?
49. ‘I forgot my weapon but I do have this fork’ A+ for improvisation Kit
50. I KNEW IT! IT IS CONFIRMED. ASH IS SEBASTIAN MORGENSTERN’S SON. GET OUT THE HOLY WATER.
51. *Stops to stare into space* Wait, Sebastian had a son… Oh my.
52. Devil child, devil child .
53. D&M’s in the dungeon are always great.
54. It’s good to know Jace and Clary are still alive. I kind of forgot about them.
55. Cristina to save the day. No surprise there.
56. Diana need a medal for cutting off Horace’s arm. He deserved it and so much more.
57. Why do they always think an ambush will work? There is an entire army guarding the King, please try to improve on your future plan making.
58. Unseelie King is dead finally and all because of the elf-bolt arrowhead.
59. Yes, let’s jump through a portal with no idea where it leads.
60. Just what we need. A universe where Sebastian is still alive and everyone is brainwashed.
61. So much death
62. On the kind of bright side they’re together in this dimension even if they are Endarkened.
63. Livvy is that you?
64. What is not cute is Livy and Cameron. Just NO.
65. ’It’s hard to focus on a love life when giant spiders are chasing you.’ Amen to that.
66. At least we now know what will happen if the blight continue. Death and destruction as usual.
67. Another positive thing about the dying world. They can kiss without killing themselves!
68. YOU CAN NEVER KILL CHURCH IN ANY DIMENSION. NEVER.
69. Tessa must be so lonely by herself.
70. Why are you making a deal with Annabelle?
71. I feel like I’m repeating myself but….. TERRIBLE IDEA!
72. Every evil layer needs a bone moat. What else would you do the multiple dead bodies lying around?
73. I love the parabatai oath so much.
74. Stab stab here. Another person stabbed there. Dead bodies everywhere. And that’s how you get back to the right dimension.
75. Its Magnus’s turn to be saved now.
76. RADNOR IS ALIVE. THAT SLY CABBAGE MAN.
77. I think Kieran needs a cat calendar for Christmas.
78. ‘Don’t remain silent about you want or you may never get it’ – said by a very wise mug.
79. Surprise surprise the Dearborns are working with the evil faerie.
80. And they created the blight.
    And the warlock sickness.
    And he’s got a magic mirror like the evil queen. Very fitting.
81. Mark and Kieran are OTP.
82. Dear God, the fairy threesome is actually happening.
83. I love you I love you I love you. I cry and cry and cry.
84. She would sacrifice her marks for a chance at love.
85. Magnus: Don’t touch, speak or think about each other or the curse will get worse.
    5 minutes later: ‘One last kiss to get it out of our systems. We’ll be fine’ THEY DON’T LEARN
86. ‘I could slay them with my deadly sense of humour and wicked charm’.. Said by which Herondale?
87. Tavvy can fit 3 pancakes in his mouth. Impressive.
88. Emma kicking Zara but out the front of the institute is #lifegoals
89. ‘Terrible ideas are the best type’ – an alternate name for this book.
90. I think we should all put our hands in and yell ‘TEAM AWESOME’ on three.
91. Livia’s Watch. I think I may cry.
92. This little camping scene is cute. We should do this more often, especially the part with the smores.
93. Yes. I would indeed like a tapestry of Alec.
94. “We choose to rise up”
95. That was awesome. Cortana is pretty much a boomerang sword.
96. I’ll have you know that Cristina is the most important person in the UNIVERSE.
97. Kit is the Lost Heir and he can explode things with light. Sweet.
98. Magnus just chilling and saving the nephilims lives as usual
99. And there is Ragnor… wearing a ‘Ragnor lives’ shirt.
100. Did Zara just stab Emma in the back. Literally???!!! Right after Emma showed mercy.
101. I refuse to believe she is dead.
102. Oh look Emma and Jules are now giant nephilim because of #parabatai power. Why not?
103. They are really destroying everything in their path.
104. The love of family made them human again. I love the Blackthorns.
105. So the parabatai rune has just vanished into thin air… cool cool cool. That makes complete sense.
106. ‘Faith isn’t never having any doubts; it’s having what you need to overcome them.’
107. I get why they’re leaving Alicante. Sort of. They should have stolen more tapestries
108. Finally! Alec is Consul and he would look very good on the money.
109. Why do books always end at a beach?
110. Why you leaving Kit. Say goodbye to Ty. He needs you
111. Everyone is parting ways but it’s not goodbye forever. We still have The Wicked Powers.
112. ‘Alec Lightwood loved one man so much he changed the world for him.’
113. The wedding of the century right here.
114. This ending was too happy.
115. Hello there evil Jace from other dimension. It’s not a pleasure to see you.

Well, that was an emotional rollercoaster with so much yelling at fictional characters. In the end did they get a happy ending? Yes. Did the book tie up loose ends and make me feel like the story was finished? No. I understand that technically there is going to be a series with Dru, Ty, and Kit, but after everything they went through, they’re going travelling. It felt a bit incomplete and lacking maybe because of the empty feeling that left me questioning what I would do with my life without the Blackthorns.

Overall, the book was good to read though I am disappointed that I didn’t end up in hysterical tears. Cassandra Clare has once again written an epic stories for the ages and I will be rereading for a long time into the future. I cannot wait to be ruined some more.

What did you think of Queen of Air and Darkness? Tell us in the comments below!