Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter Chronicles currently consists of five separate book series, some of which are more compelling than others. Although the Shadowhunter books are all connected, each series follows different main characters, features its own overarching storyline, and digs into new romances. Such elements set them apart from one another, and it’s inevitable that certain plots and characters will prove more memorable than others. While The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices are probably the best-known series in the saga, the others offer plenty of reasons to dive in.
It’s also worth noting that the Shadowhunter Chronicles isn’t finished yet. In fact, there’s one more series on the horizon: The Wicked Powers. This will bring the entire saga together, with storylines and characters colliding in a seemingly epic conclusion. It’s very possible that Clare’s final trilogy will prove the best addition to her Shadowhunters lineup. However, it has steep competition, as all her stories have strengths that help them stand out. Some Shadowhunter stories are more memorable than others, and the best of them combine high stakes, complex characters, and compelling relationships.
The Eldest Curses is Clare’s only published series that isn’t complete, so it’s at a bit of a disadvantage when ranking the author’s Shadowhunter books. However, based on its setup — and the two books currently on shelves — it’s the weakest addition to the Shadowhunter Chronicles thus far. Although The Eldest Curses follows Magnus and Alec, two of the franchise’s most-beloved characters, it simply doesn’t feature the stakes of Clare’s other series. In part, that’s because readers know Magnus and Alec end up together. This eliminates the forbidden love and pining that Clare’s books are known for.
The Eldest Curses also feels more disjointed than Clare’s other Shadowhunter series, and there’s a reason for that. Each installment takes place at a different place on the Shadowhunters timeline, with each novel depicting Alec and Magnus at a different point in their relationship. While it’s heartwarming to see the two of them grow together, the overarching story feels less straightforward than those featured in Clare’s other series. The Eldest Curses sets up some interesting threads in The Red Scrolls of Magic and The Lost Book of the White, but only time will tell how they impact the greater saga.
At present, it feels as though The Eldest Curses is more appealing for Magnus and Alec’s relationship moments than the actual story. The plot has yet to do anything exciting, and The Lost Book of the White is particularly disappointing, as it tries to introduce too many threads that ultimately lead nowhere. Its average Goodreads rating is 3.98, which isn’t terrible on its own. However, it’s the lowest rating for a Shadowhunter book that isn’t a short story collection. That speaks to the lackluster nature of this series. Hopefully, The Black Volume of the Dead can turn things around.
The Last Hours is the most recently concluded Shadowhunter series, and it’s definitely worth digging into — though it fails to reach the heights of Clare’s earlier additions to the saga. The Last Hours is set in London and Paris in 1903, and it follows the children from the characters of The Infernal Devices. Despite taking a similar approach with its past setting and characters, The Last Hours can’t top Tessa, Will, and Jem’s story. It does, however, have some heavy-hitting moments that place it above The Eldest Curses.
Chain of Iron is especially memorable for delivering an emotional roller coaster ride, and that explains the middle book’s 4.43 average Goodreads rating. While the other two books deservedly have average ratings above four, they still don’t have as much of an impact as Clare’s earlier works. In part, this is because the characters in The Last Hours just aren’t as iconic as those in series like The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices. Their lackluster personalities make getting to know them in Chain of Gold a tedious endeavor, and the first book drags a bit because of this.
Even Chain of Thorns, which should be the most thrilling part of this series, drags on a bit too long. Although there are a few standout moments, Clare’s finale could easily have been a bit shorter. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer the most satisfying solutions to the issues raised in the prior books, either. The Last Hours’ ending can’t compare to the conclusions of Clare’s other Shadowhunter series. While The Last Hours tells a gripping enough story, it’s on the lower end of the author’s series because of its flaws and lesser impact.
The Mortal Instruments is the series that started the Shadowhunter Chronicles, and its characters and storylines will always be iconic. It’s hard to separate Clare’s saga from Jace and Clary, and many of the conflicts that unfold in the other Shadowhunter books revolve around Mortal Instruments plot points. In that sense, it feels like The Mortal Instruments is the most important series in the Shadowhunter Chronicles. It’s also one of the most high-stakes, action-packed additions to Clare’s lineup, so it’s hard not to get invested in these books.
Of course, Clare’s first series isn’t without its flaws — and there are enough of them to land it in the middle of a Shadowhunter ranking. While Clary and Jace’s story proves more memorable and important than The Eldest Curses and The Last Hours, there are some harsh realities about The Mortal Instruments that keep it from falling higher on the list. For one, the bizarre sibling storyline in City of Ashes is one of the most uncomfortable threads from the entire Shadowhunters saga. It’s aged poorly, and so have some of the tropes utilized in the earlier Mortal Instruments books.
The Mortal Instruments’ story also lulls in City of Fallen Angels and City of Lost Souls, which makes it significantly harder to get through this series than Clare’s others. It’s worth powering through for City of Heavenly Fire, which offers a fantastic conclusion and is one of the best Shadowhunter books ever released. Still, The Mortal Instruments’ narrative isn’t as tight as Clare’s best Shadowhunter series. This is a big reason it doesn’t rank higher, even with great characters and a truly intimidating villain like Valentine Morgenstern.
The Infernal Devices has its share of harsh realities, it’s often cited as the best Shadowhunter series — and while it doesn’t quite top the list, it comes very close. Clare’s second Shadowhunter series, The Infernal Devices is set in London in the 19th century. This setting creates a dark and magical atmosphere that’s at least partially responsible for how well received the series is. The past setting may not be as memorable for The Last Hours, but it works splendidly for The Infernal Devices. The characters are also nearly as iconic as those introduced in The Mortal Instruments.
The Infernal Devices has an incredibly compelling cast, and at its center is the true beating heart of the story: the love triangle between Tessa, Will, and Jem. When it comes to romance and angst, no Shadowhunter series does it quite like The Infernal Devices. This trilogy is the kind to rip readers’ hearts out, and that makes it a memorable — and emotional — ride. Two of the three main characters also appear in other Shadowhunter series, which gives readers the feeling that The Infernal Devices matters in the grand scheme of things. These things explain the series’ high Goodreads ratings.
The main reason The Infernal Devices doesn’t rank higher among Clare’s Shadowhunter series is its villain and overarching plot. Neither are particularly memorable, and the actual fantasy story is overshadowed by the tensions between Will, Tessa, and Jem. Those relationships will keep readers flipping the pages, but the actual conflict is lacking. The stakes never feel as high as in The Mortal Instruments. This isn’t the case for Clare’s best Shadowhunter series, which handles relationships, characters, and plot expertly. Still, The Infernal Devices’ impact is undeniable. It deserves its spot as Clare’s second-best Shadowhunter series.
The Dark Artifices is Clare’s best Shadowhunter series, and there are several reasons it ranks higher than The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices. For one, Clare’s writing improves over the course of the Shadowhunter Chronicles. This improvement is noticeable in this trilogy, which features more impressive prose than the previous two series and more complex storylines and characters. Much of what happens in The Mortal Instruments comes together here, and The Dark Artifices has high enough stakes that these books will directly impact The Wicked Powers.
Emma Carstairs is probably Clare’s most compelling heroine, and that’s a large part of why The Dark Artifices lands so well. While Tessa never reaches her full potential and Clary feels like a familiar archetype, Emma reads as a fully fleshed out character — one whose darker moments make her far more relatable than the others. Emma and Julian’s relationship is also a top-tier Shadowhunter bond, and being Parabatai adds an interesting challenge for them to overcome. Their romance is less predictable than the others, and this is true of supporting characters’ relationships as well.
Of all Clare’s series, The Dark Artifices feels like it succeeds in the most areas. While The Mortal Instruments suffers from pacing issues, and The Infernal Devices doesn’t have a memorable conflict, The Dark Artifices balances pacing, characters, plot, and stakes well. It also lands some major emotional blows, especially in Lord of Shadows. It’s hard to pinpoint any serious flaws, and that makes it the strongest addition to the Shadowhunter Chronicles. Only The Wicked Powers stands a chance of topping it. Considering it will follow characters introduced in The Dark Artifices, it just might succeed.