Alice: Imagine Afterwords

I just have to throw in my two cents.

WARNING: Spoilers.

Oh the feels I have for this book. I was excited when I received the book. Excited when I read the book. Sad when I finished the book. When I heard of this new installment into the Shadowhunter world, I was wondering how it would all work. I thought that the new characters would get their own introductions in the new series, but I loved these characters had their own cameos in the book. Genius. Now I’m invested with how this story would unfold. Needless to say, I’m eagerly waiting for the next book.

Overall, I loved how everything interconnected together. I smiled when I understood some of the inferences mentioned in the pages. This made me really nostalgic of the Infernal Devices. I haven’t read the Bane Chronicles yet, but I’m going to get a physical copy when it’s released in November. I’m sure that when I’ve read it when my curiosity will be settled. C’mon, Magnus is sharing his past with Alec. So sweet.

Now to the review.

How the book started was a refreshing change albeit initially confusing. (I haven’t done any research of the new series, but I’ve heard of the main character names. I wasn’t sure what was happening until it happened.) I’ve read prologues that have explained the history of land or dealt with the beginnings of a fascinating mystery. I thought that the book was going to start off with a big dramatic war where Alicante fell and everyone just had to rally together and ultimately defeat Sebastian. I’m glad that I was wrong. (I don’t usually enjoy those types of books.) Getting to meet Emma and Jules really got me attached into finding out what happens to them. This would be the first time I’ll be reading a series that goes beyond the dramatic event that occurred. I get to continue seeing the world after the ‘happily ever after’! I really thought that the Blackthorns would get Mark back in this book.

I was very drawn into the story. The concept of an alternate Idris that was the home to demons was really interesting. I got really angry at the ignorant adults who wouldn’t consider the opinions of any one else! Listen to the children! Then when they used the Mortal Sword on children!! Why?! I got angry when they wouldn’t consider even commission an undercover mission to try to locate and rescue the Downworlder’s that got captured! Gosh, so good at fighting demons but no team dynamic at all! I just got so frustrated when the Sebastian was always two paces ahead of the Shadowhunters. I wanted to pull my hair because of this setback! Then I wanted to pull out my hair because everyone was so annoying! Gah!

I was disheartened when more Shadowhunter’s drank from Sebastian’s cup. While I was reading I kept thinking that there had to be some way to reverse the effects. There has to be! I didn’t like seeing the Shadowhunter’s on the losing end. Then I was brutally reminded that their soul was no long there. Only pure evil. That was so sad especially when the Blackthorns who faced their Endarkened father. Depressing moment.

I’ve got to say that I did not see the Seelie Queen and Sebastian scene come up. I was sure that they were partners in crime, but just not…partners in the physical sense. Initially, I didn’t understand what was really happening in the scene and then it hit me. Gobsmacked, I was.

The treatment of the fairies at the end didn’t really surprise me. Along the way I just knew that the proud Shadowhunters were going to make them pay. C’mon, Jace and Alec’s confrontation to the Seelie Queen really sold that idea. When I was reading the whole confrontation I was wondering of what would happen to the Seelie Queen after Sebastian was gone. Can a new Seelie Queen be appointed? I mean, were there Fairies who were against the whole thing? At the end, there was no mention of the Seelie Queen at all so I was just curious. What did happen to her?

The only part that really threw me into a loop was when Jace and Clary met up in the middle of the night in the demon realm. I thought they were going to do some explaining or planning especially when the containment of the Heavenly Fire was really vague. I didn’t really expect them to get some sexy time going on. That really surprised me.

I’ve got to say that the only time I was near tears was when Magnus had called his father and his father wanted his immortality. At first, I was all for it. Mortal Magnus. Yes! Malec forever. Then when everything was explained and Magnus was going to sacrifice himself, I really almost cried. Not Magnus! No! Such a colorful character. I was relieved when Simon stepped up but hated Magnus’ father when he added that twist. I was really grateful for the wrap-up because I was so afraid that there would just have been a quick epilogue without tying up the loose ends. Simon was beginning to remember certain flashes. He was going to be a Shadowhunter! That’s gotta be pretty exciting. I’ve got to say though that Simon just doesn’t really seem like the usual Simon that we all knew. I enjoyed his D&D references and he just doesn’t seem all there yet. The Blackthorns stay in Los Angeles with their uncle. Emma and Jules are going to be parabatai. The framework was wonderfully set up.

Overall, I was really satisfied with the book. I didn’t find any passage in the book to be boring at all. I LOL’d at certain parts (Simon’s D&D reference when Jace was going to get the sword) and was sometimes confused on certain parts. Alas, it was an amazing adventure. I can’t wait to see how TMI characters mature in the new series.

P.S. Just something that I had to mention.

I was really sad to see Raphael go. I understand that he was a threat against Simon's life, but Raphael just grew on me. I just didn't really feel like Raphael was that big of a threat against Simon's life. Kinda got a dog with no bite kind of feel from him. Pun not intended. Raphael always had a role for Simon to fill in even after he threatened Simon with death. What, with the whole Camile ordeal. Then when Maureen became the new leader and Raphael rescued him for the council meeting. Then when Raphael was speaking with Magnus we learn how indebted he was to Magnus that he ultimately didn't follow Sebastian's orders...which led to his demise. I was very sad at that point. What's to say that if Raphael was alive when Simon and the gang reached them that Raphael could have been indebted to Simon for getting him out of the place?

I just had to get that out in the open.