Review of 'Ghosts of the Shadow Market'

From #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller Cassandra Clare comes an exciting short story collection that follows Jem Carstairs as he travels through the many Shadow Markets around the world. Ghosts of the Shadow Market is set in the world of the Shadowhunters.

The Shadow Market is a meeting point for faeries, werewolves, warlocks, and vampires. There, the Downworlders buy and sell magical objects, make dark bargains, and whisper secrets they do not want the Shadowhunters to know. Through two centuries, however, there has been a frequent visitor to the Shadow Market from the very heart of the Shadowhunters’ world. Jem Carstairs is searching through the Shadow Market, in many different cities over long years, for a relic from his past.

Follow Jem and see—against the backdrop of the Shadow Market’s dark dealings and spectacle—Anna Lightwood’s doomed romance, Matthew Fairchild’s great sin, and Tessa Gray as she is plunged into a world war. Valentine Morgenstern buys a soul at the Market and a young Jace Wayland’s soul finds safe harbor. In the Market is hidden a lost heir and a beloved ghost, and no one can save you once you have traded away your heart. Not even Jem.

Review

The third anthology of the Shadowhunters universe, Ghosts of the Shadow Market, follows Jem through the years in the search for answers.

Storytelling

This collection of stories follows Jem Carstairs from the Infernal Devices series going through various Shadow Markets around the globe in search of answers to many questions. He seeks answers on Tessa’s demonic origin, the Lost Herondale, and more. It makes for a compelling narrative to follow him over time because Jem also makes some fascinating encounters on the way.

This anthology allows Clare to expand on the history of the Shadowhunter’s world in short snippets without dragging down the pacing of her trilogies. This allows her to explore more without distracting the reader, making reading the trilogies more enjoyable.

With the help of other authors, Ghosts of the Shadow Market follow characters mentioned only in passing, giving readers something new. Ghosts of the Shadow Market is an excellent read for fans of The Mortal Instruments series and the world. There are many callbacks and references that expand the world in such an impactful way.

Developing Jem

Jem has always been a beloved character, but something about how Clockwork Princess ended bothered me. It felt more like a cop-out to end Tessa with Jem. I love Jem. He’s a soulful character, but ending it like that was off.

This anthology took the bad taste out of my mouth. Jem is struggling not to use his humanity as a Silent Brother. But through the stories, the reader sees how deeply Jem loves Will and Tessa. This power behind it makes the friendship and love in the series more pronounced. And when we see his encounters with Tessa, it becomes even more pronounced.

Tessa is his connection to his humanity, his tether. There is more depth to their relationship than the ending of The Infernal Devices offered, which made me appreciate their relationship much more.

Final Thoughts

Ghosts of the Shadow Market is a must-read for any fan of the Shadowhunters universe. These authors put together amazing stories that give more depth to their relationship and insight into backstories.

• Writing Quality : 9/10
• Illustrations: 10/10
• Character Development : 9/10
• "Couldn't Put It Down"-ness : 8/10
• Intellectual Depth: 9/10
• Originality: 9/10
• Overall Rating: 4 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband, son and daughter and their two cats.