Chain of Gold

Set in London in 1903, Chain of Gold (2020) by Cassandra Clare is a period young-adult fantasy novel. It is the first in The Last Hours trilogy (part of Clare’s sprawling multi-series Shadowhunters universe), which follows the adventures of young heroes James and Lucie Herondale and Cordelia Carstairs. Combining modern storytelling with a historically accurate milieu, the novel is notable for its diverse cast, strong heroines, trenchant commentary on real-world issues, and exploration of perennial themes such as love, loyalty, and free will.

In the Shadowhunter universe, supernatural beings coexist with regular humans, known as “mundanes.” The supernatural beings live in the unseen world and include creatures drawn from various mythologies. Chief among these beings are Nephilim, or Shadowhunters, a group of humans with angelic blood. The Shadowhunters’ mandate is to protect the unseen world and mundanes from demons, who are destructive inter-dimensional beings. Shadowhunters also prevent Downworlders—earth’s other supernatural beings consisting of warlocks, faeries, werewolves, and vampires—from attacking the mundanes.

Drawing heavily on her itinerant childhood and love for reading, the author always represents diverse cultures and sexual orientations in her texts, and she includes rich historical and literary references. All the chapter titles in Chain of Gold are taken from poetry of the Victorian and Edwardian era, and the book title alludes to Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations (1860-61).