Carstairs’ Bitch

Okay first of all: it was disappointing. Tlh was so hyped up I don’t think it could have ever lived up to its expectations. And the biggest problem is it huge cast of main characters that cassie couldn’t really develop and focus on everyone. And the fact that it’s set in the past, she is very limited by what she can do with it so that’s already all not of to a good start.

Now cot. I know she changed it to make it happier but honestly I’d much rather a realistic heartbreaking cot than this.

I’m not saying it’s very bad. The writing is still the same cassie writing. It’s the plot. The way everything shifts too fast or is dragged on too long.

Okay now let’s actually discuss cot:

Cordelia, James and Matthew:

The beginning of cordelia and Matthew in Paris was so good. I wanted and dreaded them kissing. And the most unexpected part for me in the entire cot is James in the room just when they were making out (I kind of what to find out what would have happened if James wasn’t there but then I feel like cordelia would have regretted it so much so I’m glad it didn’t go on)

And then James not telling cordelia is dumb as fuck. But then in my opinion it was in character? (But also it’s dragged on for too long that it just makes it frustrating. But i guess the theme in tlh is miscommunication so what did we expect) And lucie was right. But cordelia and James are too proud and they both could not see it and refused to be seen as weak

Proud of cordelia for having the conversation with Matthew no matter how hard it was (“am I hard to love?” Broke me made me feel as bad as cordelia felt)

Matthew FINALLY addressing his alcoholism and Alastair helping and it being realistic and all his friends there to help makes me so damn happy

I’m glad cassie didn’t shove a love interest at Matthew

I like how James and Matthew friendship have the time to mend (and cordelia and Lucie friendship too)

Lucie and Jesse:

Can’t think of anything bad about them to say

Cassie did give them many scenes so that’s a win for luciejesse fans

(Not really a ship I care about so idk what else to say about it except I can’t find a problem or anything especially good to say about so)

Oh I like their subplot like the problem with Lucie touching him and stuff and the way their relationship are honestly they are just very good

Grace:

Favourite Grace in tlh so far

You can see how much she has grew and changed as a character and honestly I feel so bad for her but I do not blame anyone’s reaction towards her at all

So proud of the tlh characters for treating her accordingly

I just like her in cot lol

Proud of her for having the guts to tell Jesse knowing he will hate her forever

Christopher:

Let me be brutally honest

I’m glad it was Christopher (as I only care about Alastair)

Because all the other characters are fan favourites or not that important

Think about it. Cassie cant kill Matthew James or cordelia, she cant kill tid characters. She absolutely cannot kill thomastairs. She cannot kill lucie and Jesse as well. I guess she could have killed Charles but then the impact will be nothing. Or Anna and Ariadne but I don’t think she will kill off a lesbian couple and Anna is an icon so. So of course it will be christopher

but honestly I feel so bad for Christopher stans

Like boy he is given dogshit

Literally he wasn’t even mention that much after the grief part and he was like briefly mentioned in epilogue but not really

We didn’t see his parents reaction to his death

And cordelia was way too focus on Matthew and James (understandable for her) then Christopher in the grief part, taking away most of the focus

I get how the book is already way too long (even tho I feel like it’s dragged on I feel like so many more things should have been included but at the same time idk what could have been cut) but Christopher does deserve better (even from a person that does not care about him I just feel bad)

Anyways rip to Christopher and his fans. Thoughts and prayers with you😔

Thomastairs:

Literally perfection

Cassie saw how mad we were about the lack of thomastairs in coi and apologised to us LMAO

We got everything we wanted and everything we could ever need (I mean Obv I wouldn’t mind more thomastairs scenes BUT I understand how she already gave us so much and we cannot be too greedy now can we)

I love Thomas lightwood so fucking much (before I only care about him for Alastair but he is so goddam cute)

Thomas lightwood is literally the only character that did not hide his feelings at all throughout cot (even in coi he didn’t hide it from Alastair (he just didn’t tell the others but he aren’t obliged to so)

He keeps confessing and reassuring Alastair no matter how many times Alastair makes excuses and doubts them

He spoke Farsi to Alastair. Thomas lightwood spoke Alastair’s mother tongue to him.

All the kisses and dialogues and scenes with them is just perfection

Alastair is as witty and useful as ever and Thomas is so nervous and cute and not him being one of the only ones grieving for Christopher

Anyways can you tell how much I just love them

Now the fucking plot:

It’s such a typical cliche ya plot that yeah it make sense for a ya book and i guess in some ways it is fathomable but at the same time it’s cheap it’s predictable it’s nothing unusual or exciting

It’s like the book cannot decide between being an action focus and character focus so it’s just a weird uncomfortable mixture between the two

And because readers have so much expectations because it’s about characters we already know and love and that’s why cassie had to be so careful

Ngl, I feel like she did her best with the limits she have (that she sets for herself in her previous books and shit)

But I just want the sadder version (unless it’s sad for thomastairs then im glad it’s this version)

(I didn’t mention ari and Anna because idk what else to say for them except same as how I feel about Lucie and Jesse)

I cannot say im satisfied but I also cant say im disappointed. More like I expected this and it’s just what I expected and it’s disappointing that it didn’t surprise or exceed my expectations

So yeah this is my cot thoughts.

P40-42 (the fire message)

P91-95 (continuation of the fire message)

P120-122 (hiding the sword + scarf scene)

P164 (cordelia mentioning Thomas lightwood and Alastair promptly changing the topic)

P175-176 (thomas telling Matthew)

P178 (cordelia mentioning Thomas again)

P180 (merry thieves meeting (super short interaction between them)

P231-237 (library)

P280-282 (Alastair telling Thomas he’s going to leave)

P284 (cordelia asking Alastair about Thomas)

P316-320 (fruit basket)

P340-342 (mistletoe)

P356-357 (“you keep me human, Tom”)

P370 (“Alastair went to say something quick and quiet to Thomas”)

P377 (Alastair looking at thomas in the meeting instead of at Charles)

P383-389 (thomas and Alastair racing after Matthew after the meeting)

P414-415 (Alastair going to stay in the institute (convo with cordelia)) (later pages also have super tiny thomastair content that you have to squint but it’s there)

P426-427 (confrontation with Charles)

P437-441 (carriage scene)

P471-472 (Alastair comforting thomas after the death)

P537-543 (out on patrol for the watchers)

P548-550 (Alastair insisting Thomas to rest)

P576-579 (infirmary scene)

P597-599 (after infirmary scene)

P619 (during the battle)

P622 (gentle touch during the battle)

P651 (“Alastair and Thomas, hand in hand before the fire”)

P655-657 (epilogue brief description “they were always touching”)

P663 (Alastair’s growth)