The Red Scrolls of Magic (The Elder Scrolls #1) 5 Min Book Review

Fair warning; I went into reading this book as an avid fan of Magnus Bane, having read The Mortal Instruments, (insert name of other), The Bane Chronicles and The Shadowhunter’s Codex.

Needless to say, although I have not read every Cassandra Clare book under the sun, I am already invested in the world of Shadowhunters, which I should clarify before I get into it.

Right, so what’s the plot of the book?

A bunch of people think Magnus started a cult and now to sort that debacle out before the Clave gets involved (while it’s unknown if Magnus did or did not start the cult) with the help of his boyfriend, Alec Lightwood.

Next, what makes the book a good book to read?

The two main aspects I found to be the most endearing was the book’s humour and the romance between Magnus and Alec. The rest of the story is solid, too, with a great story and so many scenes that blew my mind with their sheer beauty, but the bit that made me put this book on my ‘favorites’ shelf and made me order the second book before I even finished the first was the romance and the fun.

First, let’s tackle the fun. If you know Magnus Bane, you know he’s hilarious. As this book is evenly split between Magnus and Alec, that’s about a whole half a book of Magnus and his charm. This book had me smiling and laughing through so much of it. Although there are many instances of deep emotions and serious situations, it’s seen through a mostly optimistic lens of humor.

Secondly, the romance. Fear not my fellow readers who tend to avoid romance books, this is a good one I swear. I had no idea there would be even romance but left being so happy it was in the book. One opinion I will forever stand by is Cassandra Clare’s impeccable ability to verbalize feelings, especially love. I will forever remember how when I was fourteen the scenes of love, and all other emotions, in The Mortal Instruments just hit me because her words equated perfectly to my inner state. Basically, I can promise you this is not any sort of cheesy romance, it is a wonderfully (sometimes scarily) dive into the ups and downs in our emotions when we start a new romantic relationship, in particular a relationship that’s not exactly accepted by all of the general public. It is beautiful and I believe it will hit home for anyone whose had the opportunity to feel love. It’s a perfect mix of fear and joy, injected with the charm Magnus brings to all that he touches.

And finally, the rest of the book. The story moved along well in my eyes and any flaws (which I did not notice) are swept under the rug because of how invested the story gets you. You can see and feel every detail Cassandra Clare intends you to, and so much of it is beautiful. The story allows for you to learn more about existing characters while meeting new ones all whilst on a journey that resembles a ‘buddy road trip comedy’, if it were also action filled and romantic. That’s not a bad note, it’s just to say it’s hilarious and will take you on a journey travelling around Europe where you’ll encounter a number of twists as you truly feel you are not just hearing the story but also are within the story, experiencing everything with the characters.

Conclusion

This book is wonderfully written, with lovable characters and has something of value for lovers of any and all genres.

My rating out of 10 is 9,5