Whether you're a fan of Cassandra or never read her books, you probably know she has many books and spin-offs in the shadowhunters world.
Recently, Cassandra announced a new trilogy (a Magnus Bane adult trilogy), and seeing the comments on goodreads... I knew I had to make this post.
Apparently, lots of people want Cassandra to stop writing in the shadowhunters universe. Why?
They say she's recycling the same thing over and over again, that she's making more and more books in that world for money, that there are enough books in the shadowhunters universe and there is no need for more.
They say she's recycling the same thing over and over again, that she's making more and more books in that world for money, that there are enough books in the shadowhunters universe and there is no need for more.
Personally, I disagree. I find each of Cassandra's trilogies and characters utterly unique and different.
The shadowhunters world Cassandra has created is such a rich universe, that so many stories can be foretold there.
But that's just my opinion. The real reason for this post is this:
The shadowhunters world Cassandra has created is such a rich universe, that so many stories can be foretold there.
But that's just my opinion. The real reason for this post is this:
If you had enough of all that? By all means, stop reading the next books. But also stop trash talking the books before they even came out or when you have no intention of actually reading them.
Everyone are entitled to their own opinions. If you've read a book and you didn't like it\hated it - you should talk all about it and express what you feel\think (respectfully, of course). But saying all that before you even read the book? Please, don't.
Before Lady Midnight came out, there was also a lot of trash talk about it on goodreads. I couldn't find a single positive comment. And that was before the book even came out.
After it came out? Well, let's just say its average rating on goodreads right now is 4.51 and the front page is full of 5 stars reviews.
After it came out? Well, let's just say its average rating on goodreads right now is 4.51 and the front page is full of 5 stars reviews.
Clearly, people still want more, still love the books and the majority of them don't think Cassandra should stop writing.
I am too.
Lady Midnight wasn't as *amazing* for me as Cassandra's previous books, but it was pretty darn great.
Lady Midnight wasn't as *amazing* for me as Cassandra's previous books, but it was pretty darn great.
Just like I don't think it's fair to rate a book I did not finish, I don't think it's okay to trash talk a book before it even came out, and obviously not before you read it for yourself. Because by that point, you're not being a reader who judges the book. You're being a person who judges the author for writing more books.
I always love hearing your thoughts.
What do you think of this discussion topic?
Do you agree\disagree with my opinion?
Have you also come across this on goodreads or somewhere else?
What do you think of this discussion topic?
Do you agree\disagree with my opinion?
Have you also come across this on goodreads or somewhere else?
Do you love\hate Cassandra books?
Me? Oh, I'm a HUGE fan. As in, Cassandra Clare is one of my favorite authors - ever.
But if you don't like the books - still feel free to tell me all about it.
I don't bite (well, at least I'll try not to).
Tell me all about it in the comments so we can discuss ;)
Until then...
Me? Oh, I'm a HUGE fan. As in, Cassandra Clare is one of my favorite authors - ever.
But if you don't like the books - still feel free to tell me all about it.
I don't bite (well, at least I'll try not to).
Tell me all about it in the comments so we can discuss ;)
Until then...
"No one is ever the villain of their own story."
-- Lady Midnight, Cassandra Clare
Finally I found someone who agrees with me!! I totally agree with everything you said. I don't like to stir up drama because that's not me, but when I see people trashing her books just because it's set in the same Shadowhunters world I just want to tell them SO WHAT! Clare can do whatever she wants. She's an author, it's her books. Let her do what she wants to do. If people don't like it, then they can just not read it like you said. Good post, Zoey! I really like what you wrote and you have a supporter in me. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm exactly like you. I don't like arguements or stirring up drama (I avoid those kind of things), but it really gets me riled up to see something like that. Especially on a respectable website like goodreads.
DeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts with me, Stacie! I was so glad to read your comment! And yay for my first supporter - I may very well hold you up to that promise in the future ;D
I love Cassandra Clare. Honestly, my wish is for her to NEVER stop writing books in the Shadowhunter universe. Ever. She created something amazing here, so why not develop it until it's not developable anymore, right? Lol.
ReplyDeleteExactly! I would probably be terrified if she ever stopped writing in the shadowhunters universe. I love that world she created so much, those characters... I honestly don't think I could ever get enough of it.
DeleteLuckily, Cassandra thinks the same! We will have lots and lots of books in that amazing world she created :'D
Great post Zoey. I actually stay clear of Cassandra Clare because of the whole plagiarism thing, it's not something I condone and it just put me off of reading her books. Having said that, I don't judge people who do read them or enjoy them, as yourself, because it's a very personal choice. When I heard she was writing more books I must admit I was a bit upset because they stem from plagiarized work and it feels wrong to me that even after a lawsuit, she decides to keep expanding that world instead of creating a new one. But as much as I don't agree with how Cassandra Clare has set her fame, she's free to keep writing in that world with new content and if people don't agree, they should simply NOT read the books and give it a rest. It's different standing up for plagiarism than to standing up to the free will of the author to keep writing books about the same characters. So my conclusion is that I agree with you, but I decided to ramble non stop for no apparent reason, sorry haha
ReplyDeleteHey, Esther (:
DeleteYou know, I've heard a lot about the plagiarism accusations about Cassandra Clare. I have no way of knowing whether it's true or not. There are always two sides. Personally, I want to believe it's not true. Because I love those books so much. Because I'm at the point of no return with the shadowhunters world. Because it makes me sad to think it may me true.
But despite the fact I don't think you should judge a book by what its author did\didn't do, I totally get where you're coming from. I mean, when I imagine myself only now discovering about Cassandra books and hearing all that stuff about her... I can really see myself hesitating to pick the books up. I wouldn't know because I didn't, however, know anything about it when I first read Clockwork angel 5 years ago. And I'm glad for it, because I fell completely for those books, those characters.
It really does make me sad to think so many people wouldn't get to know to amazing characters for - valid - reasons like yours.
So yes, I do love Cassandra and her books (she is one of my favorite authors of all times, after all), but I also get where you're coming from and your opinion about the matter. Does it make sense to you? '^^
I'm so glad you shared your rambling thoughts with me, Esther ;)
Really, it was so refreshing and interesting to hear a different side on this topic. And by someone you consider your BIFF (a.k.a. Best Interenet Friend Forever), no less (:
It's the best compliment in the world to see your discussion invoking rambling out of people :D
I read an article comparing the work she copied side by side and it was incredible how similar the whole book (and characters) were. The writing is different and some people say they prefer how Cassandra did it, but still, it must suck for the other author to be outshined by a copy of your own creation :(
DeleteI totally get how you feel. The books mean something to you and you decide to let pass all the rumors and stuff, that's valid. If someone were to tell me Harry Potter was a copy of another book, I would critize the author, but the feeling towards those books probably wouldn't change because my childhood WAS Harry Potter, they can't be erased from my heart (as melodramatic as that sounds haha).
Yaay for discussions, I love them when people aren't attacking each other :'D You are the nicest BIFF and BBFF haha love that.
There is nothing better than a non-violent discussion post, is there? (:
DeleteThe comparison of how you would have felt if you discovered plagiarism in Harry Potter, is exactly how I feel about Cassandra's books.
I know about the accusations, but her books are part of me now - All I can do it keep reading them (:
I know that not long ago (really, a few months ago or so) an author accused Cassandra of copying her book series. I was so taken aback by that and so I decided to see for myself. I picked up the first book in the author's series and... there was nothing whatsoever about her claims. As in - Nothing. At all. If you sued everyone who has a similar world building as yours, there wouldn't be YA books anymore. The real plagiarism, as I believe, comes in the form of characters and events. At least, that's my opinion '^^
LOL, I think I'm going to go with BBFF - sounds cooler. BIFF makes me think of meat :'D
Aww, thank you, Esther. You're the nicest person I know, too! ^___^
I actually feel the same way as Esther. I will never condone someone for reading and loving Cassanda Clare's book, but I've personally decided to stay away from them. What with all the plagiarism and bullying stories, I just don't think I could be objective anymore, and it would not be fair.
DeleteAs sad as it is for me - a huge fan of the books - to hear, I understant and get where you're coming from. If I was in the same place as you and Esther, I'm not so sure I would have been able to stay objective either.
DeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts, Inge! And for all your lovely comments ^__^
Great post! I find myself in the middle of this debate; I don't have a PROBLEM with Clare writing more books, but I also can't find myself fully supporting it. And this is not just for Cassandra Clare- it's also for Rick Riordan and more recently, Sarah J. Maas. I do enjoy Clare's novels- I think she's a good writer and I really liked LM despite not having high expectations. But I think some people would just like to see more out of these authors instead of books set in the same universe. I find that some of Clare's harshest critics are also her biggest fans; they're so fond of her writing that they want to see her do something new. I think it's a valid criticism. It's just like when people say an artist's songs all sound the same.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, all the authors aforementioned are successful writers who have obviously gotten where they are on talent. And writing is an art- and just like any art, you cannot dictate what an artist can or cannot do based on what you want. Which is why, despite having conflicted feelings, I refrain from expressing my thoughts too much. Because really, who am I to tell an author what to do? :) Again, great post and you've opened up a really wonderful discussion!
~ Aimal @ Bookshelves & Paperbacks
Wow, I never thought about it like this before.
DeleteThat's exactly what's so wonderful about discussion posts - they make you see different sides, different aspects and different opinions on the topic. They make you *think*, they make you wonder and they open your mind to things you might not have realized otherwise.
Like now, for example, I can so understand why Cassandra's biggest fans are also her harshest critics. I suddenly understand why, *because* they love her stories so much, they want to see her evolve.
I can't say I'm completely at the point where I want to see Cassandra leave the shadowhunters world. Maybe it's just me being scared of not liking the change. Maybe Cassandra feels the same - maybe she's not ready to leave that world just yet.
I know from expirience that your first story is the one you never truly leave. it's the one that sticks with you forever. Even when you do eventually leave it to go write other stories, in you heart you're never really out of it.
Like you pointed out so well, just like you can't rush a child to become a grown up, you can't rush an author to evolve. She needs to do it at her own pace and when she feels ready. And until then... let her write what she feels like writing (:
For writing is something the comes from within and can never be shaped according to the will of others. Because when it does, it loses its shape and is never the same again.
Thank you so much for your wonderful and honest comment, Aimal! You really opened my eyes and made me ponder hard about what you wrote - which is the best thing I could have gotten from a discussion post (:
I totally agree with this post! If there wasn't a solid fan base for her books and the world she has created, Cassandra Clare wouldn't have kept on writing. But there very clearly are people who love her books, who love the Shadowhuter world, and are willing to keep on visiting it again and again. I think all her series are unique, just because of the time differences and how each character is different from the other. She has such a wide cast of characters, and I really think she's done a brilliant job in representing people of all kinds in the world!
ReplyDeleteHey, Erika :D
DeleteI'm right there with you on this. Maybe, in the future, It would be interesdting to see Cassandra writing something not in the shadowhunters world, but it would never diminish my love for the shadowhunters characters and world. With every book, I jump stright back into that familiar, beautiful world and those unique, wonderful and beloved characters that make me *feel* so much.
I've been a fan of cassandra from the moment my 13 years old self read Clockwork Angel. Those books are a part of me now. Forever and always (:
Cassandra Clare's books are so amazing. I've read all the books so far released in the three main series, and loved them all (although some a little bit more than others)! I wrote a similar discussion on Twilight. As you say, it doesn't matter if you don't like the book. I can definitely understand that! But people who trash talk a book before it even comes out, or rate it badly because they're judging the author for acknowledging the readers' opinions, are being completely unfair to the author, the people who have actually read the book, and people who are interested in reading it! Great post!
ReplyDelete-Amy
Ah, Twilight *the nostalgia* (:
DeleteExactly. Reading a book and not liking it is understandable. But hating on a book before it even came out and before you even attempted to read it? That's just not okay.
Thank you, Amy! I was really glad to see your comment on this
discussion :D
And thanks for sharing your thoughts! I always love to see what others think (:
Hahaha, I haven't finished the whole series; I think I need to just start over and read the whole thing.
DeleteOf course! It was a wonderful discussion post. :-)
^___^
DeleteI agreeeee, of course! I'm just so tired seeing 1 star ratings of her books that aren't even released and rant reviews of it. If you don't want to read her books, that's fine, just don't go bashing the book or author. I met Cassandra (with Holly Black) two years ago and she was super nice so she really doesn't deserve any hate. :)
ReplyDeleteYou met Cassandra?! Oh wow! That's amazing! One of my biggest dreams it meeting her (:
DeleteAlways happy to hear someone who thinks the same! With all the hate lately... I don't see that many people on 'team Cassandra', even though I'm sure there are.
Thank you so much for participating in this discussion, Stephanie! (: