The Shadowhunter Chronicles – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Shadowhunter Chronicles

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2020

88%

WISE Score

4.9

Amazon

Demon hunting, ancient warlocks, and enough teenage angst to power a small city—this is the ultimate YA rabbit hole.

The Shadowhunter Chronicles

book

2020

88%

WISE Score

4.9

Amazon

Demon hunting, ancient warlocks, and enough teenage angst to power a small city—this is the ultimate YA rabbit hole.

4.9

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Screenwise Verdict

If your kid is into urban fantasy, this is basically mandatory reading. It’s the 'Harry Potter' of the 2010s/2020s for the YA crowd.

Cassandra Clare knows exactly what her audience wants: high stakes, beautiful people with magical tattoos, and ancient secrets. These specific collections—Bane Chronicles, Shadowhunter Academy, and Shadow Market—flesh out the side characters who often steal the show anyway.

It’s not 'educational' in the traditional sense, but it’s fantastic for building empathy and thinking about how history is written by the winners. Just be prepared for them to start asking for a 'stele' for their birthday.

Age Fit

This is perfect for 12 to 14-year-olds who love a mix of action and heavy relationship drama. Older teens and adults often stick around for the lore, but 12 is usually the floor for the themes involved.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

The series champions loyalty and found families, though it leans heavily into the high-stakes angst and dramatic romance typical of the YA genre.

Imaginative

Cassandra Clare is a titan of urban fantasy world-building. The layers of lore, from Victorian London to modern-day New York, are incredibly dense and creative.

Safe

Standard YA fare: plenty of demon-slaying violence and some steamy (but not graphic) romance. Safe for the intended teen audience, but might be intense for younger kids.

Enriching

It tackles heavy themes like systemic prejudice (Shadowhunters vs. Downworlders) and identity with more nuance than your average fantasy romp.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

The world-building is top-tier; it’s a fully realized hidden society that feels like it could actually exist behind the scenes of history.
Magnus Bane is one of the best-written immortal characters in fiction—sassy, vulnerable, and genuinely complex.
It’s a great 'bridge' series for kids who have outgrown Percy Jackson but aren't quite ready for George R.R. Martin.
The short story format of these specific collections makes the massive lore much easier to digest in bite-sized chunks.

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What to Watch For

The 'Shadowhunter' society can be pretty elitist and prejudiced, which is a plot point, but worth discussing with kids who might take the characters' views at face value.
Expect some blood and guts—demons don't exactly go down without a messy fight.
The romance is a huge part of the draw, and while it stays in the YA lane, it can get pretty emotionally intense and physically suggestive.

Conversation Starters

"If you were immortal like Magnus, how would you keep from getting bored after 400 years?"
"The Shadowhunters have a lot of rules they think are for the 'greater good.' Do you think they're actually protecting people, or just protecting their own power?"
"Simon has to basically relearn who he is after losing his memory. What parts of your personality do you think would stay the same even if you forgot your past?"

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