Swordcatcher was one of my favourite reads of last year. It’s mostly setting the scene for the rest of the series, but I loved it nonetheless. The last 200 pages it was impossible to put the book down. And with that ending… I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy of the Ragpicker king.

The Ragpicker king starts slow as well. The first 55% of the story contains mostly the same elements as the first half of Swordcatcher: continuing setting the scene, putting traps into place, hiding little tidbits of useful information, getting to know the characters better (special shout-out to Merren, he is one of my favourites in this series), introducing new characters, … From there on, the pacing finally increases, stuff starts to happen, and oh boy there were a lot of plot twists! I didn’t see any of the twists coming (especially the last one, I knew something was off but I couldn’t put my finger on it), yet they fit perfectly with the rest of the story.

So even though this story starts very slow as well, I still liked it a lot. The writing style, the worldbuilding, the characters, the way the web is woven, the betrayal, the friendships, the slow burn, the feelings, the political intrigues, … these were all great (it’s not a light romantasy, it’s an epic, slow, complex story, which makes it even better in my opinion), just as we’ve come to expect from Cassandra Clare. I have been a fan since City of Bones, and I’ll keep buying and reading all other books she writes.

I can’t wait to find out where all this is going in The Bone Conjurers (because yes we have a title 👀 ). I need them all to be okay, alright? Everything has to work out in the end…

4.5/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!

This review is for The Ragpicker King by Cassandra Clare which released in the UK on the 4th March! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Tor for giving me an eArc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve read and loved a lot of Cassie’s work, especially her Infernal Devices and Dark Artifices series (Will Herondale is the man of my teenage dreams) so as soon as I saw she was writing an adult novel??? Sign me up. I read the first in the series just before this one and was obsessed so was glad it was available to request.

I will say I loved the pacing of this one so much more than the first. The first had a lot of ‘first book syndrome’ where it was a lot of plot to set up for the rest of the story, but in this one we get to see so much more of the characters. And how much I love the characters!!! Antonetta is a personal fav, but I do also love Conor and Lin. I love a good yearning plotline. The romance in this is also *chefs kiss* and I loved how much more of it we got to see.

I also appreciated how every character seems to have their role in the story, and how the twists just kept coming!! I was kept on my toes so much throughout this book and I looooved it. The setting of this book was incredible as well, Castellane is such a vividly written world that you cannot help but fall into the story.

I’m trying my hardest to write this without any spoilers, you need to read this series as soon as you can!! You’ll fall in love with the characters and the world just as I have. You have slow burn, forbidden romance, court politics, criminal underworld, magic and more. What else could you need?? 5 stars from me and absolutely no notes.

I’ve been a huge Cassandra Clare fan for years, and The Ragpicker King is exactly the kind of book that reminds me why I love her writing so much. When I read Sword Catcher last year, I enjoyed it, but I also felt like it lacked some of the originality and depth I was hoping for. It was a solid introduction to Castellane, but it didn’t wow me the way I wanted it to. The Ragpicker King feels more like the Cassandra Clare that we know and love.

The biggest improvement for me was how much more fleshed out the characters, politics, and world building felt. Clare has always been at her best when writing character dynamics, and she really delivered here. I really enjoyed both Lin and Kel's POV. I really wish we had gotten POV chapters from Conor and the Ragpicker King. Both of them are such fascinating characters, and while we see them through the eyes of others, I kept wanting more—more insight into their motivations, more depth to their personal struggles. Maybe in book three? Fingers crossed.

Overall, The Ragpicker King was a massive step up from Sword Catcher for me. The characters felt more alive, the stakes were higher, and the world was more immersive. It’s an easy five-star read, and now I’m left desperately waiting for book three. Cassandra Clare, please put me out of my misery and release it soon!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I sacrificed sleep for this book, and I regret nothing!

Needs to be read in sequence but fans of the first will not be disappointed! Great character development, twisting plot machinations, and wider expansion of the created world. Can’t go wrong really - roll on the next one!

Actual Rating: 4.5⭐

After giving this series another chance, I can confidently say I’m glad I did—because the sequel DID.NOT.DISAPPOINT!

Picking up right where Sword Catcher left off, The Ragpicker King dives straight into the heart of Castellane’s mysteries and conflicts.
With the groundwork of world-building and character introductions firmly established in the first book, the sequel wastes no time getting straight into the thick of the action.

Personally, I find the Ragpicker King far more enjoyable.
The characters felt more fleshed out, and the story pulled me in deeper as betrayals unraveled, schemes unfolded, and long-hidden secrets came to light.

Conor’s character development stood out the most!
Witnessing his evolving actions, attitudes, and relationship with Lin was both captivating and heart-wrenching. Every moment involving Conor and Lin tugged at my emotions—my heart broke alongside theirs.
I’m eager (and a little nervous!) to see what the future holds for them in the next book.

The ending, with its unexpected twists and turns, especially revelations about the Ragpicker King, was truly mind-blowing!

Overall, The Ragpicker King is a fantastic sequel—an emotionally charged, well-written continuation of the series. The author has delivered another spectacular story that left me eagerly anticipating what comes next after that gut-wrenching cliffhanger!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Violence, death, murder, sexual content, moderate mention of xenophobia and brief mention of torture, confinement, sexual assault.

The Ragpicker King by Cassandra Clare is the thrilling sequel to Sword Catcher, plunging readers back into the dazzling yet treacherous world of Castellane. With conspiracies brewing, forbidden love tangled in duty, and the fate of an entire kingdom at stake, Lin and Kel must navigate a world where trust is a deadly gamble.

Kel Saren, still bound by his duty as the body double to Prince Conor, is tasked with uncovering the masterminds behind a brutal massacre at the royal palace. His only lead takes him into the domain of the Ragpicker King, the ruler of Castellane’s criminal underworld. But the deeper Kel digs, the more dangerous the truth becomes, leading him back to the aristocratic Hill, where a sinister plot threatens to topple the royal family. To complicate matters, the ruthless Artal Gremont, the man engaged to Kel’s love, plays a key role in this dark conspiracy.

Meanwhile, Lin Caster must face the consequences of her greatest deception. To save a dying friend, she falsely claimed to be the Goddess Reborn, a mythical saviour of her people. Now, a formidable leader has come to test her powers, and failure means exile. To maintain her magic, Lin turns to the Ragpicker King for help, even as her path collides once more with Prince Conor. When he begs her to heal the King’s growing madness, Lin finds herself drawn to a dark and ancient power—one she may not be able to resist.

As tensions in Castellane reach a boiling point, both Lin and Kel must make impossible choices about love, power, and survival. Who can they trust when betrayal lurks in every shadow?

This book is a richly woven tale of intrigue, magic, and forbidden love. It cannot be read as a standalone, as it continues the intricate story set in Sword Catcher. Fans of political fantasy, morally complex characters, and slow-burning romance will find themselves utterly captivated.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

It’s a fantasy masterpiece. Every page was perfect, the pacing, the character dynamics, and THE REVELATIONS??? Incredible, all of them.

I screamed at the book and gasped so many times. Cassie is incredibly daring, pushing the court intrigue, with all of its blackmailing, deception, and manipulation to lengths I would’ve never expected from her. No wonder G.R.R. Martin ended up being linked to its marketing, showcasing the same type of cunningness.

Antonetta was my favourite character from SC, and I adore the developments seen here. Merren and Jerrod surprised me, I admit. Lin and Conor, my darlings, I am so weak for you both. And wow, they surely delivered in the spice department. Kel is still an exceptional lead, and I am so looking forward to more of him - especially with Antonetta.

This is was a brillaint sequel to Swordcatcher.
As per usual Cassandra Clare delivers with her outstanding character work and how she interweaves character relationships.
The relationship between the charcters in this sequel grows more complicated and intricate to match the plot.

This world is very atmospheric and I loved the concept of the King on the hill and the King in the city.
I also loved how more information was given in the reader in regards to the Ashkar, and in particular what this information meant for Lin.

I can't wait to carry on with this series as this was just a joy to read.

What a whirlwind.

I wasn't sure if Ragpicker King could beat it's predecessor, and at times I thought the story was starting to drag a little, but ultimately I loved it.

The last half of the book had me hooked, so much was happening and I was terrified for the characters. There are some I wouldn't mind tossing into the sea though. Death by crocodiles doesn't sound pleasant but I'd watch it and smile.

Can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Ragpicker King. I absolutely loved this book. It was a really amazing sequel to The sword catcher.
This book sucked me in from the first chapter, the twist and turns had me gasping. The world building was phenomenal. The politics were just wow.
So this book is months after where the sword catcher leaves off and your back in to that political intrigue that is just so good.

Like a lot of books there were some parts that were predictable but that did not take away from the book. I still thoroughly enjoyed it.
I loved the romance, the stakes, the plot and the world building. It was all done so well. I can’t not wait to see what happens next

I really enjoyed the first in this series; swordcatcher. My review at the time centred around the book being aimed at adults but much of the novel still seemed to be YA. Ragpicker King is much the same; it is slow, methodical, and gives the feel that it is leading to something epic. The Ragpicker King is not a bad book, I just wish that the pacing was increased and that more happens. I can see what Clare is doing, she is weaving an intricate world of magic, royalty, criminality, love and greed. Trying to bring all this together into a seamless storyline is no easy thing to do. I love the characters and the potential of this series I am hooked in now and will see it through to the end.

Absolutely fantastic, everything I wanted and didn’t know I needed. Cassandra Clare never fails to entertain and I will always return for everything she writes. Can’t wait to see where she heads next

The Ragpicker King is the second book in Cassandra Clare’s The Chronicles of Castellane series. This new fantasy trilogy takes place in a dangerous world full of royalty, crime and magic. Whilst I was nervous to see how Cassandra Clare wrote adult fantasy outside of her Shadowhunter world, but I’m pleased to say that her writing in this book and Swordcatcher is as addictive as ever!

This sequel follows directly on from the dramatic ending of Swordcatcher. We are once again reunited with Lin, Kel and Conor as they face new challenges and threats. I won’t go into any spoilers, but I will say that I think the pacing and plot greatly improved in this sequel. I found it quite hard to get into the first Swordcatcher book because there was lots of slow world-building, flashbacks and changes in POV. That isn’t to say that I didn’t appreciate these elements as well, they are essential for creating a good world and strong characters, but I like that you can get more immersed in the current story in this book. The plot is rich and complicated, but the characters are still at the heart of the story.

I was lucky enough to attend a talk with Cassandra Clare when Swordcatcher first came out and I have to say that she seems to be completely in love with this story and the world. Hearing her talk about the magic system, the criminal underworld and the relationships in the book (both romantic and platonic) made me love it even more. I can tell that she’s only grown to love this series more with time. I just hope that this means she won’t be too cruel to our main characters. I know she is a master at writing angst and tragedy, so I am both excited and scared to read the final book in the trilogy!

I would recommend this book if you’re a fan of political intrigue, intricate magic systems with clear rules and strong characters. If you liked her other books, definitely give this a go but be prepared for a more mature writing style and a little less romance.

4.5 ⭐
Following three months after a harrowing ending to the first book, this book had a heavy emphasis on the political manoeuvring of the world, with their kingdom on the brink of war, and with the royals and nobles trying to ignore the implications of what happened, the only way royalty does - through over the top and fabulously extravagant parties. Overall, the book was a fun and engaging read for a second book in the series.

I loved that it did not follow that formulaic way most adult fantasy books go, (they either have a way too complicated world building, or it turns too smutty, which to each their own) but rather was a tasteful combination of the two. it had an amazing blend of simple enough world building and plot development to keep you hooked, but with a smidge of romance to keep you from being tired of the political manoeuvres of the world.
I hope she takes her time with book three and gives herself, and the book, the time and patience they both deserve.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with an early edition of the digital copy of The Ragpicker King in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this, Cassandra Clare on top form! Such a fantastic sequel with incredible world-building and character development. Can't wait for the next one - this is such an under-rated adult fantasy series!

I have to admit I love Cassandra Clare and every single book of hers I have loved, I always fall in love with the characters, the world building and her beautiful writing. This second installment has continued to wow me and I love the twisty intrigue where I never know what will happen next. I also adored seeing all of the characters grow (with the romance having me on the edge of my seat). I can't wait to see what happens next, but for anybody who loves fantasy I can't recommend this series enough.

The Ragpicker King is an incredible continuation of a series that has quickly become one of my all-time favourites. After falling completely in love with the world and characters in Swordcatcher, I was thrilled to dive back into the intricacies of this rich and captivating universe. And once again, the story did not disappoint.

What I really appreciated in this sequel was the deeper exploration into the world’s politics and the fallout from the events of the first book. From the very first page, I was hooked by the intertwining perspectives and storylines of the various characters. There’s a wonderful complexity to this series, with characters who each have their own agendas, and the constant scheming kept me on the edge of my seat. The twists and turns were relentless, and many of them caught me by surprise.

One of the highlights for me was getting to see more of the world beyond Castellane. This added so much depth to the story, enriching our understanding of not just the opposing countries, but also the mysterious Ashkar. This expanded world-building took the narrative to a whole new level and made the stakes feel even higher.

What really stands out to me about this series is how invested I am in both the plot and the characters. I’m typically someone who gravitates more toward the storyline, but here, the character development is so compelling that it’s impossible not to care deeply about what happens to them. Seeing how the relationships evolve throughout the book added a layer of emotional depth that was truly satisfying. The characters are flawed, complex, and undeniably real.

Now, I’m eagerly awaiting the next book, desperate to see what twists and turns are in store. If you loved the first book, The Ragpicker King is a must-read – and if you haven’t started the series yet, I can’t recommend it enough!

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for this early copy to review.

I feel the need to preface my review by saying that the Chronicles of Castellane are my first Cassandra Clare series and that I am not a regular fantasy reader: I stumbled upon these Chronicles by chance, my interest piqued because I live in Provence, not far from the actual town of Castellane which has inspired the setting of this tale.

The Ragpicker King is the second installment in Clare's political epic set in a world of power struggles, royal marriages of convenience, small kingdoms fighting for greater domination, rigid social hierarchy and great adventures. The story picks up three months after the tragic and gruesome ending of the first book, The Sword Catcher. The main trio, Prince Conor, his sword catcher Kel and healer Lin, remain at the heart of the series and occupy most of the centre stage although other characters are given their chance to shine and develop, too. Clare's careful and detailed worldbuilding in the first tome is at work again in the first half of The Ragpicker King, giving room to more depicting and ambiance writing as Castellane welcomes Prince Conor's new fiancée from faraway. In the second half of the novel, the action - finally! I must admit I was growing impatient - picks up and Clare's talent for writing suspenseful scenes is put to work.

Those invested in the romantic relationships set up in The Sword Catcher will be delighted to find that all the angst and lust come to fruition in The Ragpicker King. Clare comes through for the romantasy fans and delivers several passionate scenes that were highly anticipated. My only slight complaints would be that the kissing scenes seemed to follow a rather formulaic recipe (down to the sucking of the bottom lip to finish with) and that I would've liked seeing some more gender role reversals with women taking more of the sexual action into their own hands rather than being "taken care" of by the men but I suppose the author is catering towards a women-dominated audience who may prefer this set-up (I am also not much of a romance reader so not used to the generally accepted codes of spicy scene write-ups).

A word of caution for those who may have thought, like me, that the title would be an indication of the overall importance of a character: Andreyen, the ragpicker king himself, remains mostly absent from the story, popping up here and there, never quite making it to the foreground, until the very end of the novel. I was hoping for a significantly increased presence throughout the book but the title is an indication of a major revelation in the final pages - with all the ramifications in the books-to-come, no doubt. This was a bit of a letdown, I must admit.
Looking beyond the title, however, this second Chronicles of Castellane novel was a delight to read. I loved the political intrigue and its many intracies, Prince Conor's growth, Lin's first steps in her self-proclaimed Goddess Reborn journey (and the imposter syndrome she struggles with), the spycraft, the conspiracies against the kingdom, the injection of Kutani culture through the arrival of Princess Anjelica, the twists and shadows cast over previously accepted certainties, and also, by the end of the book, the shattering of what we, readers, felt were strong, unbreakable foundations, opening up new directions and other paths to explore in future books.

As someone from Provence and lover of her home region, I wish to thank the author for the abundance of nods to our Provençal culture and land. I found myself smiling every time I came across something, no matter how small, just like I did in the first book: from the descriptions of the garrigue scrublands to the colours of the historical flag of Provence for Castellane's colours to details like food (I found myself ordering a gibassié at the bakery while I was reading the book) and flora. I'm very appreciative of the great amount of care and research went into weaving the tapestry of this Provence-inspired fantasy setting.

I can come up with no better conclusion than to say that the only major letdown of this epic novel is the wait for the next installment.

"People dying of thirst, when they were given water, sometimes drank until they died, unable to assuage the need that had become part of them. She could understan it now, how you could have something and still not have enough of it, ever."

* Many thanks to NetGalley & Pan MacMillan for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. *

So good! Can’t believe I got a ARC for this as the sword catcher was one of my favourite books! This isn’t far behind it. Absolutely loved it.

I was in love with the Shadowhunters world that she created, so when the Sword Catcher was announced and that it will be a set in a new world, naturally I was excited and was not surprised that the book delivered AND more!
The Ragpicker King, as book two of The Chronicles of Castellane, was a wonderful continuation of the story and solidified for me the amazing qualities for storytelling and the world building of Cassandra Clare no matter the world she chooses.
Intriguing politics, espionage that keeps you on edge, and a beautifully built romance between the characters that makes you get through all the emotions with them.
As I mentioned, the writing style vividly brought to life everything around you with such a detailed description, like you were there with them. At moments, a little too descriptive but not to the point of bothering you, and for me, that was part of the distinguished charm of both books of the series.
As always, my brain can't refrain from picking a favorite, and for me, this time, it was Kel. All the characters were so complex with their emotions and secrets that made them what they are, but Kel, I felt closest to my heart. And the plot twists were made in such a way that you absolutely didn't see them coming.
Love the series and definitely will follow what's coming next for them!