As a huge Cassie Clare fan I was incredibly excited for this second instalment and I am so happy to report it did not disappoint! This world is rich and nuanced and enticing and I could not consume the words fast enough. Ken and Lin make compelling MCs as we delve deeper into their stories as they navigate the aftermath of the violent ending to book 1. There were several reveals throughout that caught me completely unawares and the reveal right at the ending absolutely floored me as it was so flawlessly executed - well done CC! I cannot wait for the next book <3

Cassandra has done it again!
I am a huge fan of her shadow hunter world so exploring this new series has been such a highlight. The drama continues to seriously unfold after the epic ending of Swordcatcher.

Clare writes friendship in such a beautiful and touching way, I am always sobbing at some points in her stories. The Ragpicker King is an exciting, nerve wracking and thrilling continuation of Kel’s story. I couldn’t put it down.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Absolutely phenomenal!Cassandra Clare has once again outdone herself with The Ragpicker King! This book is nothing short of brilliant—an absolute triumph in storytelling. From the very first page, I was utterly captivated, drawn into a world so vivid, intricate, and spellbinding that I never wanted to leave.

The characters are masterfully crafted, each one leaping off the page with depth, heart, and unforgettable presence. The plot is a breathtaking rollercoaster of emotion, intrigue, and sheer magic. Every twist and revelation left me in awe, proving Clare’s unparalleled ability to weave a story that is both thrilling and deeply moving.

The writing? Flawless. The atmosphere? Mesmerizing. The experience? Unforgettable. This book is everything I hoped for and more—an instant favorite that I’ll be thinking about for a long, long time.

If you haven’t started this series yet stop everything and dive in. It’s an absolute must-read!

✦5 STARS ✦

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cassandra Clare stepped up her game with this one. While Sword Catcher intended to be a long introduction of the world of Castellane and its characters, the Ragpicker King takes the narrative a few steps further and gives the story a bigger boost to flourish and expand in an interesting and captivating way. There’s more politics, more drama, magic and action and a lot of twists and turns that keep the reader invested to its very last page.
The amount of romance and the beautiful way it was written, was one of the things that I loved the most while reading and the choice of having various character POVs in between chapters, was a great addition to the plot, whose pace is a lot faster than the first book.

Kel, Lin and Conor’s character development is emphasized by the burden of duty and the responsibilities that each one of them have to their people, themselves and most importantly each other. It was intriguing and at the same time heartbreaking to see them dealing with secrets, expectations, forbidden emotions and the inevitable feeling of wrongness and righteousness, while trying to maintain their values and personal identities.
Having that said, I don’t know if it is irony or intention, but the fact that we stay in the dark about Conor’s thoughts, since we see him through other people’s perspectives, makes him an even more complex character and it definitely adds a lot to his story arc. I understand the choice, but him having his own POV is something that I missed regardless.

The last 10% is a roller-coaster of emotions and big revelations, it definitely sets the stakes higher for the books to come and I can’t wait to see what else Cassandra has in store for our beloved characters.

Huge thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Ragpicker King picks up three months after Sword Catcher, and you’re immediately immersed once again in the rich landscape of political intrigue and thrilling power struggles of Castellane.

For Lin and Kel, identity is an illusion. As the Prince’s Sword Catcher - come - informant to the notorious Ragpicker King, Kel increasingly struggles to reconcile his multiple characters and the expectations of others. Meanwhile Lin is still navigating the implications of her declaration that she is the Goddess Returned alongside her growing feelings for the Prince.

The Royal Court remains in upheaval following the Shining Gallery slaughter, however dark forces are still plotting on the Hill. Lin and Kel must navigate the depths of the criminal underworld if they are to succeed in saving the kingdom. No strangers to deception, they must decide who they can trust as sinister conspiracies threaten the future of everyone they care about…

Ever since reading the Sword Catcher I’ve been counting down until the release of the next in the Chronicles of Castellane series, and The Ragpicker King does not disappoint!

Keeping this spoiler free, I’ll just say
emotions are raw in this book. There’s forbidden love situations all over the place and betrayals left right and centre. Although nearly all are living very different lives, many of the characters are lost and lonely with questionable moral compasses. But I enjoyed the moral greyness (who doesn’t!) and found myself very much rooting for the anti-heroes.

The pacing of the book is steady, if a little slow in places. But the last 100 pages or so were a wild ride and I truly couldn’t stop reading the final chapters! I can’t wait to see what comes next for Kel, Conor and Lin in The Bone Conjurers.

If Sword Catcher was an introduction to the grand, glittering, and treacherous world of Castellane, then The Ragpicker King is where it all comes to life in a breathtaking, high-stakes game of power, deception, and desire. Cassandra Clare has outdone herself with this sequel, delivering a richly woven tale that is both deeply personal and epically political.

Kel and Lin’s journeys take center stage in ways that feel even more raw and compelling than before. Kel, ever the loyal yet conflicted sword catcher, is caught in a web of lies where every truth he uncovers threatens to shake the foundation of the kingdom. Meanwhile, Lin’s evolution is simply spectacular—her resilience, cunning, and heart make her one of the most fascinating heroines in fantasy right now. The introduction of new POVs adds even more depth, making the story feel grander while still keeping it deeply character-driven.

The worldbuilding is nothing short of stunning. Castellane feels alive—its streets bursting with danger and decadence, its royal court seething with intrigue, and its underbelly ruled by a criminal mastermind as enigmatic as the title suggests. Clare paints the setting with exquisite detail, from lavish court fashions to the tension crackling in dimly lit taverns.

And let’s talk about the romance—the yearning! The love stories are woven so seamlessly into the plot, never overpowering but always present, adding an emotional weight to every decision made. Every relationship—whether romantic, platonic, or built on uneasy alliances—feels rich with complexity, making every interaction pulse with tension.

The twists and turns in this book are masterfully done. Even when you think you see where things are going, Clare has a way of making it hurt in the best way possible. The ending left me absolutely desperate for the next book—so much so that I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait!

If you loved Sword Catcher, prepare to be completely consumed by The Ragpicker King. It’s a dazzling, emotional, and utterly immersive read that proves once again why Cassandra Clare is a master of fantasy storytelling.

Where do I start?!! This book has taken over my life for days and I believe that this will still continue, despite the fact I've now finished!!

I really want to do justice to reviewing this book but it's also so difficult because I just want to write about everything that happened and they're all spoilers😭😂😂

So although I can't really mention pretty much anything without spoiling for others, let me tell you that if you enjoyed The Sword Catcher then you are going to love this even more! The Sword Catcher, feels like it really set all the world building and the initial plots and this is where everything just ramped up. This was so twisty, with clever politics and of course some romance, but I won't mention who, keeping in mind that we are introduced to new characters. But let me tell you that I was here for the romance completely 😍❤️❤️ my jaw actually dropped at one of the twists, I guessed at other things but not this one, even though I questioned things that led to it🙈 I do love being surprised with a good twist though!

I love the depth of these characters, they all lie and omit truths and have their own agendas, and it makes it so easy to suspect people and not know who to fully trust.

This was just perfect and my only gripe is reading it early and now having to wait so long for the next😂😭

Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan, Tor and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

The Ragpicker King was one of my most eagerly anticipated releases of 2025, so, when I was sent an E-ARC I couldn’t contain my little happy dance!

This was everything I wanted and everything I have been longing for in the fantasy world for so long!
Rich world building, dynamic and engaging characters, delicious romances that are filled with tension and yearning rather than just spice for the sake of spice, complex political manoeuvring, twists and turns, and a world that I just fully sink into.

This felt like a deeper dive into who our main characters are and the politics of this world. It feels like we’re more settled into this world and so we could skip so much of the introductions that had to pave the way in Swordcatcher. The Swordcatcher was a 4 star read for me but The Ragpicker King was an easy 5 stars.

Cassandra Clare is a master at creating characters that feel real and once they get their hooks into you, well you can’t help but find yourself rooting for them.

It’s no secret that I struggled to connect with Lin in the Swordcatcher, but somehow I found myself looking forward to her chapters here. It feels like we got a look at what Lin is actually made of, her patience, her stubbornness and I fell in love with her. I also loved the addition of some more POVs – it really strengthened the whole story for me and got me invested in all them.

The romances were also expertly done. But even more than simple love, I was utterly addicted to how well Clare made every one of our characters yearn. They all had things they desired and wanted and needed but each of them were torn, constantly grasping at something just out of their reach. It was delicious and painful to read in equal measure.

The worldbuilding is simply captivating. From the small details of silks from this country and that, to food and drink being rich in a culture’s history, all the way to the bigger political intrigues and kingdom’s interconnected histories. I envision a lot more explanation around the magic systems to come as there’s definitely some big old gaps there – but it felt like Clare was setting this up for it to be worked out in a later book so I’m not worried.

This was an incredibly strong second instalment and I only really have two complaints, neither of which were enough to bring down my rating so make of them what you will.
One, I wish I had been more surprised by the twists at the end. I absolutely understand the need to breadcrumb throughout but I saw all the twists coming a mile away and I would have loved if a couple of clues had been subtler or skipped entirely.
Two, I don’t love that Ragpicker King was set a few months after Swordcatcher. It feels like so much happened in terms of character development (especially for Conor) and I would love if this was explored in the future, maybe in the form of some flashbacks?

I’m going to keep this review spoiler-free. BUT all I will say is I NEED the next instalment immediately!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the Panmacmillan Team for an E-ARC. I could not put this down and I am now seriously sleep deprived but it was worth every minute!

The Ragpicker King by Cassandra Clare is a masterpiece! This author is a genious! This book is so good that I couldn't put it down for a second. So so good.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for sending me this ebook. All thoughts are my own.

“I so rarely meet people with principles, I forget what they look like.”

This was such a good sequel to Swordcatcher. The characters were interesting and compelling, as well as the plot being, in my opinion, a more exciting step up from book one. Kel and Lin in particular are fantastic main characters. But I really enjoyed seeing Kel’s friends down at the Black Mansion (Jerrod, Merren, Ji-An, and Andreyen). Cassandra Clare knows how to write romance – which only features in this series as a side-plot – but I think her skill with platonic friendships is next level. Seeing the commitment some of these characters have to their friends is not only just lovely to read, but helps prove to be such an important motivator in their decision-making.

I think The Ragpicker King was easier to follow than the first book, which had me confused semi-frequently. Although I had to focus quite hard on keeping track of the characters at the beginning of this one (there are so many, to be fair), I felt like the world makes a lot of sense and you really get a feel for the setting and politics. The book is slow paced in this sense, but it is rewarding. Plus, Cassandra Clare always ends her books so well. I was actually floored. The last 20% or so was fast paced and thrilling. Makes me excited to read the next one.

In the “Ragpicker King” we follow our characters dealing in different ways with the events happened at the end of book one. Both Kell and Lin are still trying to balance out working for the Ragpicker King and keeping up their facade. They discover a plan to destroy the royal family and a very intricate web of liars lying in court. Will Kell and Lin be able to protect Connor?

Personally I enjoyed this volume more than book one. As per usual Cassandra Clare can build lovable characters like no other. Even if they are morally grey, you cannot not root for them. Kell and Lin are my personal favourites, they both had a lot going on in this one and could not catch a break. Connor is still questionable to me, although with the way this one ended, I’m excited to see some growth from him in book three. Antonetta is still a favorite of mine and I loved that she was more present in this one. Also I need more Antonetta X Kell moments. I don’t really care about Connor and Lin’s relationship (sorry).
Although I have to say that this felt a bit slow at times because it’s extremely political, I really enjoyed my time with it.
The plot twists at the end were great, I flew through the last 100 pages trying to untangle the plot and I’m utterly satisfied. Definitely would recommend this series if you’re looking for a political intrigue based high fantasy!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Good world, good characters. But the constant mention of abuse (r*ape, humiliation) is gross and completely unnecessary.
The 3 stars are solely because without it, this could have been a great book.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan MacMillan for the eARC!

4.5. The Ragpicker King was promised to be an epic addition to the already fantastic Sword Catcher, and it REALLY delivers. I loved it just as much as the first book. So hear me out.

First of all, this series is a very dense political fantasy—not exactly fast-paced, though very engaging if you enjoy books like this. The Ragpicker King further thickens the intrigue compared to what we saw in Sword Catcher. I admit, I didn’t expect some of the plot developments—the last 100 pages are really twist after twist, and the final two chapters are a rollercoaster. Everything here hinges on political machinations, conspiracies, and fragile alliances.

The lore is also very well-developed. While reading the ARC, I missed having a map of the entire continent, but it will be there in the final version, and I’m sure it’ll be really helpful while reading. Unlike in the first book, I didn’t have any trouble keeping track of who’s who and what they do. The world-building in this series is really well done.

This type of fantasy won’t be for everyone—if you didn’t enjoy Sword Catcher and you're hoping Cassandra Clare will return to something closer to Shadowhunters or turn this series into a romantasy, you probably won’t like this sequel. I’d say both this and the first novel have a strong "old man fantasy" vibe, and fans of that kind of books should be satisfied with this series. There’s a reason George R. R. Martin endorsed this title.

When reviewing Sword Catcher, I mentioned the book had minimal romance. In The Ragpicker King, this changes a bit—I mean, the romance is still secondary to politics, but finally, something happens on that front. Cassandra Clare has repeatedly shown how great she is at writing yearning between characters. This book is full of it, and it really hits differently. The contrast between the characters' personal desires and emotions versus the expectations of a deeply class-based society or the political game is executed perfectly in this novel.

That being said, I do have a few quibbles about this book. The biggest one concerns Conor’s character development—unfortunately, a large part of his transformation, as a result of the events in the finale of Sword Catcher, happens off-page, and we’re told about it rather than shown. The Ragpicker King starts a few months after the events of the first book, and Conor is almost a different person in this one. It's a shame that instead of multi-POV shorts separating the chapters, we didn’t get some flashbacks from Conor’s POV, which would have helped us better understand his transformation.

After finishing the book, I also felt that some plot threads were wrapped up a bit too easily and conveniently. However, honestly, it’s hard to criticize these kinds of things—the book ends with so many twists that it’s difficult to consider anything truly final at this point.

In the end, I’m rating this book 4.5 stars, the same as I gave Sword Catcher. I truly hope this fantastic series reaches its perfection in book three! I honestly regret that the next installment doesn’t exist yet because I'd love to read it right now!

“Even Conor's pace was familiar to him. He would have known it anywhere. If I were dead and buried and those feet walked over my grave, I would know those footsteps.”



Wow!! This was my most anticipated read of 2025 and it absolutely blew me away!! I had loved Sword Catcher, but The Ragpicker King is on a whole other level: we are introduced to new, well defined characters, we get to read other povs besides Kel and Lin’s, it’s action packed and with new revelations at every turn.

Clare showed her skill for making everything come together at once, so much so that it was absolutely impossible to put down this book.

Besides the brilliant worldbuilding, this author has a way of making me love almost every character (the “good” ones at least!) even if they couldn’t each be more different from the other. The romance was also done beautifully: there is definitely more of it in this book compared to the first one and I absolutely loved *every* couple: the yearning was chef’s kiss!

As for the main characters: Lin is for sure one of my favourite heroine ever, i love her stubbornness, her patience, her resilience, the way she never lets anyone intimidate her, she’s a rock immovable while the waves crush against it. Her toe-to-toe with a certain character never failed to make me smile, but I will keep this spoiler free!

I also came to appreciate more Antonetta, since we finally have a couple of chapters from her pov as well, she’s very a very different type of character from Lin, one that is definitely more enigmatic and contradictive but fascinating at the same time.

Kel and Conor🥺: my beloved😭, no one can write a friendship/brotherhood like Clare does and I think we had enough proof of that in the Shadowhunters chronicles. Kel is a sweetheart, trusting but clever, a stubborn cinnamon roll with good intentions who always cares too much, while Conor has gone through some changes during the span of 3 months between the end of Sword Catcher and the beginning of The Ragpicker King, and I really appreciated that! He’s always the sarcastic, fashionista, tormented crown prince we got to know in book 1, but he’s more aware of his role and of his actions.

After that ending, it is needless to say that I’m super eager to get back to Castellane!

Thank you very much to the Panmacmillan team and netgalley for graciously granting me a free earc, I slept only two hours to binge read this but it was worth it! All opinions are my own.

The yearning, the world-building, the politics…. AHHHH.

Prince Conner is still reeling and feeling guilt over the attack and massacre of his engagement party but wastes no time in securing another betrothal alliance to fend off war.
Kel is balancing his role as Swordcatcher and hiding more and more secrets from Conner in his secret finding for the Ragpicker King.
Lin has claimed she is the Goddess returned and she must prove herself.

This is much stronger than the first instalment as we are more settled in the city, the manipulative charter families, and the characters.

<b>“You are a healer,” he said with a bitter laugh. “If you could cut this fascination out of me, like a cancer, oh, I would let you. For it has tortured me, Lin. I have neglected every duty, every requirement, just to steal another moment with you. I feared that if anyone ever saw me with you, they would see it on my face, that I was an addict, that I would barter my birthright just to touch you—”
</b>
The yearning in this one is threefold. Conner is still lovesick but must put duty over himself.
Lin will not let herself be drawn into Conner’s world when it is clear they have incompatible lives and paths.
Kel longs for and hides his attraction to Antonetta who is recently engaged to a truly despicable man.

<b>“The selfish among them will say in fear, ‘But these people have no home; surely they will try to take ours.’ And I tell them to remember that those people are wrong. That we do have a home, in each other. We make our homes within, and not without; that is how we are different.”
</b>
Those last 30 pages?! Absolutely whiplash in the worst and best way. This had a great reveal, twist, and cliffhanger.
Yay, hahahha *SCREAMS*.

I do think we were told Conner has changed so much instead of shown, and Conner’s development was neglected slightly to augment Lin and Kel and incorporate a whole host of perspectives which can sometimes feel overwhelming but do add a lot to the story.

I do wish we had a bit more explanation of the wider world and the magic, but we did get more on it, and I’m sure book three will expand even more.

Physical arc gifted by BookBreak Panmacmillan.