I loved having some back story for Raphael. He is one of the more complicated characters in the Mortal Instruments and I'm glad I got to see where he is coming from. It made me feel more for him especially considering the events in City of Heavenly Fire. I feel like his story kind of paralleled Simon's story as well and you can see traits that they share. I kept having flashbacks of Simon with his own mom. Anyway, I really enjoyed this novella but I feel like Magnus wasn't really a key player in it. He was just a tool in Raphael's story. I am really loving the Bane Chronicles, especially this one. I finished it in about 2 hours, when I usually read them as a side book and it takes me about a week. my favourite part when Ragnor showed up at Magnus's apartment and he and Raphael started dissing Magnus. Not that I like it when Magnus gets insulted, its just that he's too awesome to care! :) really happy with the way Cassandra Clare ties up the loose ends, like how in the mortal instruments, Simon asks Raphael how he can say the word 'God'. its nice knowing that was Magnus that helped him!P.S all the covers match up to make a picture of Magnus! I only discovered that about a month ago when I sorted them all into order on my ibooks library! can't wait to see the finished picture!
This story gave me a whole new perspective of Raphael. I mean, I knew there was something classy in him but I disliked him for what he did to Simon. But then I read this and gosh, at some point he was just like Will and Jace, they had the same strong determination. And he loved his family so much it hurt, and his mother's love was unbelievable I was touched, really. He had a history with Magnus and that was something, lol. Even Ragnor liked him haha. I really like this novella.
—misty166
Okay, so I loved this one *way* more than I was expecting. I thought that it would be one of those that I would like the less because I never really enjoyed the character of Raphael in TMI but oh my God how this story has changed my mind. It made me care for Raphael a lot and made me a lot intrigued by his character and I can't wait to see more about him now in CoHF next year. I loved seeing him struggling with his vampireness and fighting against it.
—susie
I really liked this one, and I miss Raphael even more now.
—erin
