Cassandra Clare brought more than 250 readers to Bryn Mawr College on Tuesday, Nov. 3, for a discussion of her fiction and the importance of representation, according to the college’s account.
The Goodhart Hall event marked the release of “The Last King of Faerie.” Organizer Main Point Books listed a conversation with Sabrina Ahmadzai of @bookshelfsisters, an audience Q&A and a signing. The novel begins The Wicked Powers, the final Shadowhunters trilogy.
Clare’s debut, “City of Bones,” appeared in 2007. Her Shadowhunter books have since expanded into multiple series and screen adaptations, the college reported.
Among those attending was Bryn Mawr student Xitlali Cortes ’27, who told the college that she began reading Clare in sixth grade. The books introduced her to queer main characters and offered affirming representation while she was growing up in a conservative community. Other readers shared similar experiences during the Q&A.
Clare described resistance earlier in her career to the relationship between Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood. She also discussed censorship and restrictions on access to books in school libraries. Some readers traveled more than five hours to attend, according to the college.
Main Point Books offered a $30 admission tier that included a signed book and a $40 meet-and-greet tier with access to the personalization line. The latter was limited to 300 ticket holders; that ticket limit is separate from the college’s reported attendance.
