“She would solve this with cleverness and bravery—not with the sale of herself as a bride.”

Cordelia wishes to save her family’s fortunes through resourcefulness and courage rather than through a successful marriage, as is the norm. This starkly contrasts with Grace Blackthorn, who wants to marry into an influential family to escape her mother’s control. This line establishes Cordelia’s proto-feminist leanings early in the book, and it sets up Cordelia and Grace as polar opposites.

“LEX MALLA, LEX NULLA. A bad law is no law.”

The gates of most family homes in the Shadowhunter world bear an inscription, often in Latin, revealing something about their originator. The Blackthorn Manor’s motto was given by Benedict Lightwood and shows his penchant for playing with the Accords, the laws that govern the Shadowhunters’ dealings with demons, Downworlders, and mundanes. Benedict was known for genetically engineering demons (creating the likes of the Cerberus kept in Chiswick Manor) and for dabbling in dark magic.

“Drink, and you will sleep; sleep, and you will not sin; do not sin, and you will be saved; therefore, drink and be saved.”

Matthew’s pithy witticism at the ball at the Institute is notable for two reasons: First, Clare’s writing expertly captures the historical ethos of the Edwardian era, when being hedonistic and clever was very much in vogue. Second, behind Matthew’s humor lies deep pain. The lines foreshadow Matthew’s developing alcoholism as he often uses drink as an escape from sin and, therefore, from action and reality.