REVIEW - City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Series: Mortal Instruments

Book No.: 2


Book Type: Own

Rating: 5 / 5 (☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼)

Summary: (Goodreads)

**HINT!**

If you have not read City of Bones, then I suggest that you do not read the following synopsis. It will sort of ruin the biggest surprise in the first book just to let you know.

~**~

As readers of series starter City of Bones already know, teenager Clary Fray is a Shadowhunter, a demon slayer who has the gift of spotting Downworlder werewolves, vampires, and faeries. She is also an adolescent in an abnormally dysfunctional family: Her mom is in a magically induced coma and her father is probably insane and undoubtedly evil. All of which places Clary in situations that would challenge even the most talented average American girl.

First Sentence: The formidable glass-and-steel structure rose its position on Front Street like a glittering needle threading the sky.

Review: 

As you know from my City of Bones review, I am a fan of this particular series, and being the procrastinating fan I am, I waiting six months to read the second installment after I read the first one. DON'T. DO. THAT. You forget stuff, and believe me, there was a lot to regret. 

This book started off with an, well, interesting prologue. I was sort of off track with the author until the last sentence (if you have read this book, then you know by now what I'm talking about). This book maintains and maybe even goes past the action-packed thrill ride of the first one that I loved so dearly. You still hate Valentine with a passion, yet you want to read the scenes with him. Even though I hate him, I love to read his language. The author took such an effort to make Valentine an intelligent, interesting character, and she succeeded because he is one heck of an interesting character.

My feelings for Clary's love interest has not changed: I'm rooting for Simon. He's such a lovable character that you want to squeeze him. I love the scenes with him, and some of the times I found myself skimming just to get to the parts where he was. Wow. I'm obsessed. 

Even though Simon is a favorite of mine, I still love all the of the characters that I loved before: Isabelle, Alec, Luke (LUKE!), Clary, Jace, and, of course, Magnus.

The plot. Yes. The plot. It gets aggravating. You think one thing's going to happen, then all of a sudden Clare makes you take a U-turn and forget everything you thought was going to happen. Well, excuse me! Yes. I love plot twists, but no. I hate it when I'm wrong. The plot thickens from its nurtured first-book conflict into an all-too-serious fact in this one. I loved the first book, but I really, really, REALLY loved this one. Just as awesome as the first one!

All review in three words: READ THIS SERIES.

Cover: A

Yes, I'm biased. I loved the book so therefore, I love the cover, but I love this cover for different reasons. The model for the cover is simply PERFECT as Clary, and she has red hair (just like me!). It's also blue, and when you hold it in the light, it glimmers very softly, but it still has traces of glimmers! 

QUOTES: 

~ Maybe it was true what the Seelie Queen had said, after all: Love made you a liar. 

pg. 247

~ "There were only ever two kinds of people in the world for Valentine. Those who were for the circle and those who were against it. The latter were the enemies, and the former were weapons in his arsenal. I saw him try to turn each of his friends, even his own wife, into a weapon for the Cause -- and you want me to believe he wouldn't have done the same with his own son?" She shook her head. "I knew him better than that." For the first time, Maryse looked at him with more sadness than anger. "You are an arrow shot directly into the heart of the Clave, Jace. You are Valentine's arrow. Whether you know it or not." 

pg. 23

 

What have YOU read over the Christmas break?