Book Review: City of Glass

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments)

Description: Clary has found out that her mother and her life isn't what she always believed it to be. She is a Shadowhunter with a special power. She can create new ruins with her stele. This allows her to fight the evil man that has put her mother in a coma and is trying to distroy the world - her father.

Her father started out being a good person but when his first child was born he changed. He became evil. And he took his son with him. Jace has always believed that he is evil and he is doing all he can to not be like that. Add to that his attraction for his newly found sister Clary and he can't help but thing that there is a possiblity that he cannot be good.

Valentine is now ready to declare war on all of the Glass City. The Shadowhunters cannot stop him by themselves. Can they trust Clary and Jace? What about the werewolves, vampires, and warlocks? Can they all learn to work together before Valentine wipes them all out?


Thoughts: I enjoyed this series when it first started out. I had no idea it was only going to be a trilogy - until I got to this book. Personally I would have liked to see it go on a little longer (because I both liked the series as well as because I thought there was so much thrown into the last book that I feel like things may have been a little rushed).

Overall though the series was a good series and I would recommend any of the other books as well - City of Ashes and City of Bones though it really is one of those series that I recommend starting at the beginning.

I don't want to ruin anything but I really started to wonder in this book about the relationship between Jace and Clary. I really didn't think at any point in this book that they could be brother and sister like we were led to believe. I mean they scream - soul mates. Some may feel that the way this ended was a good thing while others may feel like the ending in that particular matter was a bit of a cop out.

As a quick note - even though I think that it is almost nothing like the Harry Potter series, something about this last book reminded me of it. Maybe it was the big battle, maybe it was the evil guy, I just don't know - but it was interesting.

Another thing that I thought a good thing in this book is while it is definitely aimed at teens - other then violence there really is no sex or any sort of act that would be inappropriate. I even loved the way they inserted (even earlier in the series) a gay character who had to come out to his parents. Everyone felt the same about him- even though it was a hard and courageous thing to do.

What genre would you consider this?
Teen/Paranormal

Overall:

City of Ashes

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments Book 2)

What was this book about?

Clary and Jase are still out to stop their evil father Valentine from destroying the world that they know. Clary and Jase are Shadowhunters that fight demons and Valentine has set the demons lose in order to be able to have an army to destroy his enemies.

It isn’t easy for the two – they are fighting an attraction to each other that is not normal for brother and sister. Clary is trying to figure out how to save her mother from the coma she is in. Jase is dealing with everyone around him believing that he will turn traitor only to help his father defeat them. They also are coming to a realization that they are “special” and have unusual gifts. They with the help of their friends Simon (a mundane with no special powers who has boyfriend like feelings for Clary), Alec (who has a secret relationship with warlock Magnus), and Isabella (who is like a sister to Jase) all must figure out how to explain to the adults what is really going on in their world.

What did you like/dislike about the book?

I feel like this series is just getting better and better. The first book was interesting with the ruin drawing giving Shadowhunters special powers – but it has moved on to be more about the dynamic of relationships, the struggle for power, and the mystery of their existence.

What genre would you consider this?
Teen Paranormal

Overall:

City of Bones

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal
Instruments Book 1)

What was this book about?
Clary Fray has led a normal teen life. She spends time with her best friend Simon. Until one night when she starts to see things that she shouldn’t – someone is murdered. But that someone is a demon. When she returns home her mother is acting oddly and wants to leave the city. When Clary leaves in a fit of anger, she returns only to find her mother missing and the life she thought she led a lie.

Clary is special, and the young man she met the night of the murder – Jace is also special. They need to work together to get her mother back and save the world. Jace is part of a special demon fighting supergroup – the Shadowhunters – so if anyone can do it he can.

What was your favorite part about this book?

It is an interesting story - demon hunters that draw ruins on themselves that give them super powers.

What was your least favorite part about this book?

The beginning was a little slow. I was wondering when I was going to find out more about everything and eventually I did realize what the world was that Clary lived in. It just took longer then I wanted.


What genre would you consider this?
Paranormal

Overall: B, I am looking forward to seeing what the next book brings.