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authorcharlottee's review
3.0
This book was not as good as the others. I still like it, but I think she should have just written a trilogy. I think when they make the movies, they should only do 3
leah_grace07's review
5.0
A great transition book between the first three and the last two! The tester for the characters and the redefining of relationships was amazing and I think that it set me up well of lost souls!:))
reverielms's review against another edition
5.0
wow wow wow ok wait i was NOT expecting to enjoy this book as much as i did. am reallly enjoying the darker plot and tonal shift
sheisun98's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
fiizso's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
breezy610's review
5.0
again, love reading Jace's POV. I just wish there was more.
Merged review:
All I can say is Oh my God. i can't wait that we have to wait until May 2012 for the next book in the mortal instruments series. I sooo can't wait to see what will happen between all of the relationships.
Merged review:
All I can say is Oh my God. i can't wait that we have to wait until May 2012 for the next book in the mortal instruments series. I sooo can't wait to see what will happen between all of the relationships.
kaila2464's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars
This book was...underwhelming to say the least. The book was quite boring for the most part. The first half of the book almost felt like a novella, showing the lives of the characters after city of glass. The plot also took to long to develop and the book only picked up after the last 2 or 3 chapters. Not only this book Clary was especially annoying in this book, I know I am a bit biased and all considering the fact that Clary is my least favourite Shadowhunter protagonist because she is so whinny and dare I say weak, but she was being so self absorbed and mundane in my opinion. However, I did like how the book focused on Simon and his struggles but I was very impervious by the book.
This book was...underwhelming to say the least. The book was quite boring for the most part. The first half of the book almost felt like a novella, showing the lives of the characters after city of glass. The plot also took to long to develop and the book only picked up after the last 2 or 3 chapters. Not only this book Clary was especially annoying in this book, I know I am a bit biased and all considering the fact that Clary is my least favourite Shadowhunter protagonist because she is so whinny and dare I say weak, but she was being so self absorbed and mundane in my opinion. However, I did like how the book focused on Simon and his struggles but I was very impervious by the book.
novabear_25's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
blurrypetals's review
5.0
June 27, 2019
[re-read for Shadowhunter Summer 2019]
All my Shadowhunter Summer 2019 reviews may contain untagged spoilers for all the books in The Shadowhunter Chronicles. If you wish to read a non-spoiler review for this book, you may scroll to the review I wrote on September 26, 2017.
My love for this particular book only grows as time goes on. This book is the first in The Mortal Instruments hexalogy that marks a turning point for a much larger universe ahead, but it still has that charming self containment that makes the first half of the hexalogy so precious.
I also really had fun rereading this after having read this Spring's The Red Scrolls of Magic, which brought some fun new context to Magnus and Alec's part of this book. This is the first time something besides one of the short stories has interjected something in the middle of a series like this did and I thought the quick mention that Alec had dealt with cult members before was a cool nod at what he and Magnus had just been through.
Simon's arc is really great, hinting at the things to come for him and Isabelle in the last two books of this series as well as Shadowhunter Academy. Maia and Jordan end up feeling like an afterthought in the shuffle of it all, since Jordan dies in Heavenly Fire and Maia ends up with Bat and is relegated to colorful side character in all future appearances, so everything she goes through feels a little unnecessary.
This, though, when compared to our other bridge book, City of Glass has footing, Cassandra Clare feels endlessly confident in undertaking she's committed to and that confidence reigns supreme throughout her work as time has gone on.
I'm too excited to begin with City of Lost Souls, honestly, so I'm going to cut it off here. Catch you on the flip!
September 26, 2017
[re-read for my Greatest Hits Bookshelf Tour 2017]
For a while, this book, in my memory, was a series of a couple of short events. It was: one, Simon is dating two girls, two, Jace is acting weird and goes to hang out with Simon and his new roommate, Jordan Kyle, then, three, Simon and his band have a concert and Clary and Jace make out in an alleyway, and four, they find out Lillith is behind Jace's weird behavior; they all fight and save the day up until that goddamn cliffhanger, which I will never, ever forget. This always seemed to me like the weakest link in a chain of great books, but I'm wrong and my memory is bad.
Of course, the story is much, much more complex than what I remembered it to be and it's way, WAY better than I remembered it being. It's just as good as City of Ashes and City of Glass, if not better. The other thing that's wonderful about this book (as well as Clockwork Angel, which I've yet to re-read; I'll get there, but I'm re-reading these in a different order than I first read them for a reason) is that it hints at a wider timeline far more than the previous three books in The Mortal Instruments ever could; their scope was just too narrow. These hints, these mentions here and there, like Camille mentioning William Herondale to Magnus, Jace noticing Jessamine's initials (at least I think they're Jessimine's, her taking Nate Gray's name) carved on the wall of a cell in the City of Bones, Magnus mentioning he's banned from Peru, and so on and so forth. It makes reading these books, reading EVERY book a reward; that's what makes this book as well as every single Shadowhunter book and short story afterward an absolute delight.
That's not all there is to love in this book, though. The banter between Jace, Simon, and Jordan was fucking golden, the best banter, I love it, I live it. Molto bene. A Dirty Sexy Alley Scene is present, as well as lots of other arguably dirtier, arguably sexier bedroom scenes and dream sequences. Simon and Isabelle's chemistry is beautiful and nothing hurts. Everything hurts about Jace getting possessed, but I'm like, genuinely excited to be sickened and creeped out by his whole possession arc in City of Lost Souls in the next couple of days. This book is really great, it's a great bridge book, I love all the extra character moments that were missing from City of Glass (which were only missing because City of Glass was too busy being a finale to expound upon Maia's ex-boyfriend or Isabelle's attachment issues or Alec's jealousy of Magnus's past), I love the dialogue, I love the mystery and the way it all comes together, I love it.
April 7, 2011
Two words, Clare. Two words. Screw you. Screw you for writing such a goddamn good book, (even though a sequel was anything but needed) because I'm jealous of your incredible talent. Screw you for making me care impossibly more about all these characters and their relationships. Screw you for the cliffhanger - mostly for the cliffhanger. I won't go into detail about it. Mostly because it infuriates me.
I have a love/hate relationship with Cassandra Clare's mysteries. I love them because I can't figure them out and they keep me reading. I hate them because I can't figure them out and I get frustrated. But that frustration makes these books very different and amazing to me because I'm so used to guessing the end of each book I read these days. And I haven't - after reading City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, and Clockwork Angel - been able to guess a single one of the mysteries she weaves within her books. It's so refreshing. But still frustrating.
I really loved getting to know Simon! I didn't think I would! I liked Simon in the original trilogy just fine. I didn't dislike him in any way, really, but he didn't stand out to me in any extraordinary way. And when I found out that half(ish) of this book would be written from his perspective, I was a little miffed. But, it was a nice surprise. I like him a lot more now, now that I know how he thinks things through and how he thinks. It was a very nice change and I loved it.
I loved the whole book, though, really. Right up until that blasted cliffhanger, though. And that's why I hate you, Cassandra Clare. But I still love you.
Also, I love/hate the title of the next book. It makes so much sense. And therefore I hate it.
[re-read for Shadowhunter Summer 2019]
"So you're trying to make her happy despite the fact that the reason she's unhappy in the first place is you," said Simon, not very kindly. "That seems contradictory, doesn't it?"
"Love is a contradiction," said Jace.
All my Shadowhunter Summer 2019 reviews may contain untagged spoilers for all the books in The Shadowhunter Chronicles. If you wish to read a non-spoiler review for this book, you may scroll to the review I wrote on September 26, 2017.
My love for this particular book only grows as time goes on. This book is the first in The Mortal Instruments hexalogy that marks a turning point for a much larger universe ahead, but it still has that charming self containment that makes the first half of the hexalogy so precious.
I also really had fun rereading this after having read this Spring's The Red Scrolls of Magic, which brought some fun new context to Magnus and Alec's part of this book. This is the first time something besides one of the short stories has interjected something in the middle of a series like this did and I thought the quick mention that Alec had dealt with cult members before was a cool nod at what he and Magnus had just been through.
Simon's arc is really great, hinting at the things to come for him and Isabelle in the last two books of this series as well as Shadowhunter Academy. Maia and Jordan end up feeling like an afterthought in the shuffle of it all, since Jordan dies in Heavenly Fire and Maia ends up with Bat and is relegated to colorful side character in all future appearances, so everything she goes through feels a little unnecessary.
This, though, when compared to our other bridge book, City of Glass has footing, Cassandra Clare feels endlessly confident in undertaking she's committed to and that confidence reigns supreme throughout her work as time has gone on.
I'm too excited to begin with City of Lost Souls, honestly, so I'm going to cut it off here. Catch you on the flip!
September 26, 2017
[re-read for my Greatest Hits Bookshelf Tour 2017]
For a while, this book, in my memory, was a series of a couple of short events. It was: one, Simon is dating two girls, two, Jace is acting weird and goes to hang out with Simon and his new roommate, Jordan Kyle, then, three, Simon and his band have a concert and Clary and Jace make out in an alleyway, and four, they find out Lillith is behind Jace's weird behavior; they all fight and save the day up until that goddamn cliffhanger, which I will never, ever forget. This always seemed to me like the weakest link in a chain of great books, but I'm wrong and my memory is bad.
Of course, the story is much, much more complex than what I remembered it to be and it's way, WAY better than I remembered it being. It's just as good as City of Ashes and City of Glass, if not better. The other thing that's wonderful about this book (as well as Clockwork Angel, which I've yet to re-read; I'll get there, but I'm re-reading these in a different order than I first read them for a reason) is that it hints at a wider timeline far more than the previous three books in The Mortal Instruments ever could; their scope was just too narrow. These hints, these mentions here and there, like Camille mentioning William Herondale to Magnus, Jace noticing Jessamine's initials (at least I think they're Jessimine's, her taking Nate Gray's name) carved on the wall of a cell in the City of Bones, Magnus mentioning he's banned from Peru, and so on and so forth. It makes reading these books, reading EVERY book a reward; that's what makes this book as well as every single Shadowhunter book and short story afterward an absolute delight.
That's not all there is to love in this book, though. The banter between Jace, Simon, and Jordan was fucking golden, the best banter, I love it, I live it. Molto bene. A Dirty Sexy Alley Scene is present, as well as lots of other arguably dirtier, arguably sexier bedroom scenes and dream sequences. Simon and Isabelle's chemistry is beautiful and nothing hurts. Everything hurts about Jace getting possessed, but I'm like, genuinely excited to be sickened and creeped out by his whole possession arc in City of Lost Souls in the next couple of days. This book is really great, it's a great bridge book, I love all the extra character moments that were missing from City of Glass (which were only missing because City of Glass was too busy being a finale to expound upon Maia's ex-boyfriend or Isabelle's attachment issues or Alec's jealousy of Magnus's past), I love the dialogue, I love the mystery and the way it all comes together, I love it.
April 7, 2011
Two words, Clare. Two words. Screw you. Screw you for writing such a goddamn good book, (even though a sequel was anything but needed) because I'm jealous of your incredible talent. Screw you for making me care impossibly more about all these characters and their relationships. Screw you for the cliffhanger - mostly for the cliffhanger. I won't go into detail about it. Mostly because it infuriates me.
I have a love/hate relationship with Cassandra Clare's mysteries. I love them because I can't figure them out and they keep me reading. I hate them because I can't figure them out and I get frustrated. But that frustration makes these books very different and amazing to me because I'm so used to guessing the end of each book I read these days. And I haven't - after reading City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, and Clockwork Angel - been able to guess a single one of the mysteries she weaves within her books. It's so refreshing. But still frustrating.
I really loved getting to know Simon! I didn't think I would! I liked Simon in the original trilogy just fine. I didn't dislike him in any way, really, but he didn't stand out to me in any extraordinary way. And when I found out that half(ish) of this book would be written from his perspective, I was a little miffed. But, it was a nice surprise. I like him a lot more now, now that I know how he thinks things through and how he thinks. It was a very nice change and I loved it.
I loved the whole book, though, really. Right up until that blasted cliffhanger, though. And that's why I hate you, Cassandra Clare. But I still love you.
Also, I love/hate the title of the next book. It makes so much sense. And therefore I hate it.