Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.
To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?
In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.
Title: City of Ashes
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages: 453
Release Date: March 25, 2008
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5/5
I loved this book just as much, if not more, than the first book in the Mortal Instruments series, City of Bones. In City of Ashes, all of the drama from City of Bones becomes more heated and more intense. The relationships in this book play a big part in the plot. I loved the forbidden love triangles in this book, and the forces of evil and good battling against each other.
The plot-Cassandra Clare always amazes me with her imagination and creativity. She has a true knack for creating worlds and opening the minds of her readers. I loved how Clare uses supernatural elements as metaphors to relate to daily situations that we all encounter. I loved how every character went through their individual journeys and struggles, while interacting with each other. I loved how Valentine was controlling demons, darkness, and evil and attempting to take down the Clave.
The setting-I LOVE the setting for The Mortal Instruments books. Every time that I read Clare's books, I always feel the nitty gritty New York City, rich and professional Manhattan, and industrial Brooklyn. I live in a small, Southern town but I am destined for NYC and have every intention of moving there after graduation--and it's like a haven, Clare's novels, because of the beautifully written setting. I always compare New York City, through Clare's eyes, as a playground for vampires, werewolves, faeries, and witches--how much more magickal can one place be?!
The characters-*sigh* The characters in The Mortal Instruments are filled with humor and teen angst. I love Clary, because she is strong and independent and doesn't let anyone stand in her way. I really like Jace because he is sexy, gorgeous, funny, charming, romantic, brutally honest, and cocky; his personality is very attractive, and I lurve me some Jace! Isabelle, Alec, and Max are the three siblings in this book and they are so family-like; I love the brother/sister complex of Isabelle and Alec and I enjoy Max's desperation to be involved with Shadowhunter business, even though he's not quite old enough...yet. Luke is kind, caring, and a long-time father figure to Clary; Luke is a werewolf (no surprise!) and has always been a good friend to Clary's mother, Jocelyn, and he has loved her ever since they were children in Idris. Valentine is a perfect villain--he is evil, malicious, and lethal; he is also scary, powerful, and greedy and isn't afraid to do whatever it takes to gain power control and to reign supreme over all mundanes, Shadowhunters, and Downworlders.
All in all, City of Ashes was an amazing addition to the Mortal Instruments series--I am a gigantic fan of this series, and cannot wait for the upcoming film adaptation of City of Bones.
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