Reviews

La Cité des Ténèbres by Cassandra Clare

bookwanderer_'s review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted relaxing fast-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

nikki52010's review against another edition

3.0

I started this book exactly 364 days before I actually finished it. I put it on hold after a very slow start. Hold, not DNF. Big difference. This is actually one of the first I have moved from my hold shelf back to currently reading.

I started fresh listening it to on audio. Sometimes books just work better for me if I can listen to them. Especially dystopian and fantasy books. I can imagine them much more clearly if I can hear them.

So once I got into the audio of this, I actually really enjoyed it. The world of shadow hunters is pretty cool. I know a few people who have started this and given up on it, but I would like for you to try again. This is just the first book of a long series that I can only imagine getting better with each book.

That being said, if you have watched the movie and go into it thinking that it's going to be the same. Don't. The book gives way more detail and makes everything so much more clear. Also it's completely different to the movie. Much better in my opinion!

ghood_27's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

4.25

colorfulpieces's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I enjoyed the story & loved that Mae Whitman was the narrator. 

fflur_jones's review against another edition

4.0

Not as good as I remembered it, but then I'm not the target audience anymore. The clichés such as the love triangle and the mysterious emotionally-closed boy were more annoying. One that I found especially grating was Clary's antagonism towards other female characters (big "I'm not like other girls I'm clumsy" vibes) and how she's described as beautiful because she doesn't know it. Also didn't like how being fat was often equivalent to being ugly.

However, the plot is great and the wide variety of fairytales used to construct a superb world was amazing. The story has flaws but overall a solid YA book.

njoomie's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

reneelope's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious 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

araym007's review against another edition

4.0

I love the cover. I loved reading it. I loved the urban fantasy setting. But somehow it just didn't live up to all the hype for me. I wanted so badly to love the characters, but they just weren't developed at all. The villain wasn't particularly villainous, the hero not very heroic and most decisions the characters made seemed completely random. I'm going to finish the series sometime, but I'm more excited to start her victorian steampunk storyline and hoping I can connect with those characters.

queenhoneybee93's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

gilliancane's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75