Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
So, it's finally over.
Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I was...less than thrilled with the last two installments of the Mortal Instruments series. I felt that some characters had become indistinguishable from one another, while others did a complete 180. I felt like there were too many plot threads going at any given time for me to care about any of them. I felt like the fun of the series, so instrumental to enjoying the first three books, had been sapped somehow.
Cassie Clare is either very self-aware, or she's listened and learned. I went into this book with low expectations, but it had everything I'd been missing from books #4 and #5.
The main characters were back--really back, back in a way that was enjoyable to read. I cared about them again. I was invested. Clary is once more an interesting, well rounded character (I appreciated that her love for art was addressed again). Simon and Jace's brands of snark were distinguishable again. Clary and Jace acted like a healthy, loving couple on equal ground rather than the objects of mutual crazed obsession, which was lovely (sidenote: THEY FINALLY HAD SEX THANK YOU GOD THE UST FEST HAS ENDED). The author remembered that Alec and Jace were parabatai and that the two of them and Izzy have a long familial history! Speaking of Alec, he was once again the sensible, long-suffering, thoughtful big brother that I missed So Much in the last few books. It was wonderful to see him acting like himself again.
The plot felt better thought out as well. There were only a few major plot threads going on, most of them drawing on seeds planted in earlier books, and they all received appropriate focus. Best of all, they came together in the end. Everything was connected instead of a mishmash. It was a whirlwind read, one I couldn't put down.
Sebastian as a villain really shone here. There's still the batshit insane "I want to burn everything down" apathy that makes him so unpredictable, but it's more tempered with his "love" for Clary and for Jace. (On the latter topic, do I have a new ship? Why yes, I think I do.) His endgame was something I did not see coming, and I did feel terrible for Jonathan at the end.
Special kudos on the ending, for two reasons. One: I like that the author showed the aftermath of war, and what too frequently passes for diplomacy in it. I was reminded of the Treaty of Versailles and what that resentment eventually wrought, which is something I assume Clare is going to delve into with her next series. I like that the Clave continues to be portrayed as both good and bad, neither in entirety. We're predisposed to root for them, but they are not perfect; Clare doesn't forget it, and neither do we.
Two: This is going to sound horrible, but I appreciate that the characters suffered. They suffered uncertainty and loss and real difficult choices sans magical Insta-Fix. One of my biggest issues with Breaking Dawn was that everything ended perfectly, none of the characters having had to sacrifice anything to earn their happy ending. I was legitimately scared for several characters near the end, Magnus especially for obvious reasons, and Simon stepping in was as unexpected as it was heartbreaking. You pulled a Donna Noble on us, Clare! Anyway, as much as that hurt, it felt right that there should be something given up. And we still have hope in the end, which made me want to bawl my eyes out considerably less, so a win-win.
I am flabbergasted that my opinion on these books has changed so drastically from #5 to #6. Maybe I'll go back later and start poking holes in this last volume, but you know what? It's one in the morning. I've stayed up until one in the morning reading this damned book that I haven't quit reading for two days. I can't remember the last time I did that. So, TMI--Thanks for the ride. It's been a good one.
(Totally undignified fangirl postscript: MAGNUS AND ALEC, MAGNUS AND ALEC, MY BABIES ARE GONNA BE OKAAAAYYYY ;~~;)
Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I was...less than thrilled with the last two installments of the Mortal Instruments series. I felt that some characters had become indistinguishable from one another, while others did a complete 180. I felt like there were too many plot threads going at any given time for me to care about any of them. I felt like the fun of the series, so instrumental to enjoying the first three books, had been sapped somehow.
Cassie Clare is either very self-aware, or she's listened and learned. I went into this book with low expectations, but it had everything I'd been missing from books #4 and #5.
The main characters were back--really back, back in a way that was enjoyable to read. I cared about them again. I was invested. Clary is once more an interesting, well rounded character (I appreciated that her love for art was addressed again). Simon and Jace's brands of snark were distinguishable again. Clary and Jace acted like a healthy, loving couple on equal ground rather than the objects of mutual crazed obsession, which was lovely (sidenote: THEY FINALLY HAD SEX THANK YOU GOD THE UST FEST HAS ENDED). The author remembered that Alec and Jace were parabatai and that the two of them and Izzy have a long familial history! Speaking of Alec, he was once again the sensible, long-suffering, thoughtful big brother that I missed So Much in the last few books. It was wonderful to see him acting like himself again.
The plot felt better thought out as well. There were only a few major plot threads going on, most of them drawing on seeds planted in earlier books, and they all received appropriate focus. Best of all, they came together in the end. Everything was connected instead of a mishmash. It was a whirlwind read, one I couldn't put down.
Sebastian as a villain really shone here. There's still the batshit insane "I want to burn everything down" apathy that makes him so unpredictable, but it's more tempered with his "love" for Clary and for Jace. (On the latter topic, do I have a new ship? Why yes, I think I do.) His endgame was something I did not see coming, and I did feel terrible for Jonathan at the end.
Special kudos on the ending, for two reasons. One: I like that the author showed the aftermath of war, and what too frequently passes for diplomacy in it. I was reminded of the Treaty of Versailles and what that resentment eventually wrought, which is something I assume Clare is going to delve into with her next series. I like that the Clave continues to be portrayed as both good and bad, neither in entirety. We're predisposed to root for them, but they are not perfect; Clare doesn't forget it, and neither do we.
Two: This is going to sound horrible, but I appreciate that the characters suffered. They suffered uncertainty and loss and real difficult choices sans magical Insta-Fix. One of my biggest issues with Breaking Dawn was that everything ended perfectly, none of the characters having had to sacrifice anything to earn their happy ending. I was legitimately scared for several characters near the end, Magnus especially for obvious reasons, and Simon stepping in was as unexpected as it was heartbreaking. You pulled a Donna Noble on us, Clare! Anyway, as much as that hurt, it felt right that there should be something given up. And we still have hope in the end, which made me want to bawl my eyes out considerably less, so a win-win.
I am flabbergasted that my opinion on these books has changed so drastically from #5 to #6. Maybe I'll go back later and start poking holes in this last volume, but you know what? It's one in the morning. I've stayed up until one in the morning reading this damned book that I haven't quit reading for two days. I can't remember the last time I did that. So, TMI--Thanks for the ride. It's been a good one.
(Totally undignified fangirl postscript: MAGNUS AND ALEC, MAGNUS AND ALEC, MY BABIES ARE GONNA BE OKAAAAYYYY ;~~;)
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
sad
tense
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:
Complicated
I'm re reading and I can't believe they journeyed to hell and Jace brought condoms
Read the book to finish the series, nothing more. Infernal Devices was a thousand times better than this, it should have got more hype than it did. I am not entirely sure why this series was so popular. I did not think it was that exciting and the story was not very catchy. I sincerely think my life would have been better reading something else.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
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
Glad to have finished this series. City of Lost Souls ruined TMI for me and I continued reading Heavenly Fire for the sake of finishing the series. I enjoyed it but I wish my love for the story wouldn't have been ruined for me by a terrible book preceding it.
I had a lot of fun reading this book, tbh. I don't have much to say other than to make fun of Jace for bringing condoms with him to the demon realm. Like, bro, you couldn't even kiss Clary without freaking out. Did you really think ya'll would be boning there?
I also feel so bad for Simon. My thoughts on him have been very up and down, sometimes I like him, and sometimes he annoys me. But that poor dude has gotten the shaft time and time again. All his friends are Shadowhunters, but he's a vampire, and they look down on him for it. Hell, the only one who actually is his friend is Clary. Alec and Jace bully Simon constantly because he was a mundane, and now he's a vampire. Isabelle thought she was better than him for the longest time(although admittedly, I ship them now... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) And then this book ends with him getting his life back, yay, but he also loses all of his memories of his friends and his love. I felt so bad for him.
I also wanted to comment on Sebastian/Jonathan's death. I TEARED UP, BRO. I felt so bad for Jocelyn having to hold the son she never got to have while he died. :(((
Anywho, I liked this conclusion and probably enjoyed it the most out of all the TMI books.
I also feel so bad for Simon. My thoughts on him have been very up and down, sometimes I like him, and sometimes he annoys me. But that poor dude has gotten the shaft time and time again. All his friends are Shadowhunters, but he's a vampire, and they look down on him for it. Hell, the only one who actually is his friend is Clary. Alec and Jace bully Simon constantly because he was a mundane, and now he's a vampire. Isabelle thought she was better than him for the longest time(although admittedly, I ship them now... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) And then this book ends with him getting his life back, yay, but he also loses all of his memories of his friends and his love. I felt so bad for him.
I also wanted to comment on Sebastian/Jonathan's death. I TEARED UP, BRO. I felt so bad for Jocelyn having to hold the son she never got to have while he died. :(((
Anywho, I liked this conclusion and probably enjoyed it the most out of all the TMI books.
Of all the books in the series, this was definitely not my favorite. I loved the series as a whole but I feel like this book dragged on for far too long. What could have been a 500 page book was 725.
2.5, I only liked the parts with Brother Zachariah. I don't like how she forced her new series upon readers, and the way she wrote the new Blackthorn kids was odd???? Like sometimes they seemed older and sometimes they seemed younger than their ages???? The whole demon realm thing was weird and I still don't understand why Jace would have had a condom.