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376 reviews for:
The Mortal Instruments Boxed Set: City of Bones; City of Ashes; City of Glass
Cassandra Clare
4.07 AVERAGE
376 reviews for:
The Mortal Instruments Boxed Set: City of Bones; City of Ashes; City of Glass
Cassandra Clare
4.07 AVERAGE
After reading this book a second time, I've realized that this first one isn't quite as good as I thought it was. I still really enjoyed it, but the series definitely gets better as it goes along.
(3.5 stars)
This is the sequel to City of Bones, which I read last year. SPOILER ALERT (although I think I’m the last person to read this series!).
Here is the Kobo summary:
Okay, first of all, that whole brother-sister thing? Seriously? That can’t be true, right? Jace and Clary can’t be related, can they? Because they are clearly in love with each other (even though they’re trying to fight it at the moment), and I want them to be lovahs, not relatives!
Also, poor Simon! I loved him in City of Bones, but in this book, he came across as very whiny at the beginning. To be honest, he annoyed me and I didn’t want to feel that way, because he was one of my favourite parts of the previous book. But then – I felt bad for Simon. Honestly, how many bad things can happen to a person in one book? Girlfriend in love with her brother, turned into a vampire, kidnapped and nearly killed by Valentine…sigh. Poor, poor Simon. And then he breaks up with Clary because he knows she doesn’t love him the way he loves her. Someone tell me things will turn out better for him in the next book! I want Simon to have a happy ending!
Another thing that struck me in this book: Magnus is pretty awesome. Seriously, every time he showed up in a scene, I did a little fist pump. I am so looking forward to reading more about Magnus!
Now that I’ve ranted and raved about the characters, it’s time to turn to the plot. As usual, I pretty much completely forgot what happened in the previous book and had to look it up and go read my review. I still was a bit fuzzy on the Mortal Instruments and runes, but it came back to me as I read.
One of the things that really annoys me in general when I’m reading is when a character is on the verge of revealing important information, but is either interrupted or the character they’re going to reveal this information to walks away before they finish. I felt like that happened a lot in this book, and it’s frustrating because I can’t really see a reason for it. Valentine seemed like he was going to say something important to Clary but was interrupted; the Inquisitor was going to say something important to Jace on the ship but was interrupted; Clary was going to reveal her feelings to Jace at the end but he interrupted her (to apologize for not listening! I lol’d).
Clary’s ability to create runes was really cool, and I can’t wait to see where that story goes. That ability will come in handy again, I’m sure!
I loved the action scenes in this book, and the demons were so fabulously creepy. I particularly liked the scenes in the Silent City where Jace encounters the Silent Brothers under Agramon’s power, and his father visits him, because of the creep factor. I also think Valentine is an interesting villain, and was intrigued every time he appeared in the book.
The murders of the various Downworlders was an interesting plot, because different factions were pitted against others, but I think they’re all going to have to ultimately band together to fight Valentine’s master plan.
I’m definitely going to read the next book, City of Glass. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
(From www.pingwings.ca)
This is the sequel to City of Bones, which I read last year. SPOILER ALERT (although I think I’m the last person to read this series!).
Here is the Kobo summary:
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.
Okay, first of all, that whole brother-sister thing? Seriously? That can’t be true, right? Jace and Clary can’t be related, can they? Because they are clearly in love with each other (even though they’re trying to fight it at the moment), and I want them to be lovahs, not relatives!
Also, poor Simon! I loved him in City of Bones, but in this book, he came across as very whiny at the beginning. To be honest, he annoyed me and I didn’t want to feel that way, because he was one of my favourite parts of the previous book. But then – I felt bad for Simon. Honestly, how many bad things can happen to a person in one book? Girlfriend in love with her brother, turned into a vampire, kidnapped and nearly killed by Valentine…sigh. Poor, poor Simon. And then he breaks up with Clary because he knows she doesn’t love him the way he loves her. Someone tell me things will turn out better for him in the next book! I want Simon to have a happy ending!
Another thing that struck me in this book: Magnus is pretty awesome. Seriously, every time he showed up in a scene, I did a little fist pump. I am so looking forward to reading more about Magnus!
Now that I’ve ranted and raved about the characters, it’s time to turn to the plot. As usual, I pretty much completely forgot what happened in the previous book and had to look it up and go read my review. I still was a bit fuzzy on the Mortal Instruments and runes, but it came back to me as I read.
One of the things that really annoys me in general when I’m reading is when a character is on the verge of revealing important information, but is either interrupted or the character they’re going to reveal this information to walks away before they finish. I felt like that happened a lot in this book, and it’s frustrating because I can’t really see a reason for it. Valentine seemed like he was going to say something important to Clary but was interrupted; the Inquisitor was going to say something important to Jace on the ship but was interrupted; Clary was going to reveal her feelings to Jace at the end but he interrupted her (to apologize for not listening! I lol’d).
Clary’s ability to create runes was really cool, and I can’t wait to see where that story goes. That ability will come in handy again, I’m sure!
I loved the action scenes in this book, and the demons were so fabulously creepy. I particularly liked the scenes in the Silent City where Jace encounters the Silent Brothers under Agramon’s power, and his father visits him, because of the creep factor. I also think Valentine is an interesting villain, and was intrigued every time he appeared in the book.
The murders of the various Downworlders was an interesting plot, because different factions were pitted against others, but I think they’re all going to have to ultimately band together to fight Valentine’s master plan.
I’m definitely going to read the next book, City of Glass. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
(From www.pingwings.ca)
The first 80% of the book is trash, but the last 20% is even trashier and THAT’S what I signed up for.
I was really excited to read this book since it had SUCH good reviews. I was expecting it to be stunning. But what did I get? Trash. I don't even care if this review offends anyone, there are enough people defending this series that I feel it's fair to have some people who hate it too. May contain spoilers. Extremely rant-y. Do not read if easily offended, or a lover of the books because it's okay, you can love it, I will hate it.
ISSUES I HAD WITH THIS BOOK:
The characters:
One dimensional, boring, idiotic.
Clary was whiny and dived headlong into danger without a care to her own safety or even the safety of her friends. She didn't even think of Simon after she was introduced to the Nephilim, until she needed him. And she's supposed to be his best friend?!
Jace was moody and also boring. Nothing made me interested to find out anything about him.
Simon was honestly the one character in this book that I even remotely liked.
Isabelle is a pretty airhead who can wield a weapon. I did not feel attached to a SINGLE character. I honestly wouldn't have cared even if they fell into hell and was tortured for eternity. Bleh.
The story:
HELLA info-dumpy! Info- dumps everywhere! And the story kept changing more often than most people change their socks. I absolutely love plot twists, but this one? WAY too many to even properly follow what the hell was happening! And the incest? EW? WHY EVEN?! (I found out that they aren't actually siblings later, but why did it even have to be included?!) Just. No. Whatever Cassandra Clare was trying to do here, it clearly did not work for me.
I have many more issues with the book but I don't want this review to be too long. Sorry if this was offensive to people who loved the book, but in all fairness, it's your fault you're angry. I did tell you not to read it. Anyway, just needed to get this rant out. I don't normally write negative reviews, but this one, just, ugh!
ISSUES I HAD WITH THIS BOOK:
The characters:
One dimensional, boring, idiotic.
Clary was whiny and dived headlong into danger without a care to her own safety or even the safety of her friends. She didn't even think of Simon after she was introduced to the Nephilim, until she needed him. And she's supposed to be his best friend?!
Jace was moody and also boring. Nothing made me interested to find out anything about him.
Simon was honestly the one character in this book that I even remotely liked.
Isabelle is a pretty airhead who can wield a weapon. I did not feel attached to a SINGLE character. I honestly wouldn't have cared even if they fell into hell and was tortured for eternity. Bleh.
The story:
HELLA info-dumpy! Info- dumps everywhere! And the story kept changing more often than most people change their socks. I absolutely love plot twists, but this one? WAY too many to even properly follow what the hell was happening! And the incest? EW? WHY EVEN?! (I found out that they aren't actually siblings later, but why did it even have to be included?!) Just. No. Whatever Cassandra Clare was trying to do here, it clearly did not work for me.
I have many more issues with the book but I don't want this review to be too long. Sorry if this was offensive to people who loved the book, but in all fairness, it's your fault you're angry. I did tell you not to read it. Anyway, just needed to get this rant out. I don't normally write negative reviews, but this one, just, ugh!
i'm very pleasantly surprised with how much i enjoyed reading this, actually!
i was immediately hooked with the plot. clary appealed to me right away and i loved her relationship with simon right off the bat. there was enough intrigue in the first 20-30 pages to keep me going through the entire book and that IS WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW! while the plot felt like it was missing a few connecting puzzle pieces, and it did feel like there were quite a few filler scenes, i was very engaged with the plot. although it had parallels to harry potter (in my opinion), it was written in a somewhat fresh & engaging way. but what made this book for me was the characters. i just felt like every single one was interesting, fun to read about & unique. i find clary very similar to me and putting her in super original situations straight off the bat brought out her personality very quickly. in fact, i think i would have reacted like clary pretty much 90% of the time if i were in her shoes. simon is a little cutie. isabella is believable. alec i didn't really like?? luke i loved. hodge was complex. valentine felt a little 2 dimension though? BUT JACE. come on. HIS DIALOGUE. so goooooood!! so funny! so engaging!! i loved his cheekiness. 5 stars for jace!!
the world building in this book was obviously cool and interesting and from the stuff i've read, unique. however, there was a lot of confusing info dumping at time. i was reminded of sarah j maas in some senses because there was info dumping but i was still confused? it was like we were expected to know big words like nephilim or whatever. so although it was COOL, i felt it could have been clearer.
pace was probably the biggest issue for me. while i was engaged the whole way through, i still did feel there were filler scenes and BOY, DID THEY DRAG ON. the whole simon being a rat thing just felt uneccessary. i didn't particularly care either because i knew he'd get saved? and then nothing really came of it? but otherwise, it was all good.
AND THAT ENDING. OMG. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. if you've read it, you know the bit i mean, and WHY IS EVERYONE SO CHILL ABOUT IT? I'D BE FREAKING OUT. I AM FREAKING OUT. YUCK.
overall, i did really enjoy this book & am looking forward to continuing with the series.
i was immediately hooked with the plot. clary appealed to me right away and i loved her relationship with simon right off the bat. there was enough intrigue in the first 20-30 pages to keep me going through the entire book and that IS WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW! while the plot felt like it was missing a few connecting puzzle pieces, and it did feel like there were quite a few filler scenes, i was very engaged with the plot. although it had parallels to harry potter (in my opinion), it was written in a somewhat fresh & engaging way. but what made this book for me was the characters. i just felt like every single one was interesting, fun to read about & unique. i find clary very similar to me and putting her in super original situations straight off the bat brought out her personality very quickly. in fact, i think i would have reacted like clary pretty much 90% of the time if i were in her shoes. simon is a little cutie. isabella is believable. alec i didn't really like?? luke i loved. hodge was complex. valentine felt a little 2 dimension though? BUT JACE. come on. HIS DIALOGUE. so goooooood!! so funny! so engaging!! i loved his cheekiness. 5 stars for jace!!
the world building in this book was obviously cool and interesting and from the stuff i've read, unique. however, there was a lot of confusing info dumping at time. i was reminded of sarah j maas in some senses because there was info dumping but i was still confused? it was like we were expected to know big words like nephilim or whatever. so although it was COOL, i felt it could have been clearer.
pace was probably the biggest issue for me. while i was engaged the whole way through, i still did feel there were filler scenes and BOY, DID THEY DRAG ON. the whole simon being a rat thing just felt uneccessary. i didn't particularly care either because i knew he'd get saved? and then nothing really came of it? but otherwise, it was all good.
AND THAT ENDING. OMG. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. if you've read it, you know the bit i mean, and WHY IS EVERYONE SO CHILL ABOUT IT? I'D BE FREAKING OUT. I AM FREAKING OUT. YUCK.
overall, i did really enjoy this book & am looking forward to continuing with the series.
What I love about this book is that Clary has agency. She makes her own, sometimes poor, decisions and doesn't wait around for others to make decisions for her. Yes, sometimes she's impulsive and could do to listen to other people's opinions before she decides to do something, but that flaw adds to her appeal as a protagonist to me. No one is perfect, and I think that should be portrayed more often.
This book had me hooked - I could not put it down! The plot was interesting and the character moments were well woven into it. Nothing seemed extraneous to me and it all meshed well.
On a side note, Chairman Meow might be the best name for a cat ever.
This book had me hooked - I could not put it down! The plot was interesting and the character moments were well woven into it. Nothing seemed extraneous to me and it all meshed well.
On a side note, Chairman Meow might be the best name for a cat ever.
As much as I got caught in it, and as much as I like Clary and Jace, if less than half way in you didn't know how this book ended you need to start exercising your brain, remember, practice makes perfect.
The big revelation scene was painful, and not in a good way. The idiocy of all three characters involved was unexcusable and unexpected, but most of all, had I had bigger expectations for the book, it would had enraged me towards the author for betraying her characters to create some sort of feeling of anticipation in something that the Clary and Jace she showed us the rest of the book would had figured out in a second.
The big revelation scene was painful, and not in a good way. The idiocy of all three characters involved was unexcusable and unexpected, but most of all, had I had bigger expectations for the book, it would had enraged me towards the author for betraying her characters to create some sort of feeling of anticipation in something that the Clary and Jace she showed us the rest of the book would had figured out in a second.
I liked this book. It was not amazing, I have heard the general gist of this story before, and the characters are good, but not great, that being said, it is enjoyable.
The basic plot revolves around a 15 year old girl named Clary who witnesses what she thinks to be a murder while out with her best friend, Simon. Then, her mother disappears and the closest thing she had got to a father/uncle figure tells her to leave him alone. Insert the people she thought murdered and innocent kid, Jace, Isabelle and Alec. They actually murdered a demon, they are Shadowhunters. People born to hunt and kill demons. Clary finds out that her mother was in fact involved in this life and that she is a Shadowhunter as well.
Basically, there is this thing called a Mortal Cup, that a Shadowhunter named, Valentine wants. He wants to rid the world of all Downworlders. In this world, Downworlders are vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches, warlocks, etc. etc. They are supposedly humans with demon blood. Shadowhunters are not fans, but because of these things called the Accords, they are supposed to be in peace with them.
This Valentine guy didn't like that, he thought anything with demon blood should be killed and more Shadowhunters should be created, hence the need for the Mortal Cup.
The problem, is that his plan is to make more Shadowhunters by forcing kids to drink from the cup, technically, most kids won't be able to make the turn, and it will kill them. Valentine doesn't care.
So Clary has to find the cup, to try and save her mom.
The story is easy to read, a bit long, a bit overused, and not always exciting, but it has its moments. The story is well written and the characters are interesting. It is set up for more books, and I will check out the second one to see how it goes. All in all, they are easy, fun books to enjoy and take you in for some fantasy.
The basic plot revolves around a 15 year old girl named Clary who witnesses what she thinks to be a murder while out with her best friend, Simon. Then, her mother disappears and the closest thing she had got to a father/uncle figure tells her to leave him alone. Insert the people she thought murdered and innocent kid, Jace, Isabelle and Alec. They actually murdered a demon, they are Shadowhunters. People born to hunt and kill demons. Clary finds out that her mother was in fact involved in this life and that she is a Shadowhunter as well.
Basically, there is this thing called a Mortal Cup, that a Shadowhunter named, Valentine wants. He wants to rid the world of all Downworlders. In this world, Downworlders are vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches, warlocks, etc. etc. They are supposedly humans with demon blood. Shadowhunters are not fans, but because of these things called the Accords, they are supposed to be in peace with them.
This Valentine guy didn't like that, he thought anything with demon blood should be killed and more Shadowhunters should be created, hence the need for the Mortal Cup.
The problem, is that his plan is to make more Shadowhunters by forcing kids to drink from the cup, technically, most kids won't be able to make the turn, and it will kill them. Valentine doesn't care.
So Clary has to find the cup, to try and save her mom.
The story is easy to read, a bit long, a bit overused, and not always exciting, but it has its moments. The story is well written and the characters are interesting. It is set up for more books, and I will check out the second one to see how it goes. All in all, they are easy, fun books to enjoy and take you in for some fantasy.
wow! I was really anxious to start this because i didn't like the first one AT ALL, partly because the story was explained in a very messy way. But when I got some advice from my lovely tumblr followers, i really got into it. This book got me hooked and omfg so many Clary and Simon and Jace feels it makes me want to cryyyyy. Cannot wait to see what happens next!