A review by annad318
The Mortal Instruments, the Complete Collection: City of Bones; City of Ashes; City of Glass; City of Fallen Angels; City of Lost Souls; City of Heave by Cassandra Clare

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Every few years, I feel a pull from the universe to revisit the Mortal Instruments series. While I never resist this urge, I’d never missed these characters as much as I did this time around.

For some unnecessary context, I considered this particular series my personal "Roman Empire" for quite some time. However, everything changed when I stumbled upon the TOG series late last year, and it completely flipped my world around. Currently, both series hold a very special place in my heart, and I must admit that I'm overly biased towards them. Just to be clear, the series is not without its flaws, but I prefer to view it through rose-colored glasses that I cannot seem to take off. 

The first three books in this series are so familiar and comforting to me that I can replay the entire plot in my head for fun. However, my memory of Books 4-6 was hazy. 

That being said, I believe City of Lost Souls is the best book of the second half of the series, maybe even the entire series. I cannot express in words how important Not Jace is to me. It's truly remarkable how he manages to be the ultimate loverboy, even when he is under demonic influence. Jace's self-torment, which spans all six books, can be challenging to get through because it's unfair to see him be so unforgiving of himself. He is but a boy navigating his complicated emotions in an even more complex world. Watching him come into his own is awesome.

Clary's growth in CofLs was truly remarkable! She was bold, clever, and her greatness seemed to soar to new heights. She could be impulsive at times, but in a good way, and you could see how people began to love her for it rather than resent her. The novel had many memorable moments, such as the iconic fight scene in the antique shop in Prague, which showcased her skills as a Shadowhunter. There was also the underground club scene where her interactions with Jace were steamy, and her one-on-one encounter with Sebastian was both eerie and enlightening. The pacing of the novel was excellent, and things really started to heat up when

Clary betrayed Jace for wanting to surrender himself to the Clave. This was followed by the epic showdown between Sebastian and Clary, just before the Infernal Cup ceremony, and then the climactic moment when Clary unleashed Glorious on Jace. It was an absolute rush!

I barely remembered City of Heavenly Fire, so it was like a first-time read. Arguably, it read a little slow at times, with some parts feeling like filler, but it was definitely their greatest adventure yet. It was no surprise that Jace was still incredibly selfless and self-destructive. To see Sebastian so down bad for Clary was somewhat incomprehensible to me. I think his jealousy and obsession with his sister was a weak plot point. Simon established himself as the star of this series. He is practically Jace in a different font, and he doesn’t even know it. Despite his continued sense of otherness, Simon was loyal to his friends, sacrificing his life (multiple times) without hesitation to save them. I would erect a statue in his honor if I could. 

I have yet to read any of Cassandra Clares' other works because when I first read TMI sometime in 2016, I was narrow-minded and too obsessed with these characters. City of Heavenly Fire solidified my intrigue about the Blackthorns and Carstairs, so I'll indulge in the other series soon!