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A review by nikkireadsstuff
City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
4.0
Cassie Clare certainly wows me again with the 5th book of the Mortal Instruments series! I have been waiting for this book to come out for a LONG time...and I was not disappointed! For series fans, this is exactly what we've been expecting from book #5 of this series! City of Fallen Angels left us on such a cliff hanger, and I'm assuming most fans jumped on the first chance they got to read the 5th book (as I did). And let me just say...I was pleasantly happy with this book! City of Lost Souls picks up where the previous book left off and jumps right into the action. Here is what I loved about this book:
1) Oftentimes, authors who write a series bog down each book with a short summary of the plot that's happened in the previous books thus far rather than letting the story unfold through the characters. This is what I LOVE about Cassie Clare. She doesn't do that. As with her previous books and with the Infernal Devices series, she lets her story unfold through the characters' points of view and thoughts. It makes for very easy, light reading that gives fans of the series a recap of the plot that doesn't leave them bored or yearning to skip to the end of the plot-summary. Good writing at it's finest! I also really captivates readers and lets readers get to know characters a little better.
2) As with the rest of her books, I thoroughly enjoy the lore and history behind the story. The biblical passages and references that are scattered throughout the book give the story a mystical and fantastical feel...which makes sense since this book is a Teen Fantasy/Adventure book. Also...even though this book is a work of fiction, you feel like it's also an adventure into history. The lore just really blows my mind. Cassie Clare takes biblical, historical, and supernatural things and makes them her own. She uses actual myths and legends and does something so creative with it that you just can't help but fall in love with these books. Also...I'm a huge supernatural and superstitious person, so I love the incorporation of those fictional aspects :)
Okay...so here's what I didn't like about this book:
1) The idea of a parabatai is a little lost in this book. Alec and Jace are supposed to be parabatai , and in the previous books, you really feel their connection. In this book however, their relationship really doesn't drive the story as much as it used to. I won't spoil anything here, but there are times when their connection would really come in handy or would add extra drama to the plot. I wonder why Clare kind of sweeps their connection under the rug in this book...
Overall, I'm so happy with this book! I'm a little sad that the last book is next, and it's the final book of the series :(
1) Oftentimes, authors who write a series bog down each book with a short summary of the plot that's happened in the previous books thus far rather than letting the story unfold through the characters. This is what I LOVE about Cassie Clare. She doesn't do that. As with her previous books and with the Infernal Devices series, she lets her story unfold through the characters' points of view and thoughts. It makes for very easy, light reading that gives fans of the series a recap of the plot that doesn't leave them bored or yearning to skip to the end of the plot-summary. Good writing at it's finest! I also really captivates readers and lets readers get to know characters a little better.
2) As with the rest of her books, I thoroughly enjoy the lore and history behind the story. The biblical passages and references that are scattered throughout the book give the story a mystical and fantastical feel...which makes sense since this book is a Teen Fantasy/Adventure book. Also...even though this book is a work of fiction, you feel like it's also an adventure into history. The lore just really blows my mind. Cassie Clare takes biblical, historical, and supernatural things and makes them her own. She uses actual myths and legends and does something so creative with it that you just can't help but fall in love with these books. Also...I'm a huge supernatural and superstitious person, so I love the incorporation of those fictional aspects :)
Okay...so here's what I didn't like about this book:
1) The idea of a parabatai is a little lost in this book. Alec and Jace are supposed to be parabatai , and in the previous books, you really feel their connection. In this book however, their relationship really doesn't drive the story as much as it used to. I won't spoil anything here, but there are times when their connection would really come in handy or would add extra drama to the plot. I wonder why Clare kind of sweeps their connection under the rug in this book...
Overall, I'm so happy with this book! I'm a little sad that the last book is next, and it's the final book of the series :(