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aryah_richards 's review for:
City of Heavenly Fire
by Cassandra Clare
Okay, let me start of by saying that this series is very close to my heart. I've been reading it since I was 15 and was very excited when Cassandra Clare decided to continue the series after City of Glass. That's nine years of investment for me. The only other series I love more is Harry Potter. It's every reader's dream to be able to continue a series they love. I have to say, however, while part of me is happy there was more to the series, the other part sort of wishes she had left it at the third book.
I'm not saying that the last three books were terrible. They're weren't. Clare is a beautiful writer and a woman full of imagination. Her stories are very well crafted and the ideas and references she puts behind them work wonderfully. That is the reason I fell in love with The Mortal Instruments series and subsequently, The Infernal Devices. BUT - and this is a very big but - I feel as though there was something lacking in the last three novels that was there in the first three.
City of Fallen Angels and City of Lost Souls had their flaws. But they were flaws I thought would be fixed in City of Heavenly Fire. Instead of completely fixing them though, I feel like they were only changed into different flaws. For one thing, the Sebastian story line - which I thought was fantastic in the beginning - slowly petered out towards the end and became gimmicky - to me. He was a strong character in the third novel and his resurrection in the fourth gave me hope for a stronger continuation for the series. (Honestly, the fourth book was strongest when Simon was the center of attention). Everything was fine in City of Lost Souls until Sebastian decided he was "in love" with Clary.
I think that's what did it for me in terms of the end of the series. It was never about actually destroying the Nephilim or the world for Sebastian; it was about getting Clary. Which... was annoying to say the least because the incest idea actually became real. It was exciting ready the first three books and wondering whether Jace and Clary could actually be together. It was thrilling thinking they had some sort of taboo relationship that fundamentally couldn't be allowed but they would go against it anyway because they were meant to be together. But then they turned out not to be brother and sister and everything was fine. Until Sebastian, her REAL brother, decided to take that trope and make it very real again. It just seemed forced, considering Sebastian hardly knew his sister and then became obsessed with the idea of her.
Then there's the whole idea that Jonathan (Clary's real brother, the one should would have had, had Valentine not corrupted him as a baby) was in there the whole time. When Clary kills Sebastian, we get a glimpse of the person he could have been. This ruined Sebastian for me because it made me feel bad that fundamentally, he was actually a good person. It would have been better if we had never met the real Jonathan. Imagine if J.K. Rowling had decided Voldemort was actually a good person at the end of Harry Potter. It would defeat the purpose of the entire series and you would feel bad for the villain who has done nothing but kill and destroy lives. Once again, I felt gipped out of actually being able to hate Sebastian. Now I just feel pity and a sadness he was never able to be the person he actually was.
Another big part of the novel for me was Emma and Julian. I just want to say, I really don't like them. To me, they are not very likable characters and I think this boils down to overexposure. They were too prominent in a series not meant for them. While I feel bad that these children have suffered the excruciating pain of losing their family members, but the end of the novel, I didn't care. There was too much emphasis on them when there didn't need to be. The story was not about them; it was about Jace, Clary, Alec, Simon and the original characters of The Mortal Instruments. Their introduction at the beginning was fine but 95% of the rest of unnecessary. The only helpful thing Emma did was tell Clary Edom was a real place, which helped push the characters into some much needed action. Other than that, they didn't need to be there. I think Clare put too much focus on a set of characters that are ultimately getting their own series. This could have been saved for that. I was excited for the new series but now I'm not so sure. I don't really like Emma and Julian. Hopefully, that will change.
There were other things that bothered me like Simon's sacrifice, Jace and Clary's stupidity, the Clave's complete lack of empathy and understanding of their own actions (I mean, they literally learned nothing from what happened with Sebastian and Valentine when it came to their dealings with the fairies). I even had issue with Brother Zachariah (Jem) and Tessa (but I think that might be left over feeling from The Infernal Devices, which I believe is the stronger of the two series at this point).
On the whole, the series left me with a sense of dissatisfaction. I was happy it was over and I was happy they won but, it didn't seem like a real victory. Things were TOO convenient (don't even get me started on Jace's "heavenly fire") and in the end, nothing was really sacrificed. Except for Jordan. Poor, poor Jordan.
Giving this book 3 stars was really hard. I gave the first three 5. I still love the series and I'm upset that it's over, but I was hoping for an ending that would be epic. It's sort of like going to an annual fireworks show, one that YOU KNOW is epically awesome so obviously your expectations are high. The past few years have been great but there were a couple of years that were just okay. Then the year they decide they're going to stop the show and have a blowout, it's not really fireworks but sparklers. That's how I feel. This book was sparklers when it should have been fireworks. No, scratch that, a supernova of sorts.
I don't want anyone to be upset. Again, I love this series. I love the characters (MALEC - I LOVE that pairing) and I love the world of the Nephilim. I'm obviously going to read any future books Cassandra Clare comes out with but I didn't want to lie to myself about this. I wanted to be honest because I think that's what a real fan is. They can recognize when something is good and when something is not so good, yet still be willing to stand behind it.
I wouldn't be doing the series ANY justice by saying it was amazing the whole way through. Would I still recommend it for people to read? HELL YES. In all, it's a very good series and I know nothing can be perfect (except for maybe HP, but even then it's not for everyone). I'm happy I've read it, I'm happy it's over and I'm happy that the characters are happy. At this point, it's all I can be.
I'm not saying that the last three books were terrible. They're weren't. Clare is a beautiful writer and a woman full of imagination. Her stories are very well crafted and the ideas and references she puts behind them work wonderfully. That is the reason I fell in love with The Mortal Instruments series and subsequently, The Infernal Devices. BUT - and this is a very big but - I feel as though there was something lacking in the last three novels that was there in the first three.
City of Fallen Angels and City of Lost Souls had their flaws. But they were flaws I thought would be fixed in City of Heavenly Fire. Instead of completely fixing them though, I feel like they were only changed into different flaws. For one thing, the Sebastian story line - which I thought was fantastic in the beginning - slowly petered out towards the end and became gimmicky - to me. He was a strong character in the third novel and his resurrection in the fourth gave me hope for a stronger continuation for the series. (Honestly, the fourth book was strongest when Simon was the center of attention). Everything was fine in City of Lost Souls until Sebastian decided he was "in love" with Clary.
I think that's what did it for me in terms of the end of the series. It was never about actually destroying the Nephilim or the world for Sebastian; it was about getting Clary. Which... was annoying to say the least because the incest idea actually became real. It was exciting ready the first three books and wondering whether Jace and Clary could actually be together. It was thrilling thinking they had some sort of taboo relationship that fundamentally couldn't be allowed but they would go against it anyway because they were meant to be together. But then they turned out not to be brother and sister and everything was fine. Until Sebastian, her REAL brother, decided to take that trope and make it very real again. It just seemed forced, considering Sebastian hardly knew his sister and then became obsessed with the idea of her.
Then there's the whole idea that Jonathan (Clary's real brother, the one should would have had, had Valentine not corrupted him as a baby) was in there the whole time. When Clary kills Sebastian, we get a glimpse of the person he could have been. This ruined Sebastian for me because it made me feel bad that fundamentally, he was actually a good person. It would have been better if we had never met the real Jonathan. Imagine if J.K. Rowling had decided Voldemort was actually a good person at the end of Harry Potter. It would defeat the purpose of the entire series and you would feel bad for the villain who has done nothing but kill and destroy lives. Once again, I felt gipped out of actually being able to hate Sebastian. Now I just feel pity and a sadness he was never able to be the person he actually was.
Another big part of the novel for me was Emma and Julian. I just want to say, I really don't like them. To me, they are not very likable characters and I think this boils down to overexposure. They were too prominent in a series not meant for them. While I feel bad that these children have suffered the excruciating pain of losing their family members, but the end of the novel, I didn't care. There was too much emphasis on them when there didn't need to be. The story was not about them; it was about Jace, Clary, Alec, Simon and the original characters of The Mortal Instruments. Their introduction at the beginning was fine but 95% of the rest of unnecessary. The only helpful thing Emma did was tell Clary Edom was a real place, which helped push the characters into some much needed action. Other than that, they didn't need to be there. I think Clare put too much focus on a set of characters that are ultimately getting their own series. This could have been saved for that. I was excited for the new series but now I'm not so sure. I don't really like Emma and Julian. Hopefully, that will change.
There were other things that bothered me like Simon's sacrifice, Jace and Clary's stupidity, the Clave's complete lack of empathy and understanding of their own actions (I mean, they literally learned nothing from what happened with Sebastian and Valentine when it came to their dealings with the fairies). I even had issue with Brother Zachariah (Jem) and Tessa (but I think that might be left over feeling from The Infernal Devices, which I believe is the stronger of the two series at this point).
On the whole, the series left me with a sense of dissatisfaction. I was happy it was over and I was happy they won but, it didn't seem like a real victory. Things were TOO convenient (don't even get me started on Jace's "heavenly fire") and in the end, nothing was really sacrificed. Except for Jordan. Poor, poor Jordan.
Giving this book 3 stars was really hard. I gave the first three 5. I still love the series and I'm upset that it's over, but I was hoping for an ending that would be epic. It's sort of like going to an annual fireworks show, one that YOU KNOW is epically awesome so obviously your expectations are high. The past few years have been great but there were a couple of years that were just okay. Then the year they decide they're going to stop the show and have a blowout, it's not really fireworks but sparklers. That's how I feel. This book was sparklers when it should have been fireworks. No, scratch that, a supernova of sorts.
I don't want anyone to be upset. Again, I love this series. I love the characters (MALEC - I LOVE that pairing) and I love the world of the Nephilim. I'm obviously going to read any future books Cassandra Clare comes out with but I didn't want to lie to myself about this. I wanted to be honest because I think that's what a real fan is. They can recognize when something is good and when something is not so good, yet still be willing to stand behind it.
I wouldn't be doing the series ANY justice by saying it was amazing the whole way through. Would I still recommend it for people to read? HELL YES. In all, it's a very good series and I know nothing can be perfect (except for maybe HP, but even then it's not for everyone). I'm happy I've read it, I'm happy it's over and I'm happy that the characters are happy. At this point, it's all I can be.