This week all my classes decided to gang up on me, but thankfully it's over and I can just open a new book and enjoy a good read (I hope). This is first book in the Mortal Instruments series, the City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. This is the synopsis provided by Goodreads:
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .
Reference:
Especially if you lean more toward young adult, you've probably heard of this book. And since the movie was coming out I figured, hey why not read the book before I see the movie? If even then. The movie trailer doesn't look that interesting, but I heard the book is a lot better and I believe it.
Review:
(safe for those who haven't read this book yet)
I'm sorry, I saw too many Twilight comparisons in this book, no wonder Stephenie Meyer would want to live in this world! (As said on the cover of the book.)
Alright, what I liked: I liked the humor. It matched the attitude and sarcasm 16ish year olds say to each other. However, I did feel it was overdone. Every once in a while it's a nice chuckle, but sometimes there's a thing called too much. We get it. Ha ha.
I also liked the action. Typically I'm not a fan of reading about fight scenes because I can find them redundant and it's better to see them actually being fought out and such, but in this book it didn't bore me. At least not to the point I dreaded reading the fight sequences. Pow! Bang! Smack! Okay, not really like that exactly, but fun stuff nevertheless. They're warriors, they're going to kick some, pardon my French, bootay!
When I started reading this book I wasn't feeling it at all. The first chapter the reader is thrown into the plot of the story, not slow paced but not too rushed, but for some reason I wasn't enjoying it as much as I would have liked. And then in the middle I was really enjoying it. Especially how Ms. Clare created the world which didn't even make it sound like I was temporarily living in contemporary Manhattan. But then nope-- I got back to disliking it. I'd say the part I liked the best was the end of the first part until the beginning of the third. (Soooo the 2nd part.) xD
I typically say who my favorite character is in a book and mine was, drumroll please, yes ladies and gentlemen, if you were thinking Jace then you are incorrect. No, it was Simon. Oh my goodness, I loved him. Yes I am book crushing on a fictional character--and proud. Every time he spoke I just could imagine his dorky self being all shy and cute and just himself. He's described with dark, curly hair and glasses. Yeah, I like when guys have glasses so that gave him some more points. (I'm a sucker for other blind bats like me I guess.) Oh, and the actor who plays him in the upcoming film adaption is quite a hottie, too. ;) If I had to choose my second favorite, it would be a tie between Mangus Bane and Luke. I really enjoyed a bunch of these characters, especially since there's a wide cast of them, but those would have to be my top three.
I wasn't really blown away by Ms. Clare's writing style. I felt the inclusion of every single detail redundant and at times unnecessary. For example, when she would explain what a character was doing as they said something, or when you knew who was talking but then she would randomly drop a "he said/ she said" in the middle of the sentence. I'm not dumb, I know it was "said person" talking. As I read through these annoying moments I would beat my fist at my book as if trying to get it to explain to me what Ms. Clare was thinking. Poor book, I know it's not your fault.
As for the character development, I wouldn't describe it as enlightening as I would normally place a well-developed character. In The City of Bones, Clary just happened to grow the courage and strength to do what she needed to. And that was it. No wowing factor on my part.
I was more taken away by the surreal Manhattan she created that molded itself around the mundane construction of what we perceive as our world. From the angels to demons to werewolves to fairies to vampires to others I can't remember the names of, it was a festival for the supernatural, all were invited and welcomed. I didn't know what to expect--even though the back cover of the book says demons--I just thought they were going to fight generic monsters. But it was a nice surprise I guess (though I tend to stray from werewolves and vampires ever since Twilight, I needed a break.)
The ending wasn't a shock to me, I was guessing about what might happen about half way or before half way. Though Alec's revelation was a more of an eye-opener to me. Maybe as I was reading about him I was only half paying attention, but it sure got my attention when I learned something certain about him. The ending was dragged out, usually that's where the fast paced scenes are brought forth, but in City of Bones that was the opposite. A shame, the 2nd part was my favorite because it was all fast and actiony stuff happened.
I give this book 2/5 stars. I wouldn't recommend this book to others. I don't know if I'll read it again, but I do want to finish the series.
Author's Quote:
Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.
-C. S. Lewis
My Goodreads:
Next To Read:
A Million Suns by Beth Revis
River Song's Spoilers:
(unsafe for those who haven't read this book yet, so don't read this section)
Will someone please explain to me what happened with the whole Jace seeing his father die when he was ten but turn out not being his father? Then who was he? I was uber confused with that part.
Simon. I said before he was my favorite character so I'll tell you why. His loyalty for starters after she practically cut his heart in half and stomped all over it. That was an admirable trait, like when he helped her drive around town. Though it was quite sad at the same time... He' still a friend to Clary from his moment where he confesses his love to the end, where a more stubborn man would've left her, he stuck by his best friend. Ten years of friendship couldn't be severed so easily. No Simon, you're a perfect friend.
Oh I hated the constant push and pull between Jace and Clary relationship. He was sweet one moment then he acted like a jerk the next. And they say girls are bi-polar?? I wanted to pull my hair out! It reminded me too much of Twilight. And I loved Twilight so the fact I saw the same ingredients (tormented love) being used in a slightly different way with some added other ingredients (new monsters) really turned me off. The ending, seriously, took waaay too long.
Continuing on that note, as for the ending, it did not do it for. Not at all. Alright, I sort of accidentally peaked 100 pages from the end that Jace and Clary were siblings. So for the last 100 pages I was just waiting for the reveal, which sort of killed that revelation for me. But the fact that Valentine-Jace-Clary had a 30 page argument over the same thing (that Valentine was bad news) made me roll my eyes. I just wanted it to end. We get it! Jace who was so headstrong before melts like butter in the presence of his father. Maybe because I'm not a guy I don't see this bond that sons and fathers share, but it was too forced for my liking.
Until Next Time,
Nicole Ciel
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