The Mortal Instruments – City of Ashes – Cassandra Clare

The blue based cover showing Clary Fray and her fiery red hair

Haunted by her past, Clary is dragged deeper into New York City’s terrifying underworld of demons and Shadowhunters – but can she control her feelings for a boy who can never be hers?

 

The second in the series and it brings even more excitement and drama to the story. You meet new characters such as Maia and some of the New York werewolf pack. I really like books when they bring new characters into the plot, and the City of Ashes is written in such a way that each new (and old) character has their own trait making them unique but also bringing them together. We find out more about some of the older characters like Jace, Clary, Alec and Valentine, and we have new knowledge on some of the Runes/Marks.

The story has a lot of drama written very well into it and the suspense grows until the point where you can’t handle it before revealing all. The book cover conveys a lot but you do have to look hard to see it. It shows Clary with some Runes and the sea. Most of the cover is blue, suggesting water and the only part of the imagery used on the cover that really stands out is Clary’s hair.

I would gladly suggest this series to anyone from teens +.

Author Comments

Holly Black – Tithe – Cassie’s writing makes my toes curl in envy. She is the rare writer who can write fast-paced dramatic fantasy with gorgeous language and memorable characters that you grow to love and worry about, as well as really funny bits that will make you honestly laugh… It is rare to find someone who can do any on of those things well; to find someone who can do all of them is just dangerous

The Mortal Instruments – City of Bones – Cassandra Clare

The book cover showing Jace Wayland

Clary Fray is seeing things: vampires in Brooklyn and werewolves in Manhattan. Irresistibly drawn towards a group of sexy demon hunters, Clary encounters the dark side of New York City – and the dangers of forbidden love.

The book follows the life of a seemingly ordinary girl – Clarissa ‘Clary’ Fray. Set in New York City we find Clary waiting to get into an all-ages nightclub; Pandemonium with her best friend Simon Lewis. When inside Clary sees a peculiarly dressed girl (for a nightclub) wearing a full length white dress, with two boys kitted out in leather. No-one else can see them. This is where the bizarre events begin.

I love The Mortal Instruments, and the City of Bones is the first of 5, with City of Heavenly Fire (the 6th book) coming out May 27th. The series is preceded by The Infernal Devices (Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince and Clockwork Princess) and will be followed by The Dark Artifices (Lady Midnight, Prince of Shadows and The Queen of Air and Darkness). I don’t know what draws me to them but a friend told me about the books and I thought I would buy them another time, I am incredibly glad I did. When I bought the City of Bones I read it very quickly and bought the next two (Ashes and Glass) and then the two after that (Fallen Angels and Lost Souls), then the City of Bones film, and now I am waiting for the City of Heavenly Fire.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones was released August 2013 and is now available on DVD.

The cover for the City of Bones does give an insight into a bit of what the book’s about. It shows a Shadowhunter (presumably Jace) covered in Marks/Runes, below is NYC and below that are graves, all hinting to the plot and where it might lead.

I would recommend this book to teens and above for a great read.

Author Comments

Stephanie Meyer – The Twilight Saga – A story world I would love

Christopher Golden – The Myth Hunters – Dagger-sharp, funky and cool