Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones 

Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments, Book One
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, 485 pages
Release Date: March 27, 2007
Source: Mid-Columbia Libraries
 

Synopsis: 
 
Clary Fray was just going out for a night of dancing when she witnesses three people with strange tattoos and weapons murder a boy. She would call the police, but the boy vanished into thin air after he was killed. As if that’s not weird enough, she is also the only one who can see these three mysterious murderers.

This is the first time Clary has encountered Shadowhunters, warriors who keep humanity safe from demons. Jace, a beautiful Shadowhunter, immediately pulls her into his world when her mother disappears and Clary is attacked by a demon. What do the demons want with her and her mother? They are just ordinary mundanes. Why hasn’t Clary been able to see the Shadowhunters and demons until now? Both herself and the Shadowhunters would like to discover the answer, but are the answers too big for them to handle?

My Review: 
 
I was reluctant to pick this book up because I had heard it was about these Shadowhunters who run around killing demons and *gasp* vampires. I love vampires, so I wasn’t too keen on reading a book where they are killed. I know it’s silly, but vampires hold a special place in my heart. But then my older sister read it and raved about how good it was and practically begged me to read it so I gave in and requested it from the library.

Thank you, Megan (my older sister). This book was awesome! The action begins immediately. There is no time for back story because in the opening scene you’re being thrown into the Shadowhunters world. And get this; they only kill vampires who break the law! Win win for me! There are so many fun creatures in this book: Shadowhunters, demons, the Forsaken, faeries, vampires, warlocks, and werewolves. They all live amongst humans, who can’t see them. What looks like a terrifying demon to a Shadowhunter just looks like another man on his way to work in the bustling city of Manhattan to a normal mundane (human with no superpowers).

Clary is fifteen years old and has thought she was a normal human until she witnesses three people that no one else can see kill a boy who disappears into thin air. Check yourself into the looney bin, Clary. As the story progresses, she learns that she has basically been lied to her whole life in order to protect her from the evil Valentine, a Shadowhunter who has some nasty plans up his sleeve. For a fifteen year old, Clary is very mature. She learns that there is a whole other world that she never knew existed and accepts it easily, determined to find her mother and whoever took her.

She is assisted by the glorious Jace, Shadowhunter, sexy warrior, and sarcastic jerk. I don’t think a single thing comes out of Jace’s mouth that isn’t dripping in sarcasm. He is hilarious and had me cracking up throughout the entire book. He’s a jerk, but you can’t help but love him. He has had a rough life and you can tell that the sarcastic, hard exterior he wears is to protect himself from the cruelness that the world has dealt him in the past. He immediately accepts Clary and patiently helps her unravel the mystery of why her mother was taken. He protects her from demons, vampires, and werewolves, and she supports him and gives him a sense of belonging.

Simon is another major character worth mentioning. He has been Clary’s best friend forever. He is just a normal mundane, but he never leaves Clary’s side throughout the book. He is loyal even when he is faced with unbelievable, supernatural things and even when Jace makes it clear that he can’t stand him. I felt so bad for Simon. It is very clear that he cares deeply for Clary, but there are times when she barely notices that he exists. He never leaves her though, no matter what she does to him.

I don’t want to give anything away, but this book has a major twist at the end. I never would have seen it coming in a million years. And I did not like it one bit. It was certainly interesting, but it freaked me out. I don’t want to say anything else about it. You all will have to read the book to find out what I’m talking about. My favorite thing about this book was how action packed it was. It never let up. It was battle after battle, twist after twist. Fantastic, absolutely loved it. To make it even better, there are five books in the series and Cassandra Clare has a three book prequel series! I’m going to be lost in the Shadowhunter world for a long time. And if that weren’t enough to make you giddy with excitement, it’s being made into a movie which comes out August 23, 2013! The next book in the series is called City of Ashes and I can’t wait to start it! Happy reading all! 

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