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Throwback Thursday| Review Edition: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1), by Cassandra Clare

8/1/2013

1 Comment

 
Throwback Thursday is my weekly feature which I created to post a review that I've written from the past. Every week I will post a review that I've written prior to my blogs existence. I'll be sharing both the books that I think you'd enjoy and the books that I should warn you against wasting your time on! ;-)

City of Bones....yes, everyone has been talking about this book lately. Mostly because the movie adaptation is coming out at the end of the month.  In honor of that, for the next 4 weeks, I'll be posting my reviews of the first 4 books in the Mortal Instruments series.  I read and reviewed the first couple book back in 2009, actually almost 3 years ago exactly, long before my Shelf Addiction days.  Back then my reviews were a tad more "spoilery" (Yes, I know that's not a word) Lol...so if you haven't read this book yet, you've been warned!

I feel that The Mortal instruments series has a strong star with City of Bones, but this is another one of those series that really gets better and better with each book.  I recommend this for any YA Urban Fantasy fan. Trust me, if you're not hooked with the first book, you will be after the second book.

So if you didn't know that there's a movie coming out, where have you been, sleeping under a rock?! Just kidding, check out the movie trailer here. 

I do encourage you to read the book before seeing the movie because although I'm hopeful that the movie will be good, as we all know, the books are always better!
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Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry Books 
Release Date: March 27, 2007
Format: Paperback
Pages: 512
Source: Purchase
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy, Book to Movie Adaptation
Original Review Date: August 13, 2009
Rating: 4 bookmarks 

Synopsis: 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. . . . 

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.


This book ultimately was very good and a fast read. The story was interesting out of the gate even though it began slightly slower than I like. Her adventure is started with a series of events which is triggered when her mother gets kidnapped in front of her and the roll coaster ride begins. The book focuses on Clary, a 16 year old who discovers that she is not human and that her whole life is a lie. That her mother and her “uncle” Luke have been lying to her about everything. The reader unfolds the mysteries as Clary does, which is vividly well written. Clary Fray is daring, independent and I really like her character’s style. 

One of the other main characters is Jace, a Shadowhunter, with secrets of his own to be uncovered. Jace Wayland is described as really cute, in a show stopper kind of way. He is cut, yet rugged, mouthy and down right ornery at times. Yet, through out the book you see his softer side when it comes to Clary and that is cute. 

During her time searching for her mother, she is engaged with several other teen Shadowhunters and some other Downworlders and creatures that keeps the story moving. Not to forget her side kick best friend Simon. The author Cassandra Clare, does an excellent job of letting us see all the teenagers in this story as independent warriors yet, still dependent on the adults in the story. 

The story takes another turn when we find that the villain of the story, Valentine was not only married to her mother, but is her father! Then not to give away all of the major plot lines, but the story keeps getting more interesting as each page turns. Not to give anything away…but there is an under story that is somewhat reminiscent of VC Andrews’s books. What I mean by that is there is some of that whole ”The guy or girl I like is my sibling!” going on! 

I recommend this book. I finished it yesterday and ran out to get book 2 today!

Happy Reading,
~Tamara
1 Comment
lectus link
8/1/2013 10:20:02 am

I started reading it but it wasn't for me :-(
Then.... i saw the trailer and I wished I had stuck with the book.

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