Leah
Written on Feb 14, 2017
First in Cassandra Clare's internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series about the Shadowhunters.
Love. Blood. Betrayal. Demons. First in the New York Times No. 1 bestselling series that has swept the globe, City of Bones is also a major movie and Shadowhunters, the TV series based on the book, is currently airing on Netflix. Irresistibly drawn towards a group of demon hunters, Clary encounters the dark side of New York City and the dangers of forbidden love. This edition contains exclusive bonus content as well as a map and a new foreword by Cassandra Clare. Read all the sensational books in The Shadowhunter Chronicles: The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, The Bane Chronicles, The Dark Artifices, The Last Hours and The Shadowhunter's Codex.
- ISBN10 1416914285
- ISBN13 9781416914280
- Publish Date 27 March 2007 (first published 1 March 2007)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Simon & Schuster
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 496
- Language English
Reviews
Mackenzie
Written on Jan 5, 2016
Second read: Jan 5, 2016
Ah, The Mortal Instruments. A series that never seems to end.
Seriously, though. I thought this was supposed to be a trilogy. Next thing I know she’s popping out 3 more books (are more on the way? That’s a serious question), a spin-off series (which I love SO much more btw), and yet another spin-off series coming this year.
WILL IT EVER END?!?!
Okay, getting off topic.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock a la Patrick Star, you’ll have heard that they’re making The Mortal Instruments into a TV Show (it airs tomorrow in case you're wondering). And, as the good little bookworm I am, I simply had to read (or reread in this case) the book before the show came out. 1) So I can remember what the heck happened. 2) So I can see if it stuck close to the book.
The results?
My feelings haven’t changed.
The first time I read this book, I gave it 3 stars. The second time I read it, I gave it 3 stars. 3rd times the charm? Nope. The rating stays the same (and I seriously questions why I've read this so many times...). I liked it, but didn't fall in love with it. I originally picked this up because of all the hype surrounding it and was expecting it to be some utterly fantastic book. The second time was because the movie was coming out. Unfortunately for me, it felt very middle ground. I liked some things, hated others, or sometimes loved and hated something at the same time.
The one thing I REALLY loved: THE WORLD and PLOT
I loved the world-building. I truly did. I thought it was utterly fascinating and exciting. It was a world ripe with mythology and adventure. It was rich and beautiful and incredibly intriguing. I caught myself consistently wondering about this world Clare had built. I was so incredibly interested in all things Shadowhunters. Even if some points were slightly info-dumpy, I was still utterly fascinated by the Shadowhunter’s world. The demons and Silent Brothers were all insanely creepy and brilliantly done. And all the mystery surrounding the Mortal Cup and Valentine made me want more.
Unfortunately for me, an amazing world and mystery isn't enough to make me fall in love with a book. I need to like the characters too, especially the main characters. And, quite frankly, that didn't happen.
- Jace: Don't get me wrong, I love a good snarky, arrogant, tough guy, but I just couldn't fall in love with him the way some others have. I can't quite pin-point what made me not like him. I think it was the fact that while he was arrogant and cocky, he didn't really have any redeeming qualities to counteract those characteristics. Somewhat one-dimensional I guess. He was simply cocky. Plain and simple. But he was sarcastic and I love sarcasm so brownie points there.
- Clary: Eh. You were sometimes a rather strong girl and I personally felt bad for you, but you also really got on my nerves. I like that she didn't just believe them, but believed it over time. I liked her curiosity and her fierce protection of her mother, even though they didn't get along. But she was also a very annoying teenage girl. She got petty and jealous and angry. And annoying. Can't forget annoying. She'd vie for Jace yet get mad and extremely mean when Simon looked at Izzy. Oh, boohoo. You can't have both honey. Besides, you ignored that poor boy until someone else came along. Sucks to suck.
- Isabelle: Tall, thin and gorgeous. Pretty much a model. I liked that she is a tough girl who kicks-butt. But I don't find her incredibly memorable. Again, she's like Clary. Stereotypical whiny, jealous teenage girl.
- Alec: Not much to say. He was a jerk. I don't like him. But he also wasn't really in the book enough for me to really say whether or not he redeems himself.
- Simon: I actually liked Simon! Yes, I'm rooting for the friendzoned boy here. He's funny, sarcastic, and geeky. Totally adorable! And he knows how to use a bow and arrows. Cool points!
- Magnus: Okay, I can't deny that I do love Magnus. His "I'm awesome and I know it" attitude coupled with his careless and sarcastic demeanor made me adore him. He was cocky sarcasm done right. And, he's a warlock. He's just all around cool.
BUT I hated the ending. It sucked and was awkward. I know what is actually going on from me reading the rest of the books, but the first time I read this, it just disturbed me. Not to mention it totally made the relationship beyond awkward in the next book.
Final thoughts
This series has potential. While I didn't really love the main characters because they were all typical annoying teenagers, I did love the world Clare created alongside all the action-packed adventure. If plot and world-building are the most important to you, definitely check out CoB! Although I didn't love it, it's definitely a series worth reading on a rainy day.
I will say that I think this could make a really good TV show. It's action-packed and dark and has a good plot line. As long as the acting doesn't suck, I have a feeling this will be a guilty pleasure.
Liz (Bent Bookworm)
Written on May 22, 2015
chrssym
Written on Apr 13, 2015
jen20
Written on Jan 1, 2015
Kim Deister
Written on Dec 28, 2014
The cast of characters is fantastic. They are all very different and the dynamics between them is often hilarious. Clary is new to the world of the Shadowhunters. Her life has been fairly isolated, revolving around her mother Jocelyn, her mother's best friend Luke, and her own best friend Simon. Clary and Simon have been best friends since they were very little and they are virtually inseparable. He is a self-admitted gamer nerd with a fondness for witty T-shirts and she is artistic with a fondness for manga. The two are often hilarious together. And then they meet Jace, Alec, and Isabelle. Jace is the epitome of a pretty boy, gorgeous and often a complete jerk. Alec is his "sort of" brother and is a bit on the brisk side, clearly a bit protective of Jace and Isabelle, the oldest of them all at eighteen. Isabelle is Alec's sister, gorgeous and confident... everything Clary feels she is not. The dynamic between the three guys is often tense, for very different reasons. The two girls are not used to having female friends and have virtually no idea how to relate to one another. The ways in which these five interact is often hilarious, with a lot of witty repartee that I love!
I love a story with a good mythology and this one has that. The mythology is rich, blending elements that we know with new elements and new explanations. It creates a story that makes the existence of the supernatural entirely believable. The mythology is based around that of angels and demons, but incorporates the existence of werewolves, warlocks, faery, and vampires right along with them. A whole new world is created right along the one that we live in.
The story line is full of action, mystery, intrigue, and romance. It is often emotional and it was unexpectedly funny in a smart way. There are a lot of passages of truly witty, and often sarcastic, banter and it comes across as naturally humorous, not contrived. Simon and Jace were the undisputed kings of witty repartee, especially between them.
My Recommendation
If you love a read with supernatural creatures and a richly created mythology, then this is a good read!
Jack
Written on Aug 29, 2014
Katie King
Written on Jun 5, 2014
I am not new to City of Bones, considering every time Clare releases a new book I have to reread the whole series. Not that I'm complaining, but I know how the story goes. Just keep in mind I've read this book before. The story starts of when we (and Clary) are introduced to our little Shadowhunters by way of a nightclub incident, where Clary intrudes on a demon-bashing. This sets us off on an whirlwind adventure where you can't always be sure of what you know.
Clary got on my nerves a little. She didn't really do much. In almost every scene, she's yelling at someone or telling other people to do things. She never fights anyone or uses a weapon or even really knows what she's doing. Of course she has a super special power that helps them in their quest. During the Simon (her best friend) incident, she was constantly "yelling" and "screaming," while I felt more like Jace - kinda meh. I don't particularly like Simon as a character anyways, so anything centered around him I get bored with. That being said, I do think that Simon's relationship with Clary was pretty well written. He was loyal and even more so obvious. But he wasn't desperate, he wasn't tripping over himself. I liked that he somewhat kept his cool.
Jace was the best! He was a dangerous smartass, and I loved it. There's a huge tough side to him, but we do see a soft side. Particularly of note is near the end, when we see that is like any other orphan who yearns to know his parents. Speaking of knowing his parents, if you've read any of the other books you know exactly what I'm referring to, and let me just say that subplot bothers me.
I thought the plot was a pretty engaging take on urban fantasy. I like that the storyline contained some mystery, and the revelations were pretty shocking (if you've never read the book). I also like that Clare didn't make everything that was going to happen really obvious, that there were some surprises along the way. Her world-building left a lot to be desired, however. It was a little hard to follow exactly where we were and what was around us.
Summary
Reading something for the third time leaves little room for surprises, but I still enjoyed City of Bones. There are mistakes of course, both in writing and plot, but I think overall it's a good story that most would like.
MurderByDeath
Written on Aug 23, 2013
Romance Schmomance
Written on May 21, 2013