moraa
Written on Jan 9, 2020
Simon Lewis is having some trouble adjusting to his new life as a vampire, especially now that he hardly sees his best friend Clary, who is caught up in training to be a Shadowhunter - and spending time with her new boyfriend, Jace. Simon decides he needs a break and heads out of the city - only to discover that sinister events are following him. Realizing that the war they thought they'd won might not yet be over, Simon has to call on his Shadowhunter friends to save the day - if they can put their own splintering relationships on hold long enough to rise to the challenge. The Mortal Instruments series has over one million books in print. It has been on the New York Times bestseller list for six months straight. The books have been translated into 19 languages and have also appeared on bestseller lists in Germany, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
- ISBN10 1442403551
- ISBN13 9781442403550
- Publish Date 2 October 2012 (first published 5 April 2011)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 6 August 2021
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Simon & Schuster
- Edition Reprint ed.
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 424
- Language English
Reviews
ammaarah
Written on Dec 2, 2018
"You couldn't change the past. You could only go forward." (Simon Lewis)
City of Fallen Angels is Simon's book. His character arc deals with him trying and failing to be a vampire and a human at the same time. He doesn't know what to do and a bunch of people want to either recruit him or kill him because he's a Daylighter. However, I don't appreciate Simon two-timing Isabelle and Maia. He might not be exclusively dating both of them, but he didn't want Isabelle and Maia to know that he was dating the both of them and he led both of them on because he didn't tell them the truth.
Clary is naive, bland and forgettable in City of Fallen Angels. Her character arc involves a little bit of Shadowhunter training, but it mostly revolves around her feelings towards Jace.
Jace is struggling after the events that occurred in City of Glass and he's such a mess in City of Fallen Angels. As a way of punishing himself, he distances himself from the people that he loves. I could understand his actions because they suit his personality, but I just wanted him to stop avoiding people and situations, talk and deal with what is going on.
I really got a sense of Isabelle's personality in City of Fallen Angels and I love her so much. Isabelle and Maia are strong, tough characters and I love their friendship.
Jace and Simon's developing bromance, which is characterised largely by insults, is hilarious to read about. I also don't know how to feel about Kyle. Jordan Kyle is Maia's abusive ex-boyfriend who turned her into a werewolf. However, the reason for his aggression and anger is because it was his first werewolf transformation. I hate that he treated Maia horribly, but I also understand that he's trying to be better.
I love Malec, but I was uncomfortable with their relationship in City of Fallen Angels. Alec seems so immature. I get that he has some doubts about his relationship with Magnus, but did he really expect a warlock as old and flirty as Magnus not to have had a relationship or fallen in love with anyone besides him.
On the other hand, it was nice to see Jace and Clary being a couple. City of Fallen Angels also shows the love that Jace has for Clary. However, I find their romance to be extremely cheesy and over-the-top. I don't believe that love is the "be all and end all", but maybe that's just my jaded outlook on life.
I'm also really happy for Luke and Jocelyn!
City of Fallen Angels has a darker tone and lays down the foundation for future Mortal Instruments books. It's more character focused than previous books in The Mortal Instruments series and explores the characters and their relationships with each other. Though, I could have done without all the teen angst. Most of the plot progression happens in the last part of City of Fallen Angels and that cliffhanger makes me excited for things to come in City of Lost Souls.
"Love is a contradiction." (Jace)
Kim Deister
Written on Jan 4, 2015
The Mortal War is over and life should be exciting and full of possibilities. But life is never that easy, is it? Despite the fact that Shadowhunters and Downworlders came together to battle Valentine, there are centuries of age-old hate and distrust to overcome in the aftermat. The Clave is changing, adapting and evolving. And there are those that will play on the distrust to advance their own causes.
I wondered how this book was going to continue the stoy line of the first three novels in an exciting way. The Mortal War was at the center of those books and it ended at the conclusion of the third book. So what would come next that would keep the story progressing? I shouldn't have worried! The mystery and intrigue didn't end with the War. The twists and turns have amped up in this book and so has the frustration level. Just when you think things are going to finally fall into place for Jace and Clary...!
I love the man-fecta of Jace, Jordan, and Simon. The dynamics going on there are fantastic and there is more of that fantastically snarky banter between them. I like the bromance weirdly brewing between Jace and Simon, too, a bromance that Jace would like to continue to deny. The characters are so wonderful in these books, even those you love to hate!
whisperingchapters
Written on Apr 18, 2014
tweetybugshouse
Written on Jun 14, 2013
sstaley
Written on May 29, 2013
nannah
Written on May 31, 2012
Unfortunately, it's painfully obvious that the Mortal Instruments was meant just to be a trilogy. I think I can safely say the plot of this book is a desperate search to find a plot.
Not to mention Jace and Clary's relationship began to sicken me. Literally. They fell into a (never-ending) pattern of EXTREME INTIMACY and professes of love, then OHMIGUH I DON'T DESERVE YOU. Jace turned into this mopey thing for almost the entire book. Their characters became lackluster, nothing inside except for the most powerful, with-the-power-of-all-the-angels-that-could-burn-the-earth-with-this-kind-of-passionate "love" for each other (her words I believe? I'm exaggerating and being crabby; I'm sorry).
There's just so much someone can take of love being tested and tested with the same results. Not to mention this whole book was basically about the characters' romances with each other; and not even particularly engaging romances either.
The ending made me groan and laugh at the same time (in a bad way). I'm going to read the next two, not because I'm hoping for something better, but because I want to see what Clare could POSSIBLY do with two more books.
Yeah, I said all these harsh words and yet I still gave it three stars. It's really not the worst book I've ever read, and it didn't make me want to quit at any point, so that's something I have to give it credit for.
journalingirl
Written on May 17, 2012
notajammiedodger
Written on May 15, 2012
So reading this a second time around, I think I have figured out why I didn't like it as much as the first 3 books. With the second half of The Mortal Instruments series, it's like we are starting all over again. We are being introduced to new conflict, new villains all that stuff that usually takes place in the first book. Now while I always enjoy the establishment of the story line in the first book, I think when we are getting it in the middle of a series it can become boring and seems to make the whole book really slow. Don't get me wrong I still loved the book, just not as much as the rest. I am going to start City of Lost Souls tonight and I am so excited! :D I think now with the new plot set in place everything can start happening and things are going to get exciting :D
Chelsea
Written on Mar 31, 2012
I was really nervous nervous going into this book because you could tell the third one was meant to be the last. It ended really nicely and I was a little confused because the fourth one was already out. So at the start I was very skeptical.
I did enjoy reading this book. I still believe that Cassandra Clare should stop writing this series immediately. It doesn’t need anymore. Obviously after this book there is another though, so those reading it already know this. But enough of that! The plot was still pretty good. Not as good as the first ones, but good. It didn’t impress me as much because it felt kind of expected. Something will happen and you won’t be surprised because you saw it coming. It was still a good book but not as good as the first three for sure. I’m kind of glad this book happened because it was nice too see some things that weren’t tied up like how Simon was adjusting as a vampire and the whole Maia/Isabelle thing he has going on.
Some characters I really enjoyed seeing again. Like I said before, seeing Simon adjust was nice and there was a lot more Maia and Isabelle in this one. I liked that this book developed their characters. The Clary/Jace situation was a little annoying because you never really know what’s going on with them. I’m getting really frustrated with them.
Generally this was a pretty good book but not as good as the first three. I do recommend anyone that has read the other ones to continue with the series. It didn’t go in the best direction but it didn’t completely suck.