By: Cait Marie
(I apologize for this being so late. The #READShadowhunter Read-A-Long is still continuing as scheduled, I’m just behind.)
When 16-year-old Clary Fray witnesses a crime only she can see, her whole world begins to change. She meets Jace, a Shadowhunter, but as he begins explaining what he is, she gets a frantic call from her mother. When Clary finds her apartment empty, trashed, and her mother missing, she’s attacked by a demon and saved by Jace.
Her mother was kidnapped by Valentine, a Shadowhunter who once caused a terrible uprising and was thought to be dead. He wants the Mortal Cup, a vital instrument in their world, and knows Clary’s mother took it when she disappeared. There is an entire hidden world that Clary never knew about, one she has no recollection of because of a spell placed on her. To save her mother and potentially the world, she must work with the Shadowhunters–demon hunters and protectors of the humans.
How does one write a review for a book they have read eight times? Look how rough my original paperback is… It’s well-loved.
For those who don’t know, The Mortal Instruments is my favorite series. I first read it during the summer of 2009–the summer just after graduating high school. It is what truly made me fall in love with reading as an adult. I read the series as a whole three times, but I read the original three books a few more times. City of Bones is my go-to book when I don’t feel like reading anything else, or I’m upset, or I’m needing inspiration. It’s the book I’ve read most in my life.
This first book is still so wonderful and one of my all-time favorites. When I first read it, I had never read anything like it. It has this whole shadow world melded with our own, and I loved being thrown into it just like Clary. It’s full of action and snark. It’s amusing while still serious.
It is hard to talk about one of the books without talking about the rest–like I don’t know what happens!
The characters are all great, but you just get a glimpse of them in this first book. Clary is brave and willing to do whatever it takes to find her mother. Simon is the relatable best friend. Jace is the sarcastic hero. Alec is reserved and kind of a jerk (and I say that lovingly, we all know he’s my favorite Shadowhunter of them all), and his sister Izzy kicks butt in heels. There’s also Magnus, the High Warlock of Brooklyn and love of my life, whom we barely meet in this book. If it’s your first time reading these books, trust me when I say he is the best. He’s my favorite fictional character of all time.
I still absolutely love the plot of this story. Especially knowing how it all plays out and ties in with the other series. I like the style and pace of it. It is written for a younger audience, so it is easy and quick to read.
City of Bones is one I will continue to re-read throughout my life. The last two times I listened to the audiobook, though, which is narrated by Mae Whitman (whom I love!). She does an excellent job!
Stay tuned for the rest of the #READShadowhunter posts and reviews. After this week, they will go back to being posted every Monday! The live chat will be announced soon.
Functionally Fictional 