What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mortal Instruments #1-4
The Mortal Instrument
Don’t miss The Mortal City of Bones, soon to be a major motion picture in theaters August 2013.The first four books in the #1 New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series, now available in a collectible paperback boxed set.Enter the secret world of the Shadowhunters with this handsomely packaged boxed set that includes City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, and City of Fallen Angels. The Mortal Instruments books have more than five million copies in print, and this collectible set of the first four volumes in paperback makes a great gift for newcomers to the series and for loyal fans alike.Book PaperbackPublication 10/2/2012 2032
2032 pages, Paperback
First published April 19, 2011
260 people are currently reading
7209 people want to read
About the author
Cassandra Clare
199 books278k followersCassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.
Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).
After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.
Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.
City of Bones was her first novel. Sword Catcher is her most recent novel.
Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).
After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.
Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.
City of Bones was her first novel. Sword Catcher is her most recent novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 395 reviews
July 8, 2016
Some people will love these books and that is fine. I'm on book four now and it is only because I hate not finishing a story that I've continued. And because I had apparently already bought the set.
The series reads like a story written by a 14 year old girl who wants to be a writer when she grows up. The plotting, the structure, the strong Mary Sue of the lead female character, there are some interesting ideas but nothing seems well thought out or at minimum well planned out.
In terms of writing though, I would reread Twilight before reading this or suggesting it to someone.
The series reads like a story written by a 14 year old girl who wants to be a writer when she grows up. The plotting, the structure, the strong Mary Sue of the lead female character, there are some interesting ideas but nothing seems well thought out or at minimum well planned out.
In terms of writing though, I would reread Twilight before reading this or suggesting it to someone.
May 13, 2017
Cassandra Clare is humorous, edgy and enlightening in this phenomenal series (The Mortal Instruments). The characters are well rounded and Jace has a certain 'bad-boy' allure that most females have learned to crave these days. The books builds up suspense right from the start and the author cleverly releases most of the suspense at the peak but somehow conveys that there is yet something to be solved and the audience is left suspended in mid-air. With all the paranormal creatures crammed into these books you're left wanting nothing and gaining a hell of a ride. If you haven't read this yet, purchase it because you can read it over and over again without getting bored of the witty sarcastic lines and the romance that gives these books an entirely new edge.
September 3, 2020
City of Bones - 3 stars
City of Ashes - 3.5 stars
City of Glass - 4 stars
City of Fallen Angels - 2-2.5 stars
This series starts out a bit slow but picks up it's pace. The MCs aren't that great but the supporting/secondary characters are really amazing. The first book in the series introduces us to this world and it does have a lot of plot holes but as the series progresses, a lot of questions are answered. Third book in the series is my favorite. Fourth book is probably my least favorite so far.
City of Ashes - 3.5 stars
City of Glass - 4 stars
City of Fallen Angels - 2-2.5 stars
This series starts out a bit slow but picks up it's pace. The MCs aren't that great but the supporting/secondary characters are really amazing. The first book in the series introduces us to this world and it does have a lot of plot holes but as the series progresses, a lot of questions are answered. Third book in the series is my favorite. Fourth book is probably my least favorite so far.
July 13, 2020
Check out my reviews on the main page of each individual book!
January 22, 2013
In my point of view Cassandra Claire is one of the best righter I have ever encountered. Her books are amazing not just the mortal instrument books but all of her books. She make up these worlds that are so imaginative and clever that incorporate every fairy tale creature you can think of. It's such a fascinating world with their different cultures and traditions. I love the characters and how they each have their own story and own personalities. The focus in the book changed as it went on it would sometimes focus on one character and there story and then it would switch giving you an entirely different perspective on the goings on. It switches a lot in the more resent books eg city of fallen angles and city of lost souls
The plot of the story was amazing the plot twists and turns in the most unexpected ways it amazes me that Cassandra can think of interesting and unique situations that you would never see coming.
If you are ever considering reading these books. Don't hesitate read them and I can guarantee you will love them as much as I do.
The plot of the story was amazing the plot twists and turns in the most unexpected ways it amazes me that Cassandra can think of interesting and unique situations that you would never see coming.
If you are ever considering reading these books. Don't hesitate read them and I can guarantee you will love them as much as I do.
February 19, 2025
Having read these books quite a number of years ago I was recently reminded why I loved them and Cassandra’s work so much after watching the TV series yet again. I thought I had left reviews for these books but alas I didn’t so now I am correcting this wrong.
This multilayered is a popular YA tale creates a dangerous web that will leave your heart racing. The story packs a punch, and I loved its originality, uniqueness, and vividly rich narrative. It is definitely a page-turner, filled with danger, action, adventure, and intrigue.
The writing is well-crafted, with a touch of darkness, sensuality, and emotional depth. With its secrets, lies, danger, suspense, and palpable tension, this story and its characters provide a captivating journey.
This is a must-read, and I won't give anything away because the joy of discovery is something you should experience for yourself.
It is an addictive and gripping paranormal tale. The storyline is well woven and is good read. It features mystery, tension, and anticipation that are truly well done.
The characters find themselves caught in a deadly game that they may not survive as they uncover deadly schemes, and hidden agendas.
This multilayered is a popular YA tale creates a dangerous web that will leave your heart racing. The story packs a punch, and I loved its originality, uniqueness, and vividly rich narrative. It is definitely a page-turner, filled with danger, action, adventure, and intrigue.
The writing is well-crafted, with a touch of darkness, sensuality, and emotional depth. With its secrets, lies, danger, suspense, and palpable tension, this story and its characters provide a captivating journey.
This is a must-read, and I won't give anything away because the joy of discovery is something you should experience for yourself.
It is an addictive and gripping paranormal tale. The storyline is well woven and is good read. It features mystery, tension, and anticipation that are truly well done.
The characters find themselves caught in a deadly game that they may not survive as they uncover deadly schemes, and hidden agendas.
October 8, 2020
| Reader Fox Blog |
This was...a go back and reread before I get read of all the copies I own on account of the plagiarism. I’ve had these books for a long while, before I ever knew about those issues and, while I cannot fully remove myself from the stain that comes with having given this woman money, I can at least rid myself of the copies in the hopes that someone else will be spared that. Full review to come.
EDIT: I've written a full review, though what is below has been heavily edited due to Goodreads' policies regarding commentary of author behavior within a review. In light of this, you can find the full review on my blog.
My past with City of Bones is actually somewhat of an amusing one at times, but also a rather dejecting one. I cannot even begin with how devastated I was when I first learned of all the issues surrounding these novels and the author who penned them. The interesting thing is that I really enjoyed the books when I first came across them as a teenager, so much so that my first-ever rating of the book was five stars. As I've grown up I find myself feeling more and more embarrassed and disgusted with the fact that I bought these books. Just as I did with Twilight a few months ago, I've decided to re-read Clare's work before ridding myself of the books I've had since high school. I haven't decided yet whether to donate or throw them out, honestly, since I don't know if I want to subject other young readers to them but I definitely don't want these books anymore. And in this sense, I've decided to review each of her books.
As for City of Bones, the fact of the matter is that the novel is largely based around ideas that were borrowed and pulled from a variety of other novels and altered in various, somewhat minute ways in order for the work to transform into Clare's own piece of fiction. Looking below the surface of it all, though, it becomes difficult for me to credit much of the story and the characters to Clare's writing ability as a result of my understanding of where it all came from. I find myself unable to ascertain whether the bits about the story that I enjoyed were actually a result of Clare's own imagination or whether they were borrowed from somewhere else. You really don't have to look far at other reviews to see where the ideas for her story and characters come from, though the majority does appear to be based around Harry Potter.
Clare also has a rather annoying habit of creating extensive love polygons that just become absolutely ridiculous. I've drawn some out before, but just taking a look at this book alone you can see an extensive intermingling of love relationships/pinings. We'll begin with Clary, who can be romantically linked in this novel to both Jace and Simon. Jace can be linked to Clary and Alec. Simon can be linked to Clary and Isabelle. Alec can be linked to Jace and Magnus. Isabelle can be linked to Simon and Meliorn. And that, my friends, is just the first book. It'll get worse later on. Frankly, it's just far too much drama for it to all be necessary.
I can see, at times, why I enjoyed reading this story all those years ago. And I recall becoming emotionally invested enough for this to be the first book I actually threw against a wall upon finishing--I too was thoroughly upset and disgusted with the news brought to light for Clary and Jace via Valentine--and had I not already bought the whole series (I was a little excessive when buying books back then, as I'd not come across the concept that it's perfectly okay to begin a series and not continue on with it) I don't know if I'd have kept reading enough to find out the resolution to this exceedingly disturbing reveal. But I also loved Twilight at this point in my life, to the point that I wasn't aware enough of consent to find the actions of Jacob Black as disgusting as they truly are, so really, can I credit much to the fact that I liked this series? I'm not sure.
Where I'll occasionally find myself rather endeared toward characters, particularly Simon, other characters are frustrating and quick to anger, all of which often ultimately leads to incredibly poor decision making. And I'm left wondering how I liked any of these characters to begin with. There are a lot of problematic pieces to the book as a whole, some of which stem from the blatant ways in which Jace will lash out at anyone, anytime he feels like, others that lie within the unfortunate girl-hate dynamic that exists between Isabelle and Clary, and more that comes from the servant-like roles the gay characters in this novel hold or the power dynamics between an older man in a relationship with a much younger man. I could go on and on about this, but the truth is that others have as well. And you don't have to look far to find it all.
Clare's writing, overall, is inconsistent in quality which often leads me to wonder how much of what I really liked was not her work. While enough was altered for Clare to avoid a plagiarism lawsuit--fair enough--it still leaves me feeling deeply unsure, almost to the point that I hope the parts I like are not hers. Ultimately, though, even I have noticed many grammatical errors and typos throughout the novel. The degree of information that is simply thrown at us rather than shown is immense and often I find that characters don't always act in realistic manners. I'll give her this, though; City of Bones is infinitely better written than Fifty Shades of Gray, so at least she has that merit. All in all, while I was once quite a fan of these books, I'm not as much any longer. Even the show, which I do actually enjoy quite a lot and has fixed numerous issues that the books had, is somewhat seeped in the unfortunate disgrace of the material it is adapted from.
| Instagram | Twitter | Reader Fox Blog | Bloglovin’ | Facebook |
This was...a go back and reread before I get read of all the copies I own on account of the plagiarism. I’ve had these books for a long while, before I ever knew about those issues and, while I cannot fully remove myself from the stain that comes with having given this woman money, I can at least rid myself of the copies in the hopes that someone else will be spared that. Full review to come.
EDIT: I've written a full review, though what is below has been heavily edited due to Goodreads' policies regarding commentary of author behavior within a review. In light of this, you can find the full review on my blog.
My past with City of Bones is actually somewhat of an amusing one at times, but also a rather dejecting one. I cannot even begin with how devastated I was when I first learned of all the issues surrounding these novels and the author who penned them. The interesting thing is that I really enjoyed the books when I first came across them as a teenager, so much so that my first-ever rating of the book was five stars. As I've grown up I find myself feeling more and more embarrassed and disgusted with the fact that I bought these books. Just as I did with Twilight a few months ago, I've decided to re-read Clare's work before ridding myself of the books I've had since high school. I haven't decided yet whether to donate or throw them out, honestly, since I don't know if I want to subject other young readers to them but I definitely don't want these books anymore. And in this sense, I've decided to review each of her books.
As for City of Bones, the fact of the matter is that the novel is largely based around ideas that were borrowed and pulled from a variety of other novels and altered in various, somewhat minute ways in order for the work to transform into Clare's own piece of fiction. Looking below the surface of it all, though, it becomes difficult for me to credit much of the story and the characters to Clare's writing ability as a result of my understanding of where it all came from. I find myself unable to ascertain whether the bits about the story that I enjoyed were actually a result of Clare's own imagination or whether they were borrowed from somewhere else. You really don't have to look far at other reviews to see where the ideas for her story and characters come from, though the majority does appear to be based around Harry Potter.
Clare also has a rather annoying habit of creating extensive love polygons that just become absolutely ridiculous. I've drawn some out before, but just taking a look at this book alone you can see an extensive intermingling of love relationships/pinings. We'll begin with Clary, who can be romantically linked in this novel to both Jace and Simon. Jace can be linked to Clary and Alec. Simon can be linked to Clary and Isabelle. Alec can be linked to Jace and Magnus. Isabelle can be linked to Simon and Meliorn. And that, my friends, is just the first book. It'll get worse later on. Frankly, it's just far too much drama for it to all be necessary.
I can see, at times, why I enjoyed reading this story all those years ago. And I recall becoming emotionally invested enough for this to be the first book I actually threw against a wall upon finishing--I too was thoroughly upset and disgusted with the news brought to light for Clary and Jace via Valentine--and had I not already bought the whole series (I was a little excessive when buying books back then, as I'd not come across the concept that it's perfectly okay to begin a series and not continue on with it) I don't know if I'd have kept reading enough to find out the resolution to this exceedingly disturbing reveal. But I also loved Twilight at this point in my life, to the point that I wasn't aware enough of consent to find the actions of Jacob Black as disgusting as they truly are, so really, can I credit much to the fact that I liked this series? I'm not sure.
Where I'll occasionally find myself rather endeared toward characters, particularly Simon, other characters are frustrating and quick to anger, all of which often ultimately leads to incredibly poor decision making. And I'm left wondering how I liked any of these characters to begin with. There are a lot of problematic pieces to the book as a whole, some of which stem from the blatant ways in which Jace will lash out at anyone, anytime he feels like, others that lie within the unfortunate girl-hate dynamic that exists between Isabelle and Clary, and more that comes from the servant-like roles the gay characters in this novel hold or the power dynamics between an older man in a relationship with a much younger man. I could go on and on about this, but the truth is that others have as well. And you don't have to look far to find it all.
Clare's writing, overall, is inconsistent in quality which often leads me to wonder how much of what I really liked was not her work. While enough was altered for Clare to avoid a plagiarism lawsuit--fair enough--it still leaves me feeling deeply unsure, almost to the point that I hope the parts I like are not hers. Ultimately, though, even I have noticed many grammatical errors and typos throughout the novel. The degree of information that is simply thrown at us rather than shown is immense and often I find that characters don't always act in realistic manners. I'll give her this, though; City of Bones is infinitely better written than Fifty Shades of Gray, so at least she has that merit. All in all, while I was once quite a fan of these books, I'm not as much any longer. Even the show, which I do actually enjoy quite a lot and has fixed numerous issues that the books had, is somewhat seeped in the unfortunate disgrace of the material it is adapted from.
| Instagram | Twitter | Reader Fox Blog | Bloglovin’ | Facebook |
May 14, 2012
Wow. This series had me hooked from the first. It mingled regular humans, vampires, werewolves, demons and a new breed of humans trained for a life of supernatural war, known as Shadowhunters. Quotes were added from literature of old, to Biblical phrases and current authors.
There are characters like Isabelle Lightwood, who believe every story or fable is true but does not hold to any given religion. I would guess that to be most of the other characters. Then there is Simon, a shy boy, whose first love and best friend is Clary Fray, and who is devotedly Jewish. Early on, he is turned a vampire and spends a while adapting to his new life amid Clary's new friends in the Shadowhunter world.
Some demons that are hunted are simply your average pests, of which the world must be rid. But then there are other, Greater Demons-Eidolon kind or Lilith, one of the longest living demons known.
Fate and fantasy interlock and various perils make the determined group ask this question over and over: What does this life require me to do for those I love?
There are characters like Isabelle Lightwood, who believe every story or fable is true but does not hold to any given religion. I would guess that to be most of the other characters. Then there is Simon, a shy boy, whose first love and best friend is Clary Fray, and who is devotedly Jewish. Early on, he is turned a vampire and spends a while adapting to his new life amid Clary's new friends in the Shadowhunter world.
Some demons that are hunted are simply your average pests, of which the world must be rid. But then there are other, Greater Demons-Eidolon kind or Lilith, one of the longest living demons known.
Fate and fantasy interlock and various perils make the determined group ask this question over and over: What does this life require me to do for those I love?
May 4, 2015
I really liked this book and I found it quite enjoyable. Although in the beginning I thought it was about instruments and some weird stuff. I really didn't think It would turn out pretty good. It was kinda scary but not that scary :D but uh, i recommend u guise 2 read it! tench
February 16, 2021
to start things off i have allways loved a good fallen angel story or storys based off them etc combine that with paranormal elements warlocks shifters and fae etc and you have lots of potential verry much so now while theres been from what i seen of it at any rate lots of controversey around cassandra clare now weither or not any of it is true who can say but for me i dont know but what i do know is this this story no this world has been with me for good long time i first encountered this world long back when this trilogy was first coming out and i fell in love with these characters both the good ones along with the bad and the overall plot so time came and went and many years later i came back to these books and they are still just as good as they were back then and im looking forward to devouring my way through the rest of the books in this ever expanding world of the shadow hunters and down worlders
March 8, 2017
Fantastic series! If you can get past the first one, the others are sure to do it for you for sure. Very good plot and great characters. I loved the development and how everything progressed. Very happy reader!
July 7, 2017
Five Stars
November 12, 2017
I'm shipping every couple in this book
August 7, 2018
boring ass book, most lines ive read on a page was 10, all incomplete :D
Read
January 16, 2019YESSSSSS!!!!!!
August 14, 2017
This is a must read series. It's captivating and suspenseful with a touch of young love wherever you go.
December 27, 2012
<3!
i just fell in love with this book! The whole shadowhunters thing was awesome (can't wait for the movie to come out).
Every charatcer was great, like Jace the good looking boy, Isabelle the pretty mean girl (she's not tht mean) nd her brother Alec who is the quiet guy with his cruch on Jace then Clary nd Simon
i read every single book (my best friend read them all before nd she spoils everyting! even tho i love her) but the last book...
SPOILER!!!!
in the last book Jace is now evil becuz he is bonded with Clary's real brother Sebastian(read the books to find out, it's in book 3 tht says everything)so Jace goes to her nd kinda almost makes her go with him nd Sebastian to do some evil plan. Clary misses Jace lik crazy nd wants to hav some alone time with him even tho he is evil but needs to find out about the evil plan so she can tell everyone (her nd simon hav this ring thing nd they can tlk to each other with their thoughts) but then she find out how evil her brother sebastian really is nd tht the real Jace is still in there, somewhere. You also find out more about what's going on with Alec nd Isabelle's love life. Like Alec has problems with Magnus's immortality nd Isabelle nd Simon are getting all cozy with each other ;). But what the gross thing was is tht Sebastian nd Clary had a fight scene where he was all lik
"You nd i need to rule together blah blah blah"
nd he kissed her!! Gross. which is funny becuz in the third book she accidently kissed him think he was someone else nd when Clary found out tht Jace wasn't her borther but Sebatian(tht's not his real name for the mortal insturment fans u kno), Simon had to point out the she kissed her real brother. -_-
but Sebatian is just like his crazy evil dad (who is dead) nd wants to do other insane things like making evil shadowhunters nd stuff
i can't wait for the last book city of heavenly fire (i think thts how u spell it)
plus the clockwork seris too!
i just fell in love with this book! The whole shadowhunters thing was awesome (can't wait for the movie to come out).
Every charatcer was great, like Jace the good looking boy, Isabelle the pretty mean girl (she's not tht mean) nd her brother Alec who is the quiet guy with his cruch on Jace then Clary nd Simon
i read every single book (my best friend read them all before nd she spoils everyting! even tho i love her) but the last book...
SPOILER!!!!
in the last book Jace is now evil becuz he is bonded with Clary's real brother Sebastian(read the books to find out, it's in book 3 tht says everything)so Jace goes to her nd kinda almost makes her go with him nd Sebastian to do some evil plan. Clary misses Jace lik crazy nd wants to hav some alone time with him even tho he is evil but needs to find out about the evil plan so she can tell everyone (her nd simon hav this ring thing nd they can tlk to each other with their thoughts) but then she find out how evil her brother sebastian really is nd tht the real Jace is still in there, somewhere. You also find out more about what's going on with Alec nd Isabelle's love life. Like Alec has problems with Magnus's immortality nd Isabelle nd Simon are getting all cozy with each other ;). But what the gross thing was is tht Sebastian nd Clary had a fight scene where he was all lik
"You nd i need to rule together blah blah blah"
nd he kissed her!! Gross. which is funny becuz in the third book she accidently kissed him think he was someone else nd when Clary found out tht Jace wasn't her borther but Sebatian(tht's not his real name for the mortal insturment fans u kno), Simon had to point out the she kissed her real brother. -_-
but Sebatian is just like his crazy evil dad (who is dead) nd wants to do other insane things like making evil shadowhunters nd stuff
i can't wait for the last book city of heavenly fire (i think thts how u spell it)
plus the clockwork seris too!
June 30, 2015
I loved this series. The first three books were amazing but I know some people feel that it dragged on with the 6 books. The fourth one was okay, and the last two were great. I am tired of seeing all the series I read be compared to twilight, and this is one of them. You can't compare them, and I don't even see any similarity. Since I started reading more in January, I haven't found a series I didn't like. But I guess some people are very picky with what they like, but I'm pretty simple. This is one of the best series I've read.
June 20, 2011
If I were 12, I would give this probably 4 or 5 stars. Plot is really good but cheesy teeny bits in between made me cringe at times and giddy at other times. The way I would describe this in short is "True Blood for teens." Or Buffy meets Twilight with less vampires...That said, I'm currently rereading it until I'm ready to read my next John Mayberry novel!
May 28, 2013
I actually read the books separately, but who wants to review all of them? They're actually sort of fun kitchen-sink urban fantasy, if you can get around the horribly creepy main romance, and the sort of pathetic 'main' character.
December 19, 2012
i love this whole series! just finished city of lost souls!!!!!! now waiting for city of heavenly fire....cant wait!
August 1, 2013
Ah-mazing!!! In a class of its own...
January 28, 2023
This series got me thought my first divorce!
Highly recommend
Highly recommend
February 15, 2017
Summary for myself to keep up with everything that is going on in this series
We meet Clarey (innocent, sweet, artsy) and her best friend Simon (geeky, cute, friendzoned but totally in love with Clarey) and they are two normal teenagers.
Then Clarey meets Jace, she is the only one who can see him and the other shadowhunters in glamour (Alec and Isabelle) in a crowded nightclub as they hunt and kill a demon who looks like a human.
Jace curious about Clarey follows her, they discover that Clarey's mother Jocelyn has gone missing and there are demons involved but Clarey knows nothing of the "Other World". Intro institute and Hodge, we learn about the circle and downworlders. Luke is not helping Clarey and she goes looking for her mother with her new friends and Simon. We learn about Valentine and that he is Clarey's father (she loves Jace by now) and Jace is her brother (but not really - whoa book 3). Then Jocelyn is rescued but in an enchanted sleep which Magnus Bane (Alec's boyfriend) cures with the book of the white. Clarey can draw and create new runes, the silent brothers have been massacered for the mortal cup and sword.
Shadow hunters go through a period of not trusting and blaming Jace for mystery murders (making the Mortal Sword demonic) Simon drinks Jaces blood and becomes a daylighter vampire and then later gets the mark of Cane.
Mia is a were wolf in Lukes pack (we learn about his past too and how he went from Shadow Hunter to Rogue to WereClan Leader) and we learn about she was turned by Jordan Kyle (who turns up as just Kyle part of the Lupus Guard to protect Simon in book 4). E
Enter Idris with its demon repelling barrier and then Sebastien *who is the real Johnathan, he has demon blood in his veins while Clarey and Jace have angel blood. Jace is not a Morganstern he is a Herrindale adopted by Lightwoods, his acctual father was Stephen (inqusitors son whos wife Selene committed suicide)
Jocelyn and Luke are getting married. Lots of party planning going on
An old vampire named Camile is killing shadow hunters, she was killing humans at one point too before Rafelle *current leader* ran her off. She wants to make a deal with Simon but he turns her down, Simon is being hunted by some mystery people who turn out to be part of a cult. Simon is dating Isabelle and Mia at the same time (enter Kyle to protect him and DRAMA) Jace is having weird dreams about killing Clarey and it is straining their relationship because Clarey knows nothing about it and she has decided to become a full time shadow hunter and has just started to train.
Cult is trying to create more Johnathan babies who are humans injected with shadow hunter and demon blood it is a failure. Lilith, greater demon first wife of Adam is the leader of the cult and she wants to resurrect Johnathan (which can be done because Jace was brought back after Valentine killed him) and then create more babies like him. So Jace and John are tied together with a red rune after Simons curse kills or banishes Lilith.
*Valentine is dead killed by the angel for being a heretic
*We start off in NYC and then go to idris (book 3) and then back to NYC
We meet Clarey (innocent, sweet, artsy) and her best friend Simon (geeky, cute, friendzoned but totally in love with Clarey) and they are two normal teenagers.
Then Clarey meets Jace, she is the only one who can see him and the other shadowhunters in glamour (Alec and Isabelle) in a crowded nightclub as they hunt and kill a demon who looks like a human.
Jace curious about Clarey follows her, they discover that Clarey's mother Jocelyn has gone missing and there are demons involved but Clarey knows nothing of the "Other World". Intro institute and Hodge, we learn about the circle and downworlders. Luke is not helping Clarey and she goes looking for her mother with her new friends and Simon. We learn about Valentine and that he is Clarey's father (she loves Jace by now) and Jace is her brother (but not really - whoa book 3). Then Jocelyn is rescued but in an enchanted sleep which Magnus Bane (Alec's boyfriend) cures with the book of the white. Clarey can draw and create new runes, the silent brothers have been massacered for the mortal cup and sword.
Shadow hunters go through a period of not trusting and blaming Jace for mystery murders (making the Mortal Sword demonic) Simon drinks Jaces blood and becomes a daylighter vampire and then later gets the mark of Cane.
Mia is a were wolf in Lukes pack (we learn about his past too and how he went from Shadow Hunter to Rogue to WereClan Leader) and we learn about she was turned by Jordan Kyle (who turns up as just Kyle part of the Lupus Guard to protect Simon in book 4). E
Enter Idris with its demon repelling barrier and then Sebastien *who is the real Johnathan, he has demon blood in his veins while Clarey and Jace have angel blood. Jace is not a Morganstern he is a Herrindale adopted by Lightwoods, his acctual father was Stephen (inqusitors son whos wife Selene committed suicide)
Jocelyn and Luke are getting married. Lots of party planning going on
An old vampire named Camile is killing shadow hunters, she was killing humans at one point too before Rafelle *current leader* ran her off. She wants to make a deal with Simon but he turns her down, Simon is being hunted by some mystery people who turn out to be part of a cult. Simon is dating Isabelle and Mia at the same time (enter Kyle to protect him and DRAMA) Jace is having weird dreams about killing Clarey and it is straining their relationship because Clarey knows nothing about it and she has decided to become a full time shadow hunter and has just started to train.
Cult is trying to create more Johnathan babies who are humans injected with shadow hunter and demon blood it is a failure. Lilith, greater demon first wife of Adam is the leader of the cult and she wants to resurrect Johnathan (which can be done because Jace was brought back after Valentine killed him) and then create more babies like him. So Jace and John are tied together with a red rune after Simons curse kills or banishes Lilith.
*Valentine is dead killed by the angel for being a heretic
*We start off in NYC and then go to idris (book 3) and then back to NYC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2024
Cassandra Clare broke the mold with The Immortal Instruments.
My mother was actually the one who turned me on to this series when I was in high school. The first book had me hooked! Each book was so descriptive it was like watching a movie play out in my head. You will no doubt fall for the characters like I did, Clare writes the characters so detailed that it will be like meeting Clary on the sidewalk the next day. It's by far my favorite fantasy series I've ever read. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would!
We used to joke that Cassandra Clare ruined other books for me because no one could compare to her writing! 😳
Lol, now that I'm older, I still read. However, this series gave me the book hangover from hell. I couldn't read anything else or anyone one else for MONTHS!
If this is your first time trying Cassandra Clare as a new author or checking out her Immortal Instruments series. They are both 100% recommended and worth it! Enjoy!!🤗
My mother was actually the one who turned me on to this series when I was in high school. The first book had me hooked! Each book was so descriptive it was like watching a movie play out in my head. You will no doubt fall for the characters like I did, Clare writes the characters so detailed that it will be like meeting Clary on the sidewalk the next day. It's by far my favorite fantasy series I've ever read. If I could give more than 5 stars, I would!
We used to joke that Cassandra Clare ruined other books for me because no one could compare to her writing! 😳
Lol, now that I'm older, I still read. However, this series gave me the book hangover from hell. I couldn't read anything else or anyone one else for MONTHS!
If this is your first time trying Cassandra Clare as a new author or checking out her Immortal Instruments series. They are both 100% recommended and worth it! Enjoy!!🤗
May 15, 2017
here on my father's account. being from Sri Lanka where we have strict traditions, all this "head over heels at sixteen" gave me a little nausea. other than that, language, incidents and sense of humor was amazing. my fave couple is Simon and Isabelle,(I always loved nerd+supergirl combination!) who think as much about others as themselves while Jace and Clary seems to think that world revolve around them. SPOILER:
[I cursed clary in Lost Souls for not letting jace escape with the infernal cup. that was so selfish, i mean it's about a worldly threat! And Simon actually risked his life summoning angels for the good of world.] I just hate Jace. He's a humongous bighead.
[I cursed clary in Lost Souls for not letting jace escape with the infernal cup. that was so selfish, i mean it's about a worldly threat! And Simon actually risked his life summoning angels for the good of world.] I just hate Jace. He's a humongous bighead.
May 17, 2019
Overall, I thought that this series as a whole had been a unique concept, but I found that I believed there was just a lack of something I can't place towards the middle of the plot until the emergence of the second villain Sebastian. Though I must say it certainly has been some time since I returned to the first series, I still greatly enjoyed Clare's first series as a whole and would still recommend the series to those interested in a dark-twisted love story with a mix of comedy and fantastical beasts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2025
I loved the whole series and it took me an year to get over it to read a another book from her where aren't the same characters. I'd read it all over and over (if I didn't have like 20 other books to read 😀). The plot twists were insane but in the end it worth it all. Cassandra really knows how to make us hate the right characters and honestly, I'm not really into gay romance but Malec?! I cried when they broke up. Six books, six months and six people I couldn't give the farewell and I'm not planning on it ever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2013
They are pretty good books. They have the same feel as Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Percy Jackson. However, they do have more adult themes mixed in. I would recommend reading them before your children do. In a way, the settings are very similar to what I've heard in World of Warcraft. I wonder if Cassandra Clare is a video gamer... I am looking forward to see the first movie, City of Bones, coming out in August 2013. I think the actor for Jace is a perfect choice. After all, only Clary sees him perfect and dreamy, in reality he is a strong and intriguingly arrogant warrior.
The first book, City of Bones, was definitely the weakest of the three. The plot revolves around a teenage girl named Clary Fray, who begins to see a world she never knew existed. After a series of events, she meets with the mysterious Shadowhunters, who are a group of demon hunters. Together, they try to figure out what is going on with Clary and why she can suddenly see their world. The main problem I had with this book was that it was nothing I hadn't read before. A lot of the plot elements and big reveals are things that the reader has likely seen in other books, movies or TV shows. My other big problem with this book was the pacing of the story. I felt like this book could have shed about a hundred pages and would have been better for it. It took a long time for the book to get interesting for me. The saving grace of this book was the characters and their interactions. Sometimes it did come off as the author trying too hard to be funny, but for the most part the conversations between the characters were pretty amusing. The characters themselves were all pretty well fleshed out. Magnus Bane was by far my favorite character and I wish there had been more of him in this book. Overall, I'd give this first book 1.5 stars. It was decent, but it did have some problems.
The second book, City of Ashes, was a lot better and my personal favorite of the three. With the introductions of the world and the characters out of the way, more attention could be given to the story and pacing. The problems with the pacing were fixed in this second book and the story felt much more focused, while being far less cliched. Without giving too much away, Clary is trying to adjust to her new life given the revelations of the last book, while attempting to return to a semblance of normalcy. When a few mysterious murders happen and her fellow Shadowhunter is thrown in jail, Clary begins to realize that returning to normal may not be as easy as she thought. Easily the best part of this book was the character interactions. Most of the characters had more of a chance to breathe in this book and this leads to some very enjoyable conversations. The growing relationships between Magnus, Alec, Clary, Jace and Simon lead to some great funny scenes, along with a few very dramatic ones. Jace's problems in this book and the way that he deals with it seem realistic, making the reader feel some real sympathy for him (apart from the beginning). Overall, this book was a big step up from the first one that I couldn't put down. I'd give this book 3.5 stars easily.
The final book in the trilogy is the City of Glass. I felt it was better than the first book, but not as good as the second book. The story revolves around the Shadownhunters heading from New York to Idris, the Shadowhunter city, to prepare for the final showdown with their common enemy. Clary, not a trained Shadowhunter, wishes to go to Idris to seek help for one of her loved ones, but ends up being left behind due to circumstances beyond her control. The rest of the book revolves around Clary's journey to Idris and her role in what could be the final battle for the Shadowhunters.
There are some things I really like about this book. The pacing, aside from the ending, was pretty good and the story had a good mix of action and drama. The relationship issues that carried through the three books are solved in a satisfactory manner and characters like Simon, who previously annoyed me, began to grow on me by the book's end. Magnus and Alec's interactions in the book were by far some of the most entertaining parts to read. On the downside, the book's climax and conclusion were really cliched. I went back to feeling like I had read this story before in several different books, such as Harry Potter. The pacing of the epilogue was really slow for me since it had a lot of set up in it for the next book. I knew what was going to happen in the epilogue and I found myself skimming a lot of pages towards the end as it took its sweet time to get there. My other problem involved the actions of the main character Clary, who I thought did some pretty selfish things in the book. Thankfully, the other characters called her out on it, but it still irked me sometimes. Overall, the book was pretty exciting and well paced, up until the end where the pacing and story telling went down a byway. I'd give this book 3 stars.
I definitely enjoyed the trilogy more than I thought I would at first. After I got past the first book, I was very interested in the characters and the story. I would recommend sticking with it if you're having trouble getting past the first book. The second book and the vast majority of the third is worth it.
The first book, City of Bones, was definitely the weakest of the three. The plot revolves around a teenage girl named Clary Fray, who begins to see a world she never knew existed. After a series of events, she meets with the mysterious Shadowhunters, who are a group of demon hunters. Together, they try to figure out what is going on with Clary and why she can suddenly see their world. The main problem I had with this book was that it was nothing I hadn't read before. A lot of the plot elements and big reveals are things that the reader has likely seen in other books, movies or TV shows. My other big problem with this book was the pacing of the story. I felt like this book could have shed about a hundred pages and would have been better for it. It took a long time for the book to get interesting for me. The saving grace of this book was the characters and their interactions. Sometimes it did come off as the author trying too hard to be funny, but for the most part the conversations between the characters were pretty amusing. The characters themselves were all pretty well fleshed out. Magnus Bane was by far my favorite character and I wish there had been more of him in this book. Overall, I'd give this first book 1.5 stars. It was decent, but it did have some problems.
The second book, City of Ashes, was a lot better and my personal favorite of the three. With the introductions of the world and the characters out of the way, more attention could be given to the story and pacing. The problems with the pacing were fixed in this second book and the story felt much more focused, while being far less cliched. Without giving too much away, Clary is trying to adjust to her new life given the revelations of the last book, while attempting to return to a semblance of normalcy. When a few mysterious murders happen and her fellow Shadowhunter is thrown in jail, Clary begins to realize that returning to normal may not be as easy as she thought. Easily the best part of this book was the character interactions. Most of the characters had more of a chance to breathe in this book and this leads to some very enjoyable conversations. The growing relationships between Magnus, Alec, Clary, Jace and Simon lead to some great funny scenes, along with a few very dramatic ones. Jace's problems in this book and the way that he deals with it seem realistic, making the reader feel some real sympathy for him (apart from the beginning). Overall, this book was a big step up from the first one that I couldn't put down. I'd give this book 3.5 stars easily.
The final book in the trilogy is the City of Glass. I felt it was better than the first book, but not as good as the second book. The story revolves around the Shadownhunters heading from New York to Idris, the Shadowhunter city, to prepare for the final showdown with their common enemy. Clary, not a trained Shadowhunter, wishes to go to Idris to seek help for one of her loved ones, but ends up being left behind due to circumstances beyond her control. The rest of the book revolves around Clary's journey to Idris and her role in what could be the final battle for the Shadowhunters.
There are some things I really like about this book. The pacing, aside from the ending, was pretty good and the story had a good mix of action and drama. The relationship issues that carried through the three books are solved in a satisfactory manner and characters like Simon, who previously annoyed me, began to grow on me by the book's end. Magnus and Alec's interactions in the book were by far some of the most entertaining parts to read. On the downside, the book's climax and conclusion were really cliched. I went back to feeling like I had read this story before in several different books, such as Harry Potter. The pacing of the epilogue was really slow for me since it had a lot of set up in it for the next book. I knew what was going to happen in the epilogue and I found myself skimming a lot of pages towards the end as it took its sweet time to get there. My other problem involved the actions of the main character Clary, who I thought did some pretty selfish things in the book. Thankfully, the other characters called her out on it, but it still irked me sometimes. Overall, the book was pretty exciting and well paced, up until the end where the pacing and story telling went down a byway. I'd give this book 3 stars.
I definitely enjoyed the trilogy more than I thought I would at first. After I got past the first book, I was very interested in the characters and the story. I would recommend sticking with it if you're having trouble getting past the first book. The second book and the vast majority of the third is worth it.
October 7, 2019
If I rate the the books individually then I wouldn't give all the books five stars but in terms of looking at the whole series it was good the last book became predictable and the book in which there was a war in Idris was a little bit predictable but if you look at the overall series it was amazing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 395 reviews