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The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Free Comic Book Day Preview of THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES #1. This is also a flip-book preview of The Stuff of Legend.
12 pages
First published March 27, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 28, 2022
2.5 stars
did not enjoy the artist and illustration style so much.
did not enjoy the artist and illustration style so much.
March 15, 2015
March 15th, 2015
The book City of Bones by Cassandra Clare was a type of fantasy book that an imaginative reader would enjoy a lot. The main character, Clarissa (Clary) lives in New York with her mother, Jocelyn and her mother's friend, Luke. Clary's best friend is Simon, and they do almost everything together. Clary often finds herself drawing a strange symbol that just always comes to her head, and one day she and Simon go to a party. In that party Clary sees three teenagers her age murdering another person, but when Clary screams, everybody looks at her like she's crazy. Clary is the only who seems to see the killers. A few days later Clary sees them again, and this time one of the three, a blonde boy, introduced himself as Jace, and the other two are Alec and Isabelle. Alec and Isabelle are siblings, but Jace's dad died when he was young and he never met his mother, so Alec and Isabelle's parents, the Lightwoods, "adopted" Jace. “To love is to destroy, and that to be loved is to be the one destroyed,” Jace’s father always told him, so it can be interpreted that Jace’s father is against loving too strongly (Clare 236). Clary soon learns that there are three main groups in the world that Jace, Alec and Isabelle are part of. There are Downworlders, in which werewolves, vampires and demons form part of, Shadowhunters, who hunt demons and then there are Fairies who mind their own business and don’t like to get involved with other groups. Clary learns a lot about the strange world that she never thought she would be part of.
A big battle is going on between the Downworlds and Shadowhunters and Valentine, an evil man wanting to turn every human into a Shadowhunter. Valentine started off as a man that everybody liked, but when a woman broke his heart, he was almost incapable of love. That woman was Jocelyn, Clary’s mother, which means that Valentine is Clary’s father. “Jocelyn is your mother, Jace. And Clary – Clary is your sister,” says Valentine, breaking all hope that Clary and Jace had, because they were in love with each other (Clare 440). After this revelation, Jace wants to be kind to his father because he thought he was dead all this time, but he doesn’t want to support Valentine in the awful decision he is making to transform all normal humans into Shadowhunters. Clary and Jace want to stop Valentine, but they are torn between loyalty to their father and loyalty to the Lightwoods.
Clary grows a lot as a character throughout the book City of Bones. In the beginning, she was uncomfortable because she knew that she was different; nobody else her age, especially not Simon, her best friend, had ever had the urge to keep drawing the same symbol over and over again. She is also shy; her only friend is Simon and then later on Isabelle. Alec doesn’t like her because Clary keeps insulting him, saying that he never killed a demon and that he loves Jace. Jace, on the other hand, is extremely self -confident and sure of himself, he killed the most demons ever for a boy his age, but underneath all of the strengths there is hurt, because Jace’s father had abandoned him when he was only 10 years old. “His wrists bore wide metal cuffs; she could see the bone handle on a knife protruding from the left one,” describes Clary when she sees Jace for the second time (Clare 39). Towards the end of the book, Clary becomes an even more stubborn character; she always wants to go to all of the fights happening between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, and if she can’t she always finds a way too. Clary learns more about a world she was never exposed to before, and more about the good and bad characters that take place in it.
The reader can make various predictions about what would happen after the first book of the series The Mortal Instruments. Firstly, it can be predicted that Simon feels left out of the Shadowhunter – demon world because Clary is every time deeper into it, and she is sometimes leaving Simon out. Already one time in the book Simon turned into a rat unintentionally; “’Where’s Simon?” Clary interrupted. Isabelle wobbled. “He’s a rat,” she said darkly,” (Clare 237). Secondly, Valentine’s plan could also be interpreted further. Maybe Valentine was tricking Jace and Clary about them being siblings so that they would feel that they need to be further apart. This would make sense because Valentine is extremely persuasive; he talks in a way that makes the listener feel bad if they disagree or think something different. The book City of Bones from the series The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare is full of creative species and described in a very vivid way.
The book City of Bones by Cassandra Clare was a type of fantasy book that an imaginative reader would enjoy a lot. The main character, Clarissa (Clary) lives in New York with her mother, Jocelyn and her mother's friend, Luke. Clary's best friend is Simon, and they do almost everything together. Clary often finds herself drawing a strange symbol that just always comes to her head, and one day she and Simon go to a party. In that party Clary sees three teenagers her age murdering another person, but when Clary screams, everybody looks at her like she's crazy. Clary is the only who seems to see the killers. A few days later Clary sees them again, and this time one of the three, a blonde boy, introduced himself as Jace, and the other two are Alec and Isabelle. Alec and Isabelle are siblings, but Jace's dad died when he was young and he never met his mother, so Alec and Isabelle's parents, the Lightwoods, "adopted" Jace. “To love is to destroy, and that to be loved is to be the one destroyed,” Jace’s father always told him, so it can be interpreted that Jace’s father is against loving too strongly (Clare 236). Clary soon learns that there are three main groups in the world that Jace, Alec and Isabelle are part of. There are Downworlders, in which werewolves, vampires and demons form part of, Shadowhunters, who hunt demons and then there are Fairies who mind their own business and don’t like to get involved with other groups. Clary learns a lot about the strange world that she never thought she would be part of.
A big battle is going on between the Downworlds and Shadowhunters and Valentine, an evil man wanting to turn every human into a Shadowhunter. Valentine started off as a man that everybody liked, but when a woman broke his heart, he was almost incapable of love. That woman was Jocelyn, Clary’s mother, which means that Valentine is Clary’s father. “Jocelyn is your mother, Jace. And Clary – Clary is your sister,” says Valentine, breaking all hope that Clary and Jace had, because they were in love with each other (Clare 440). After this revelation, Jace wants to be kind to his father because he thought he was dead all this time, but he doesn’t want to support Valentine in the awful decision he is making to transform all normal humans into Shadowhunters. Clary and Jace want to stop Valentine, but they are torn between loyalty to their father and loyalty to the Lightwoods.
Clary grows a lot as a character throughout the book City of Bones. In the beginning, she was uncomfortable because she knew that she was different; nobody else her age, especially not Simon, her best friend, had ever had the urge to keep drawing the same symbol over and over again. She is also shy; her only friend is Simon and then later on Isabelle. Alec doesn’t like her because Clary keeps insulting him, saying that he never killed a demon and that he loves Jace. Jace, on the other hand, is extremely self -confident and sure of himself, he killed the most demons ever for a boy his age, but underneath all of the strengths there is hurt, because Jace’s father had abandoned him when he was only 10 years old. “His wrists bore wide metal cuffs; she could see the bone handle on a knife protruding from the left one,” describes Clary when she sees Jace for the second time (Clare 39). Towards the end of the book, Clary becomes an even more stubborn character; she always wants to go to all of the fights happening between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, and if she can’t she always finds a way too. Clary learns more about a world she was never exposed to before, and more about the good and bad characters that take place in it.
The reader can make various predictions about what would happen after the first book of the series The Mortal Instruments. Firstly, it can be predicted that Simon feels left out of the Shadowhunter – demon world because Clary is every time deeper into it, and she is sometimes leaving Simon out. Already one time in the book Simon turned into a rat unintentionally; “’Where’s Simon?” Clary interrupted. Isabelle wobbled. “He’s a rat,” she said darkly,” (Clare 237). Secondly, Valentine’s plan could also be interpreted further. Maybe Valentine was tricking Jace and Clary about them being siblings so that they would feel that they need to be further apart. This would make sense because Valentine is extremely persuasive; he talks in a way that makes the listener feel bad if they disagree or think something different. The book City of Bones from the series The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare is full of creative species and described in a very vivid way.
April 29, 2013
Ehhh... I was hoping for more pretty drawings, and to be truthful, Jace looked horrible. Disappointed to say the least.
Read
September 13, 2019Great book. Second time that i've read it.
February 22, 2020
I didn’t finish this and gave away all of them.
I thought this was going to be good after reading the likes of Twilight series and what a yawn fest it turned out to be.
Drivel!
I thought this was going to be good after reading the likes of Twilight series and what a yawn fest it turned out to be.
Drivel!
September 16, 2023
A five-star read without a doubt! This book is a triumph of storytelling, filled with memorable characters and a plot that tugs at your heartstrings. I'm already looking forward to rereading it
February 17, 2015
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is the first book in a series of six by Cassandra Clare. It is based around the protagonist, a supposedly regular girl from New York called Clary being thrown into a world of demons and vampires and having to cope with the new reality of her world and the lies of her past. Despite some flaws, I am pleased I have started this fantasy series and am looking forward to reading the rest.
When I began reading this well suggested book I knew I was in for a typical fantasy 'vampire and werewolves' theme. However, I was expecting lots of new, creative ideas and twists from Clare as a book that is an exact copy of Twilight would not get as much praise as this series did. I was disappointed; this book lacked originality. If you are considering reading this book and do not want it spoiled I suggest you stop reading here.
First of all, Clary spends the equivalent of several chapters trying to decide who she likes best. The sensible, protective friend (Simon) or the good-looking, mysterious demon-hunter (Jace). At this point the story was starting to sound familiar and a lot like Twilight. But to be fair the storyline did need a few sub plots especially over six whole books, otherwise the reader would get bored within the first ten chapters.
When we came across the antagonist Valentine, a pale, pure-blood lover who as an intelligent teenager gathered his followers and made a group out of them who decide to rid the magical world of people who are not of their blood or kind of any sort, I started to get bored. Almost every detail reminded me of the antagonist Voldemort from the Harry Potter series. Not to mention that this man turns out to be not only Clary's but also Jace's father. This book was beginning to look like a mixture of Twilight, Harry Potter and Star Wars. Interesting choices, Clare. For those who have read the book, I have to say that if either Jace or Simon become a werewolf at any point of the series, I'm going to have to stop.
Despite these slightly old and un-original aspects of the book, I was never reluctant to read it. Suspense was maintained constantly through the novel because, and I hate to say this, those cheesy and predictable 'twists' was what made me want to keep reading. The story was a marvelous mixture of fantasy, romance, a little mystery and action, with the perfect amount and balance of each.
Hopefully with a few more fresh ideas, the next book in the series can be a rare five-star. If you enjoyed some of the other books mentioned in this review - despite the spoilers - you will most likely enjoy this book (with maybe a few exasperated sighs). I rated this book three out of five stars because while it was not boring at all, the un-originality of it was slightly disappointing.
When I began reading this well suggested book I knew I was in for a typical fantasy 'vampire and werewolves' theme. However, I was expecting lots of new, creative ideas and twists from Clare as a book that is an exact copy of Twilight would not get as much praise as this series did. I was disappointed; this book lacked originality. If you are considering reading this book and do not want it spoiled I suggest you stop reading here.
First of all, Clary spends the equivalent of several chapters trying to decide who she likes best. The sensible, protective friend (Simon) or the good-looking, mysterious demon-hunter (Jace). At this point the story was starting to sound familiar and a lot like Twilight. But to be fair the storyline did need a few sub plots especially over six whole books, otherwise the reader would get bored within the first ten chapters.
When we came across the antagonist Valentine, a pale, pure-blood lover who as an intelligent teenager gathered his followers and made a group out of them who decide to rid the magical world of people who are not of their blood or kind of any sort, I started to get bored. Almost every detail reminded me of the antagonist Voldemort from the Harry Potter series. Not to mention that this man turns out to be not only Clary's but also Jace's father. This book was beginning to look like a mixture of Twilight, Harry Potter and Star Wars. Interesting choices, Clare. For those who have read the book, I have to say that if either Jace or Simon become a werewolf at any point of the series, I'm going to have to stop.
Despite these slightly old and un-original aspects of the book, I was never reluctant to read it. Suspense was maintained constantly through the novel because, and I hate to say this, those cheesy and predictable 'twists' was what made me want to keep reading. The story was a marvelous mixture of fantasy, romance, a little mystery and action, with the perfect amount and balance of each.
Hopefully with a few more fresh ideas, the next book in the series can be a rare five-star. If you enjoyed some of the other books mentioned in this review - despite the spoilers - you will most likely enjoy this book (with maybe a few exasperated sighs). I rated this book three out of five stars because while it was not boring at all, the un-originality of it was slightly disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2015
**Spoliler Alert**
NOTE: This review is for the book, NOT a comic sampler. Mistakes happen to the best of us.
City of Bones is one of the most popular books on the market today, and for good reason. While most books have the stereotype of the "average" group of friends(EX: Percy and Annabeth in Percy Jackson saga, with Grover the third wheel.), meaning the characters are socially acceptable to some extent. In City of Bones, this is not the case. The main character is introduced into a new world she's never seen before(a little too quickly for my taste) where she meets a handsome stranger who, along with the protagonist's best friend, completes the immortal love triangle. What's interesting about this triangle, however, is that one of the two love interests is in her direct family, and she doesn't know about it until the end. Also, this book introduces a few characters with some unusual love "preferences," and this, while not important to some, can upset others. Overall, it's a great book, with a great plot and character creation. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has read and enjoyed the Percy Jackson books(mythological creatures), Harry Potter books(magic and sorcery) and, for the dramatic, the Twilight Saga.
NOTE: This review is for the book, NOT a comic sampler. Mistakes happen to the best of us.
City of Bones is one of the most popular books on the market today, and for good reason. While most books have the stereotype of the "average" group of friends(EX: Percy and Annabeth in Percy Jackson saga, with Grover the third wheel.), meaning the characters are socially acceptable to some extent. In City of Bones, this is not the case. The main character is introduced into a new world she's never seen before(a little too quickly for my taste) where she meets a handsome stranger who, along with the protagonist's best friend, completes the immortal love triangle. What's interesting about this triangle, however, is that one of the two love interests is in her direct family, and she doesn't know about it until the end. Also, this book introduces a few characters with some unusual love "preferences," and this, while not important to some, can upset others. Overall, it's a great book, with a great plot and character creation. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has read and enjoyed the Percy Jackson books(mythological creatures), Harry Potter books(magic and sorcery) and, for the dramatic, the Twilight Saga.
May 25, 2015
Me encantó este libro!!!!
AMO a Clarissa, me parece un personaje bastante fuerte e independiente. Me gusta mucho el mundo que imagina Cassandra lleno de magia, nephilims, hadas, hombres lobo, vampiros y todas estas criaturas que solo existen en cuentos de hadas.
Jace me parece un personaje interesante, un chico que ha sufrido durante toda su vida y tal vez por esto se muestra tan duro y egocéntrico y debo admitir que eso me encanta de el!
Admito también que me encanta Alec, se podría decir que es el personaje que mas me gustó del libro ya que siempre esta defendiendo a Jace (Aunque el no lo necesite), es noble, fuerte, y aunque sus sentimientos por Jace van mas allá que algo entre hermanos me encanta todo de el.
Para mi este libro merece 4 estrellas!
AMO a Clarissa, me parece un personaje bastante fuerte e independiente. Me gusta mucho el mundo que imagina Cassandra lleno de magia, nephilims, hadas, hombres lobo, vampiros y todas estas criaturas que solo existen en cuentos de hadas.
Jace me parece un personaje interesante, un chico que ha sufrido durante toda su vida y tal vez por esto se muestra tan duro y egocéntrico y debo admitir que eso me encanta de el!
Admito también que me encanta Alec, se podría decir que es el personaje que mas me gustó del libro ya que siempre esta defendiendo a Jace (Aunque el no lo necesite), es noble, fuerte, y aunque sus sentimientos por Jace van mas allá que algo entre hermanos me encanta todo de el.
Para mi este libro merece 4 estrellas!
June 4, 2015
I love this series - it's very original. This is the first book of the first set in the trilogy, and it made me see how much Cassandra Clare has grown and improved in her writing over the course of the years. While this book does hold its own, its difficult to compare with the fluidity of her writing in the Shadow Hunter and Clockwork series she wrote later. Once you're into her world, though, it's hard to not read the whole set of series, as they are historically connected, much like hardcore Tolkien fans need to study the Silmarillion. It all starts with this one. Get ready for a looong and engaging ride!
June 11, 2015
This book is full of description that is cleverly intertwined into the details. The plot twists near the end manage to make the reader distraught, content, and confused (but not in a negative way) all at the same time. Clare brings familiar concepts and themes of fiction, such as good vs. evil, into a unique world. Readers will attach to certain characters and resent others, and then completely reverse their original opinions about both.
I recommend this read to anyone who enjoys fantasy and excitement, with some romance sprinkled in.
I recommend this read to anyone who enjoys fantasy and excitement, with some romance sprinkled in.
May 21, 2015
One reason, one word to read this? Jace. If you need two? Jace Herondale. If you need three? Jace Herondale Shadowhunter. If you need FIVE? Jace Herondale Shadowhunter is HOT. As in fictional hot and devilishly attractive. Need more reasons? Read the first chapter. I double dog dare you.
You won't be disappointed.
You won't be disappointed.
Read
April 19, 2015Monday- 30 minutes
Tuesday- 40 minutes
Wednesday- 30 minutes
Thursday- 20 minutes
Friday- 35 minutes
Saturday- 5 minutes
Sunday- 0 minutes
Monday- 30 minutes
Tuesday- 40 minutes
Wednesday- 35 minutes
Thursday- 70 minutes
Tuesday- 40 minutes
Wednesday- 30 minutes
Thursday- 20 minutes
Friday- 35 minutes
Saturday- 5 minutes
Sunday- 0 minutes
Monday- 30 minutes
Tuesday- 40 minutes
Wednesday- 35 minutes
Thursday- 70 minutes
July 12, 2015
This book was a wonderful new twist on the world of teen magic, where the sense of belonging was nearly as important as defeating evil. Giant plot twist at the end, though. I really want to keep reading these!
April 15, 2014
It was just a chapter! not the whole graphic novel!
August 12, 2013
Drawings were great, but pictured Jace's attire differently. Glad dialog was kept. Wish this was available as a hard comic and not an online only thing. It would definitely sell if it was.
September 26, 2012
The pictures look a little cheesy but the story line is just like the book but with pictures.
December 1, 2012
I did not fancy the graphics
Read
August 30, 2013I dodn't know what this one was, but there has to be a way to delete a book from the lists.
January 3, 2015
I like this book!!!
It´s amazing book and i want to read all parts of this serial
It´s amazing book and i want to read all parts of this serial
May 18, 2015
Positively mildly disorienting towards the climax
July 29, 2015
The mor
September 9, 2015
good....but not that much..
August 26, 2023
Need more
September 8, 2013
Superb, fantastic, amazing and wonderful, I like it......a lot
wish-list
October 11, 2011soon
June 30, 2015
Not the best artwork, but as a fan of the TMI series, this gets 5* from me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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