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Madison

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Madison is Currently Reading

Madison is currently reading

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, #5)

by Cassandra Clare (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in February 2021

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Madison said: " This book was a million times better than the previous one. While I did not like City of Fallen Angels, I really enjoyed this one. The plot was much better. It was definitely slow, but I was not necessarily bored with it. The character dynamics, whic This book was a million times better than the previous one. While I did not like City of Fallen Angels, I really enjoyed this one. The plot was much better. It was definitely slow, but I was not necessarily bored with it. The character dynamics, which were miles better than CoFA, carried this book. There's so many subplots and a variety of characters that all finally come together at the end. The stakes were so much higher too and by the end, there is a sense of real fear and dread for what will occur in the final book. Simon and Isabelle are my favorites in this series. Simon is always so entertaining to read about. Him reciting the entire plot of Star Wars to Izzy was hilarious. Izzy is an absolute queen. She deserved to be the protagonist of this series... but we will get to HER later. Malec has so much DRAMA! But I love those two so much. I was definitely NOT expecting the ending :( I was not as interested in Maya and Jordan, but I have been enjoying the exploration of the Praeter Lupus in their scenes.

The main chunk of this book was Clary, Jace, and Sebastian journeying around the world. I adore the way Cassie describes different cities and incorporates Shadowhunters and Downworlders into real places. Her setting descriptions continuously leave me in awe. If you've read my prior reviews, it's no secret that I dislike Clary and Jace. Nevertheless, the addition of Sebastian made the dynamic between all of them so interesting. He is easily the best villain in the Shadowhunters chronicles thus far. He's so manipulative, evil, and complex. The "new Jace" in this book was so much more interesting than the Jace we had been reading about. And Clary navigating the whole situation as almost a "secret agent" was intriguing. Still, yet again, Clary proves herself to be one of the dumbest protagonists I have ever read about. TMI is just Clary being an impulsive and impatient idiotic narcissist, that makes rash decisions that end up having horrific and sometimes even deadly repercussions, which afterwards she will never face any real consequences for. Clary and the slow plot are the reason I can't give this book more than 4 stars. Overall, this book did improve in a lot of ways: better writing, storylines, descriptions, character development and dynamics, more TID connections (they keep sending me; Jace reading to Clary from Tessa's copy of A Tale of Two Cities gifted to her from Will in Clockwork Angel was the end of everything for me). This was a solid book and had great set-up for the grand finale. ...more "

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(41%)
— Jul 18, 2026 06:04AM

Feb 21, 2021 07:12PM · see review

Madison’s Quotes

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

tags: dumbledore

26142 likes

“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”
― Neil Gaiman, Coraline

tags: books, dragons, fairy-tales, inspirational, paraphrasing-g-k-chesterton

45244 likes

“Does such a thing as 'the fatal flaw,' that showy dark crack running down the middle of a life, exist outside literature? I used to think it didn't. Now I think it does. And I think that mine is this: a morbid longing for the picturesque at all costs.”
― Donna Tartt, The Secret History

3244 likes

“After all this time?"
"Always...”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

tags: love

1681 likes