Review: City of Ashes, by Cassandra Clare

Author: Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Ashes

Series: The Mortal Instruments (#2)

ISBN:  9781416914297

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children (year)

Buy your copy: Kindle | Paperback | Hardcover

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation” GoodReads’ blurb

So I know my reviews aren’t really making justice to the high quality of the books. So sue me. I’m going to go on and rave some anyway.

I got started with City of Ashes as soon as I was done with City of Bones – which, in my mind, has created a bit of a confusion about when one ends and the other begins, but anyway.

The characters are as interesting as they were in book one, if not even more – we have this added layer of drama everywhere. Drama between Jace and Clary, because they are what they are. Drama between Jace and Alec, because it won’t be. Drama between Alec and Magnus, because someone is just too blind. And drama with Simon and Clary. So, I guess you can imagine just how thick the relationships are in this one, and how much better we get to know the characters and their own inner conflicts.

I’m going to remark a bit more on the central arc of the plot in this one. In short? Loved it. Now, let’s try to make a longer version without spoiling it:

Jace is considered suspicious, since he’s Valentine’s son. Someone comes to investigate him, as well as to investigate the Downworlder deaths. And... let’s say, I liked how this was handled. You know, the whole prejudice and loneliness and mistrust factor.

If you could read City of Bones and stop there, I don’t know how you did it. If you still haven’t started, then go ahead right now! And if you’re working your way through the To Be Read pile, like I’m doing, just push City of Ashes to the first positions. You won’t regret it.