Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader

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Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader (The Mortal Instruments)

by Cassandra Clare (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Holly Black (Goodreads Author), Kate Milford (Goodreads Author), Diana Peterfreund (Goodreads Author), Sara Ryan (Goodreads Author), Scott Tracey (Goodreads Author), Robin Wasserman (Goodreads Author), Kendare Blake (Goodreads Author) , more…

3.71 of 5 stars 3.71 · rating details · 905 ratings · 206 reviews

Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series, epic urban fantasy set in a richly imagined world of shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, fairies, and more, has captured the imaginations and loyalty of hundreds of thousands of YA readers. Originally a trilogy (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass), the series has extended to six titles, plus a prequel trilogy, the Infe...more

Paperback, 198 pages

Published January 29th 2013 by SmartPop

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May 15, 2012 fяσzєη marked it as what-in-the-fuck

Are you kidding me, Clare?

MORE Shadowhunter stuff?

I just... I'm not even gonna...

I mean COME ON, this is just too much.

LOOK AT IT. There is just waaaay too many Shadowhunter books, including the short stories. Makes you wonder if she'll ever stop milking that cash cow. I can't believe it hasn't died yet.

124 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Nessa added it

Shelves: review

What...?

You know, for all we shriek at Cassie Clare about milking TMI to death, I think the poor woman must be chained inside the dairy barn by her publishers, editing this collection of short stories.

I'm well aware that this could possibly be like those 'GUIDE TO THE HUNGER GAMES/TRIBUTES/DISTRICTS' books that seem to crop up around any bookshelf featuring The Hunger Games. And that there is a movie coming out. But for the love of all the gods who have ever been worshipped, make this end!!

Do yo...more

29 likes · like · see review

Dec 05, 2012 Mitch rated it 2 of 5 stars

When you think of The Mortal Instruments, do you think, wow, this is such a hard-hitting series of such high literary value that it deserves an entire book of scholarly analysis? No? Me neither, which is why most of the essays in this collection reflecting on Cassandra Clare’s books didn’t work for me. A few authors, like Sarah Rees Brennan, get it right, but the majority of these ‘contributions’ seemed to be like written from the perspective of an English lit major doing a term paper on Shakesp...more

20 likes · like · see review

Nov 30, 2012 Oceana Fern {Assorted Insanity} marked it as to-read

Oh, lord Jem Carstairs.

*extreme facepalm*

The only reason I'll be getting this is to complete the series.

Stop. The. Horse. Is. Dead. Stop. Beating. It. NOW.

37 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-release, 2012-100-book-challenge, arcs-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews

Shadowhunter/Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader is Shadowhunting 101 at it's finest. If you were to take a course on Shadowhunting and Downworlders, I would venture to guess this book is what the class would be made up off. Shadowhunters and Downworlds is an interesting anthology that brings together authors who not only talk about various subjects and topics that are found within Cassie's books, they support what they're saying with quotes and references found through the The Mortal Inst...more Shadowhunter/Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader is Shadowhunting 101 at it's finest. If you were to take a course on Shadowhunting and Downworlders, I would venture to guess this book is what the class would be made up off. Shadowhunters and Downworlds is an interesting anthology that brings together authors who not only talk about various subjects and topics that are found within Cassie's books, they support what they're saying with quotes and references found through the The Mortal Instruments series, as well as actual fact, like with Michelle Hodkin's easy. I can honestly say I enjoyed reading this book more than I thought I would. I felt like I was having an in-depth discussion/lecture with other fans who really got and understood what Cassie's worlds, her characters and her books are comprised of.

Smart Pop Books's newest release is edited by Cassie herself. I LOVE that Cassie not only had a hand in the book, but prior to each new chapter she includes her thoughts on each author's essay about The Mortal Instrument world. Speaking of those essays, I loved the in-depth insight each author gave to their topic. For example I loved what Sarah Cross concludes in her essay The Art of War, about Clary when she says:

"Clary is what I think a lot of us hope we could be, if we found ourselves in her situation: someone who becomes a hero out of necessity, who is not on an even playing field with the rest of the players-but who, out of sheer determination, finds a way to turn her natural talents into the tours of her survival.

Clary saves lives- her own, and those of her friends. She draws a better world into existence, and she never lets the word impossible stop her.

In Clary's hands, the stele is truly mightier than the sword." - page 33

I'm not one who normally writes in my books, but I totally highlighted some of my favorite passages from this book. How could I not? There are so many insightful quotes to highlight. I loved it. I enjoyed the in-depth topics of discussion that are made through the book. Robin Wasserman made an excellent point in her essay When Laws Are Made To Be Broken, when she says,

"There's a choice after all. There's always a choice. There is the lesson our heroes need to embrace before they can grow up.... and before they can triumph. To win they need to do more than just question the rules. They need to change them." - page 64

One of the essays I was most fascinated with is Michelle Hodkin's, Simon Lewis: Jewish, Vampire, Hero. In this chapter Michelle does an incredible job at digging into the rich Jewish religion, as well as vampirism. I know that nothing Cassie does or writes about in her series is for lack of filling space. What Cassie includes in her series always has a purpose, no matter how big or little the moment or the passage is. In this chapter I felt that Michelle really clued me in and educated me more on the complex world and turn of events Cassie truly created with Simon, and him becoming a vampire. Not only that, but some of the comments Clary makes to him have far more greater significance than I picked up on.

Michelle describes Simon perfectly here when she says, "Simon Lewis isn't perfect. He sins. He "misses". He is tempted in City of Fallen Angels, and even though he isn't a literal angel, he certainly does fall. But in City of Lost Souls, despite his mother's rejection and his wandering and his loneliness, despite flirting with the idea of giving up and giving in, Simon returns to himself. He never let go of the things that make him Simon: his Jewish identity, his beliefs. He sinned-he missed the Mark-but he returns. And in returning, he shines." - page 86

I really enjoyed this anthology. Normally I'm not a fan of them. I've not been impressed with ones I've previously read in other big fandoms. In fact I swear I'd never read another, and then this lovely book arrived, and I went back on my word and read it. I'm glad I did. Honestly, when I first sat down to read it I wasn't excepting to enjoy it as much as I did. Luckily this anthology is one that lives up to it's hype. You'll find essays from authors: Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan, Kami Garcia, Robin Wasserman, Michelle Hodkin, Sarah Cross, Diana Peterfeund, Kendare Black, Gwenda Bond, Kate Milford, Rachel Caine, Sara Ryan, Scott Tracey, and Kelly Link. If you're a fan of Cassie's work I'd highly recommend picking up!(less)

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Jun 24, 2012 Fari marked it as to-read

Shelves: r

13/02/2013

I have decided to skip this one. A friend of mine read it and didn't exactly love it and I don't think this is going to be worth it.

Before Reading

*sigh*

I don't know what to think.

I love Cassandra Clare, I do. She's actually my favourite author. I've read all her books and have loved every single one to death. I sat around for like seven hours one day just so that I could talk to her for like thirty seconds and get my books signed. I fangirl about her books, a lot. So I consider myself...more

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Dec 20, 2012 YAL Book Briefs rated it 2 of 5 stars

Really 1.5 stars (Cassandra Clare just be thankful that Robin Wasserman wrote a kick ass essay)

To see full review click here: http://yalbookbriefs.blogspot.com/201...

Love The Mortal Instruments or are morbidly curious how anyone could write a critical essay about them or how much they love incest? Then read this book.

Honestly, I probably wouldn't have read this had I not heard about the infamous incest essay.

Yes, there's an essay on incest and how great it is.

And yep, that's what the essay is re...more

13 likes · like · see review

Dec 02, 2012 Scott Pilgrim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampire, werewolves, wizards-witches-warlocks, angels-demons, fantasy, faeries, love-triangle, paranormal

Find this review at Scott Reads It
**Thank you so much to SmartPop/BenBella Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review**

The Lineup:
Cassandra Clare , Holly Black , Kate Milford , Diana Peterfreund, Sara Ryan , Scott Tracey,Robin Wasserman, Kendare Blake,Gwenda Bond, Sarah Rees Brennan,Rachel Caine, Sarah Cross, Kami Garcia, Michelle Hodkin, and Kelly Link.

The Review:
It took a lot of talented and amazing people to make Shadowhunters and Downworlders great. I'm really impre...more Find this review at Scott Reads It
**Thank you so much to SmartPop/BenBella Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review**

The Lineup:
Cassandra Clare , Holly Black , Kate Milford , Diana Peterfreund, Sara Ryan , Scott Tracey,Robin Wasserman, Kendare Blake,Gwenda Bond, Sarah Rees Brennan,Rachel Caine, Sarah Cross, Kami Garcia, Michelle Hodkin, and Kelly Link.

The Review:
It took a lot of talented and amazing people to make Shadowhunters and Downworlders great. I'm really impressed how great this book was and that's all because of the awesome lineup. Shadowhunters and Downworlders is definitely the best anthology ever, no questions asked.

I didn't expect to like Shadowhunters and Downworlders at all because I expected boring and voluminous essays. I am happy to say that I was definitely pleasantly surprised. Shadowhunters and Downworlders is nothing short of spectacular. You get a great analytical look at the Mortal Instruments series which really helps you understand Clare's series in a new way. I saw a completely different view of the series that was groundbreaking.

All of the essays in this Mortal Instruments Reader are very easy to read but very informative. Particularly my favorite essay was by far: "Simon Lewis: Jewish, Vampire, Hero. My favorite character from MI was definitely Simon and Michelle Hodkin's input on Simon was very interesting. This essay has so much to learn from it such as about Judaism, the history of Vampires, and what it means to be a hero.

Shadowhunters and Downworlders is an essential for all fans of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments. This anthology really proves again and again why MI is a phenomenal series. Shadowhunters and Downworlders is a spectacular insight into the universe we all love. If you're a fan of Cassandra Clare you must have Shadowhunters and Downworlders on your bookshelf. Read Shadowhunters and Downworlders you definitely won't regret it. This book really made me even more excited (and I didn't think it was possible) for the City of Bones movie, and the release of Clockwork Princess. (less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Isabella rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, ebook, netgalley

Let's start from the fact that I love reading a good essay, especially ones that talk about books I like. TMI is obviously a series that I loved and I'll keep loving till Cassandra Clare will be done, but I really don't see why should someone write an essay about a trilogy that - at least for me - has no real dept, but just the usual purpose: entertaining.
The Mortal Instruments is a Young Adult series wrote in order to tell a Urban Fantasy story that will forever stay with me, given how much I l...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 03, 2012 Rose rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, non-fiction, netgalley, opinion-piece, tbr-challenge, reference, arc-or-galley

What I ultimately have to say in my reflections about "Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader" may take quite a bit of time. So sit back, get cozy, grab a cup of your favorite drink (in my case for the moment, it's hot cocoa), and maybe put on some mood music (I'm currently playing Depeche Mode's "Strangelove", but I have a wide variety of tunes on my playlist at the moment, and it's just being random).

I kind of want to create a relaxing environment for those who come acros...more

18 likes · like · see review

Jan 01, 2013 Melanie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, books-i-own, netgalley-edelweiss, why-did-i-even-read-this, companion-books, gave-up-on, this-made-me-want-to-fall-asleep, arc

Find more reviews at: http://theyabooklover.blogspot.com.au/
Just to let y'all know, I only went 17% of the way into this book. Why? Firstly, don't get me wrong, I am a sucker of TMI BUT, Clare, honestly, how many more books on these blimin' shadowhunters do you want to write?! Naturally it started off with just the three ole' books; The City of Bones, Ashes and Glass then hang on! Here comes City of Fallen Angels, Lost Souls and Heavenly Fire (which is coming out in 2014!! *dies*) Hmm... Doesn't...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Naoms rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley-edelweis, not-romance, read-in-2013, disappointing

Originally posted: Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek

I am a huge fan of “The Mortal Instruments.” I ate up all the books, root for Jace and Clary till the end and am obsessed with all things Simon. I’m not really sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book. I probably just read “Shadowhunters” and was like REQUEST! I’ve actually had this PDF sitting on my computer for awhile and haven’t gotten to it. I’ve been looking through it on and off for the last week or so and have to say I...more Originally posted: Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek

I am a huge fan of “The Mortal Instruments.” I ate up all the books, root for Jace and Clary till the end and am obsessed with all things Simon. I’m not really sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book. I probably just read “Shadowhunters” and was like REQUEST! I’ve actually had this PDF sitting on my computer for awhile and haven’t gotten to it. I’ve been looking through it on and off for the last week or so and have to say I wasn’t enlightened, thrilled or really that entertained. The issue with “Shadowhunters and Downworlders” is that while “The Mortal Instruments” is a completely entertaining and interesting series, it is not deep. There is no real depth and so a series of essays about it as if it’s the caliber of classic literature like “The Great Gatsby,” “Pride & Prejudice” or “Romeo & Juliet” seems out of place. This book is just a ploy by the author and the publisher to make more money off of their fans.

Honestly, who is this book for? “The Mortal Instruments” is a Young Adult novel. Sure many adults read the books, but lets face it this is Paranormal/Urban Fantasy and it’s for teenagers. It’s entertainment, but there isn’t much to really look deep into. Taking apart Clare’s master vision or discussing the incest storyline of “City of Bones” is really not needed. Do we really need Kendare Blake to explain to us that incest was a major obstacle in the Jace/Clary love story or for Kami Garcia to explain to us why the Best friend never wins the girl? No, we’ve read the series and we all have our own opinions. (I almost want to find every example of the best friend/boy next door getting the girl and then emailing it to KG)

I found this book to be a gross manipulation of fans of the series. Most of the authors who contribute with essays have lesser known teen/YA books of their own. They are trying to climb up the bootstraps of Cassandra Clare in hopes that by praising Clare’s work, her fans will take an interest in their stories.

The bottom line is that this book is not going to give you a deeper look into the Shadowhunter world. It is not going to help you understand Jace, Clary, Simon, Alec or Magnus better. You know these characters, you know what drives them and you know what makes you continue reading the series.

Another interesting thing about this book is that there are no real mentions of “Harry Potter” and how TMI started as fan fiction. TMI has a lot of connections, scenes and similarities with Clare’s HP fanfiction “The Draco Trilogy.” I found it strange that she did not admit to having been inspired by J.K Rowling or completely disprove the allegations that she somehow plagiarized HP, etc. Honestly, I probably picked up this book to hear what she had to say about it.

If you are a huge fan of “The Mortal Instruments” and like reading useless, but interesting essays about your fave books, then absolutely pick up this book. If you are looking for a TMI fix, just wait for “City of Heavenly Fire” and the movie that will be released later this year.

Recommended for fans of the Mortal Instruments and people who like to read Essays.(less)

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Jun 10, 2012 Eunice marked it as to-read

So this is essentially a collection of TMI and TID fan-fic? I am unsure if I should look forward to this (since there's no other TMI/TID book out for awhile), or be completely and utterly disgusted at what a blatant cash-generating-cow this is.

Like, are there going to be character relationship cross-overs? I may consider reading this if Jace and Alec get it on or something...or if they all have a massive orgy in Magnus' apartment, with faeries, warlocks, vampires, demons and werewolves...actuall...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Shreya (CCReviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

*A copy was provided for review purposes*

Let me just start out by saying...WOW, what an amazing idea this book really was! To collect a group of authors who've read her books and to have them write essays on particular topics/characters/genres/etc. was amazing!! And the group of authors that she picked are definitely known for their wittiness and humor so the book was extremely fun to read. I definitely enjoyed it thoroughly and ended up going to be having learned a bunch of new things after fin...more *A copy was provided for review purposes*

Let me just start out by saying...WOW, what an amazing idea this book really was! To collect a group of authors who've read her books and to have them write essays on particular topics/characters/genres/etc. was amazing!! And the group of authors that she picked are definitely known for their wittiness and humor so the book was extremely fun to read. I definitely enjoyed it thoroughly and ended up going to be having learned a bunch of new things after finishing! ONE OF THE BEST ANTHOLOGIES EVER PEOPLE!

Shadowhunters and Downworlders delves into the world created by Cassandra Clare for her series The Mortal Instruments. Different authors who have written amazing books themselves have come together to write all kinds of essays relating to the series. While reading this book, I've made a couple favorites which include "Simon Lewis: Jewish, Vampire, Hero" by Michelle Hodkin, "Why the Best Friend Never Gets the Girl" by Kami Garcia, "The Importance of Being Malec" by Sara Ryan, "Immortality and its Discontents" by Kelly Link/Holly Black, and "What Does that Deviant Wench Think She's Doing?Or,Shadowhunters Gone Wild" by Sarah Rees Brennan. YES. That is QUITE a lot, I know, but what can I say, all of them were just so interesting to read!

Speaking of some of my favorite essays in this book, why don't we elaborate on one that might've caught your eye: "Why the Best Friend Never Gets the Girl". This one was a particular favorite of mine because it talks about how, and I quote, "Simon never stood a chance with Clary". The author requests that before you start sending any hate mail to her, that she'd like you to hear her out first, and the fundamental point that she tries to make with her essay is that "In literature and film, the best friend never gets the girl". She goes on to explain that it has nothing to do with Simon and his abilities or personality as a boyfriend itself but the fact that "he lost the battle before he even had a chance to fight", probably because he was lumped into those "support groups full of best friends who never got the girl". By now, you guys might've figured out what this essay is basically about: "the fascinating and heart-breaking phenomenon" of how the best friend never gets the girl and how the girl always chooses another guy. Then it explains a number of "case studies" in which this phenomenon proves to be true; these case studies include: Pretty in Pink (John Hughes, 1986), Sixteen Candles (John Hughes, 1984), St. Elmo's Fire (Joel Schumacher and Carl Kurlander, 1985), and The Outsiders (Kathleen Rowell/S.E Hinton, 1983). IN ALL THESE STORIES AND MOVIES, I REPEAT, THE BEST FRIEND NEVER GETS THE GIRL. Interesting right? I know.

Just like the essay I talked about above, there are many others in this anthology which are interesting and are pretty funny to read, especially the one about the deviant wench, which I won't tell you about because I want you guys to get the book and find out JUST how funny it really is :) I think this is definitely a must-read for all the Cassandra Clare fans out there! It really does go more into depth of the Shadowhunter and Downworlder world, and for all of you wanting to understand it more, then I really recommend getting the book. I REALLY CAN'T REPEAT ANYMORE HOW MUCH I WANT YOU GUYS TO GET AND READ THIS BOOK! SO DO IT! LOL, I'm trying not to let my biases coat this review...but it's super hard. Anyway, I enjoyed it, I will definitely read some of these again, and I recommend it. There, said and done.

*Thanks go to SmartPop for letting me review an ARC of this book!*(less)

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Jan 28, 2013 Michele (Reading Lark/CanadianTwiMom) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-nephilim, anthology, arc, reading-lark, own-it, softcover

My review can also be found on Reading Lark: http://readinglark.blogspot.ca/2013/0...

This anthology of essays is a must read for any Mortal Instruments fans who are looking to expand their minds a bit further by delving deeper into various subjects broached in Cassandra Clare's best selling series...The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices.

What Shadowhunters and Downworlders is, is an interesting compilation of different musings by Cassandra Clare's author friends on various aspects of C...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Janina added it

Shelves: arc-for-review-blog-tour, netgalley

Mini Review
Let me start off saying that I did not finish this book. I barely made it 20 pages into this. It wasn't the kind of book that I thought it was going to be and I was really disappointed. As far as I made it in the book, it was interesting yes, but I wasn't enjoying it. I felt like I was in one of my college courses studying hard for an exam lol It was like reading a textbook. I seriously could not get into it. I guess to me it was too structured and professional. Do you need to read th...more

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Apr 17, 2013 Andre rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-really-worth-reading, fantasy

I got a sample of the book which contains the introduction and the first chapter and I must say:
I doubt that I will ever read the rest. It could be possible, but I doubt it.

By the way I will not even attempt to hide any spoilers. So now let's look at the parts of this book I read:

Introduction:
The introduction alone reads as though the author is pretty delusional about her characters and that he level of education in terms of folklore and mythology is rather limited.

She starts the introduction...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Makayla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Now, before you look at that 5 star rating and say, "oh, it's just another of Cassies cray cray obsessive followers..." hear me out.

Firstly, you do have to be a fan of TMI to read this. I mean, if you've never read the series, why pick it up? However, it you've always thought that the series maybe was shallow, cliché, predictable, BUT STILL READ ALL THE BOOKS, then I encourage you to read this collection of essays. For those who've always enjoyed or loved Cassies books, and appreciate literature...more Now, before you look at that 5 star rating and say, "oh, it's just another of Cassies cray cray obsessive followers..." hear me out.

Firstly, you do have to be a fan of TMI to read this. I mean, if you've never read the series, why pick it up? However, it you've always thought that the series maybe was shallow, cliché, predictable, BUT STILL READ ALL THE BOOKS, then I encourage you to read this collection of essays. For those who've always enjoyed or loved Cassies books, and appreciate literature (in depth-analysis literature), you'll want to read this.

I was much surprised by what this offered. I first bought it because I figured it was a part of the TMI series, even if a small part. I started reading it after Clockwork Princess left me craving for more (because it might do that to you), and the fact that this was able to satisfy my craving I think is a big testament to how it was written.

Now, as I've said above, only read this if you are looking, or trying to ascertain, if there is more to these books that meets the eye. Or if you want to be a writer. Because there is a lot of hidden advice thrown in this.

I'll start by saying that the "Unhomely Places" and "When Laws Are Made to Be Broken" essays were my favorite. Written by Kate Milford and Robin Wasserman respectively, I viewed them as the most relevant essays not only to the series, but for myself. They're the two essays that were most attacked by my pen (because this book made me want to pull out a pen and underline like crazy).

"Unhomely Places" talks about the importance of setting in a story, of fantasy in the modern world. How a place you felt you've always known can become "uncanny" when you discover something new about it. Trick being, discover. Nothing changed, you just did. For Clary, this is adjusting to New York as her home - but Milford goes beyond that by saying,

...it isnt just New York that [Clary] must adjust to as she begins to see through the glamours that have been hiding reality from her for her entire life. As the proverbial scales being to fall from her eyes, she realizes she has been blind to certain details about her own mother...

And there's some crazy awesome Freudian analysis thrown in, too.

"When Laws Are Made to Be Broken" is even more unveiling of Cassie's world (and of obstacles in stories). The main point here is the Clave. How continually in the books, the character adhere to the Law. "The Law is hard, but it is the Law." Yes, they'll toe the line, and go against direct orders sometimes (i.e. Clary breaking Jace out of the Silent City), but they are always defying the human behind the rule, not the law. No one questions the law between parabatai lovers, for instance. The Clave Law, is in fact, a tool for Clary and gang "to feel like a rebel without actually doing much of anything rebellious." And she goes on about how the Clave takes away choices, in matters small and large, which can sometimes be...a blessing? It's an essay that I encourage all to read because it's so perplexing, but ultimately satisfying (coming from someone who'd never love these character like she does if they didn't defy corrupt authority in more ways than subtle...).

There are also beautiful essays about Clary being the unconventional warrior, Simon being a Vampire and Jewish, The Jace complex, friendship, Malec, Immortality, incest (if you've ever had a problem with this point, I encourage reading this essay to see who the way it is used present more of an obstacle than an object of ICK), and a crazy essay by Sarah Rees Brennan I'm not sure I understand (are you encouraging naughtiness, Sarah, or just the willingness to be open to express it???), but is worth reading anyway, and much more.

All I can say, if you pick this up, make sure you read it with an open mind. Because a lot of it is good writing advice, and if you didn't see the themes the first time around in the series, maybe it'll encourage you to pick it up and look again. But maybe it won't. Either's okay. I just know that I'm glad it was written because now I can reread the series and see why it's not the fluff I always knew it not to be (usually stuff that makes you want to pull your hair out isn't fluff). (less)

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Jan 21, 2013 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-by-bridget

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: This was an interesting read, some essays were funny, some were very educational, and some were a little confusing.

Opening Sentence: There’s a question that every writer both is intimately familiar with and dreads having to answer.

The Review:

First, I want to start off by saying that I am a huge fan of The Mortal Instruments written by Cassandra Clare. The books have amazing characters, a beautiful world, and very enticing story line, so if...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Geraldine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: tmi, shadowhunters, downworlders, arc, netgalley, cassandra-clare

******* YOU CAN READ THIS AND MY OTHER REVIEWS ON MY BLOG 'www.corrallingbooks.blogspot.com'********

Having been a fan of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter and Downworlders' universe for a very long time, I grabbed the opportunity to read this book. Although it is only a book discussing aspects of the Mortal Instruments, I jumped at the opportunity. The introduction didn't really excite me much, in fact, it made me cringe.

'Explore the world of the Mortal Instruments with Cassandra Clare and moreJoi...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, paranormal, companion, essays, fae, fairy, vampires, werewolves, shadowhunter, demons, young-adult, ya

Shadowhunters and Downworlders is a deeply insightful collection of essays by various authors reviewing the Immortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. Cassandra Clare edited this collection as well as does the introduction. Each author takes a character or aspect of the book(s) and breaks it down to it core essence then rebuilds it to become part of the whole. I believe this book would best be described as a companion to the Immortal Instruments Series. Although you could read this separate...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Georgina Martin (Bookz and Bitz) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: egally, reviewed, pdf-ebook-non-kindle

***This review doesn't contain spoilers as such, however there is reference to happenings in the books, so if you've not read them, best not read this review***

Like many others I was expecting a book full of doodles and brainstorms and a guide to the inner workings of Cassandra Clare. Thats what I wanted. I want to know how she came up with such a magical world, right under our noses. How she created the demons, shadow hunters, valentine. WHY she did that to poor simon.

But.....thats not what we...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Annathea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-english, net-galley, essays, books-about-books

Full review to come.
This was surprisingly good.
I'm not a fan of MI series, I managed to get through first volume, but this book make it sound so interesting I'm willing to have another go with Mortal Instruments.
Granted some essays are better then other ( I really enjoyed Kate Milford, Kami Garcia, Scott Tracey and Sarah Rees Brennan). Mostly because they reached out from the book to talk about something general. Those were solid pieces, that even people who are not fans of IM serie could enjo...more

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May 11, 2013 Dana rated it 2 of 5 stars

The book description:

Inside you'll read:

A cinematic tutorial on why the best friend (Simon) always loses out to the bad boy (Jace)
The benefits (no, really!) of incest . . . at least in literature...

Wait, WTF? The BENEFITS of INCEST?

Erm, no thank you.

*Edit*

So, I read it... Here are some quotes:

Jace Wayland and Clary Fray overcome the taboo of sibling incest, and they do it without ever crossing the grossout line.

That's debatable.

When we see Jace and Clary struggling with their urge to be toge...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Audrey Wilkerson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books-read, books-reviewed

Rating: 4

This is the definitive guide to the ins and outs of the Shadowhunter world told through individual essays written by a variety of Young Adult authors. Here’s a list of the topic and their creators:
Introduction by Cassandra Clare
Unhomely Places by Kate Milford
The Art of War by Sarah Cross
Sharper Than a Seraph Blade by Diana Peterfreund
When Laws Are Made to Be Broken by Robin Wasserman
Simon Lewis: Jewish, Vampire, Hero by Michelle Hodkin
Why the Best Friend Never Gets the Girl by Kami Garc...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs

**I'd like to thank SmartPop/BenBella Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review**

I came across this book after recently joining NetGalley. I actually did not know about this book being published soon or anything until then. And I must say I am glad I stumbled upon it. :)

Overall, I found it pretty easy to read as can be seen by how long it took me to complete the book. Some essays were easier to read through than others simply because of the subject matter. My favorite...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Thamy rated it 2 of 5 stars

As a major fan of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter’s world and writing I could barely contain my excitement to read her new book Shadowhunters and Downworlders. At first I thought it would be a book of tales that she compiled about her characters and adventures but as soon as I laid my eyes on the book cover and then started reading the book (ebook edition) I realised that the book had only been edited by Clare and she had a bunch of friends authors collaborating on this book.

Now that I explained...more As a major fan of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter’s world and writing I could barely contain my excitement to read her new book Shadowhunters and Downworlders. At first I thought it would be a book of tales that she compiled about her characters and adventures but as soon as I laid my eyes on the book cover and then started reading the book (ebook edition) I realised that the book had only been edited by Clare and she had a bunch of friends authors collaborating on this book.

Now that I explained my first thoughts let me correct this, Shadowhunters and Downworlders is not an anthology book nor will give you additional details or tales about the Shadowhunter’s world that Clare has created, this book is a mere guide about her books and characters.
You will find essays by famous and established authors as Kami Garcia, Robin Wasserman, Michelle Hodkin and Sara Rees Brennan, those authors wrote essays like for example “Why the good friend never gets a girl” and enlighten you about Simon’s character development as a Jewish Vampire.

I am a big fan, I even travelled to see Clare and get my books signed and when I say I am disappointed it is not just a small remark.
That’s nothing new in this book and as much as I’d like to say that I am into literary criticism and breaking down of characters, plot and ideas, the truth is that I am not interested in all that. I am not interested in a comparison to Freud’s studies or neither why the world is the way it is, when you buy a Young Adult book you buy with the ideal of living in a different world with more excitement, passion and even with the eventual appearance of an unicorn or maybe two.
Throughout the book I felt patronised as if I didn’t have enough intelligence to understand the characters and the stories, in this day and age is rare to find someone, even among the younger ones who haven’t been abroad, understand a bit of politics and social awkwardness, surely the schools have progressed with the curriculum, haven’t they?
I do have a lot of faith on the younger crowd but I can hardly believe they will enjoy this book.
Cassandra Clare does not need this type of marketing and promotion and neither do her author friends, unfortunately I just didn’t like Shadowhunters and Downworlders for the simple reason that It didn’t add anything neither of her current series or bring any addition passion into my life.

(less)

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Jan 03, 2013 Lucia The Loyal Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted here: http://theloyalbook.blogspot.it/2013/...

I am a HUGE fan of The Mortal Instrument saga, created by that genius called Cassadra Clare, so I just couldn't resist this collection of essays written by different authors. I admit I was a little bit afraid; see, I'm not such an essay-lover and plus, I've heard people complaining about the fact that we are getting too much on TMI. I wasn't sure this book was for me. But I'm glad I read them: there is no such thing as too much TMI....more

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Dec 11, 2012 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Good Points:
Okay this book is really good if you are super obsessed with TMI and need something to read by Cassie until Clockwork Princess comes out (which b.t.w is already my book of 2013). The book contains a series of essay's written by different authors and edited by Clare discussing the roles in which the characters play, themes explored within the series and basically just about anything TMI.
When I first started reading I was quite surprised, I liked where it was going, kind of tying in p...more Good Points:
Okay this book is really good if you are super obsessed with TMI and need something to read by Cassie until Clockwork Princess comes out (which b.t.w is already my book of 2013). The book contains a series of essay's written by different authors and edited by Clare discussing the roles in which the characters play, themes explored within the series and basically just about anything TMI.
When I first started reading I was quite surprised, I liked where it was going, kind of tying in philosophical elements and a bit of Psychology- think one of William Irwin's pop- culture- inspired philosophical texts, yet Mortal Instruments themed. Some of the essays I enjoyed more than others, the one about Tattoo's at the beginning was particular interesting. But then...

Bad Points:
It seemed to get a little...boring. To be honest it was like somebody telling you the entire plot of a series you have already read again, in detail. Like a lot of detail. To be honest I may as well have read the books again, I think that the topics weren't really explored in a way that made them great essays. I would have liked more on what Cassie thought or why she chose to do certain things within the series rather than some other author guessing as to why. And the chapter on the 'benefits of Incest in literature' speaks for itself really, though at least the word gross was used to describe it and I have to agree with the writer that 'everyone loves a good taboo'.

To Sum Up...
To be honest if I hadn't of gotten this book for review copy I probably would never have read it. Though I love Cassandra Clare's work I do think maybe it is time to draw The Mortal Instruments series to an end, which before you start hating I know she is doing. But I think I'm going to have to be, for now, one of those whiney book-traditionalists (?) and say The Mortal Instruments should have remained a trilogy.
This book although contains some good essays describing every detail of TMI you could possibly want, in my opinion just takes away from what reading the books again can give you. The whole point is to explore and question these topics yourself while you read them and not for some other author to tell you how it is. I'm not saying everyone thinks this but personally I just like to keep the books and stay clear from now on of the 'Readers'.(less)

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Jan 12, 2013 Kenny K marked it as to-read

What the hell is this book supposed to be is what I'd like to know. I'm so confused.
Also did anyone notice the fact that the rating details is either 5 stars or 1 star, everything else is non-existent.
*EDIT*
I'm probably gonna buy this if it comes out in hardcover format and all the other merch that'll come out when the movie gets closer to its release date. I'm such a loser lol. Looks like I'll be needing a new bookcase.

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About Cassandra Clare

Hello Goodreadsers. Here's my official bio:

"Cassandra Clare was born overseas and spent her early years traveling around the world with her family and several trunks of fantasy books. Cassandra worked for several years as an entertainment journalist for the Hollywood Reporter before turning her attention to fiction. She is the author of City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments trilo...more

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Books by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, #3)

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2)

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4)

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“If you’ve been reading the Mortal Instruments for any length of time, you know that only two things are certain: Dead doesn’t necessarily mean dead, and you never know whose blood is going to wind up running through your veins.” — 4 people liked it

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