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

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City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)

by Cassandra Clare (Goodreads Author)

4.17 of 5 stars 4.17 · rating details · 108,124 ratings · 8,757 reviews

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And - most importantly of all - she can finally call Jace her boyfri...more

Hardcover, 1st Edition, 424 pages

Published April 5th 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

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Apr 20, 2011 Lyndsey rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-read-definitely, reviewed-1-star, reviewed-2011, pov-alternating, new-release

Right after I finished this book, I had a bit of an accident. I was running with a pair of lightsabers when I tripped and fell and accidentally sliced the entire book to shreds!! Maybe it's not a good idea to run with lightsabers...

City of Fallen Angels is amazing - Oh wait, that was weird, my keyboard cut me off. This is some sort of conspiracy isn't it? Like the way that certain unnamed sites sometimes don't like to publish non-glowing reviews. I never write those. *angelic smile* Oh, did that...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: covers-to-die-for, i-own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I ahh, think that I....I don’t know....
I literally just finished this book and I’m at a loss of words to describe it. Was it brilliant? Yes! Was it fantastic? Yes! Was it worth the wait? Yes, yes, yes....lord yes! I feel like I’ve been waiting for this book an entire lifetime. Yes, that may seem weird, but that’s how I feel. There have been waits for books that I thought would kill me-Richelle Mead's Last Sacrifice being a big one- but none like this. I was happy and satisfied when City of Glass...more I ahh, think that I....I don’t know....
I literally just finished this book and I’m at a loss of words to describe it. Was it brilliant? Yes! Was it fantastic? Yes! Was it worth the wait? Yes, yes, yes....lord yes! I feel like I’ve been waiting for this book an entire lifetime. Yes, that may seem weird, but that’s how I feel. There have been waits for books that I thought would kill me-Richelle Mead's Last Sacrifice being a big one- but none like this. I was happy and satisfied when City of Glass ended, but learning that Clare decided to write more books was just the icing on the cake. It’s been a while between books, but this was more or less everything I expected and more!

It was different and yet completely the same. There’s no way to pretend that the characters haven’t changed--that they’re not different and that everything that went into the storyline and plot of the first 3 books hasn’t changed. That chapter of the series is over and a new dawn has emerged (yes, cheesy, I know, but sue me).
The characters were still the amazing, incredible people that stole my heart throughout the first 3 books and being with them again was a lot like coming home from a long trip. I must say---I thought Jordan was an awesome inclusion! I always thought Maia’s ex was a real jerk, but he’s nothing like I thought or expected and I love that.
I will admit that I did miss seeing more of Clary and Jace. They’re still my fave everything of this series, fave characters, fave couple, but I still loved the book regardless. It was so strange getting such an in-depth look into Simon and following him the most. Obviously the books have always changed POV’s, jumping back and forth, but it’s always been fixed mostly on Clary, whereas this time it was more Simon than anything else. And yet... I didn’t have a problem with that.
I love Simon--always have--and even though I never wanted him to be the one Clary ended up with, I still wanted the best for him. He’s still the same great Simon he’s always been, but he’s slightly different too. I think he’s got a long way to go and there’s a lot of growth that I think will happen to him. I can’t wait to see though...

It’s odd, when the last book ended, if anyone had asked me, I’d have been one of the few people who actually said they wanted Maia to be with Simon, but after this book it’s plain to see that Izzy is the one that for him! Perhaps I’m late to the party, but it always seemed to me that she was a bit much for him and (even though I love her, heart and soul) I didn’t believe she was right for him. I honestly thought that Maia and he would have made a better couple, but after this book I’ll never think that way again. Perhaps it was Jordan coming into the storyline and seeing how he and Maia were/are, but I finally looked and realised that Simon and Isabelle really have something. There’s so much more to Izzy than we’ve seen and I think that Simon may actually break through her defences and worm his way into her heart if she lets him!
Oh, and it goes without saying that I want Maia and Jordan back together too. Hello? Weren’t they just perfect together? The issues they have and Maia wanting to rip him to shreds aside.

I was sad to see so many issues for Clary and Jace in this book, but I can’t say I was surprised either. I knew Cassandra Clare wouldn’t just let them be. It seems like they’ve been through so much, but of course it’s not the end for them, no sir-ee. There are more problems facing them and new struggles, but I don’t doubt for a second that they can get through it.....somehow. That’s not to say that I didn’t love every single moment they were together, because I did. I absolutely did! The moments between Clary and Jace were electric. Every time they’re together, every kiss, every time they touch, things just sizzle. I’ve loved a lot of book couples over time, but none compared to them. They’re like no other. You can’t deny that they’re made for one another, you can’t miss the chemistry they have. It’s truly impossible not to see and feel. They just go together so well, they both make each other better. Jace makes Clary stronger, and she’s his whole world. She means he world to him and it makes me giggly inside (Yeah, yeah, yeah....I went there =D)

This book was perfectly paced and the ending was a heart-stopping roller coaster ride. So much happened and I was on the edge of my seat, wanting to see how Simon, Jace and Clary would get out of things. I couldn’t believe that Lilith was trying to bring Sebastian back. There’s no one who deserves to stay dead more than him...well, perhaps expect Valentine.
The ending of this book was jaw dropping. I. Could. Not. Believe. It! Still can’t, if I’m honest here. I cannot believe that Sebastian is alive again and what he’s done to Jace. It’s shocking, it’s exciting, it’s heart-breaking, it’s everything I didn’t want, but at the same time I CANNOT wait to see what’s going to happen next.
The next book is going to be a showstopper--I can so tell—and I can’t wait to see what happens now. Can Clary and everyone else manage to free Jace from Sebastian? Can they defeat Sebastian? Just what does this mean now?

God! I NEEEEEED the next book, like stat! Seriously, this series is just brilliant and I can’t wait for the next instalment!
Bring on the awesome!
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Apr 15, 2011 Vinaya rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-hated, jeez-they-ll-publish-anything, maybe-when-i-m-desperate, ya-fantasy, worst-book-ever, dont-read-if-you-value-your-sanity, stab-kill-shred-burn, the-nightmare-hasnt-ended

As human society evolves, so do its methods of torture

Let me start off this review with a small confession. I liked The Mortal Instruments. Yes, it was cheesy, it was derivative, and it was an embarrassment to good literature everywhere, but it gave me a couple of afternoons’ worth of guilty pleasure, and I was satisfied. I enjoyed the fast-paced action and the triumph of true love, and I was happy to leave Jace and Clary to enjoy the fruits of their labour in happily-ever-after land.

But then....more

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Aug 15, 2012 Ciara's Part Gangster-Bookworm Part Gangster-Bookworm rated it 5 of 5 stars

I watched Cassie Clare read this to some kids in France on youtube, the parts she read werent even connected to the plot, it was just about 2 pages worth of rising action, and i already have it marked down onnmy calander. This was the first book i ever read in third person and i didnt think i was going to like it. I read the first 3 pages of City of Bones and i was hooked. After that i couldnt wait for City of Ashes or Glass. After City of Glass i didnt think she would write any more because i t...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Penny rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-demons, bro-mance, check-your-brain-at-the-door, disappointing, dream-weaver, faebook, i-think-i-m-gonna-be-sick, marysue-protagonist, reviewed-books, should-never-have-been-published, urban-fantasy, werewolves, wish-i-could-unread, wizardry, zombies-aliens-vampires-dinos

The plot of City of Fallen Angels by pennenickel

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Official review (posted April 14, 2011):

An Open Letter to Cassandra Clare:

Dear Ms Clare,

You're not Joss Whedon. You'll never be Joss Whedon and/or J.K. Rowling, so do yourself (and everyone else) a favor: stop trying.

Yours Truly,
Someone Who Deserves Their Money Back (A.K.A. Everyone Who Bought a Copy of City of Fallen Angels)

P.S. What were you thinking?

P.P.S. No seriously, what were you thinking when you decided to revive this series? Were yo...more

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Penny I feel as though Cassandra Clare tries to write her characters to be as witty/funny as Joss Whedon's characters, but by doing so her characters feel i...more I feel as though Cassandra Clare tries to write her characters to be as witty/funny as Joss Whedon's characters, but by doing so her characters feel inauthentic to me--poor facsimiles of awesome characters who say awesome things. She's just not as witty as Joss Whedon, but honestly, who is? It feels to me that CC tries to hard in this department and it's just not working (for me).

As far as Rowling comparison goes, it still feels as though I'm reading Harry Potter fan fiction. If this doesn't make sense to you, it will as soon as I tell you this: this series is actually Harry Potter fan fiction with the character names changed. If you don't believe me, google it and see for yourself.

Anyway, there are some elements in this series that are completely of Clare's own making. Surprisingly enough, I actually LOVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS, all the things that she brought to the table on her own, the things that came from CC's head.

But this book? Is basically a repeat of what happened in the last 2-3 books. She doesn't really take the story to another level. Clary is still whining about Jace, can't figure out if he really loves her or not. Jace is trying to "be the good guy" and stay away from Clary. A lot of this book deals with the "he loves me, he loves me not" crap that went on before. It's flipping irritating, especially since we know that he does love her but he is afraid to be with her and he never tells her why.

I would have liked to know more about Simon, about his story, and for a while it seems like, indeed we are going to hear Simon's story, that this book is about him. But guess what? Mostly it's about Clary and Jace and their stupid love story. And of course far too much is dedicated to Alex (that's a character, right?) and Magnus's relationship. And guess what? That's boring too because Alex is really oversensitive about a relationship Magnus was in well before Alex's parents were even born.

Read it if you want, but I'm not lying when I say that this book isn't that great. It's okay. Barely.(less)
Mar 23, 2013 01:42pm

Jeremy Chenevert Penny wrote: "I feel as though Cassandra Clare tries to write her characters to be as witty/funny as Joss Whedon's characters, but by doing so her cha...more
Mar 23, 2013 01:49pm

Apr 09, 2011 aidanadia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy, fooled-by-the-cover, unpalatable-literature, headache-worthy

SPOILER ALERT
Cassandra Clare really should have let sleeping dogs lie.

“City of Fallen Angels” is yet another book in the Young Adult category that lacks the “element of surprise.” The fact that this book was even written despite formerly having established that ‘The Mortal Instruments’ series to be a trilogy is evidence enough that Clare was tempted by her successes within the urban fantasy genre, and decided to continue.

The fact that Clare continued the story is not my problem; it is the mann...more SPOILER ALERT
Cassandra Clare really should have let sleeping dogs lie.

“City of Fallen Angels” is yet another book in the Young Adult category that lacks the “element of surprise.” The fact that this book was even written despite formerly having established that ‘The Mortal Instruments’ series to be a trilogy is evidence enough that Clare was tempted by her successes within the urban fantasy genre, and decided to continue.

The fact that Clare continued the story is not my problem; it is the manner in which the plotline has been executed (which to reiterate lacks the element of surprise) that disappoints me. “City of Glass” ended definitively - bad, bad Valentine is dead, the seeds of harmony have been sewn between Nephilim and Downworlders, and Jace and Clary get their mushy, predictable happily ever after. It seems as though with this newest installation, Clare asked herself, “How can I possibly continue this?” and unfashionably, she dug up open ended dramatic quotes, such as “to love is to destroy”, and used them in order to create tension. Instead of putting faith in the audience’s imagination to keep her story alive, our beloved author took the task into her own hands and ironically, destroyed all that she forged with love.

Clary and Jace start to have relationship problems. Magnus and Alec start to have relationship problems. Simon is dating two girls simultaneously, one of which would realistically have never given him the time of day, because his latest vampirism is apparently a way for Isabelle to see the goodness of his heart and appreciate him beyond his looks (not that those enhanced cheekbones aren’t delicious). Oh, and I almost forgot, Sebastian Verlac/Jonathan Morgernstern isn’t quite dead! I feel almost insulted; Cassandra Clare is treating us, the audience, as though we are infantile, or to borrow her words, as the “mundanes” that her characters so obviously despise. Instead of providing us with a decent, realistic plotline, Clare’s chosen to do nothing other than sever all that she previously created with her words.

I will admit, if you’re looking for a quick fix, “City of Fallen Angels” is quite an easy and enjoyable read. The fact that this installation is Simon-centric was a pleasant attempted insight into the undead life - a brilliant contradiction - of the otherwise nerdy, annoying tagalong who unfortunately happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jordan Kyle, despite the ridiculous name, was an interesting addition considering the tumultuous past with Maia (if you can get past the tortured internals soap opera). And don't you dare forget this season’s Big Bad, Lilith - yes, it's that demon bitch in yet another fantasy! Besides the astounding fact that Clare is too lazy to create her own villain and has decided to steal from God, she didn't even let this melodramatic page-turner develop on her own! Why must Clare handfeed me all the information? Alec and Isabelle spitting out past lectures on Greater Demons seemed to be a cheap attempt at unravelling whatever mystery that Lilith was. She ran away from Adam and God said “Thou shalt be barren forever, infidel!”? That’s a wonderful backdrop there, Ms. Clare, but could you be any more subtle? Having one of your characters race through the history as though it were ordering lunch is not in the least bit believable. I want you to show me, not hold my hand and tell me what I need to cram before the big exam.

All I ever see nowadays is young adult novels being dominated by devastatingly beautiful characters. It would be unfair for me to blame only Clare for this trend, but she never needed to follow it. The fact that Clare seems to think her fan base will stay tethered to her through the creation of beautiful superhumans makes me question her writing skills - does she not have the ability to keep her audience enthralled with unattractive characters? Actually, let’s take a step back: why are only the superhumans beautiful? Simon as a human - a nuisance, and nothing much to look at. Simon as a vampire - handsome and having trouble juggling the ladies. Clary as a mundane - androgynous body shape; no breasts, no hips. Clary as a Shadowhunter - one up the bra size! Look at those hips form! Apparently, not only is New York full of gorgeous creatures, but not one of them is human. Way to be realistic, huh?

In the end, however, what bothers me the most is how desperate Clare is to save her characters falling from grace. Simon, in spite of toying with two potential girlfriends simultaneously, is forgiven by each! And that wretched Mark of Cain? Yes, the sevenfold vengeance is all very lovely, but what about the other part of the curse - “thou shalt wander the earth a fugitive”? If Simon is cursed to be a wanderer until the end of eternity, then how was Isabelle rushing to his aid? Why is Jace choosing to go to Simon, why is Clary still his best friend, and why is Kyle his protector? How could they possibly choose him if there is a powerful, binding curse that is constantly working to separate Simon from his loved ones? We know that the curse works because assassins impressively crumble to salt at Simon’s feet, so why on earth are we ignoring the second-half, the depressing part of the curse? I’m torn between branding it an obvious plot-hole, or just Ms. Clare’s overwhelming desire not to let one of her beloved characters exist alone. In my eyes, this undermines Clare’s integrity as a writer - if she cannot commit to the maxim she has presented for Simon, then how much can we truly trust her storytelling skill?

The first three books, riddled as they were with bona-fide plot holes and histrionic dialogue, were to a degree more fathomable. Clare created a definitive story arc I could readily engage with. While “City of Fallen Angels” didn’t make me contemplate skewering my eyeballs or washing my brain with bleach, it is not one I will return to in the near future. Instead of keeping me on my toes, Clare cheaply proffered a broken story arc for a few more minutes in the spotlight, and ultimately destroyed her credibility as a writer who values constancy.

You can keep a story going on forever, but sometimes, you just aren’t meant to.

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Aug 07, 2010 Steph marked it as to-read

Shelves: author-웃, series-ongoing, ya, series-2b-finished

COFAteasers (provided by Cassandra Clare here)

These are the teasers that I have Twittered so far starting January of this year. You can also find a list of the chapter titles for COFA and what they mean here. And you can even find wallpapers of the teasers here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December Teaser:
December teaser for City of Fallen Angels. This is the LAST TEASER. Jace and Clary, midbook.
The alley and the music all fell away, and there was nothing but her...more

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Jan 03, 2012 Daylighter rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: TMI Fans

Shelves: guides_short-stories

Pretty amusing and fun to read. My favorite postcards are definitely the one from Simon and the second one from Alec & Magnus. I also like Jace's Et tu, Brutus comment.

like 95 likes · see review

Dec 16, 2011 Steph Sinclair rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Someone who wants to loose brain cells

Recommended to Steph by: A friend, who should run and cower under their bed from my fury

Shelves: why-why-why-did-i-read-it, if-i-m-feeling-masochistic, door-stopper, hated-it-with-a-firey-passion, guilty-pleasures, 2011-reads, didn-t-care-for-it, disappointment, vamps, fey, werewolves, angels, what-kind-of-ending-was-that, young-adult, ahhhhh-my-eyes, all-the-wrong-choices, alternating-povs, where-s-my-chocolate, why-the-hype, lol-what, lots-of-fail-going-on-here, le-sigh, youve-got-to-be-kidding-me, no-just-no

Wow, there's four days of my life spent reading this book that I'll never get back. And it normally doesn't take me that long, but I had to self motivate myself with promises of chocolate ("If you just read one more page..."), just to get through it.

I usually don't give too many books only 1 star. In fact there is only one book I can think of that angered me this much and that was The Vampire Diaries: The Return. I only got 50 pages deep into it before I flung it across the room. So I am very pr...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels, demons, vampires, werewolves, young-adult, fantasy, paranormal, romance

GAAHHHHH! *Lets out a scream that lasts for about ten minutes*

Okay. Well. I'm not sure where to begin.

I guess I'm a bit torn on this one. Don't get me wrong. I loved it. It was epic. As good as the first three? No, but still great.

My main problem with it was, this was originally going to be a trilogy. And although a lot was left open-ended at the end of the third book, it still felt like a happy ending. The main villain was dead (and the other villain was probably dead), most of the romantic iss...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Daylighter marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: guides_short-stories

For those who haven't read it:

The “alleyway kiss” from Jace’s perspective.
Jace will never forget the look on Clary’s face after he says it. Shock at first, blanching into pain.

He has hurt her before. Never because he wanted to, though he has lashed out in his own blindness—like the time she walked in on him kissing Aline and he said every awful thing he could think of, as if the words themselves might have the power to make her disappear, to send her back where she was safe.

He has always cared m...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Lucy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: self-inflicted-and-i-knew-better, fantasy, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I remember watching a scene in a sitcom where two people were talking about a soap opera they enjoyed. The guy admitted he was behind on it because he'd stopped watching it a few years before. The woman replied, "That's okay. You stopped around [insert whatever event]? Well, it's later that same day and... blah-blah."

Soap operas do this really weird thing where time seems to stagnate and a lot of events happen in a small window. Actors and actresses may change out, but they'll still ride the sam...more I remember watching a scene in a sitcom where two people were talking about a soap opera they enjoyed. The guy admitted he was behind on it because he'd stopped watching it a few years before. The woman replied, "That's okay. You stopped around [insert whatever event]? Well, it's later that same day and... blah-blah."

Soap operas do this really weird thing where time seems to stagnate and a lot of events happen in a small window. Actors and actresses may change out, but they'll still ride the same very prolonged story arch into the ground. I immediately felt that way when I picked up City of Fallen Angels. The original trilogy takes place during a few weeks of one summer. The problem with doing this is it makes Clary and Jace's relationship drive me utterly insane. (Alright, maybe it did that in other ways, but this my friends is the icing on the seven layer cake.) They've known each other a few weeks -- thought they were siblings for a significant portion of that time, but their romance is supposed to be epic, see-into-your-soul, and not at all just about lust... which you can maybe buy if not for the fact that they've spent a couple of weeks together. Unrealistic portrayals of romantic love are nothing new to the YA fantasy genre, but the timeline here is exceptionally bad.

The story was originally supposed to be Simon's story with the rest of the cast taking a more backseat role. I was surprised to switch to Clary's POV in the first few chapters but not really shocked. Clare has a big problem with POV. She switches it on a whim and in the middle of scenes. You are constantly privy to thoughts and ideas you really should have been allowed to come to on your own through subtext. The story is primarily told through Simon and Clary's POVs, but that doesn't stop scenes from Isabelle's POV (something that came out of no where in my opinion) and, of course, the boy wonder Jace's POV. Sometimes a scene is from one character's POV when it would be so, so much more interesting to get it from someone else's. When you really want to know what Jace is feeling you get Clary's POV and observations on why he is the way he is instead of just direct insight.

To me, it came across as a bit of a hot mess. I don't particularly enjoy first person books, but I really hate all this over the shoulder jumping. Clare has no idea how to transition or keep focus. It felt lazy and cheap. For example: tossing us into Alec's raging jealousy for a few pages. We didn't benefit from it at all; the story didn't benefit from it at all. It wasn't necessary, we got that he was jealous in other scenes and it added nothing to the story except pages...

Which is something City of Fallen Angels is light on -- pages. It's probably the slimmest book in the series? I expected a brick. I thought if she had more story to tell we were going to get walloped with it. The thin book and the severe plot holes made me feel like this book was a money making gimmick more than anything else. A lot of reviewers I respect have called the first three books out for some lazy writing or sloppy fantasy building. I only wish they could read this book. It never once felt like there was actually more story to tell. Maybe it took a fourth book for me to appreciate that City of Glass ended the right way. It felt a lot more solid than the new plots thrown at us... and I could say I felt they were thrown in there literally. The new plots were not woven into the old, just dropped down like a brick house.

There's some stuff going on with Simon and the vampires, but it's pretty paltry. Simon's plots contribute to Clary and Jace's plot, not vice verse, which to me is an important distinction. His story wasn't exactly stronger, but it was more interesting. I wanted to know more about what happened with his acclimation to being a vampire a hell of a lot more than I wanted to hear Clary and Jace lament over and over again about how unworthy they were of one another. I wanted to slap the two of them with a copy of Romeo and Juliet and tell them to try the cold embrace of death so they could always, always be together.

Given the time frame and the sibling factor, Clary and Jace barely got to be together before the BIG PLOT in this book tears them apart all over again. We get to see very little of them actually being together. It really is mostly wangsting about how Clary's mother thinks Jace is Valentine revisited and how Jace half agrees with her.

Jocelyn is my next point. She's all DPS (Disappearing Parent Syndrome) in the original trilogy. She's out of her coma now and around to let Clary know she Disapproves of her romantic relations... Um. God. It so reminded me of Linger's follow up to Shiver where Grace's absentee parents pay attention long enough to hate on Sam. Jocelyn disapproves of Jace because he was raised by Valentine... Yeah, well Clary is Valentine's biological child, Jocelyn. If crazy is hereditary I'd be more worried about my own little red haired super villain before poking at other people's kids. Jace was only half raised by Valentine. Half his life was with the Lightwoods and he almost exclusively thought he was a Wayland! On top of that he is ACTUALLY a Herondale. (And, yes, I hate myself for knowing all of these names so perfectly.) Valentine had some influence, but seriously, it felt like a really obscure thing to be worried about. If we have to worry about Jace's childhood and development be more concerned that every adult in his life has been untrustworthy to one degree or another.

I'll read the next book for three reasons: 1. I don't want these books to have exclusive 5 star ratings they don't deserve. 2. I have thus far resisted the urge to ever rate a book I haven't read. 3. I want to see if a 'plot' actually develops.

I preordered this book with Red Glove and I've got to say of the two Holly Black's series has been the better experience for me. I plan on rereading and reviewing it next because I kind of tore through it in a fit of joy... what? It's been known to happen!(less)

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Sep 14, 2011 Stamyr rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: good-reads

SPOILER ALERT .
I really don't get why there's gonna be a fourth book ; not that I don't wanna read more about Clary & Jace & the babies they'll make in the future ;) it just seems like there's no point, unless Sebastian is gonna raise from the grave and try to take over the world again like his father . . . boy i hope not. I love that he is dead. D E A D . :D I really liked Sebastian in the beginning but then I started to sense that he was fake and he was acting retarded & makinq no...more

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Victoria am also glad that clary and Jace are together but I read city of bones again( for like da tenth time) and wen they are in the green houseclary shows J...more
Jan 26, 2011 10:56am

Victoria and another thing i was thinking about, its max, even tho he was a minor character i kind of want him ack lol. he was cute and im hoping that he will...more
Jan 26, 2011 11:09am

Jul 15, 2011 Kira rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Shadowhunters

Recommended to Kira by: Downworlders

Shelves: angels-and-demons, ya, non-shitty-vampires, werewolves, lost-the-will-to-live, rule-of-abeko-you-broke-it

Okay, let me level with you. Just to put this review into perspective, I'd like to make it common knowledge that I gave all three of the books in the Mortal Instruments five feckin' stars. I loved them. I was not blind to their flaws, and they are not literary masterpieces, but they were far too much fun for me to care about what was wrong with them. For the first time in so long I was able to just sit back and not cringe or roll my eyes or make any backhanded comments about the pathetic charact...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Lauren aka John Matthew's Girl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance, romance, young-adult-teen, cover-i-love, favorites, library-has-a-copy, best-books-read-in-2011

Cassandra has been posting snippets from the book every month. So for those of you that didn't know she was doing that or haven't read them. Here they all are. Comment/speculate away! I own nothing, all these are copyright to Cassandra Clare.

Starting next spring, she'll start posting snippets from Clockwork Prince.

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December Teaser:
December teaser for City of Fallen Angels. This is the LAST TEASER. Jace and Clary, midbook.
The alley and t...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Anna added it

I wish she'd just keep the writing style she has now. She left so many ends untied, why does she feel the need to switch focus. I know for a fact that a plethora of readers are too hung up on strictly Clary & Jace and will flat out refuse Simon. Much like other couplings in other series. I only hope that this novel will be as enthralling and wonderful as the past three. I won't pretend I'm not one of the people who will be devastated if there is lacking with Clary & Jace presence in the...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Caitlin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Seriously Clare? Serious-freakin'-ly?

1.) Why does everyone have to fall in love? Or in most cases--get angry with each other, fight and then fall in love again.

2.) I'm so sick of sulking Jace. No--I'm so flippin' sick of Jace and Clary. All they do is mope, make-out, mope again and profess their love for each other. Talk about beating a dead horse. Plus it's boring.

3). Honestly, the ending didn't shock me. Sorry.

4.) Is it me, or did the editing suck?

5.) What's up with all the blood? I mean, like...more

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Apr 09, 2011 Cory rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Sad,Bored, People

Recommended to Cory by: My Own Fool Self

This is all I have to say.

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Jul 13, 2011 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Cassandra Clare's & the TMI series

Shelves: 2011-release, 2011-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews, signed-books-arcs, audio-book

*SPOILER FREE*

There is something about Cassie's writing that lures me into each of her books and leaves me wanting more. I can't get enough of her fascinating, intriguing world building and her addicting characters. You know the characters whom you just can't seem to read enough about? City of Fallen Angels is full of pleasant and shocking twists and turns with some of my beloved characters, and with other previously mentioned TMI series characters. Cassie has a talent for making me invest so mu...more *SPOILER FREE*

There is something about Cassie's writing that lures me into each of her books and leaves me wanting more. I can't get enough of her fascinating, intriguing world building and her addicting characters. You know the characters whom you just can't seem to read enough about? City of Fallen Angels is full of pleasant and shocking twists and turns with some of my beloved characters, and with other previously mentioned TMI series characters. Cassie has a talent for making me invest so much of myself emotional with her characters. One moment I'm sighing over a scene between Jace and Clary or Magnus and Alec and the next I'm either fuming over something a character did or on the verge of tears at one of her gut wrenching scenes, and then laughing out loud at the next scene from Jace or Simon's snarky lines.

What I love about Cassie's writing is she isn't afraid to make her characters suffer and in the process she leaves me feeling emotional vulnerable as I feel a connection to her characters. I've not read a series that has a such a large cast of characters were each one adds something unique to the story and each one is a character I've come to enjoy and care about, well for the most part as there's a few I'd like to go all shadowhunter on. Like the other books in the TMI series, City of Fallen Angels picks up not long after City of Glass ends. Cassie is able to refresh our memories of what happened at the end of City of Glass in a manner that doesn't feel like it's a huge summary of what happened, but just enough to see through the eyes of Jace, Clary and Simon how they were effected and why they're feeling the way they are. I loved that the story has a lot of Simon's point of view. Simon to me is a character who's grown a lot since the start of the series. Some of my favorite scenes of his are the fabulous snarky lines he and Jace say to one another.

I really can't get enough of her characters and her stories. She adds just the right amount of romance (oh yes there's a few sizzling scenes with Jace and Clary), action, anguish, settle humor, character growth and plot twists that keep me completely engaged with her book, but at the same time leaving me wanting so much more at the end. Cassie blurs the lines of paranormal and reality perfectly. Her words come alive and make me feel like I'm here, apart of her world. Cassie is a phenomenal writer and is someone who makes me think as she takes me along for an enjoyable ride and always leaves me wanting more.... one more kiss between Jace and Clary, one more page of her story, one more scene so the book doesn't have to end.

City of Fallen Angels is a fabulous edition to the TMI series. It's an exciting, enticing read that will suck you right back into her dark, twisted, dangerous shadowhunter world. City of Fallen Angels is definitely the darkest of the series so far, and now I am anxiously waiting to find out what happens next in COLS. That ending.... UGH! It's brilliant. I definitely recommend picking up this book today! It's a must have to for all TMI fans.(less)

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Apr 24, 2011 kayla** rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels, vampires, faeries, werewolves, own-it, wizardry-witchcraft

Pre-Release:
Not exactly sure why there will be another book, since Mortal Instruments was originally a trilogy, and the ending was really good in City of Glass.
But to be honest, I'm not complaining.
These books are quite good. Although I have to say that the big font used in them seems kind of childish. Maybe that's just me.
Hopefully this one will deliver what all the fans hope for.
Just to be clear--
That means JACE:)

Thought I'd just add something about the cover:
I like that they decided to switc...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Haleema rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: No.

Shelves: characters-are-half-troll, slaughtered-the-series, cheese-pizza, snape-disapproves, i-knew-it, author-y-u-no-destroyed, half-wit-heroine, brain-cells-went-bye-bye, hating-with-all-my-hate

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Sep 14, 2011 John Egbert rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Nobody.

Shelves: never-will-finish, annoyed-after-reading, thanks-for-ruining-my-favorite-myth

Dear CC,

What is wrong with you?

I suppose it isn't really fair. After all, I did come into this book expecting to dislike it. I did have warnings that it was bad, and I did plan on heeding them. But, alas, I succumbed to the anxiety and curiosity that lurked in the back of my mind when I glanced at the pdf on my desktop.

And then it began.

Between the contrived Jace/Clary angst("OMG, joo will leaves me!" "I will neva leaves joo!" "No, but joo will leaves me!" "I will neva leaves joo!" and repeat),...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Maja rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, audiobooks, huge-disappointment, incredibly-stupid-choices

I'm very, very sorry, my dear GR friends. I had every intention of finishing this book, if only to be able to write a decent review. But I would rather eat it than listen to another minute of it. I think it just might be the worst book I've read (or tried to read) this year.

Now, I know there's been a lot of talk about plagiarism and stuff, but I don't care about any of that. I don't even see most of the similarities people keep pointing out. I was actually looking forward to this book! I though...more

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Apr 17, 2011 Yue [Wonder of living] rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: can-t-wait-2011, young-adult, romance, action-adventure, fantasy

Dude. So I totally spazzed out when I wrote this, it seems... O_O No wonder people think I'm creepy... Heehee. I decided not to delete this, since I think it's funny.:P Full review is on the bottom people!

Oh my goodness goddess.

I can't believe it! Another Mortal Instruments?! :D

That,my friends, is going to truly be epical. (Epical is a word. ...Okay, maybe not. >_>) Haha, I even gave it five stars... It's too difficult to resist! XD

Shimmering yaaaays! (idk what that's supposed to mean. Al...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Zero vi Britannia rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: don-t-feel-like-reading-a-second-ti, if-i-weren-t-such-a-masochist, they-publish-anything-don-t-they, useless-lead-character, why-did-i-do-this-to-myself-again, worse-than-twilight, waste-of-trees, if-i-could-turn-back-time, how-did-this-get-published, did-this-book-even-have-an-editor, why-rowling-had-to-use-her-initials

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 29, 2011 Katie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Oh boy.

I first picked up CoB on a whim many many moons ago, not really knowing the author's history or the background of the book at all, and I recall when first reading it going: "Hey, this reads like fanfiction. Pretty good fanfiction, but fanfiction nontheless." Then I looked the author up online and went:

"Oh my."

But because they were fun breezy reads I continued with the rest of the series, excusing the more eye-rolly moments because she kept up a good pace.

One thing I will give Clare credi...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Ammi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, bad-boy-love-interest, angels-and-demons, fanfiction-love

Update Review, July 2, 2011

Short review (after pre-read one): This book could have been good. It really could have. If Clare had 1) keep the cast real, 3-D, 2) wrote more action and actually presented the parts that moved the plot forward instead of them happening off-page, 3) spent less time on failed/failing relationships and more on interesting plot, 4) had an interesting plot, 5) quit pulling plot devices and characters out of her ***, 6) edited!?!?!?, I might have liked it.

But she didn't d...more

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May 09, 2012 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Cara by: Tori

Shelves: series, paranormal, recommended-to-me, 2012

To be honest I feel kind of out of the loop here. I read this book a good while after it was already published, so I didn't get that rush of excitement I get when I read a book with other readers. It does make it more fun guys. It's kind of like showing up to a party late and all the cups and trash is strewn about and the people left aren't doing much, maybe just cleaning. And you think to yourself, it looks like I missed an awesome party... and then commence to feel all upset for your tardiness...more To be honest I feel kind of out of the loop here. I read this book a good while after it was already published, so I didn't get that rush of excitement I get when I read a book with other readers. It does make it more fun guys. It's kind of like showing up to a party late and all the cups and trash is strewn about and the people left aren't doing much, maybe just cleaning. And you think to yourself, it looks like I missed an awesome party... and then commence to feel all upset for your tardiness. Yeah that's me. Miss always-feeling-sorry for-herself-for-no-good-reason.

*clears head* Anyways on to the book itself. Clary, Jace, Simon, Isabel, Alec, Magnus and the whole gang are taking a little breather now. Jace is trying to train Clary to fight like a shadow hunter (about time right?), and Simon is trying to deal with his new life as a vampire. Things seem to be relatively quiet and even Clary's mom and Luke are planning to get married. But you guys know what's coming next right? A problem, well actually lots of problems. Simon is being hunted down by almost everyone. The word around town is that he is a unique vampire, an invaluable one. Then there is Jace who is having some troubling dreams, to put it lightly. Of course everything couldn't stay quiet because then we wouldn't be reading about the Shadowhunter world then, now would we?

Though I did enjoy myself while reading it I can't help but feel a twinge of disappoint. It felt like a filler book even though there is some action and a new dilemma presented. Jace was hard for me to take and even though you found out why he is being so moody it's still frustrating. I thought we were over this stage Jace? But apparently not. People who love the Clary and Jace dynamic though will love the book because there are lots of scenes with them. Then there is the Simon storyline, which was interesting but not as good as I thought it could be. Simon is one of my favorite characters and I'm glad he got some page time, but I think the book would have been stronger if it concentrated more on his development rather than his relationships. And oh my goodness, why did everybody have to pair up?!? Jeez.

I know from what I've written so far it looks like I didn't like the book but I really did. I just put a lot of expectation on it, and I guess I'm not seeing the reason why the series shouldn't have ended with City of Glass. But now onto the things I did like. Isabel is showing a different side to her and I love seeing that from any character. We found out more about Maia's history and then there is Kyle, a new character, which I'm sure will bring in some more comic relief. There is of course the epic showdown that does not disappoint, and sets the stage for the next book seamlessly. It was pretty painful to read though. Now with the recent release of City of Lost Souls I'm eager to find out what Clare has up her sleeve, and hope to catch some of the heightened enthusiasm I had for the first books.(less)

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Jul 17, 2011 Hannah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-it

I don't want to erase my before reading review so here it is :) ENJOY!! (Don't worry, my after reading review is after this :) )

One thing I really hate... Waiting forever for a book to come out!!!

I hate it, absolutely hate it with a passion of a thousand burning suns!!

I thought City of Glass was the last book in this series. I was willing to accept that fact and live with it, because it was a brilliant and wonderful and awesome end. But it's not the end. There's still more to Jace and Clary's st...more

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Jun 25, 2011 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: monsters-and-creatures, magic, love-or-romance, urban-fantasy, 2011, unfinished-series, pub-sischu, angels, faeries-and-fey, read-in-2011

I would not recommend the audiobook version of this book unless the alternative is not to read it at all. Can't wait for the next book ... things have definitely gotten interesting and messy! Poor Jace ...

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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)

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, #2)

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Quotes from City of Fallen Angels

“You're just worried they'll hire a male instructor and he'll be hotter than you."
Jace's eyebrows went up. "Hotter than me?"
"It could happen," Clary said, "You know, theoretically."
"Theoretically the planet could suddenly crack in half, leaving me on one side and you on the other, forever and tragically parted, but I'm not worried about that either. Some things," Jace said, with his customary crooked smile, "are just too unlikely to dwell upon.” — 1,784 people liked it

“You're the first Shadowhunter I've ever met."
“That’s too bad,” said Jace, “since all the others you meet from now on will be a terrible letdown.” — 1,567 people liked it

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City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)

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