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City of Bones
(The Mortal Instruments #1)
by
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is not
...more
Hardcover, 485 pages
Published
March 27th 2007
by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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Showing 1-30

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

***Warning: won't contain spoilers cause I didn't get far enough to give a fuck and discover anything worth spoiling.***
Okay, so let me get this out straight. I have never NOT finished a book before. Okay, I'm lying. The History of Sexuality Volume 1 by Michel Foucault remains unfinished as does Villette by Charlotte Bronte. Why? Because they were boring.
Because, as I read them, I wanted to take a cheese grater to my skull and rub vigorously just to have something to do!
But I have never NOT fini ...more
Okay, so let me get this out straight. I have never NOT finished a book before. Okay, I'm lying. The History of Sexuality Volume 1 by Michel Foucault remains unfinished as does Villette by Charlotte Bronte. Why? Because they were boring.
Because, as I read them, I wanted to take a cheese grater to my skull and rub vigorously just to have something to do!
But I have never NOT fini ...more

Okay, so I’m far behind the curve on reading this, but I very much enjoyed my introduction to the world of nephilim, Shadowhunters and demons. Clare constructed a vivid, believable parallel world with great characters, punchy dialogue, and a winning mix of humor, pathos and action. I like her take on warlocks, vampires, and werewolves, and of course I’m a big fan or urban fantasy, where these fantastic elements mix into the regular gritty city life of New York. Clary Fray is a sympathetic protag
...more

Apr 23, 2009
Tatiana
rated it
did not like it
Recommends it for:
teenage girls, fans of angsty teenage soap
Recommended to Tatiana by:
Heather
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

Wow. I was reading some reviews on this and people either hate or love it. I am not ashamed to say I belong to the latter. Lots of opinions means there is lots of things to say...
Ok so I was practically splitting my head open thinking of what exactly I wanted to say about this book. In the end I just decided to go with what comes to mind. So here it goes...
Clare does a superb job of drawing you in. Maybe the plot isn't completely unique but the world she created is. I kept telling myself this is ...more
Ok so I was practically splitting my head open thinking of what exactly I wanted to say about this book. In the end I just decided to go with what comes to mind. So here it goes...
Clare does a superb job of drawing you in. Maybe the plot isn't completely unique but the world she created is. I kept telling myself this is ...more

19 Apr '16
Bet you're sick of my updates, now.
Just for reference, on the recent Sherrilyn Kenyon v Cassandra Clare.
Kenyon has filed a lawsuit against Clare, and also provides a list of alleged similarities between Clare's work to her own.
Read and decide for yourself.
15 Jun '13
update again! Saw some stills for the movie, and to be honest, despite being slightly spurious in my "casting" of City of Bones, I actually think my version is much better than the movie version.
I mean, look at Isabelle, ...more
Bet you're sick of my updates, now.
Just for reference, on the recent Sherrilyn Kenyon v Cassandra Clare.
Kenyon has filed a lawsuit against Clare, and also provides a list of alleged similarities between Clare's work to her own.
Read and decide for yourself.
15 Jun '13
update again! Saw some stills for the movie, and to be honest, despite being slightly spurious in my "casting" of City of Bones, I actually think my version is much better than the movie version.
I mean, look at Isabelle, ...more

I was instantly enchanted when I first read City of Bones, and that enchantment still holds four years, and at least half a dozen re-reads later in sptite of the fact that I'm older, wiser, and should know better. I've also read countless reviews, both adoring and loathing and have come to the conclusion that this book does not garner any type of middle ground, you either love it or you hate it.
I'm glad that I get to love it. What else can I say?
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For me, this book shines, and to tho ...more
I'm glad that I get to love it. What else can I say?
[image error]
For me, this book shines, and to tho ...more

A great and interesting books. I manages to combine the infulences from many of top fictional series of our time. It combines hidden magic world of Harry Potter, the teenage drama of Buffy, and a couple of themes from Star Wars as well. The book is very well written and fast paces.
We follow Clary Fray, a 15 year old misfit trying to find heself, not quite sure if she is goth, cyberpunk, or just a temperamental teenaged artist. One night in the local club, Pandemonium, she realises she is a witne ...more
We follow Clary Fray, a 15 year old misfit trying to find heself, not quite sure if she is goth, cyberpunk, or just a temperamental teenaged artist. One night in the local club, Pandemonium, she realises she is a witne ...more

“Shadowhunters: Looking Better in Black Than the Widows of our Enemies Since 1234.”
I read City of Bones for the first time 5 years ago. I still remember that day.

I was never expecting anything from this but an entertaining and maybe a little bit forgettable book. I was wrong; I found this completely unforgettable. For being a trainwreck.
To be quite honest, I think 75% of the hype for this series comes from nostalgia. Listen, I'm sorry, I know this isn't everything, but I really... don't get why these first three books are hyped, on any level. Not only do I have ten million problems with the tropey nature and the slutshaming and the etc etc etc, it's also ...more
To be quite honest, I think 75% of the hype for this series comes from nostalgia. Listen, I'm sorry, I know this isn't everything, but I really... don't get why these first three books are hyped, on any level. Not only do I have ten million problems with the tropey nature and the slutshaming and the etc etc etc, it's also ...more

Pure and utter crap. I wish there were ways to give negative stars. I certainly want the time from my life back. I would compare its writing quality to a fanzine, except that comparison wouldn't be fair to fanzines. But I swear to God, it took every single bad fanfic writing cliche and published them. What were her publishers thinking??? Where was her editor?? It was horrible.
I would dearly love for a fanfiction author to make good and become a published writer, but I'd prefer one with talent, ...more
I would dearly love for a fanfiction author to make good and become a published writer, but I'd prefer one with talent, ...more

I can totally see why everyone rants and raves over these books; while I'm only one deep (so far) and hoping to read City of Ashes in the very near future, I feel this is the type of book that teenage Chelsea would have flipped her turds for back in the day. I'm just glad I can still enjoy them now. While very teen oriented, City of Bones still had a classic feel that surpassed barriers of age and gender, and I have heard from many folks that they wish they had found these books while they were
...more

Aug 16, 2011
shady boots | #WatchPOSE
rated it
did not like it
Recommends it for:
People who have the hots for dickhead heroes.

I had to do it.

“You're an idiot."Clary Fray goes to one little party with her best friend (Simon)...and there's a teeny-tiny littler repercussion by way of her life being absolutely and irrevocably ruined.
"I've never claimed to be otherwise.”
She witnesses an unusual boy being led to the back by figures cloaked in black, brandishing knives.
Curious, she decides to investigate...and stumbles upon an exorcism.
The Shadowhunters are just as surprised as she is - mostly because the only people who can see Shadowh ...more

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

2.6/5 Stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
This book didn't leave a good taste in my mouth. Basically, it left no taste in my mouth. Or if it left a taste, it was like water taste. It didn't exist. But let's talk a bit about my history with the Shadowhunter world. But first the plot in italics cause we're classy as fuck.
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder c ...more
“Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt.”
This book didn't leave a good taste in my mouth. Basically, it left no taste in my mouth. Or if it left a taste, it was like water taste. It didn't exist. But let's talk a bit about my history with the Shadowhunter world. But first the plot in italics cause we're classy as fuck.
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder c ...more

“Where there is love, there is often also hate. They can exist side by side.”
Hi, my name is Melanie, and I’m the last person on this planet to read anything by Cassie Clare! But I had too many best friends who promised me that reading this series would be worth it for me to finally get to Lady Midnight! Well, the other night I did an Instagram poll, because I wanted something fae and I was just going to pick up Lady Midnight, without reading any of Cassie’s other work, and some of my friends ...more

3 Stars
Reviewing this is weird-- because I used to love it. When I was about 13, I remember finding this library book, taking it home and reading all 400+ pages in one sitting. Then I went back the next day and grabbed the next two books, devoured them, thought that was the end and (mostly) forgot about it. (Until that awful movie came out a few years ago)
So reading it now, as an early-twentysomething with a lot more reading and life experience, I knew the initial love wouldn’t be there. I had ...more
Reviewing this is weird-- because I used to love it. When I was about 13, I remember finding this library book, taking it home and reading all 400+ pages in one sitting. Then I went back the next day and grabbed the next two books, devoured them, thought that was the end and (mostly) forgot about it. (Until that awful movie came out a few years ago)
So reading it now, as an early-twentysomething with a lot more reading and life experience, I knew the initial love wouldn’t be there. I had ...more

I didn't always love The Mortal Instruments.
In fact, the first time I read it, I found it quite immature and annoying. If I’m not mistaken, I read it for the first time three years ago, just before the release of the execrable movie. Well, 1) you need to know that, at that time, I wasn’t reading English books just yet (that came a couple of months later) and 2) some of the French editions look horrible (view spoiler) and those are the ones my library owned. So every time I was s ...more
In fact, the first time I read it, I found it quite immature and annoying. If I’m not mistaken, I read it for the first time three years ago, just before the release of the execrable movie. Well, 1) you need to know that, at that time, I wasn’t reading English books just yet (that came a couple of months later) and 2) some of the French editions look horrible (view spoiler) and those are the ones my library owned. So every time I was s ...more

I think this book is has some kind of mental disability. I kind of don’t want to make fun of it because, you know, it’s not playing the game with a full deck of cards. But, at the same time, it does not have such a significant learning disability that it needs to sit in a separate classroom from the other stories; it just has this confluence of creepiness and then some kind of mild mental challenge. So, I kind of do want to make fun of it because, you know, you probably don't have to be this unc
...more

Really, there's nothing very original, or satisfying in the book. She borrowed so heavily from Buffy, Harry Potter, and Star Wars that it sticks out like a sore thumb. It reads like altered fan fiction. And I love fan fiction, make no mistake, but it's not attempting to make a buck off someone else's world, either. Which is essentially what the book is. Cobbled fan fiction that has no cohesion.
I knew Clare as Cassandra Claire from Harry Potter fandom, I will admit, and that did color somewhat. B ...more
I knew Clare as Cassandra Claire from Harry Potter fandom, I will admit, and that did color somewhat. B ...more

3 stars
After so many years of trying to read this, I finally finished it.
See, I think the story has so much potential, and I like it, but I can't stand the characters at all. Clary is so annoying, and I just can't connect with Jace at all.
For now, I will put this series on hold.
Was it worth reading? - Kinda.
Would I read it again? - Hardly.
Would I recommend it? - Depends on the person.
After so many years of trying to read this, I finally finished it.
See, I think the story has so much potential, and I like it, but I can't stand the characters at all. Clary is so annoying, and I just can't connect with Jace at all.
For now, I will put this series on hold.
Was it worth reading? - Kinda.
Would I read it again? - Hardly.
Would I recommend it? - Depends on the person.

I've actually been meaning to write a review about this book, and because I watched the film only recently, I thought why not write a review about it now.
I received the first 4 books from my sister but I never got around to reading either of them. I remember reading City of Bones, but I think I stopped midway because I realized that a movie had been made of it, so I watched the film instead.
City of Bones is about a teenage girl called Clary Fray who lives with her mother in Brooklyn.
Clary dis ...more
I received the first 4 books from my sister but I never got around to reading either of them. I remember reading City of Bones, but I think I stopped midway because I realized that a movie had been made of it, so I watched the film instead.
City of Bones is about a teenage girl called Clary Fray who lives with her mother in Brooklyn.
Clary dis ...more

Mar 14, 2011
Kiki
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
Blue fairies
Recommended to Kiki by:
A blue fairy
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

*Spoilers yeah*
I’m going to say this now so it’s out of the way.
No.
I’ve never read the Draco Trilogy by Cassandra Claire on fanfiction.net.
No.
I have no right to mention the plagiarism event around the Draco Trilogy in this review, because I have not read it, and so I will not go into the plagiarism event.
Yes.
I know of the plagiarism, and I find it despicable, but I’m not reviewing that, I’m reviewing City of Bones.
THE CITY OF BONES REREAD WITH PALICE AND GHIRARDELLI

It started EPIC, then tapered ...more

So here’s the thing. I got rid of my copies of these books and The Infernal Devices series awhile back when I was having a clean out. The I enjoyed some of the newer books. Then one of my groups put up a challenge for the series. Then I decided to listen to them from the library. NOW, my thoughts have changed as they do on rereads sometimes. I love certain characters more so in the newer books but in this book I feel like I wasted precious time, AND time is precious people!! This went from 5 to
...more
![destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1514747508p2/15335689.jpg)
#1 City of Bones ★★★★☆
#2 City of Ashes ★★★☆☆
#3 City of Glass ★★★★☆
#4 City of Fallen Angels ★★★★★
#5 City of Lost Souls ★★★★★
#6 City of Heavenly Fire
I know I’m slow to pick up this series, but I honestly spent several years of my life thinking that Cassandra Clare’s books didn’t hold anything special in store for me. They just didn’t strike me as books that I would like very much, but when my friend Julie started binge reading them last fall, I decided to finally give them a chance, and I am so h ...more

Dec 27, 2009
Joyzi
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
Fans of Harry Potter
Recommended to Joyzi by:
Stephenie Meyer
Shelves:
e-book,
fantasy,
fiction,
ya-books,
reviewed,
read-more-than-once,
book-series,
vampires,
author-american,
paranormal-romance
Alex Pettyfer Update
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSgEwl...
***OBSCENE ALERT***

Note: I will fucking kill the Casting Director if Alex Pettyfer, the man of my erotic dreams and fantasies*coughs* will not be cast as Jace Wayland! Seriously I don't care if he has a British accent and he already have Beastly, I am Number Four and Torment movies for 2011, I don't freaking care! He need to be Jace Wayland and Peeta Mellark! All I want in my life right now is HIM HIM HIM!!! Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
...more
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSgEwl...
***OBSCENE ALERT***

Note: I will fucking kill the Casting Director if Alex Pettyfer,
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Word Game starting on JACE! | 53762 | 8906 | Feb 12, 2019 05:21AM | |
What is your Shadowhunter name? | 679 | 2530 | Feb 10, 2019 03:57PM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare - Restarting January 2nd 2019 | 15 | 78 | Feb 10, 2019 07:10AM | |
2-3-4 Challenge B...: Question M | 3 | 7 | Feb 05, 2019 05:27AM | |
2-3-4 Challenge B...: Question L | 4 | 6 | Feb 05, 2019 05:18AM | |
2-3-4 Challenge B...: Question K | 4 | 5 | Feb 05, 2019 05:07AM |
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
"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
Other books in the series
The Mortal Instruments
(6 books)
208 trivia questions
40 quizzes
More quizzes & trivia...
40 quizzes
“Have you fallen in love with the wrong person yet?'
Jace said, "Unfortunately, Lady of the Haven, my one true love remains myself."
..."At least," she said, "you don't have to worry about rejection, Jace Wayland."
"Not necessarily. I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting.”
—
24137 likes
Jace said, "Unfortunately, Lady of the Haven, my one true love remains myself."
..."At least," she said, "you don't have to worry about rejection, Jace Wayland."
"Not necessarily. I turn myself down occasionally, just to keep it interesting.”
“Is this the part where you start tearing off strips of your shirt to bind my wounds?"
"If you wanted me to rip my clothes off, you should have just asked.”
—
12946 likes
More quotes…
"If you wanted me to rip my clothes off, you should have just asked.”