Cazadores De Sombras Y Subterráneos

The Shadowhunter Chronicles

by Clare

Cazadores de sombras y Subterraneos es el mejor acompanante que cualquier seguidor de la saga y de Cassandra Clare, su autora, pudo haber deseado. Cassandra Clare, creadora de esta exitosa serie, ha compilado la vision que varios escritores ?como Kami Garcia y Holly Black? tienen sobre el fantastico universo que ella imagino y donde nefilim, vampiros, hombres lobo, brujos y demas criaturas fantasticas siguen atrapando a millones de lectores en todo el mundo.La lectura que los autores hacen de Cazadores de Sombras permitira al lector mirar con otros ojos a sus personajes y las relaciones entre ellos.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Fiction, Angels

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 2013

Reviews

[Mitch · Rating 2 out of 5]

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 Shakespeare, and given what I know about the quality of City of Bones and its sequels, I’m being diplomatic when I say that’s really stretching it, looking for complexity, secondary meaning, moments of brilliance that are either sheer coincidence or simply not there.

As a disclaimer, I’m not really a fan of The Mortal Instruments, having only read City of Bones which I found mediocre at best and City of Lost Souls which was a favor (although I did enjoy The Internal Devices and kudos to Holly Black from bringing those books up), but I do like to read about authors sharing their thoughts on their works. Clare does an okay job in her introduction, sharing how she got the ideas behind Shadowhunters and Downworlders, but it’s kind of telling she only shares the story behind how she got the ideas behind the book and skirts around the writing process which is actually what I’m more interested in. There’s much more to writing a book than just world building and character development, and I’m disappointed Clare doesn’t discuss the elements, say dialogue, style, prose, that separate a story from a good book. Like, why introduce Clary to the Shadowhunter world the way she did in City of Bones? Why write the dialogue the way it is? What’s with the incest? Unfortunately, I’ll never know from reading this book.

But the bulk of Shadowhunters and Downworlders isn’t Clare discussing her book, it’s other authors discussing her book – and that’s the hit and miss part I alluded to earlier. I don’t know if Clare had a set goal for the essays, but if I were her I’d have set it as each author’s personal response to reading the books. Because the ones that were personal reactions to the series are so much stronger than the ones that tried to rationalize the books as something greater than what they really are via some literary analysis mumbo jumbo … take the first essay by Kate Milford discussing the hidden nature of the Shadowhunter world; I don’t think even Clare knows what the hell Milford’s written, because she’s doing a couple of incongruous things at once, praising Clare’s cleverness taking advantage of the New York setting as she’s creating this supernatural world that coexists but is hidden from ours, talking generally about this common enough plot device, and relating her personal experiences not necessarily involving her experiences reading the book. None of it really follows or comes together that well. Has Clare done a good job with the New York setting? In places, but does the writing warrant the kind of (deep but rather generic) insight Milford’s offering? Nah.

And it just goes on, Diana Peterfreund with more of a summary of the series (thanks though!) than how Jace’s snarky attitude actually worked for her, Kami Garcia with a thesis that could apply to almost every book I’ve ever read while never actually discussing why her rule matters in The Mortal Instruments for Simon or for Jace, Rachel Caine with a research paper on tattoos that has almost nothing to do with the books, and Kendare Blake with one of the most wacked out pieces I’ve ever read about the taboo of incest. Umm … it doesn’t take a geneticist or Mendel type to figure out the taboo’s because society has a compelling reason to prevent the horribly mutated spawn that would result thanks to all those messed up recessive alleles expressing themselves in children who are the product of incest. That alone moots every single one of her arguments and left me bashing my head on my desk as Blake tries to explore all these angles of justifying the squick … yeah, no thanks.

I’m not saying none of the essays are any good though. True, I said a lot of the essays suffer from their authors overanalyzing and overrationalizing the significance of the books, but Michelle Hodkin’s feels like an exception. Do I see the significance of Simon’s Jewishness while I’m reading the books? No, but that’s why I like Hodkin’s, she makes some interesting points about the character and his beliefs, and that’s the kind of essay I would’ve liked to see more of, one that digs deeper into an aspect of the book or presents an alternative way of thinking about Clare’s writing, and I truly wish more of the authors took this approach. Couple of other shout outs, Kelly Link and Holly Black get props for writing the transcript of what could be a book club discussion about immorality, and Sarah Rees Brennan for the best essay of the bunch, one filled with not only humor and her unique take on the books but for actually putting forth some positive reasons for supporting the series.

Bottom line, I expected A Mortal Instruments Reader to discuss the books, present ideas and (possibly new) points of view, not offer generic analyses mixed with plot summaries. As editor, the responsibilities fall on Cassandra Clare to make sure of that, and I have to fault her for not doing more editing so this book isn’t just a collection of essays full of big ideas of tangential importance to her series like it’s turned out to be. So while a few essays are quite interesting, it’s a meh overall.

Tldr: Mortal Instruments fans aren’t missing anything much by skipping this book.

[Zero vi Britannia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Ends Right Now
sung to "It Ends Tonight" by All American Rejects

Cassandra Clare! You piss me off!
You really get on my last nerve!
Your stupid books! Your stupid plots!
I can't explain the fail at all.
The trees are used up
My mind is screwed up
Maybe it's best I leave this alone.
A weight is lifted
With this review
I give the final blow.
When I choose to read this
Please shoot me dead.
Not even editing
Would make this right
It's too late to try
This ends right now.

[Kaylee Magic]

I love Cassandra Clare books. I love her characters, her world, her writing, her hand at knee-slappingly funny snark. (I also love Jace and Will -- eeeeeeeeeeee! -- but I can refrain from gushing like a mad fangirl to make a point LOL.) And I love that she writes so much about the Shadowhunter world because I love reading it!

JUST WANTED TO SAY SO. Cassie, as long as you keep writing, I'll keep reading! Promise (: xoxo ♥

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 across this review because it might be easier to digest that way, because there's much ground to cover on the basis of this work for the dimensions it addresses (and the parts it doesn't).

Forewarning to those who may peruse this review: I am not a Mortal Instruments fan, per se. That might get a rise out of some of you, saying "Well if you're not a fan, why are you reading this, Rose?" The argument I'll make is that you don't have to be a fan of the series to read this, considering this is a compilation of short non-fiction essays about the MI series, but you will have to have read the series, or at least know enough about the series' events, to pick this up. (I qualify as the latter, because I haven't read past book 2, and I still have to write a review for that.) Otherwise: SPOILER WARNINGS aplenty.

Also, if you're a die hard fan of Cassie Clare - the writer, you're probably not going to like some of the things I have to say in this review. But I do believe in being honest and try to provide some constructive food for thought to the table. There are some things about this book that bothered me with respect to Clare's contributions to it. I'll address that shortly.

I'm going to keep the actual spoilers on TMI's series to a minimum and just reflect on the essays themselves. For the most part, "Shadowhunters and Downworlders" is interesting when you get down to the individual article contributors- the majority of them having some very interesting topics to approach, and the way of their approach being refreshing to read even if you're not entirely enamored with the series. The reason for this is because there's a conversational tone to the collection that provides a jumping point for a smorgasbord of topics. It's a conversation starter as well as - for some of the entries especially - an opportunity for the authors within to share what they liked about Clare's series. Coming into this, I knew that I would probably not see eye to eye with some of what the authors had to say, but I was looking for how well they made their points and the intrigue of the topic they had to cover, just as well as the way they presented that topic.

However, and this is a BIG however, I had many problems in this narrative, some of which significant enough to affect my reading experience of this in multiple dimensions. I'm not going to hold my tongue about some of the critiques because I think it's warranted with how the work comes across and with respect to it being the type of work it is.

One of them is having to tell Cassie Clare to take a step back when it comes to a book that's supposed to be other people talking about her work. I know she's the editor of this compilation, and I know that a great many of the authors in this compilation are close associates, writing partners, and friends of hers, but I couldn't for the life of me understand why it was so hard to let those authors' different contributions speak for themselves. Were those intros to each essay really necessary? I didn't think so. Matter in point, I found them extremely distracting - I call it breaking a fourth wall or maybe something along the lines of a Natalie Cole effect.

Here's a tangent that I'll explain: Natalie Cole had a TV movie done of her life that showed a while back on TV - I think it was Lifetime or something of that measure. She starred in it, which was actually an aspect that was fine with me, particularly when the movie came to the present day and she's shown embracing parts of her life after a series of ups and downs. But what I couldn't get over in the portrayal of that movie was that she would, in certain parts, show up to "narrate" the things that would happen to her while looking directly at the camera, as if she's addressing the audience directly. Now there's nothing to say if someone can make that technique work for them, but more often than not, it had the tendency to throw one out of the movie - because it breaks the flow of the narrative and calls into question what method to tell the story within: a documentary, a fictionalized re-enactment, or a personal narrative? It tries to go for all three, but never settles into either of them, and it doesn't help getting into the shoes of what it's trying to portray: the singer's life. That's not intended to knock Natalie Cole as a singer and a woman of her respective accomplishments and accolades, but more of the way the film comes across.

That said, the intro narratives, if you will, made by Clare before each essay in this collection, came across as distracting, pretentious, and didn't offer much that each respective essay couldn't have done by its lonesome. I think a far better alternative would've been - since Clare did the Intro to this collection - to include brief thoughts about the essays within that one section, and then left the rest alone. It's something that I've seen in a few writing collections where the author contributed thoughts to a collection of critical essays about his/her work.

This series of articles are from people who do - collectively speaking - like the MI series, and use dimensions from the series to approach a wide array of topics. Some of these were hits - such as talking about Jewish practice, or the history of tattoo art or the importance of place in a narrative. Others were a complete miss - such as establishing how incest is...healthy (Ick! - pun intended). I'll address the ones that stood out the most to me, for better and worse.

The collection starts off with "Unhomely Places" - an examination of the role of place in a story. Kate Milford, author of "The Boneshaker," eloquently expounds upon her own experiences with place, cites examples of how City of Bones forms a firm sense of place with within New York, as well as how place shapes identity in a number of different ways. I enjoyed the expansions and examples she used within the text.

Michelle Hodkin, author of "The Unbecoming of Dara Myer", caught my attention to the detail she used in her article: "Simon Lewis: Jewish, Hero, Vampire", because personally I did like Simon's character in TMI and she does a good job working the details of Jewish practice while delving into some personal insights with the character and the trials he faces in the narrative.

Rachel Caine's (Not) For Illustration Purposes Only was probably my favorite contribution among the collective essays, because she gives so many interesting details on the history of tattoos and establishes her points well for what she liked about the TMI series. She's very humorous while informative.

Sara Ryan's "The Importance of Being Malec" was an interesting piece spanning multiple topics: the incidence of GLBT literature in YA (which I think could've been even further expanded upon, but was informative for what it offered), the relationship between Magnus Bane and Alec in the MI series, and an interesting focus on Magnus's attire which I didn't expect. It covered a lot of ground and I found it interesting to read.

Rounding out the collection was Sarah Rees Brennan's "What Does That Deviant Wench Think She’s Doing? Or, Shadowhunters Gone Wild." I'll admit that title alone made my eyebrows raise. I read it was probably somewhere halfway between laughing and saying "Oh Sarah, you so crazy," to shaking my head. It was very hit and miss considering her voice for humor, and it's not as serious as some of the collection but I still found it worth the time taken to read.

The remaining collection of narratives are respectable and noteworthy in many of their chosen topics, but I have to bring attention to one of the articles in this that really had me conflicted after I read it - I could see some good points in it, but I also saw a lot of muddled/mixed messages in it. It's a shame because I love Kendare Blake's writing - especially considering how much I liked "Anna Dressed in Blood" and "Girl of Nightmares", the latter I finished not long ago. But Blake wrote an article which is probably the most controversial out of this group of essays. It deals with the matter of the suggested incest between Clary and Jace in the MI series. The article: "Brotherly Love: Jace, Clary, and the Function of Taboo" left me feeling conflicted about reading the article, but I wanted to give it a chance. Particularly noted, the blurb for "Shadowhunters and Downworlders" notes that this work examines "the benefits (no really) of incest in literature."

Uh...that's not a good selling point, to be blunt about it. But Blake, to her credit, begins the article on an interesting note: saying in so many words that readers like to see characters struggle through conflict and that "happy couples are boring." But then the article goes on to say that Jace and Clary "overcome the taboo of sibling incest, and they do it without ever crossing the grossout line."

I'd like to raise some contentions to that. First, I always thought that TMI raised the incest measure as merely a plot point for conflict, and to me that felt like a cheap form of playing upon the reader's sentiments. So it horrified me when I read in Blake's own words:

"Okay, so the incest taboo functions as an effective romantic obstacle."

No, it doesn't.

Incest in itself is a complex moral issue with a lot of weight (something that Blake later says in the article, which I commend her for), and it's not easy to delve into those moral lines without people getting freaked out. Even with respect to V.C. Andrews "Flowers in the Attic" - the portrayal of incest was an enactment of sexual desires that the brother and sister could not act upon because they weren't raised in a normal social environment (and I think that was addressed in the book as well). The "Taboo as Titilation" section of Blake's article made me side eye the screen, because incest isn't necessarily shown to titillate as much as it's shown for conflict and how that conflict is seen and approached in itself, which is ultimately what drives a story. It can be a point of arousal for the reader that can come in different forms. Nota bene: I'm not saying "arousal" meaning sexual arousal, but rather the measure of drawing up strong emotions associated with a stimulus or set of stimuli. That can be an event, a conflict, a physical/emotional/mental stimulus of sorts with due consideration as to why that response comes about.

How that conflict/arousal dynamic is portrayed can make the difference between whether a story dealing with incest pulls the reader into where the characters are mentally - showing why they think/feel/act in the ways they do - or leaves the reader feeling...well...icky. Or maybe just plumb annoyed.

Anyone who watches anime remember the series Marmalade Boy? The series that had so many love quadrangles it would like to have made one's head spin? (Hey, don't judge me, I liked the series! Though I honestly haven't seen it in years.) Anyone remember the last season when they were in America, and close to the end of the series there was an alarm of sorts where Yuu distanced himself from Miki because of a certain revelation that turned out not to be true?

That was, to me, an example of when the taboo/controversy wasn't used effectively. In the series, Miki and Yuu already weathered however many barriers to their relationship since the beginning - many of them quite plausible. The best friend that pines over the girl, the girl who pines over the new guy, the best friend who pines over the guy who doesn't know she exists? All plausible conflicts, and ultimately it's those ups and downs that allowed the viewer to get closer to the characters through the duration of the series. Then there was the awkward navigating to try to say how they felt, and the share of heartbreak at the revelations that came to pass. The unfolding events were even to the point where they had friends break/make up and end up going into their own relationships to speak of. But by the time that particular controversial element was added, it just felt like a vehicle carelessly thrown in for conflict.

I personally felt that way about how Clare introduced the incest angle in TMI - because it seemed like it was thrown into the foray for the conflict rather than actually dealing with the sentimental and moral repercussions of it. Granted, in TMI there is some back and forth in the complication of Jace and Clary's relationship after the "incest" reveal, but to say it's meaningful or justified? I'll agree to disagree on the portrayal, but I still didn't like how Blake tried to explain it initially. And even in latter parts of the article, it's awkward.

I think the argument was a little more sound as it made reference to the nature of conflict and how it functions in a story. Yet, I was pretty skeptical of the justification between the role of incest between Jace and Clary's relationship versus Jonathan and Clary's relationship and how somehow the latter was more negative than the former. With an issue like incest, you may have differences in the degrees of the relationships and intent, considering character relations and their respective interactions, but to try to segment something that's already a significant social/societal/moral taboo in its own nature is difficult. And considering that the taboo is portrayed in a false light ultimately - functioning as a barrier to Jace/Clary's relationship - it makes it even more manipulative, really. The matter's shown as more of a vehicle rather than a conflict with due moral weight.

I don't know, I have a feeling that Blake's article is going to be seen in a multitude of different viewpoints, and while I can see certain angles of her argument, it didn't sit well with me.

On an overall note, I think this compilation was worth reading for its better moments, but not without a fair share of cons to consider with it.

Overall score: 2.5/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Smart Pop/BenBella Books, Inc.

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Suzzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The researcher in me loved the analyzing of the shadowhunter novels by other authors. Enough of a shadowhunter book to get me through till May when the next novel comes out.

[Nasty Lady MJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

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 really about (I'll give you a minute to go to the bathroom and empty out your stomach's contents).

That being said, the book is essentially a collection of essays about Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series edited by Cassie Clare herself.

And that's where a lot of my problems with the collection lies. I think it might have seemed like a good idea at the time to have Clare edit the book, but it had to be one of the dumbest choices the publishing company made. I'll talk about this more in the worst feature part of the review. But let's just say, I think Clare overlooked many of the very obvious problems that most editors would've easily caught.

Yeah, it was that poorly edited.

And yeah it's an ARC. But ARCs at most are suppose to only have typos so it's really no excuse.

Besides the various editing and formatting problems, the essays themselves were a bit of a stretch. The worst one by far was Kendare Blake's essay which was called "Brotherly Love". This is the incest essay. Blake already was dealign with a difficult subject matter and I felt like she failed in trying to prove her point. Look, don't try to say that incest is okay. No matter how you try to spin it, it's not going to come off as sounding right. Maybe if the essay was worded better it would've came off better. But instead, I just wanted to shake Blake and Clare who chimed in about how romantic the whole incest thing was.

Romantic.

Romantic.

Romantic.

Really, incest is romantic?

You have to be kidding me.

Deep breaths......

Okay, I'm calm enough to continue now.

What makes you think incest is romantic Clare and Blake is it:

A) The biological defects that children that are produced from incestuous unions will have.

B)The fact that there's no one closer (biologically speaking) than a sibling.

C) The emotional power struggle that occurs in these relationship--i.e. they're emotionally and often physically and sexually abusive.

D) All of the above.


I bet Cassandra Clare answers D. Actually, I really think the incest plot was a cheap trick if anything else. A cheap disgusting trick on Clare's part. And I hear it's not the first time she's used incest as a plot device in a story-i.e. she had a Ron and Ginny fan fic ironically named The Mortal Instruments (yep, Ron and Ginny did the nasty. You can run to the bathroom again, I'll wait before I continue).


Now that your stomach is completely empty, I guess I'll talk about the rest of the essays. The biggest complaint I had aside from Clare's poor editing skills with these essays was that they were very loosely connected to The Mortal Instruments series. In other words, they reeked of bull shit. Someone wanted to write an essay about New York and inserted Clare's book series in there so they could make a little money. This occurs over and over again. There's an essay about John Hughes movies. An essay about Judaism. An essay about growing up. All of these things are apparently connected to the book series....And yeah, I guess you could say they did a good enough job showing these connection, but I've seen better explanations on Ancient Aliens.

I will say this though, you could often tell who was the best writer by their quality of essay. Robin Wasserman's essay "When Laws are Made to be Broken" was well crafted despite the fact that it was a huge stretch.

I think if I learned anything from this book is that The Mortal Instruments shouldn't be analyzed unless it's comparing Clare's original work to her fan fic.

Best Feature: Essays. I'll admit it, I do like the idea of a collection of essays. I was an English major, after all, and spent the better part of four years writing this sort of crap. However, I felt like most of the essays would've gotten subpar marks due to their poor use of supporting evidence (quotes are good, but you need more than a half dozen blocked quotes to give your essay merit).

Worst Feature: It's edited by Cassandra Clare. At first this might seem really cool. The author herself has picked these essays out and edited the. But in reality it makes the book very skewed and bias. Here's the thing, I took a literary studies class back in college which focused on the history of literary criticism. When one analyzes a book, the author's opinion of the book is given little thought. Sure, it's relevant to cite it. But when you get to the nitty gritty of it, it's how society views the book itself. And yeah, there are two different schools on criticism-The New Critics and New Historicism-but none of them really involved the author's view of the book. More like looking at just the text alone or society's views of the book from various different perspectives. Besides that, Clare did a pretty terrible job editing. Other than the editor's notes she put in before every essay where she basically stated how wonderful she and The Mortal Instruments series was, she really didn't do that much work. The formatting is God awful in this book. I get that there are multiple essays by different people but there should really one citation method. Either use footnotes or don't use them. And if you're going to use MLA or Chicago style, stick to one and use it properly. It's not rocket science. Especially since there's a little website known as Easy Bib.

Appropriateness: Hmm, do you think reading an essay about how incest is appropriate? I thought so. Really, there while these essays were pretty much essays. That particular little essay had me wanting to bathe myself in bleach.

[♥ Alexia -Team Malec ♥]

Come on! Can everyone stop with the whole 'Cassie, the shadowhunters are getting old.' people write because they like there writing. And anyone else who reads it is a bonus! Stop getting angry, we write so we can read, it has nothing to do with other people. and i'm actually quite excited for this book. Stop ruining it for me.

[Veronica Alvarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25
What a delightful surprise!
I thought it was kinds the shadowhunter's codex, but noo
So... I really liked this book, what I think of it, I think about honestly because for me it has a really kinda "harsh" reviews and Cassie it's like meh, it doesn't have so much Shadowhunter content, but if you just want to geo out a little without really get out of the shadowhunter book THIS IS IT

[Masha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fun to read these essays, a short dive back into the world of shadowhunters and downworlders; my favourite world and my favourite characters.

[bookaholic_kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very informative read.

The Mortal Instruments series is one of my fave series ever! and reading this guide book have widen my knowledge about shadowhunters and downworlders.

Moreover, Cassandra Clare further explained some things about the characters from their personalities to the weapons they use.

You would know more about your favorite characters in this guide book.

I recommend it to all TMI fans out there!

[Shawnee]

I'm actually very happy that Cassandra is coming out with more Shadowhunter stuff. I mean, a lot of series end to early and you want to know what happened next, but their are no more books or whatever. It just kind of leaves that world hanging by a thread in your brain until finally the thread unravels and breaks, making the series no-so memorable. But Cassandra is wanting her books, her world, her characters to live on in our hearts and minds. She is writing to tell a story, and her story is bigger than we thought it was going to be. So thank you, Cassandra Clare. I love reading your books, so you just keep on writin' em girl. If no one else, I will be the first in line to buy your latest Shadowhunter book. :)

[Andre · Rating 1 out of 5]

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 with how her books came to be, respectively where she got the idea from. Whether her story is true I cannot tell but personally I think the fact that she came up with angels and demons as the source for everything already speaks for a pretty low level of education in terms of mythology. And how runes are familiar and unfamiliar enough to be mysterious… Yeah, someone apparently got influenced too much by fantasy already to see runes for what they basically are. A letter is a letter, no matter how it looks.

And clearly she seems pretty delusional regarding her characters, since she writes this about them:
"I knew I wanted the story to center on a tough, strong girl with a reckless streak and a big heart. So Clary was born. I wanted to give her a best friend who would always be there for her, since the romance of a great friendship has always fascinated me. Along came Simon. And I’ve always loved the fair-haired rogue with a biting sense of humor who used that humor as a defense mechanism—and then there was Jace. Brave Isabelle, thoughtful Alec, zealous and misguided Valentine, supportive Luke, wise and wild Magnus, all came along gradually, spinning relationships between themselves as they grew."

I agree that Clay is reckless, but tough and strong? She is totally whiney and has to be rescued time and again. A big heart? She is only obsessed with Jace, she yells at her mother who is barely out of a coma, she barely visits the man who was like a father to her after he was mortally wounded. She basically forces her best friend to comply with her reckless plan, she barely even considers the feelings of other people and I can't remember when she ever says "thank you". In what way is that "a big heart?"
And what "romance of a great friendship" was there between Clary and Simon?
"The fair-haired rogue with a biting sense of humor who used that humor as a defense mechanism?" Is she talking about Jace the arrogant asshole?
That Isabelle can be considered brave, if stupid, I can agree on and Alec… in the first three books maybe, but not book 4-5. Luke being supportive… yes, but actually a bit too passive for a father figure. Valentine zealous and misguided, I would agree on that. And Magnus being wild… well fickle and drama sure, but definitely not wise. Not even remotely, he acts like someone barely out of puberty.

She admits that the term "mundane" comes from Dungeons and Dragons gamers, so it's not her own invention, one of many. Furthermore she sees Clary as belonging to this "The hero starts off in a mundane situation of normality from which some information is received that acts as a call to head off into the unknown." First Clary was never truly in a mundane situation, she barely had any friends, we barely know of hobbies and technically her mother had put her under a spell every 2 years. In addition she writes as though she is the first one to put the characteristics of "recklessness, bravery, dedication to a cause, willingness to self-sacrifice, a certain heedlessness" on a girl. She is not; and she seems unaware that what she describes there is not so much a hero, but rather an idiot. In addition she sees Jace as a sort of "secondary hero," who "is often the one counseling caution." Caution? Counseling? He rushes into danger and causes it nearly as much as she does and basically has to rescue her sorry ass time and again.

Apart from that there isn't really anything about how these books came to be. Not truly how even the ideas came to be actually. It serves as a small insight into Clare's head, but not as an explanation on how her books came into existence.

Now the first chapter "Sharper Than a Seraph Blade" by Diana Peterfreund:

I had to smile a bit when she wrote "Honestly, she drops that thing more often than Stephanie Plum forgets her gun" when referring to how Clary constantly loses her stele. She has a point there, considered that her rune powers are her greatest weapon, apart from being a dumbass in distress, you would think she would keep a tighter grip on that thing, or have it attached to her clothes or a cord, or even have more than one stele.
However that the fact that Jace being so physically powerful was never realized by anyone prior to City of Ashes (the second book of Clare's in the MI series) seems to have escaped her totally, despite the fact that it makes no sense. Which I took as a bad sign. And I think I was right because in her mind Jace's biggest weapon is humor. Wow, and here I thought it was his arrogance and looks.
Peterfreund (is that really her name?) seems to be in love with Jace, considering his "humor" to be some sort of coping mechanism that is good for everyone. She states "When things look particularly dire, that’s when his jokes get particularly harsh." And this is a good thing why exactly? And she assumes that laughing at an enraged Forsaken monster is a good thing to get it to do something dumb… Small problem: according to the books Forsaken are humans who got runes edged on them. These runes make them enraged because they hurt terribly; it drives them crazy and lets them attacking anything. How can you get something like that to do something stupid by laughing at it? I personally think that Peterfreund sees more depth than there actually is. That Jace's laughs enrage all of his enemies time and again is rather a sign of Clare's bad writing skills, because at least some of them, especially demons like Abbadon (seriously, that name?) should have enough experience not to fall for that.
But there is more, she basically excuses Jace's asshole attitude by making him a victim: " See, Jace never learned how to flirt properly, because he was raised by a murderous sociopath.
First it was never stated how much Jace was mistreated. He was often neglected for sure, but in either case he had left his father when he was ten and since them had lived with the Lightwoods. Now consider that most people don't remember anything consciously prior to their third year of life you can say that Jace lived 7 years with Valentine and 7 years with the Lightwoods. Blaming everything on Valentine is definitely not appropriate here. The Lightwoods are not perfect, but Peterfreund acts as though they had no influence on Jace in any case. Also Jace never seemed to have had problems in flirting with other girls prior to Clary. So in what way did he never learn to flirt "properly?"
The more I read of this chapter the more obvious it was that Peterfreund fancies Jace and interprets thinks into situations that aren't there. The way the Seelie Queen forces Jace to kiss Clary and the way Clare later lets her say that all Shadowhunters are siblings in her eyes (so that she can say that the Queen didn't lie), rather speaks for the Seelie Queen to be a plot device than anything else (the same with the Fearless rune, with it Jace never seems to have any trouble due to reckless behavior). Also it seems she can't remember correctly because she states that "Jace escapes from that little encounter only after being forced to make out with his “sister” in front of her boyfriend, his family, and the entire faerie court." First it was not "his family" since that would include more people than just Isabelle and Alec, but in either case the "entire faerie court" was not present, they were in the queen's own room, with only a guard being there. If she interprets stuff she should know what she is writing about.
Apparently everything Jace does is humor to Peterfreund no matter what. And he is such a great guy in her eyes, never mind that if really everything he says when he is "snarky" is humor, that means he has no sense of appropriate and inappropriate and either has no empathy or downright doesn't care to act upon it.
She really constantly emphazises how great Jace is. This is not an analyzes or an interpretation, it is a fan girl portraying her hero in the best possible way.
She doesn't even seem to realize how often she is wrong. She writes " And though Jace kills Agramon on Valentine’s ship, the demon does a fair amount of damage to Jace first. Oh really? Which damage? Some talking? Shouldn't that not have been possible due to Jace's fearless rune? And either way Agramon got down way to easily for a Greater Demon, this made me for the first time question how these things are supposed to be dangerous. But Peterfreund doesn't see that as it seems.
Really the main problem with this is chapter is that Peterfreund makes this stuff look way deeper than it actually is. No idea why, I guess she simply ignored what did not fit her opinions, I think that way of handling it is called confirmation bias. Well that and that she is totally in love with Jace. She even states " Every time Jace makes a sexy joke or brags about his physical prowess in that arrogant tone she’s grown to love, Clary’s confidence in her mission to rescue him from Sebastian is shaken. Maybe this is the Jace he was always meant to be: happy, funny, madly in love, pure in thought and purpose. Since when is arrogance something you love? Or is she supposing that Jace is not actually arrogant, that is it just a ruse or something? Then why act that way with your friends and loved ones? Peterfreund isn't able to analyze one bit as it seems:
"Oops. Lesson learned, folks: Sometimes your hilarious boyfriend would rather be unhappy and unpossessed than otherwise. (In fact, when she goes to apologize to him at the end of the book, I initially figured it would be for squealing to Sebastian, not because she later, completely justifiably, stabbed him with a sword soaked in heavenly fire. Because, let’s be honest here, which part of that deserves an apology? Obviously the part where Clary is a total tattletale.)"
Is she serious about this? Who learned a lesson here? Apparently not Clary and probably not the reader since Clary's behavior is regarded as totally justifiable and supposedly so is the fact that Jace simply gets over that betrayal. Fans seem to state that he simply loves Clary and that is why he forgives her. Apparently Clary's betrayal is not worth mentioning.
And gosh just when I thought it couldn't get worse with Peterfreund she proves me wrong:
"Except she doesn’t really mean it. Because in truth, she loved the sarcastic, arrogant, annoyingly funny Jace—loved him so much she almost let him stay bound to Sebastian rather than risk having him revert to the humorless drone she’d had the misfortune of dating when he was under Lilith’s possession in City of Fallen Angels."
First Clary didn't actually date that "drone" in the book, he was only under the Lilith's "possession" for a short period of time. Before that Lilith was "only" influencing him. It wasn't a possession. Also apparently in Peterfreund's mind being arrogant and "annoyingly funny" (what does that even mean?) is something positive and loveable. And apparently it is something good to have your boyfriend being controlled rather than free as long as what you "love" about him stays intact. I know no word to describe how wrong that is.
And the end of this chapter trumps it all:
" Now there’s a scary thought. After all, Jace did warn Clary that, under Sebastian’s influence, he might “burn down the world…and laugh while he’s doing it.” How very Jace, to make even the end of the world into a joke.
What does she want to say with this? That it is good to be laughing all the time? That jokes are always good? That making the end of the world into a joke is something good? I am out of words… well nearly out of words.

The end of the chapter says that Peterfreund is an author of adult and teen books. Really? Doesn't look like it to me.

That is all of the book I have read and I must say that was already enough. It was only the introduction and the first chapter and already there is so much to criticize, actually that is not all what I said here, but either way, this must be a record for me. So I say: Stop!!! No more.

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Out of 5 Stars

First of all, I didn't expect this to be essays, that was kind of a shock and that ruined the first two or three essays for me. To be fair they weren't all that entertaining but still.

I enjoyed some of the essays though, but some of them were boring and just unnecessary to me. It was nice to hear other authors views on the books and I loved Sarah Brannens writing.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 separately, I would not recommend it. It contains many quotes and series information that would spoil revelations discovered through out the series.

I am a huge fan of the Immortal Instrument Series and found the insights enlightening and very enjoyable. Comparing my comprehension, of a series that I’ve read repeatedly, to other opinions was extremely fun and exciting. When I re-read a series it is always exciting to discover something new I missed. with Shadowhunters and Downworlders, you are given a fresh view point that may or may not agree with what you’ve discovered…but wonderful to visualize in your imagination just the same.

This ARC copy of Shadowhunters and Downworlders was given to me by Netgalley and BenBella Books, Inc. - Smart Pop in exchange for an honest review. Publish Date January 29, 2013.

For more reviews check out my blog Tome Tender.

[Ria · Rating 4 out of 5]

i just had to get it.
there are some errors in the essays but what do i know.

"But Jace knows Alec so well that he picks up on his friend's budding relationship with Magnus when no one else does."
....girl the closet was glass what are u talking about who didn't know

[Choco Con Churros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bueno... lo primero comentar que esto no es una guía para nada, no sé por qué pone eso en la portada.
El "Códice de los Cazadores de sombras" sí que era una guía.
Esto son comentarios de diferentes autoras (la mayoría de las cuales escribieron libros a los que les tengo ganas) desbarrando un poco sobre distintos aspectos de la saga que les llamaron la atención, desde la extrañeza de vivir en un mundo que de pronto descubres que en realidad es diferente a lo que creías (ese estuvo interesante), a reflexiones sobre que Simon era Judío, comparando sus aventuras como vampiro con las vicisitudes históricas del pueblo judío (lo que a mi entender demuestra que si te empeñas en condiciones, puedes deducir casi cualquier cosa de casi cualquier texto), pasando por comparaciones de la relación de Simon y Clary con películas dulzonas de los ochenta y extrapolando de esas 4 pelis y el libro, toda una hipótesis de género, y otros desbarres varios, alabanzas a la cuota de variedad racial, sexual, etc de la saga, reflexiones sobre la atracción por el incesto, o loas a lo maravilloso que es Jace y lo malo que era Valentine (este último con algunas reflexiones sobre el personaje, que me parecieron interesantes).
Hubo un par de comentarios de estos que estaban bastante bien pero enredados en todo lo demás, puede que pasen desapercibidos, pero la mayoría llegan a conclusiones que son más imaginarias que otra cosa, en absoluto deducibles de lo que Cassandra Clare publicó de la saga. GL (Shadowhunters)

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shadowhunters and Downworlders


Well, this was so not what I expected.

[Naoms · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. Unhomely Places - Kate Milford ⭐⭐
2. The Art Of War - Sarah Cross ⭐⭐⭐
3. Sharper Than A Seraph Blade - Diana Peterfreund ⭐⭐⭐
4. When Laws Are Made To Be Broken - Robin Wasserman ⭐⭐
5. Simon Lewis: Jewish, Vampire, Hero - Michelle Hodkin ⭐⭐⭐⭐
6. Why The Best Friend Never Gets The Girl - Kami Garcia ⭐⭐⭐
7. Botherly Love - Kendare Blake ⭐⭐⭐
8. Asking For a Friend - Gwenda Bond ⭐⭐⭐
9. (Not) For Illustration Purposes Only - Rachel Caine ⭐⭐⭐✨
10. The Importance of Being Malec - Sara Ryan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
11. Villains, Valentine and Virtue - Scott Tracey ⭐⭐⭐✨
12. Immortality and Its Discontents - Kelly Link and Holly Black - ⭐✨
P.S.: Had to dock a full star because of Kelly Link's use of the phrase "sexual preference."
13. What Does That Deviant Wench Think She's Doing? Or Shadowhunters Gone Wild - Sarah Rees Brennan ⭐⭐
Et tu, Brute? - Can we kill the phrase "sexual preference already? Thanks

[Blue Butterfly · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Tita [TMI News en Español] · Rating 3 out of 5]

-- No spoilers --

Este libro es un análisis a fondo hecho por diferentes escritores sobre el mundo de Cazadores de Sombras, creado por Cassandra Clare, quién, por cierto, ha editado el ejemplar.

Cada escritor se centra en un tema concreto: El incesto, Simon (vampiro y judío), por qué Clary es una heroína, Jace y su sarcasmo como arma de defensa, Nueva York como un personaje más del libro, la importancia de la amistad, el arte, el humor y la rebelión, y más temas que nos hemos encontrado en los 5 libros publicados hasta el momento.

Basándose en ejemplos de la saga como en otros libros para poner los temas en perspectiva, este libro es un tutorial estupendo para entender en profundidad el mundo creado por Cassandra y que a veces nos cuesta leer entre líneas algunos detalles de lo esta genial escritora. Cada escritor se ha tomado de manera muy seria su tema y lo han desarrollado largo y tendido, con una escritura fácil de leer y rápida.

Personalmente el capítulo de Sarah Cross "The Art of War" y el de Michelle Hodkin "Simon Lewis: Jewish, Vampire, Hero" son los análisis que más me han llamado la atención y gustado :)

[MELISSA *Mel Reader* · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC provided by Netgalley.

I am sorry to say as much as I LOVE TMI this book wasn't really for me. It just wasn't what I was expecting. I enjoyed a few of the contributions in the book, but for the most part it was just various authors giving their point of view on the series. It was a lot of story recaps of scenes from the books & they dissect all aspects of the books. They tell where different ideas originated from & also try to relate a lot of the stuff that happens in the books to real life.

-But the most meaningful true-to-New York of all is the way the city is such a compelling, uncanny beast and forces Clary to adapt. This is why, despite the titles, Clary Fray's story isn't about the hidden cities of bones, of ashes, of glass. Her story is about New York, and about a girl finding her place in it and learning to love and trust it again even though it has kept so much hidden from her.

-Clary's New York is both the one she grew up in and the one she didn't know existed and yet can't unsee or deny.

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

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 seem enough? Let's opt in a prequel Clockwork Angel, Prince and so on. You know, we have a prequel, now we should have a sequel! And here comes the new upcoming series. Hey, you know what's a good idea? Let's add some companion books!!!! NONONO!!!!!! That was my first thought/scream. I love them but this is dragging. STOP NOW!

For me this book was boring and just not readable. End of story.

[biblioceraptor]

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...actually, no. That would taint my mental picture of the rest of the series forever.

Ugh, it's 2am. I should not be on here writing crap at 2am. Do I even want to read this damn thing?!?!?
It's like, 50 Shades of Grey AGAIN. Why is the taint of that book in everything I come across nowadays?!!?! And I haven't even read it yet!

[Jennyfer Sandoval · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encanta! La recopilación de ensayos te muestra una perspectiva increíble de la saga de libros, te da datos extra que no sabías y te muestra cosas que están ahí y no son tan evidentes. Algunos ensayos me hicieron reír mucho jaja. Y otros por el contrario son muy serios y te hace ver este gran mundo de Cazadores algo único e inigualable.

Este es un libro que a cualquier fan de la saga le va a gustar y va a disfrutar.

[Caahpinotti ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

⛅️⛅️ ~* It was super interesting to see an in-depth analysis of The Mortal Instruments events 😴 ⛅️ I'd recommend Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader to everyone who also loves this series !

[Danna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Los ensayos del colegio me daban dolor de cabeza. No los entendía. Y creía que todos los ensayos hechos y por hacer en el mundo ¡Eran lo peor! Pero, claro, todos cambia si los ensayos te hablan de inmortalidad o cuan importante es que los libros de Cassandra Clare te enseñen que puedes ser quien quieras ser. Los ensayos escritos en este libros están hecho por autores de los cuales quiero leer muchos de sus libros y leer lo que opinan sobre el mundo de Cazadores de Sombras me ha hecho no poder soltar el libro.

[Amy Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would! I went into the book thinking it would be good and interesting but it was even better than I expected! And it's really made me want to read the mortal instruments again now even more than before! :D