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City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)

Cassandra Clare

Start date: July 22, 2013

Finish date: October 22, 2013

Discussion leader: Elise Shaw

Why we're reading this: I just bought this book to read because I heard lots of good things about the series , there's a movie co…more
[close] I just bought this book to read because I heard lots of good things about the series , there's a movie coming out it the next few months so I'd like to read it before I see the movie :)

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Oct 11, 2014 Shadows n Secrecy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: shadowhunter-chronicles

This review is going to be mainly on the movie.

That movie… Oh my god. I loved it. I’m speechless. It was incredible.

I.N.C.R.E.D.I.B.L.E.

A lot of things were very different from the events of the book - the way all movies are. It was like compressing a 4-day read into a 2-hour movie. I reckon they did a very good job. I saw the movie as a story separate from the book, with the same context and occasionally same quotes. It was phenomenal as an individual story, as well as a invaluable addition to ...more

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Apr 12, 2014 Edacheeky rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-to-movie, fantasy, movie-to-be, drama, havent-even-read-this-yet-omg

Ok so I'll give this book a 3.5/5.
I did enjoy it a decent amount - the plot was exciting, the characters were interesting. But, I think that the book was too long. Some bits dragged on and could have been summarised. There were points where I was just waiting for the chapter to end, then there were other points when, after finishing a chapter, I was compelled to read the next chapter. The book is very different to the movie and the TV show. I watched both before reading the book and it caused me Ok so I'll give this book a 3.5/5.
I did enjoy it a decent amount - the plot was exciting, the characters were interesting. But, I think that the book was too long. Some bits dragged on and could have been summarised. There were points where I was just waiting for the chapter to end, then there were other points when, after finishing a chapter, I was compelled to read the next chapter. The book is very different to the movie and the TV show. I watched both before reading the book and it caused me to have different expectations of it that were neither satisfied nor unsatisfied since the book was so different - maybe it's the mood of it mainly, idk. I might've enjoyed this book more if I'd read it as a 14 or 15 year-old, I can definitely see myself liking it more then. I can definitely see how Clare's writing improved significantly later on due to the fact that I read The Infernal Devices - which was amazing btw - before reading this, and they were written and published a while after this book. I've been told that I need to push though the 1st and 2nd book of the TMI series and then it gets good, so I'll be continuing reading the series.
Maybe I struggled with this book a bit simply because I was just incredibly impatient to read Lady Midnight - which is currently staring at me on my bookshelf -, but I didn't want to read it without having read TMI. Still, I think TMI was different and unique despite certain cheesy aspects that are present in most YA. I just pushed past all that stuff and focused on the good bits. I really like Simon's character and Jace's sarcasm and humour (view spoiler). Clary was not as annoying as the typical heroine in YA, she was sassy and unique.
About the whole plagiarism thing regarding Cassandra Clare, I can definitely see the connections between the Harry Potter World among others and The Mortal Instruments, but I think that this is merely nothing more than her inspiration, and I think that is fine. I don't know about her copying direct phrases but I'm just going by what I can see.
And, with regards to the romance, I'd rather not speak about it for more reasons than one.
I think the only thing that really managed to annoy me was some of the similes that were repeated over and over and certain phrases that were overused as well:
I don't know why but I'm just really bugged by this simply because it's said every freaking chapter like 10 times. Seriously, how much can you say "Don't.", like do you not know the word "No." or even "stop." or at least say a full sentence like "don't touch me." I mean for all I know you could be trying to say don't [anything]. honestlyyyy every f***ing chapter Jace is like "Don't." I haven't used "Don't." as a single-word sentence ever. Well, I might've a few times in my life, but f***ing come on it's like it's Jace's favourite word or something!! Ugh anyway, rant over, lol. Sorry for the profanity but yeah it just got a bit annoying after a while.
And for some reason every dude smells like salt and blood, or something similar like wtf is there some shadow-world cologne/perfume called "Salt & Blood" or some shit, like come on, the dudes probably just smell like sweat tbh after all that fighting.

Anyways, yeah nah the book was overall enjoyable, I'd recommend it for young teens as they'd probably enjoy it the most.

previous review before reading
Although I haven't read this book yet, after reading countless negative reviews on this book as well as certain posts about "Clare"'s plagiarism, well, i don't know what to think, but if it's true, then I honestly don't think I'll spend any money on this book by "Cassandra Clare" (Apparently her real name isn't Cassandra Clare, it's Judith Rumelt.) Weird. The lengths some people will go to to rise to fame and satisfy their own pride are just shocking.
I don't know the truth but I sure hope this stuff about Clare isn't true because if it is, then seriously, how low can you get?

Oh and I watched the movie and it was okay. The romance was a bit sappy. Oh well, I might still end up borrowing and reading the book to see what all this drama is about. ...more

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Jul 17, 2013 Elise Shaw rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Jul 22, 2013 Elise Shaw rated it it was amazing

Jul 03, 2015 Suzanne rated it liked it · review of another edition

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