City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2) in Mortal Instruments & Infernal Devices Lovers!

Jul 08, 2011 Julie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bookclub-reads, outdo-yourself-challenge-2013

City of Ashes starts out with a an action scene and pretty much doesn't stop. While the first book was slower and focused more on developing the background, this book doesn't waste much time rehashing the world building and just jumps right in. This book was definitely darker and more sinister than the first, with our villain Valentine going after another of the Mortal Instruments and murdering Downworlder children to use their blood for his evil plans. We also learn that Valentine did something City of Ashes starts out with a an action scene and pretty much doesn't stop. While the first book was slower and focused more on developing the background, this book doesn't waste much time rehashing the world building and just jumps right in. This book was definitely darker and more sinister than the first, with our villain Valentine going after another of the Mortal Instruments and murdering Downworlder children to use their blood for his evil plans. We also learn that Valentine did something to his children, even though he supposedly never even met Clary, and Jace and Clary discover their really cool abilities, somewhat accidentally on Clary's part, and are able to use them to fight back. I really like Clary's ability, she's definitely the more behind the scenes of the two since Jace is all about action, so I think their abilities fit them very well.

I really enjoy dark and emotionally intense stories, that's why I prefer the paranormal genre - bad stuff happens to all my favorite characters and that makes it all the more fun to read. I love when my characters go through something so difficult and then are able to get past it and let it make them stronger. I think some of that is happening in this series. Jace and Clary, who found out they're brother and sister at the end of book 1, are crazy in love with each other and don't know what to do about their forbidden romance. They're both fighting their feelings and trying to give into their feelings at different times in this book, and that was getting annoying to me. Unless the author is planning on having them get together despite everything, this brother-sister unrequited love plot line should stop. But this is probably the only thing I didn't like about the book. But back to the dark and emotionally intense - Simon! If you thought Simon getting turned into a rat and kidnapped in book 1 was bad, wow wait until you find out what happens to him in this book. I'm not going into any spoilers but omg I did not see any of that coming. Poor Simon! He really does go through a lot of.. um.. changes? in this book but I think in the end it will be alright. His story is definitely the most interesting one for me, with Clary's abilities a close second. I'm excited to read book 3 for next month's discussion, especially since this one ends in a bit of a cliffhanger about Jace and Clary's mother! ...more

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Jan 04, 2011 Nurlely rated it it was amazing

Jace's point of view! Jace is the character I love most in MI series, and having Jace's point of view of every scene will be my great happiness in reading the series.

AWESOME!

Merged review:

I loved this book. Since my imagination went along with the characters, Jace and Clary mostly, I also felt the pain Jace was feeling after realising that Clary was 'forbidden' for him. How his heart ached for Clary, the way he became a suicidal nephilim warrior. I also hated the episode where Clary went along w ...more

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Nov 02, 2010 Julie rated it it was amazing

I am so glad that I started reading this series after the first 3 books were written because the author left us wanting more and I was happy i didn't have to wait for the next book to be written. Again an excellent story and the charaters are lovable and you are rooting for them to make it. ...more

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