i hate this series

[[deleted user]]

I really wanted to ike this series, i even read up to the third book. I know so many people who love this series. I just couldn't get into it. Am I the only one?

[Louise]

Oml SAME. I began reading it two years ago and somehow got through 4 of the books before being forced to stop reading them as I must admit I wanted to throw the book away. Her style of writing actively prevents you from becoming engaged in the story and constantly "wakes you up" from the reading-phase.
I also find the love story really awkward and it completely distracts from the main plot, even though that probably isn't the intention. She had a fantastic idea but she completely butchered it with the awkward relationships and the terrible writing.

[Carey]

Inga-Marie wrote: "I really wanted to ike this series, i even read up to the third book. I know so many people who love this series. I just couldn't get into it. Am I the only one?"

I think I kind of ruined reading this series because I read the Infernal Devices first. Although there aren't any spoilers, the Infernal Devices were written after she was done with book four of TMIs, and so her writing style had evolved and developed - as with any author. However, when I went to read City of Bones, I felt that it had too many plots and themes floating all over the place and was more for drama than plot. I felt like the characters were just poorly developed and against added more drama than plot. I made it through City of Ashes, but was put in a very bad book slump and never picked up the third book. I know this might sound harsh, but the writing in those first two books was so immature and unprofessional - it felt like something you would expect on a FanFiction site rather than a published novel. I also feel like she dragged this series out for as long as she could - it was originally only supposed to be three books, then she added three more - and how many spin-off series and novellas now? I just feel like the author really cheapened the books all around and although I LOVE the Infernal Devices, I don't think I will ever pick up another TMIs book.

[Louise]

Carey wrote: "Inga-Marie wrote: "I really wanted to ike this series, i even read up to the third book. I know so many people who love this series. I just couldn't get into it. Am I the only one?"

I think I kind..."

Yeah, I agree. The writing was sloppy and unprofessional. I can't say anything about Infernal Devices as I've never read the books myself, and was very against it when I'd read TMI, but although her writing improved I don't think it improved enough to be called good writing. At least in my opinion it is mediocre at best. It felt choppy and awkward.

[Eureka]

Inga-Marie wrote: "I really wanted to ike this series, i even read up to the third book. I know so many people who love this series. I just couldn't get into it. Am I the only one?"

Same, i read the first two books, and i've been stuck with the third book since january i think, and i just cannot get through. And at this point i honestly don't even care anymore, even though i really wanted to like it, since so many people love this series. Kinda sad, but i tried

[sabiha]

I hate it too but i keep reading and finishing them in 3 days because i don't know why.

[Samantha]

I honestly just find this series extremely hard to like. Despite the whole concept of a universe with shadow hunters, werewolves, vampires, and demons sounding very compelling, the way this series is written somehow makes it very uninteresting. But, I think the main problem that really pushed me over the edge to full on hate this series is because of the characters that the book is based around. I personally feel like as much as a good plot is important to a book, having great and inspiring characters to support that plot is also very crucial to the success of a series. Which is where I think that this book and this whole series falls short. While reading, I could just feel myself getting annoyed at Clary constantly as she continuously made horrible choices, always made everything about her, and just played the boring role as the heroine with no real personality besides being aggravating to me. Still, I was willing to get past her flaws and continue to read the book because I can get over a flawed main character if everything else is good. However, what I can’t get over is the terrible love triangle, the love interest, the bland side characters, and just everything about so many of the characters in the story. In fact, (unpopular opinion) I find Jace to be one of the most irritating and unlikable characters I have ever read. Unlike many others, I don’t feel as if his sarcastic “bad boy” demeanor is appealing or original. I find him to be annoying and cringe and his relationship with Clary never clicked with me. I also find Isabelle and Alec to just be bland and very one dimensional characters, not really contributing much to the book besides just being there so that Clary can have more friends to help her best Valentine and such. But, what I just can’t get over is how annoying the romance is; I just don’t get it. Clary and Jace happened so fast I couldn’t even process what happened before it already happened and then she was already moved onto Simon. Like what? But still, I actually liked Simon with Clary more then Jace just because he seems to be only character who is (sorta) redeemable because he actually has a personality (still a stereotypical nerd like one though). However, that doesn’t excuse the fact that it is just all wrongly paced and all over the place in my opinion. I really enjoy stories that have a built up romance that takes time to happen where characters slowly reveal who they truly are which leads to a more involved understanding between the reader and the characters involved in the relationship. Not ones that happens in the course of a story (especially if it is included in long series much like this one). I just feel like the Clace ship sailed so fast that I couldn’t even board on fully which only caused me to hate it even more. I feel like if the author just slowed down and didn’t jump ahead into shoving romance down the readers throat right away then I could’ve liked Clace. But, instead here we are. To continue, I also just don’t feel like any characters had original personalities or love archs which usually doesn’t bother me because hey don’t get me wrong I love me a cliche bad boy turns good for girl (Jace and Clary) or brooding boy turns soft for the extrovert (Alec and Magnus, I actually liked the relationship I just didn’t find it very compelling or noteworthy) if it’s well written and has depth behind it. However, in this case it just doesn’t work with this series. I want everyone to know that I tried to like this series after hearing so many good things, I really did, I even watched the show on Freeform after giving up on the books because I thought something was wrong with me and desperately wanted to join in on the love towards this series. But, even on the show, the same issues that I found to be insanely distracting to the intriguing plot in the books somehow just carried over and I found myself not being able to watch. It’s truly saddening that I find myself on the opposite side of the tracks when it comes to this series because like I said earlier I do find the plot to be cool and entraining (I mean who doesn’t like a little angsty fantasy) but I just can’t do it. And after countless attempts at trying to get into this series I alway seem to end up with the same conclusion after finishing: I just wasted my time. Sorry for this long rant I just have had so much to say about this series for so long ☠️. Thank you!!

[[deleted user]]

I read up to the third book, but they are so many things wrong with this series from the slow then rushed storyline to underdeveloped and cliché characters. I WANTED TO LOVE THIS SO MUCH AND I AM RELIEVED TO SEE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE.

[c.]

I don't hate it. But I also don't like it. I love Simon and Isabelle though. I finished reading the series because I was curious about how it'll end. The author's writing style is kind of not that easy to understand and as we progress towards the story it gets more and more confusing. The only book I enjoyed was City of Fallen Angels because of Simon.

[Maddie]

I actually read the whole series mainly because I found the concept interesting, but I have to agree this felt more like a work of fan-fiction than an actual published work. The writing has a terrible flow and the characters are highly uninteresting. The prequel series is better though and written with a little more professionalism.

[Jillian]

When I had first read this series, I agree, the characters were barely developed and it seemed like Jace's personality was everywhere and I couldn't figure it out because it kept changing, but as the book went on Cassandra Clare definitely got better at writing and it was not a problem anymore. Also her "newer" series like TMI or TDA are definitely good and have none of these problems. TMI is REALLY good which is very impressive if you think about how hard it would be to write something set before you lived. TDA as well. TMI is definitely my least favorite shadowhunter series so I do kinda agree with this.

Maybe the reason you don't like it is because you just don't like that style of writing, which is fine. I just want you to know that although the first couple of TMI books (or some might argue all) were bad, Cassandra Clare is a VERY good writer.