Series : #1 Mortal Instruments
Author : Cassandra Clare
Rating : * * *
Characters : Clary Fray, a six-teenager, discovers at a club that she can see a handful of supernaturals that no one else can see. Simon Lewis is Clary’s best human friend despite how much he is in love with her. Jace Wayland is hunky shadowhunter, orphaned at a young age and living with the Lightwoods. Isabelle Lightwood is Jace’s adopted sister who is both beautiful and obnoxious. Alec Lightwood is the oldest of the gang, but has no demon killings to his name. And so, so many more—can be confusing at first.
Setting : New York where tame werewolves roam and vampires attend parties put on by warlocks.
Basic Plot : This is more Buffy than Twilight. Clary gets drawn into the world of shadowhunters and as a result much of the plot snags on long descriptive passages to set up the world of the shadowhunter, the shadows hunted, and Clary’s part in all of this. Basically the shadowhunters use tattoo like markings for their supernatural powers to protect and fight against demons. Clary’s mother has disappeared and the more Clary learns of the invisible shadowhunting world the more she recognizes her mother’s secrets. Her quest in this novel is to find the mortal cup and keep it from a rebel shadowhunter.
Comments : This is a book that hinges on the urban fantasy genre. If you like that genre you will like this book. There are plenty of fantastical battles with swords gleaming/glowing and demons to spare. Unfortunately the dialogue is jarring—feeling all to forced in some parts, while being overly witty here and entirely bland there. I found the characters shallow with little personal development throughout. The plot is predictable and the “twists” and “turns” are more like a complete turn around leaving me as a reader confounded and frowning. However, I did finish reading the whole book, as well as the other books in the series, so I can’t say it was a total bust. I would recommend this for ages 13+ with the violence and monsters.
Similar : Hush, Hush (Becca Fitspatrick) Graceling (Kristin Cashore) Beautiful Creatures (Kami Garcia)
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