City of Ashes

City of Ashes
Author:Cassandra Clare
Pages: 453
publication date:March 25 2008


Summary:
Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.




Review:
Each book in the mortal instrument series gets better and better as I read them.
City of Ashes is the second book in the mortal instruments series and boy was it action packed.

We got Valentine and his army of demons ready to kill the shadowhunter, we got Jace, the boy who thinks he’s invincible, and then there’s Clary the stubborn red haired girl that does whatever she wants.

I do have to admit Clary does annoy me just a tiny bit, when someone tells her to stay put or not interfere she just goes right ahead and does what she wants. Not caring if it puts others in danger or not. I’m not saying this is always a bad thing. In some cases Clary has helped save people from danger on her stubborn impulses but it does get quite a bit annoying at times when she doesn’t listen.

The second book was much more emotional for Clary, Her best friend was kidnapped by her own father (Valentine) and taken to kill for his blood, and Jace is struggling with his emotions as he deals with the emotional balance with his “Father”.

I noticed that Jace wasn’t Jace in City of Ashes, he wasn’t as sarcastic and fun loving as he usually is, he turned into a brooding, take pity on me, Jace. I still love Jace but really?

The relationship between Clary and Jace get even deeper, there’s more at stake, and there feelings deepen. There love is forbidden, who doesn’t love forbidden love.

Clary has gotten stronger as a shadowhunter and character as the book advanced, no longer was she the scared girl who didn’t know what to do. She found out her and her brothers have powers that no one can even believe. In the big battle (shadowhunters against Demons) Clary created a rune to destroy the whole ship.

Valentine is evil yes, he still has emotions though, Valentine can even fight his own battles, he gets his demon army to do it while he tries to kill his own family, and turn Jace against them. What annoyed me was that Jace thinks he’s actually Valentines son. There are so many hints in the book, and yet nobody figures it out. Come one people, your shadowhunters.
Thanks for letting me rant in this review. I do love the book and it definitely deserves all of the wonderful reviews it’s getting. I love this series.

4/5 stars