(Mortal Instruments #2)Author: Cassandra Clare
Format: Paperback
Pages: 411
Genre: Young Adult, Urban fantasy, Paranormal
Published: 7th July 2008 (Walker - UK)
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.
Needless to say, if you're considering reading City of Ashes, the second of the Mortal Instruments series, then you've most probably read the first one, City of Bones, and therefore know how amazing this series is. If you haven't read it then why not, seriously, it's awesome! =D
I always find that second books of a series are hard to review. As a book on it's own, City of Ashes would be right up there with my favourites but saying that, it didn't quite live up to the first one. Don't get me wrong, I loved reading this, it just didn't have the fresh, excitingness of City of Bones.
Cassandra Clare is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. Her characters are amazing for a start. I love that the Shadowhunters, while technically the 'goodies', are a little bit bad-ass (especially Jace) and that the 'baddies' aren't necessarily always bad. without going full-on nice. There's a whole grey area between good and bad in these books and to me that makes it all the more realistic. Clare has a way of ensuring her books don't just follow the same old kind of stories that so many YA and paranormal books do. There's twists and turns that catch you out at times but also clues because half the fun of it is trying to work out what's going to happen - and that superior feeling you get when you got it right! Top that off with witty dialogue, character development and some exciting action scenes and you've got an awesome read.
My review of City of Bones
