Reviews

Every few years, I feel a pull from the universe to revisit the Mortal Instruments series. While I never resist this urge, I’d never missed these characters as much as I did this time around.

For some unnecessary context, I considered this particular series my personal "Roman Empire" for quite some time. However, everything changed when I stumbled upon the TOG series late last year, and it completely flipped my world around. Currently, both series hold a very special place in my heart, and I must admit that I'm overly biased towards them. Just to be clear, the series is not without its flaws, but I prefer to view it through rose-colored glasses that I cannot seem to take off.

The first three books in this series are so familiar and comforting to me that I can replay the entire plot in my head for fun. However, my memory of Books 4-6 was hazy.

That being said, I believe City of Lost Souls is the best book of the second half of the series, maybe even the entire series. I cannot express in words how important Not Jace is to me. It's truly remarkable how he manages to be the ultimate loverboy, even when he is under demonic influence. Jace's self-torment, which spans all six books, can be challenging to get through because it's unfair to see him be so unforgiving of himself. He is but a boy navigating his complicated emotions in an even more complex world. Watching him come into his own is awesome.

Clary's growth in CofLs was truly remarkable! She was bold, clever, and her greatness seemed to soar to new heights. She could be impulsive at times, but in a good way, and you could see how people began to love her for it rather than resent her. The novel had many memorable moments, such as the iconic fight scene in the antique shop in Prague, which showcased her skills as a Shadowhunter. There was also the underground club scene where her interactions with Jace were steamy, and her one-on-one encounter with Sebastian was both eerie and enlightening. The pacing of the novel was excellent, and things really started to heat up when

Clary betrayed Jace for wanting to surrender himself to the Clave. This was followed by the epic showdown between Sebastian and Clary, just before the Infernal Cup ceremony, and then the climactic moment when Clary unleashed Glorious on Jace. It was an absolute rush!

I barely remembered City of Heavenly Fire, so it was like a first-time read. Arguably, it read a little slow at times, with some parts feeling like filler, but it was definitely their greatest adventure yet. It was no surprise that Jace was still incredibly selfless and self-destructive. To see Sebastian so down bad for Clary was somewhat incomprehensible to me. I think his jealousy and obsession with his sister was a weak plot point. Simon established himself as the star of this series. He is practically Jace in a different font, and he doesn’t even know it. Despite his continued sense of otherness, Simon was loyal to his friends, sacrificing his life (multiple times) without hesitation to save them. I would erect a statue in his honor if I could.

I have yet to read any of Cassandra Clares' other works because when I first read TMI sometime in 2016, I was narrow-minded and too obsessed with these characters. City of Heavenly Fire solidified my intrigue about the Blackthorns and Carstairs, so I'll indulge in the other series soon!

bumblebeegirl17's review against another edition

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5.0

This series is my favorite thing of all time from the books to the show to everything I think even if you don’t think it’s for you you should definitely try it out as my friends know this series is my obsession so I highly highly recommend

8bluebutterfly8's review against another edition

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5.0

City of Bones
I really enjoyed my reread of this book. There were smaller details that I forgot which were interesting to read about again such as Izzy's horrible cooking, Simon saving the gang, and the motorcycles fueled by demon energies. I also forgot how mean Alec was to Clary in the beginning. The introductions to Magnus and Raphael were great even though we don't get to learn much about them. This book has much simpler writing and plot than the rest of Cassandra Clare's books but is still enjoyable.

City of Ashes
I liked my reread of this book the same amount as my first read through. Jace is really annoying in this one but his character definitely improves over time and as you get to know him better.

Spoiler

It is really sad that Jace’s last remaining living relative dies right as he is finding out that they were related. The ending was really intense and it's interesting how Simon gets his ability to go into the sun. The Seelie Court is an interesting setting even though the characters have a bad experience there.

Maia was introduced in this one and it was interesting to see how quickly Simon and she started becoming friends. I wish there was more of Izzy in this book.

City of Glass
It was nice to reread this book as it allowed me to catch a lot of details, I missed the first time around. I simultaneously hated, felt bad for, and liked Jace in this one. There were a lot of backstories given about several of the past circle members given. Magnus was only there for a few moments but the entire time he was there I was excited to see what he was doing. I really liked Simon’s character in this book as he was there for his friends and willing to sacrifice himself to save everyone.

City of Fallen Angels
This book was a fun read even though all of the characters were having some rough times. Pretty much every single character was going through some hard things during this book and I contently felt bad for them. I listened to this book as an audiobook and for some reason, the voice actor of Simon was hard to listen to. Other than that this was a great reread. I'm excited to continue with the rest of the series.

City of Lost Souls
This book had a lot of good memories that I had forgotten about.

Spoiler

Simon calling up the angle was such a boss move. I find it really funny that his first thought after seeing the angle was that he looked like Jace. The moving house was really cool. I would love to have something like that so that I could just instantly move to anywhere in the world and bring all of my things with me without packing. Malec fighting was the saddest thing.

I went much slower with this reread and was really able to notice all of the small details which made the reading experience much better. Can't wait to finish the series!

City of Heavenly Fire
What an ending to the series!! I loved all of the references and foreshadowing to The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices series respectively.

Spoiler

I am so glad that they were all able to make it out of the demon realms without anyone other than Sebastian dying. It was so heartbreaking to hear that Simon wouldn’t remember anything of the Shadowhunter world, but it was so sweet of him to sacrifice himself in place of Magnus. It was really sweet seeing Tessa and Jem happy together after so long. Especially when they were fondly remembering Will.

Looking forward to starting The Infernal Devices series!

maya_b's review against another edition

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3.0

I’ve not read the book set of the mortal instruments, but rather every book on it’s own, but it’s been years, and I’m not able to rate every book on it’s own or give a detailed review, so … here I am.

I read the first few books about ten years ago, and I know that I enjoyed them. The incest plot line was stupid and very much unneeded, and at some point I could have shot Jace or Clary because I found them so annoying (you have no idea how annoying, just every time one of them appeared I wanted them gone so badly), but apart from that I quite liked it. I actually liked the banter Clare wrote, and could laugh at a lot of the jokes, and I did like Jace’s cocky attitude, at least in the beginning.
I think the romanticizing and sexualization of the incest was horrible (and there’s A LOT of it

Spoiler

(seriously, Jace/Clary, Jace/Alec, and when that wasn’t enough we get even more real incest with Sebastian/Cllary, wtf?!)

), but the villain I thought was decent and his motivation actually made sense to me, and the story in itself also felt alright, I guess?

But then in the later books something happened, and … I’m not exaggerating, when I tell you, that I complained to a friend for TWO STRAIGHT MONTHS, because I hated it so much. That was about seven or eight years ago.

Spoiler

It was because of how Alec tried to essentially kill Magnus, which I didn’t think was handled very well and I don’t remember a lot, but I do remember that I thought it was very out of character for him at the time.

I managed to read further after a break of a few months, and … I’ll be quite honest, Clare kind of managed to save the situation? I forgave her for the thing I hated so much, because I actually liked where it went.

Spoiler

I am talking here about the breakup, that, in my opinion, was the best thing she could have done. Alec is my favorite character in the book, but I thought he absolutely did not deserve Magnus after what he did, and the fact that Magnus didn’t forgive Alec but straight up told him “I love you, but that does not change anything”? Great. Absolutely amazing. Loved that. Set boundaries, it’s the only right thing to do.

Only then it did not stick, and everything went horrible again, and I … I seriously started reading the last book of the series about 2016, I think, right after finishing the fifth, and at some point I just couldn’t take it anymore. I tried, I really did, but every time I thought about picking up the book and continue reading, I just couldn’t. And then finally after almost six years I managed to read the book, purely by the fact that I did not take it seriously anymore.

I actually had a lot of fun doing that in the end, because the epilogue first recapitulated the events of the first few books (which I found alright), then the events of the last book (which I found a little bit ridiculous), then the events of the epilogue (at which point I just lost it), and after I concentrated on that it was actually alright. But I did not enjoy the journey towards this, and I did not like how in the end everything suddenly had to be perfect and there had to be an explanation for everything and suddenly everyone was nice

Spoiler

(I’m talking here about how Robert suddenly seemed to have a reason to be homophobic that made no sense, and also if it did, it would not excuse his behavior at all.)

, and … I just didn’t like it.

In the end:
I thought the story was alright.
I thought the villains were decent.
I think Clare writes decent dialogue.
I actually liked how sometimes Clare foreshadowed things.

Spoiler

For example Magnus’s father was kind of obvious even before she pointed it out explicitly, and I quite liked that.

I disliked almost all (if not all) relationships, because I thought those were very unhealthy.
I very much disliked the incest.
I felt like at the end of the story a lot of characters hadn’t really grown.

Spoiler

Especially Alec, which is what in the end absolutely destroyed the book for me, because I felt like him and Magnus had not changed enough to try again. I love them as a couple, I really do, but the fact that Alec got Magnus back and it didn’t feel like he had learned anything? Hated that. I do want to see them together, they were my favorite couple in the beginning and still kind of are, but I thought they needed about at least a few years in which Alec could grow on his own, and then after that if they tried again, they would make a great couple, because Magnus would not hold all the power by being more experienced in everything anymore, and Alec wouldn’t feel so insecure about everything anymore. I really think they could be great for each other, but the way it was in the books? I don’t feel like they really learned anything, and I still think they’re really unhealthy for each other and should first learn how to be decent people without one another, before they started dating again.

The Mortal Instruments as a series has been with me a long time, and for that alone it holds a place in my heart and I can’t just get rid of it or hate everything about it, it’s too important to me personally, but I can and will absolutely still talk hours about how much I hated it at the end, whenever it comes up.
Wouldn’t recommend reading it, not ever, but also know some people who loved it, so … make of it what you will, I guess.

ruby_rose_reads's review against another edition

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5.0

I LOVED this series so much. The characters, the plot, and the world were all amazing. I'm so sad it's over! One of my new favorites. <3

_butfirstbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

For those who are captivated by a different world where the unimaginable is real. Angels and demons, vampires and werewolves, warlocks and faeries. All these exist. Where no one is just ordinary, but extraordinary. A series based off the works of books like Dante's Inferno and Paradise Lost, with a twist and references to angels and demons like Lilith and Lucifer who reign over hell. A fantastic read that will keep the reader turning the pages not wanting to put the book down. You will fall in love with the characters, and see yourself relating to pretty much each one. A book that blurs the line of being a good person and doing evil things, sacrifices, love and betrayals, friendship and family and becoming the person you are meant to me. I highly suggest those who want to get lost in the world of Shawdowhunters read the series and then if you want, watch the TV Show, Shadowhunters. Both will not disappoint you.

win_no_glory's review against another edition

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3.0

Was alright - struggled through some places and the writing wasn't the best but it was worth it for the spin off series and the world that she created.

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