A review by artemisg
City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

adventurous sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Oh my god, shut up, Clary. Oh my god, the Clary and Simon relationship makes me so mad, but not as mad as the continued incest. Oh my god, everyone sucks. Truly, the only moderately tolerable character in this book is Max. Actually, that’s a lie, Cassie just somehow made her two main protagonists the most infuriating characters of all time. Clary is a bad friend, a bad daughter, and kind of a misogynist lmao. Jace is just annoying. The supporting characters have my support - mainly because they aren’t IN LOVE WITH THEIR SIBLINGS.
Spoiler Look, I know they aren’t actually siblings, but they don’t know that and still want to run away and be together or whatever.
Anyway, I digress. This book efficiently and effectively introduced the Herondales; I have to commend Cassie for that. It also plays to my found family-loving heart.

The one thing this series does well is found family (and adoptive family), I stand by the Alec and Jace duo being so wonderful, and it’s nice to see Clary try not to be such a bitch to Isabelle. The banter and general bickering are actually quite entertaining sometimes, even if it’s so so unrealistic.

Also, vampire Simon is such a slay, Daylighter supremacy, tbh. Absolutely obsessed with Jace saving Simon’s life as well.
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