City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
Reviews
wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much as i did. truly had a fun time reading this. the world building is simple but easy to understand. the ‘magic’ system is unique and nice. the characters were enjoyable. and the ending was really shocking. i saw some of it coming but not all of it.
Mouth was gaping wide open during the last part! Finally started this series and very motivated to finish it!
“If you wanted me to rip my clothes off, you should have just asked.”
The writing was really good in this one. However, there was nothing overly special but still a nice read and I was heavily disappointed by the hype. Oh, also the maybe incest thing was really fucking weird. Also, the magic system was weird and not explained thoroughly. I had no idea what was happening half of the book.
wow. prostě wow. musím uznat, že cassandra clare mi v celém čtení nadělala pěkný guláš, se kterým jsem ani v nejmenším nepočítala. jediné, na co jsem přišla, bylo to, kdo je clary otec, ale zbytek... uf, snad ještě nikdy jsem nebyla takhle zmatená z toho, co se v knize stalo. vážně autorce smekám, protože teďka vůbec nevím, co je pravda a co není. další věci, které se mi kromě konce líbily, byly třeba hezké popisy. autorka popisuje až poeticky, používá hodně uměleckých slov. pro někoho by to bylo až moc, ale mně to nevadilo. postavu jace zatím nemám moc ráda, ale nevadí mi to, dokáže být vtipný, takže ho překousávám. trochu mi vadila ER-forma vyprávění, ale na to si taky brzy zvyknu. takže abych to nějak shrnula.. překvapilo mě to. příjemně. hodně jsem se bála, že se mi to nebude líbit, že se do čtení budu nutit, ale k mému překvapení se to četlo vážně moc hezky a je to originální nápad, celé to zabíjení démonů. ještě jsem to v ya knize neviděla. . dávám 4,5*/5* a doufám, že další díly budou jen a jen lepší :)
Been going through a reading slump of sorts so I decided to revisit the series I used to love at 13 and I’m pleasantly surprised at how well this book reads despite its age. While there are moments in the book that is very telling of the book’s age, overall I didn’t feel that it totally poisoned the well.
I heavily enjoyed the world building and the consistency of the characters’ personalities although it was quite hilarious how Cassandra kept trying to insert random Latin phrases to evoke the feel of “old magic.”
Of the many things I’ve come across and rediscovered from this book, it’s probably my love for sarcastic banter and brooding male leads with a massive hero complex that I have this book to blame (or thank).
Reread February 2020
not me reading this in 2020
This wasn't so bad like how people tell it to be. I was very hesitant to read TMI considering all the hate and criticism this gets from most of the readers on booktok, but I surprisingly LIKED it, and regret putting it off for a year, but not like enough to give it 4 stars. I've always loved fantasy books and this was a fresh start for me. I also now I perfectly understand why you had to start with this book first before proceeding to any of Cassandra Clare's other Shadowhunters series (like what I did, reading TID and TLH first). It provides explanations to her world-building such as the Clave, Downworld, The Accords, etc. Just some parts I just didn't like: 1. Clary lowkey being a pick-me girl. (I understand that this was a trend back in the days of early fiction books, but it's gotten old, and shouldn't even be written anymore) - though it's completely understandable since this was written back in 2008, and this was one of Cassie's first published books, so I'm looking forward to Clary's character development. 2. Girl-on-girl hate. (Again, this trope is perfectly common in the early mid-2000s fiction books, but it shouldn't be here anymore because Clary was sarcastically referring to Isabelle like a slut MULTIPLE TIMES for dressing in her own girly style and for having a beautiful body and being an expert with boys) - Cassie should've just described Izzy differently. She didn't have to "lowkey" sexualize her. SHE'S 16. 3. The Incest Trope. (I knew what I was getting myself into, so I'll just make fun of this trope till I find out why Jace and Clary are not really siblings and only she is Valentine's daughter because I'm aware that he is a Herondale and is SO MUCH like Will) What I liked: 1. MAGNUS BANE 2. Alec being annoyed with Magnus (their banter and THE SPARKS OMG) then Alec just smiling, laughing, and making jokes with Clary 3. Jace and Alec's parabatai bond is cute and I can really tell that they're very close in a sense that they grew up together and knew each other very well. 4. Isabelle's personality is very intimidating and I'm starting to like her for it. 5. Simon Lewis. He's someone I would want as a bestfriend. 6. Valentine is actually an interesting name for a villain and I really want to know his plans for The Mortal Instruments, now that he got away with the cup. P.S. I don't understand why Clary gets so much hate with the implications that she's very annoying. I was simply irritated that she was a lowkey 'pick-me girl' among other things, but she really wasn't as I anticipated and her reactions and constant questioning about everything were valid and accurate for a 16-year old girl whose life was suddenly turned upside down by the fact that she's not entirely human. She is still a CHILD. Her immaturity and impulsiveness is natural. She will grow and learn, so let's just allow her to act like a child and not get mad at her for it.
LATEST REREAD This is so sad. It feels like I'm saying goodbye. My preordered copy of CoHF arrived last night and it's so big, and it made this feel real. It's ending. I will never again reread this series, these characters, with something new. I know there will be TDA and TLH and TWP but none of those are TMI. And if Cassandra Clare manages to recreate the effect of these books in all those, I just might die of reading because these books make my heart beat in a unhealthily erratic fashion. PREVIOUSLY READ ON GOODREADS MAY 10, 2013 I love all the antics of Jace and Clary, and basically, the entire series. it's been awhile since i've actually read this one, but i'm gonna say it right now: If you haven't read this series, then get off the internet and go read it. RIGHT. NOW. DATES OF FIRST THREE READS UNKNOWN
"Ciudad de Hueso" de Cassandra Clare es el primer libro de la serie "Cazadores de Sombras", una saga que ha cautivado a lectores con su mezcla de fantasía urbana, acción trepidante y romance paranormal. Publicada por primera vez en 2007, la novela introduce a los lectores en el intrigante mundo de los Cazadores de Sombras, seres mitad ángel, mitad humano, destinados a proteger a la humanidad de los peligrosos seres sobrenaturales. La historia sigue a Clary Fray, una adolescente de Nueva York que se ve inesperadamente inmersa en este oscuro mundo cuando presencia un asesinato demoníaco en una discoteca. Este incidente desencadena una serie de eventos que revelan la existencia de criaturas mágicas, como vampiros, hombres lobo y brujos, que coexisten con los humanos, pero permanecen ocultas a la vista de estos últimos. Clare construye un universo fascinante lleno de mitología, magia y conspiraciones. Los personajes principales, incluyendo a Clary, Jace, Alec e Isabelle, son complejos y evolucionan a medida que la trama avanza. La relación entre Clary y Jace, con sus giros y vueltas, añade un toque de romance que atrae a los lectores más jóvenes, mientras que las intrigas y los secretos mantienen la atención de aquellos que disfrutan de una narrativa más intrincada. La prosa de Clare es fluida y accesible, lo que facilita la inmersión en este vibrante mundo paranormal. La acción se desarrolla rápidamente, con batallas contra criaturas sobrenaturales, descubrimientos de antiguos secretos familiares y desafíos emocionales para los personajes. En resumen, "Ciudad de Hueso" es un inicio emocionante para la serie "Cazadores de Sombras", combinando elementos de fantasía, aventura y romance en un cóctel irresistible. La novela establece las bases para una narrativa expansiva que ha capturado la imaginación de los lectores, convirtiéndola en un fenómeno literario dentro del género de la literatura juvenil.
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare is the first of the Mortal Instruments series. It opens with Clary Fray seeing something unbelievable at the Pandemonium Club. Her eyes open to a parallel society that involves vampires, werewolves and other magical creatures opens her to danger. To make matters worse, her mother goes missing. For the first 2/3 of the book I enjoyed figuring out the mystery along side Clary as Jace tried to show her the ropes. Much of the world building is done through Clary's education. And then it goes pear shaped, becoming a Frankenstein's monster mashup of Scooby Doo, the Wonder Twins and Star Wars. Except for the first two seasons of Scooby Doo, I'm not a fan. This mash up was not a good thing for me. Seriously, the YA twin trope has to die a horrible death. The sooner the better. I have the remaining books in the series because my husband read them first. I do plan to finish the series, but I'm not as enthusiastic about that prospect as I once was.
A list of every awkward simile (and a couple metaphors) in Chapter 1 of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare He had electric blue dyed hair that stuck up around his head like the tendrils of a startled octopus. It bent as easily as a blade of grass bending sideways. The boy slid past him, quick as an eel. [….] where the sun hung limp in the sky like a burned cinder. [….] long hair nearly the precise color of black ink. [Note: normally i wouldn’t flag this, but the author could’ve just said that the character had inky black hair and been done with it.] He could already feel the power of her evaporating life coursing through his veins like fire. The girl was a pale ghost retreating through the colored smoke. [….] their colored hair extensions tangled together like vines. The blue-haired boy straightened up suddenly, snapping to attention, like a hunting dog on point. Through the darkness, smoke, and artificial fog, her pale dress shone out like a beacon. [Note: I would have written that the dress beaconed through the darkness, and so on.] In the faint light she looked half-transparent, bleached of color, wrapped in white like an angel. It would be a pleasure to make her fall… Her smile glittered like poisonous water. [Whatever that means] His tawny eyes glittered like chips of amber. [….] her black hair hanging down her back like damp seaweed. [….] whose hair gleamed like brass in the dim light coming through the windows high above. It was oddly translucent, the blade clear as crystal, sharp as a shard of glass [….] Jace turned the blade in his grasp, the edge sparking like a line of fire. [….] the blue-haired boy tearing at Jace with hands that glittered as if tipped with metal. Swift as a flick of Isabelle’s whip [….] and that was only the first chapter...
I’m torn on this one, I think my rating is closer to somewhere between a 2.5 and a 3. I didn’t instantly love it, but it was entertaining enough to keep me reading. It’s quite obvious this is the first book in the (very expansive) Shadowhunter universe, so I generally didn’t have far too high expectations. The characters didn’t pull me in the way the characters in The Infernal Devices did, but I’m looking forward to the next books to learn more especially about the secondary characters.
2,5 stars
Couldn't finish it. Just didn't capture my attention.
September 24, 2019 Edited rating: 2.75 STARS Lowering the rating for the first three books of TMI series because I just had some thinking and realizations dawned on me. THESE BOOKS HAVE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES I DIDN'T LET MYSELF SEE THE FIRST TIME!! But I did enjoy it at some parts, so there's that! ---- July 19, 2019 Second rating: 3.25 STARS May 11, 2019 First rating: 4.00 STARS I've been reading the first book of Mortal Instrument, City of Bones, on and off since last year. I don't know why but I just had a lack of motivation to continue this series. I felt the story was bland from the first few pages and its really hard for me to continue. Everytime I am in the mood to read again, I start from the beginning and only exceeded a few more pages to the part where I left off the last time before that. That was why I thought I would never finish this. But watching some booktubers offering some of their most favorite series/books and seeing The Infernal Devices included, I am somehow intrigued. But I can't just read TID without reading TMI, can I? And that was the motivation I was seeking for. I managed to finish the first book and ended up enjoying it. Blandness only stayed on the first part and thankfully began to REALLY develop as the story progress. And now I can say that I am now more than willing to continue the next books of this series.
City of Bones: 3/5 I don't think I need to say much about City of Bones because everyone and their mother has already read it. Honestly, I'm unsure why I left it for so long. I think I was just daunted by the sheer number of books Cassandra Clare has. If you're scared to start The Shadowhunter Chronicles, this your sign that you should! They're not as scary once you start. Cassandra Clare's writing is extremely approachable and fast-paced which I loved. Her writing style and storytelling ability is impeccable. That's really what made this book so great. Also, the concept of Shadowhunters is really awesome. The reason I'm giving it 3/5 stars is just because I wasn't super enthralled with the plot and didn't connect much with Clary or Jace. That being said, I think I would have enjoyed this book 100x more if I didn't already know the entire plot. I watched the movie prior to reading the book so I knew everything that was going to happen. That's not to say that it's bad or anything, its just my personal opinion. I wish I didn't ruin the plot for myself. Anyway, I'm excited to finally start this Shadowhunter journey!
ummmm... sjjjajsnaja it's just that particular ship... JSJJAJS like I already know the story and have read all of the rest of the series and know it gets better it's just... It makes me uncumfy
I must confess, when I first knew about this book, I read the first 20 pages and totally bored me, THEN, LIKE 2 MONTHS LATER after read a lot of reviews I decide to continue because I can't let a book unfinished like that without giving a real chance ... AND YES I FELL IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS AMAZING SHADOWHUNTER WORLD
Jace nodded. “Don’t want to overstay our welcome.” “What welcome?” Magnus asked. “I’d say it was a pleasure to meet you, but it wasn’t. Not that you aren’t all fairly charming, as for you-“ He dropped a glittery wink at Alec, who looked astounded. “Call me?”
This book is infamous in the young-adult book space. When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. This book’s writing is pretty juvenile but it makes it an easier and more accessible read for younger readers wanting to start reading more young-adult supernatural adventure stories. The world building seems lifted from more popular stories of this nature, but younger fans of supernatural stories won’t mind. The characters are colorful but Clary is a weak protagonist, literally and figuratively. I appreciated the world-building for what it was, but I do feel like this story would have been stronger had the protagonist been written to be more interesting rather than the typical young-adult female protagonist. I recommend this book for those who want to start reading the Shadowhunters books, with the caveat that it is technically the weakest book out of all the series.
Highlights
Facilis descensus Averno;
Notes atque dies patet atri ianua Ditis;
Sed revocare gradum superasque evadere ad auras,
Hoc opus, hic labor est.
Virgil, The Aeneid
Descent to hell;
Notes and days are open to the black door of Ditis;
But to retrace the step and escape to the winds,
This work, here is the work.
“Shotgun!” announced Clary as Jace came back around the side of the van.
Alec grabbed for his bow, strapped across his back. “Where?”
“She means she wants the front seat,” said Jace, pushing wet hair out of his eyes.
“That’s a nice bow,” said Simon, with a nod toward Alec.
Alec blinked, rain running off his eyelashes. “Do you know much about archery?” he asked, in a tone that suggested that he doubted it.
“I did archery at camp,” said Simon. “Six years running.”
The response to this was three blank stares and a supportive smile from Clary, which Simon ignored.
This is extremely funny to me.
“And I never looked at any of those girls like that! It was just something to do, a way to practice, until—”
“Until what?” Clary knew dimly that she was being horrible, the whole thing was horrible; they’d never even had a fight before that was more serious than an argument about who’d eaten the last Pop-Tart from the box in the tree house, but she didn’t seem able to stop. “Until Isabelle came along? I can’t believe you’re lecturing me about Jace when you made a complete fool of yourself over her!” Her voice rose to a scream.
“I was trying to make you jealous!” Simon screamed, right back. His hands were fists at his sides. “You’re so stupid, Clary. You’re so stupid, can’t you see anything?”
She stared at him in bewilderment. What on earth did he mean? “Trying to make me jealous? Why would you try to do that?”
She saw immediately that this was the worst thing she could have asked him.
“Because,” he said, so bitterly that it shocked her, “I’ve been in love with you for ten years, so I thought it seemed like time to find out whether you felt the same about me. Which, I guess, you don’t.”
He might as well have kicked her in the stomach. She couldn’t speak; the air had been sucked out of her lungs. She stared at him, trying to frame a response, any response.
He cut her off sharply. “Don’t. There’s nothing you can say.”
She watched him walk to the door as if paralyzed; she couldn’t move to hold him back, much as she wanted to. What could she say? I love you, too? But she didn’t—did she?
He paused at the door, hand on the knob, and turned to look at her. His eyes, behind the glasses, looked more tired than angry now. “You really want to know what else it was my mom said about you?” he asked.
She shook her head.
He didn’t seem to notice. “She said you’d break my heart,” he told her, and left. The door closed behind him with a decided click, and Clary was alone.
This would be a killer confession if I wasn’t rooting for a different ship.
“In future, Clarissa,” he said, “it might be wise to mention that you already have a man in your bed, to avoid such tedious situations.”
“You invited him into bed?” Simon demanded, looking shaken.
“Ridiculous, isn’t it?” said Jace. “We would never have all fit.”
“I didn’t invite him into bed,” Clary snapped. “We were just kissing.”
“Just kissing?” Jace’s tone mocked her with its false hurt. “How swiftly you dismiss our love.”
“Jace …”
She saw the bright malice in his eyes and trailed off. There was no point. Her stomach felt suddenly heavy. “Simon, it’s late,” she said tiredly. “I’m sorry we woke you up.”
“So am I.” He stalked back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
Jace’s smile was as bland as buttered toast. “Go on, go after him. Pat his head and tell him he’s still your super special little guy. Isn’t that what you want to do?”
“Stop it,” she said. “Stop being like that.”
His smile widened. “Like what?”
“If you’re angry, just say it. Don’t act like nothing ever touches you. It’s like you never feel anything at all.”
“Maybe you should have thought about that before you kissed me,” he said.
She looked at him incredulously. “I kissed you?”
He looked at her with glittering malice. “Don’t worry,” he said, “it wasn’t that memorable for me, either.”
Help, I don’t know what to feel reading this 😭😭
Clary held the cloth up, letting it unfold. “It looks awfully small.”
“It’s stretchy,” said Isabelle. “Now go put it on.”
Hastily, Clary retreated to the small bathroom, which was painted bright blue. She wriggled the dress on over her head—it was tight, with tiny spaghetti straps. Trying not to inhale too deeply, she returned to the bedroom, where Isabelle was sitting on the bed, sliding a set of jeweled toe rings onto her sandaled feet. “You’re so lucky to have such a flat chest,” Isabelle said. “I could never wear that without a bra.”
Clary scowled. “It’s too short.”
“It’s not short. It’s fine,” Isabelle said, toeing around under the bed. She kicked out a pair of boots and some black fishnet tights. “Here, you can wear these with it. They’ll make you look taller.”
“Right, because I’m flat-chested and a midget.” Clary tugged the hem of the dress down. It just brushed the tops of her thighs. She hardly ever wore skirts, much less short ones, so seeing this much of her own legs was alarming. “If it’s this short on me, how short must it be on you?” she mused aloud to Isabelle.
Isabelle grinned. “On me it’s a shirt.”
I remember this scene.
“You hate the Silent Brothers,” protested Isabelle.
“I don’t hate them,” said Jace candidly. “I’m afraid of them. It’s not the same thing.”
“I thought you said they were librarians,” said Clary.
“They are librarians.”
Simon whistled. “Those must be some killer late fees.”
I think I might have to revisit my thoughts on Jace.
He didn’t have Alec’s delicate cameo looks, but Jace’s face was more interesting. In daylight his eyes were the color of golden syrup and were … looking right at her. He cocked an eyebrow. “Can I help you with something?”
Clary turned instant traitor against her gender. “Those girls on the other side of the car are staring at you.”
Jace assumed an air of mellow gratification. “Of course they are,” he said. “I am stunningly attractive.”
“Haven’t you ever heard that modesty is an attractive trait?”
“Only from ugly people,” Jace confided. “The meek may inherit the earth, but at the moment it belongs to the conceited. Like me.” He winked at the girls, who giggled and hid behind their hair.
Clary sighed. “How come they can see you?”
“Glamours are a pain to use. Sometimes we don’t bother.”
The incident with the girls on the train did seem to put him in a better mood. When they left the station and headed up the hill to Clary’s apartment, he took one of the seraph blades out of his pocket and started flipping it back and forth between his fingers and across his knuckles, humming to himself.
“Do you have to do that?” Clary asked. “It’s annoying.”
Jace hummed louder. It was a loud, tuneful sort of hum, somewhere between “Happy Birthday” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
“I’m sorry I smacked you,” she said.
He stopped humming. “Just be glad you hit me and not Alec. He would have hit you back.”
“He seems to be itching for the chance,” Clary said, kicking an empty soda can out of her path.
I LOVE THEM SO MUCH WHAT??????
“I was ninety percent sure.”
“I see,” Clary said.
There must have been something in her voice, because he turned to look at her. Her hand cracked across his face, a slap that rocked him back on his heels. He put his hand to his cheek, more in surprise than pain. “What the hell was that for?”
“The other ten percent,” she said, and they rode the rest of the way down to the street in silence.
sobbing 😭😭🫶
“You’re driveling,” Clary observed.
“I’m not,” said Jace, with great dignity.
“Yes, you are,” said Alec, rather unexpectedly. “Look, we don’t do magic, okay?” he added, not looking at Clary. “That’s all you need to know about it.”
Clary wanted to snap at him, but restrained herself. Alec already didn’t seem to like her; there was no point in aggravating his hostility. She turned to Jace. “Hodge said I can go home.”
Jace nearly dropped the seraph blade he was holding. “He said what?”
“To look through my mother’s things,” she amended. “If you go with me.”
“Jace,” Alec exhaled, but Jace ignored him.
“If you really want to prove that my mom or dad was a Shadowhunter, we should look through my mom’s things. What’s left of them.”
“Down the rabbit hole.” Jace grinned crookedly. “Good idea. If we go right now, we should have another three, four hours of daylight.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Alec asked, as Clary and Jace moved toward the door. Clary glanced back at him. He was half-out of the chair, eyes expectant.
“No.” Jace didn’t turn around. “That’s all right. Clary and I can handle this on our own.”
The look Alec shot Clary was as sour as poison. She was glad when the door shut behind her.
Help, this is so funny. I love this Jace so much.
“Come on now.” The tawny-eyed boy held up his hands, and his dark sleeves slipped down, showing the runes inked all over his wrists, the backs of his hands, his palms. “You know what I am.”
Far back inside his skull, the shackled boy’s second set of teeth began to grind.
“Shadowhunter,” he hissed.
The other boy grinned all over his face. “Got you,” he said.
AHHHHHH <3333333
"Amare significa distruggere"
that to love is to destroy, and that to be loved is to be the one destroyed.”
If there was one thing she was learning from all this, it was how easy it was to lose everything you had always thought you’d have forever.
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