City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments)
Is love worth betraying everything? Plunge into the second adventure in the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series and “prepare to be hooked” (Entertainment Weekly).
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.
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.
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Community Reviews
I enjoyed the first book of this series, but I had a hard time paying attention to the second book. To be honest, I'm not really sure what it was about, other than some fights with demons and a stereotypically evil father figure. I might've been better able to pay attention if I had read it, rather than listened to it, but almost all of my "reading" these days is done by audiobook, so a story has to be one that holds my attention through that medium.
The voice actor was just fine, so that wasn't it, although she may have made Valentine sound a bit too stereotypically evil.
I don't think I'll read the next book in the series, as there are other similar series that better hold my attention. I'm now listening to the fourth book in the Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series, which I find much easier to pay attention to, perhaps in part because it's a first-person narrative.
The voice actor was just fine, so that wasn't it, although she may have made Valentine sound a bit too stereotypically evil.
I don't think I'll read the next book in the series, as there are other similar series that better hold my attention. I'm now listening to the fourth book in the Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series, which I find much easier to pay attention to, perhaps in part because it's a first-person narrative.
We continue the story of the Shadowhunters as Valentine, already in possession of the Mortal Cup, steals a sword from the Silent Brothers (the name of the sword escapes me, I’m sorry). Valentine wants to change the sword’s allegiance (good to evil) to summon a demon army to bring down the Clave.
There is a lot to unpack with this continuation! Always something new in each chapter.
Love Simon and Magnus.
Not a fan of Clary or Jace so far.
Not as good as the first book, but entertaining in its own right.
There is a lot to unpack with this continuation! Always something new in each chapter.
Love Simon and Magnus.
Not a fan of Clary or Jace so far.
Not as good as the first book, but entertaining in its own right.
This books was great. I love fantasy adventure stories. Vampires. Werewolves. Warlocks. Demons. Awesome.
The characters are easy to get attached too and I love being able to see everyone point of view. There is so much to follow and so many different things it just makes the story really great. All the details and twists and turns. It's the making of an epic story.
I really want this to be made into a movie. Like really really badly.
The characters are easy to get attached too and I love being able to see everyone point of view. There is so much to follow and so many different things it just makes the story really great. All the details and twists and turns. It's the making of an epic story.
I really want this to be made into a movie. Like really really badly.
The first half of the book was full of teenage angst because Clary and Jace found each other physically attractive and neither knew how to handle it. The characters spend a good portion of the story not listening to each other. I found it frustrating and repetitive.
Around the halfway mark the story took over and it became interesting. I realize we gained information in the first part, but if I was able I would give the first part two stars and then the second part I would give five stars.
Once the characters started to actively work to try a foil the nemesis the story became interesting. I enjoyed learning more about Jace and Clary's capabilities. I found myself wanting to know what would happen to Simon and Maia. I was frustrated when just book just stopped almost mid-thought.
Around the halfway mark the story took over and it became interesting. I realize we gained information in the first part, but if I was able I would give the first part two stars and then the second part I would give five stars.
Once the characters started to actively work to try a foil the nemesis the story became interesting. I enjoyed learning more about Jace and Clary's capabilities. I found myself wanting to know what would happen to Simon and Maia. I was frustrated when just book just stopped almost mid-thought.
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