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The Mortal Instruments #4
City of Fallen Angels
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Favorite Book of 2011 (2011), Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2011), Winner for Best Goodreads Author (2011)The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.
But nothing comes without a price.
Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.
But nothing comes without a price.
Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.
425 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2011
About the author
Cassandra Clare
197 books270k followersCassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.
Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).
After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.
Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.
City of Bones was her first novel. Sword Catcher is her most recent novel.
Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).
After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.
Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.
City of Bones was her first novel. Sword Catcher is her most recent novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 27,684 reviews
December 4, 2013
Right after I finished this book, I had a bit of an accident. I was running with a pair of lightsabers when I tripped and fell and accidentally sliced the entire book to shreds!! Maybe it's not a good idea to run with lightsabers...
City of Fallen Angels is amazing - Oh wait, that was weird, my keyboard cut me off. This is some sort of conspiracy isn't it? Like the way that certain unnamed sites sometimes don't like to publish non-glowing reviews. I never write those. *angelic smile* Oh, did that angelic smile make me look like Jace? He's such a pretty, shiny angel. *sigh*
As I was saying... This book is amazingly unnecessary. I'm sorry, Fangirls. Please don't eat me.
Here is a general rundown. No specific twists are revealed just vaguely referenced, so possible spoilers:
I have NEVER given out a one star rating before. NEVER! So trust me, I don't take this lightly at all and I don't enjoy being negative. Making light of a bad situation is just something I try to do. However, I don't like disliking things and I never try to be flat out hateful about anything. To love everything would be great, but that's just not realistic.
Don't just write me off as a hater and leave it at that. I actually really liked the original series.
Let me explain - While knowing nothing of Clare's plagiarism or the controversy surrounding the books, the need for something similar to Buffy overwhelmed me, leading to the discovery of the urban fantasy genre. My first experience with this genre was The Mortal Instruments which had just released the third book. Out of pure desperation, the fact that it was a derivative was not even almost a deterrent. Clare told a fast-paced and action filled YA suspense, which was exactly what I needed at the time.
The first three Mortal Instruments had this addictive quality that made you need to read more, which led me to read this one. So while I still hold true to my original feelings of the first books and have a sick yet fond place in my heart for them, I truly feel that this particular series should have ended where City of Glass left us.
It saddens me to think that I may have contributed to the mass production of unnecessary sequels. Or to Clare's dragon horde of GOLD. Oh well, she's rolling in it, already. What exactly she deserves to be rolling in... I'll leave up to interpretation.
Regardless of how much she has made, it is respectable for anyone to make bookoos of cash doing what they love. As long as they aren't hurting or taking advantage of anyone, there's no problem with it. Although, sometimes large companies can take advantage of small time authors or even gullible readers, so it's a good thing that I got this from my library and didn't pay any of my own money (however, my library surely made a contribution).
It's too bad lesser-known books and their authors don't get the opportunities and the recognition that some of these more mainstream novels do. But that isn't how the industry works right now. Hype sells. Controversy sells.
Fellow girl-power groupies: don't kill me. I liked Jace in the original books. But I soon realized how destructive this small adoration can become.
Now, Fangirl mobbing is truly my greatest fear. So I don't want to piss anyone off, but Jace is prick. A hot one, yes, and I readily admit to secret desires of being pursued by a "bad boy". But seriously? Calm yourselves. He's fictional.
By the way that girls talk about him, you would think that his saliva is made of awesomesauce.
Or that his face is made of The Ark of the Covenant. Don't look directly at him! Your skin might melt off.
I wanted to like this and wanted my Jace crush to transfer over to this book. I swear I did. And maybe I was prepared to not like it because of a few certain friend reviews *cough* JillianHellionMajaVinaya *cough* But I tried. Really. Enjoying this just wasn't in my power.
Objectivity is something we should all strive for with every read. Even after hearing bad things about a specific book, one can still have an open mind. When reviewing, we aren't trying to prove anyone right or wrong, we are just giving our own impressions about the book.
Sometimes when an avid reader reads a mega-hyped book such as this, we can take on a similar persona to that of Bill and Ted. They are all about the excellent adventure. First and foremost with YA fantasy - we, mostly, want to be entertained. All the better if we learn something or absorb a good message while doing it, but the entertainment part is essential.
Why I didn't like this book
Not funny. At the time, I thought there was quite a bit of good humor in the originals. This one: nada. Or maybe I've just outgrown it. The corners of my mouth never even lifted. In fact, a scowl probably made an appearance or two....or twenty. This book is to "funny" what vampires are to "real". (Hint: They aren't)
Not entertaining. Every few pages I felt the need to go for a spin in my car with my head hanging out the window just to stay awake. The suspense, the tension, the action - everything I liked about the originals was gone. I'd say this book is about 1% action, 99% chatting. I may have entertained myself about this book, but this book did NOT entertain me. Not for one second.
Not new. This was a rehash of every conversation Jace and Clary and Simon had in the first books that took up an ENTIRE book. Clary, I love you but I can't because I think I'm evil. Jace, you're so emo. Simon, you're my best friend. This is a repeat. A rerun. And not even a funny rerun. It's like that sucky episode of Friends with Alec Baldwin in it that no one cares to remember.
Not inspiring. Unlike most of my favorite books, there wasn't anything to take away from this book. If we are not going to be entertained then shouldn't we at least learn something or feel like we derived some deeper meaning from the book?
Both Ender's Game and The Hunger Games had serious messages about war. The Giver teaches us that human emotion is essential to our lives. What did City of Fallen Angels teach us? SERIOUS SPOILER AHEAD. DONT CLICK UNLESS YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW. Maybe there was some deeper message and I just didn't see it because I was so bored. If so, I apologize for my oversight.
Let's end on a high note, shall we? So I'll leave you with this:
Even if I don't particularly like a book, I can usually find something good about having spent my time on it. This one was much more difficult to find that "good part", but I still managed to.
So despite not laughing once as a result of a joke in the book, I found myself, alone, laughing hysterically in my room about how horribly pointless this book was or about random crap that I find funny, usually involving Jace and Clary. Somehow, I managed to amuse myself.
Seriously. Dumb stuff dances through my head like a frisky stallion does through a meadow full of unicorns. I wonder if Jace is part unicorn, because unicorns are made of awesomesauce and rainbows..... I bet Jace is made of rainbows. Or at least, Clary seems to think so - Just wait until she figures out that he has NO pots of gold.
And before I go find something awesome to read, I have something to ask you:
Question: Quick! Both Jace and Clary are drowning. You can only save one. What should you do?
Answer:
City of Fallen Angels is amazing - Oh wait, that was weird, my keyboard cut me off. This is some sort of conspiracy isn't it? Like the way that certain unnamed sites sometimes don't like to publish non-glowing reviews. I never write those. *angelic smile* Oh, did that angelic smile make me look like Jace? He's such a pretty, shiny angel. *sigh*
As I was saying... This book is amazingly unnecessary. I'm sorry, Fangirls. Please don't eat me.
Here is a general rundown. No specific twists are revealed just vaguely referenced, so possible spoilers:
I have NEVER given out a one star rating before. NEVER! So trust me, I don't take this lightly at all and I don't enjoy being negative. Making light of a bad situation is just something I try to do. However, I don't like disliking things and I never try to be flat out hateful about anything. To love everything would be great, but that's just not realistic.
Don't just write me off as a hater and leave it at that. I actually really liked the original series.
Let me explain - While knowing nothing of Clare's plagiarism or the controversy surrounding the books, the need for something similar to Buffy overwhelmed me, leading to the discovery of the urban fantasy genre. My first experience with this genre was The Mortal Instruments which had just released the third book. Out of pure desperation, the fact that it was a derivative was not even almost a deterrent. Clare told a fast-paced and action filled YA suspense, which was exactly what I needed at the time.
The first three Mortal Instruments had this addictive quality that made you need to read more, which led me to read this one. So while I still hold true to my original feelings of the first books and have a sick yet fond place in my heart for them, I truly feel that this particular series should have ended where City of Glass left us.
It saddens me to think that I may have contributed to the mass production of unnecessary sequels. Or to Clare's dragon horde of GOLD. Oh well, she's rolling in it, already. What exactly she deserves to be rolling in... I'll leave up to interpretation.
Regardless of how much she has made, it is respectable for anyone to make bookoos of cash doing what they love. As long as they aren't hurting or taking advantage of anyone, there's no problem with it. Although, sometimes large companies can take advantage of small time authors or even gullible readers, so it's a good thing that I got this from my library and didn't pay any of my own money (however, my library surely made a contribution).
It's too bad lesser-known books and their authors don't get the opportunities and the recognition that some of these more mainstream novels do. But that isn't how the industry works right now. Hype sells. Controversy sells.
Fellow girl-power groupies: don't kill me. I liked Jace in the original books. But I soon realized how destructive this small adoration can become.
Now, Fangirl mobbing is truly my greatest fear. So I don't want to piss anyone off, but Jace is prick. A hot one, yes, and I readily admit to secret desires of being pursued by a "bad boy". But seriously? Calm yourselves. He's fictional.
By the way that girls talk about him, you would think that his saliva is made of awesomesauce.
Or that his face is made of The Ark of the Covenant. Don't look directly at him! Your skin might melt off.
I wanted to like this and wanted my Jace crush to transfer over to this book. I swear I did. And maybe I was prepared to not like it because of a few certain friend reviews *cough* JillianHellionMajaVinaya *cough* But I tried. Really. Enjoying this just wasn't in my power.
Objectivity is something we should all strive for with every read. Even after hearing bad things about a specific book, one can still have an open mind. When reviewing, we aren't trying to prove anyone right or wrong, we are just giving our own impressions about the book.
Sometimes when an avid reader reads a mega-hyped book such as this, we can take on a similar persona to that of Bill and Ted. They are all about the excellent adventure. First and foremost with YA fantasy - we, mostly, want to be entertained. All the better if we learn something or absorb a good message while doing it, but the entertainment part is essential.
Why I didn't like this book
Not funny. At the time, I thought there was quite a bit of good humor in the originals. This one: nada. Or maybe I've just outgrown it. The corners of my mouth never even lifted. In fact, a scowl probably made an appearance or two....or twenty. This book is to "funny" what vampires are to "real". (Hint: They aren't)
Not entertaining. Every few pages I felt the need to go for a spin in my car with my head hanging out the window just to stay awake. The suspense, the tension, the action - everything I liked about the originals was gone. I'd say this book is about 1% action, 99% chatting. I may have entertained myself about this book, but this book did NOT entertain me. Not for one second.
Not new. This was a rehash of every conversation Jace and Clary and Simon had in the first books that took up an ENTIRE book. Clary, I love you but I can't because I think I'm evil. Jace, you're so emo. Simon, you're my best friend. This is a repeat. A rerun. And not even a funny rerun. It's like that sucky episode of Friends with Alec Baldwin in it that no one cares to remember.
Not inspiring. Unlike most of my favorite books, there wasn't anything to take away from this book. If we are not going to be entertained then shouldn't we at least learn something or feel like we derived some deeper meaning from the book?
Both Ender's Game and The Hunger Games had serious messages about war. The Giver teaches us that human emotion is essential to our lives. What did City of Fallen Angels teach us? SERIOUS SPOILER AHEAD. DONT CLICK UNLESS YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW. Maybe there was some deeper message and I just didn't see it because I was so bored. If so, I apologize for my oversight.
Let's end on a high note, shall we? So I'll leave you with this:
Even if I don't particularly like a book, I can usually find something good about having spent my time on it. This one was much more difficult to find that "good part", but I still managed to.
So despite not laughing once as a result of a joke in the book, I found myself, alone, laughing hysterically in my room about how horribly pointless this book was or about random crap that I find funny, usually involving Jace and Clary. Somehow, I managed to amuse myself.
Seriously. Dumb stuff dances through my head like a frisky stallion does through a meadow full of unicorns. I wonder if Jace is part unicorn, because unicorns are made of awesomesauce and rainbows..... I bet Jace is made of rainbows. Or at least, Clary seems to think so - Just wait until she figures out that he has NO pots of gold.
And before I go find something awesome to read, I have something to ask you:
Question: Quick! Both Jace and Clary are drowning. You can only save one. What should you do?
Answer:
April 15, 2011
As human society evolves, so do its methods of torture
Let me start off this review with a small confession. I liked The Mortal Instruments. Yes, it was cheesy, it was derivative, and it was an embarrassment to good literature everywhere, but it gave me a couple of afternoons’ worth of guilty pleasure, and I was satisfied. I enjoyed the fast-paced action and the triumph of true love, and I was happy to leave Jace and Clary to enjoy the fruits of their labour in happily-ever-after land.
But then. Mammon beckoned, and Cassandra Clare fell into the trap. Not content with the adulation of her millions of teenyboppers and wannabe-teenyboppers (like me!) she decided to flog a dead horse. In addition to her derivation-of-a-derivative series (The Infernal Devices), she decided to revive Jace and Clary from their life of teenage bliss and torture them — and her readers — all over again.
Unfortunately, she forgot some key elements in her rush to milk the cash cow. Elements that most readers tend to look for in their books. Minor things like plot, characterization and heart. Let me be honest here: CoFA is the worst excuse for a novel I have ever read. It is a waste of time, money and paper. Even as I turned each page, I could hear the groan of a million trees that gave up their lives to fulfill one person’s fathomless desire for fame and money.
Cassandra Clare says that she often gets asked where she derives the “inspiration” for her books. Thus far, she has kept that answer a closely guarded secret, but the truth WILL out, ladies and gentlemen! So here, without further ado, is the inspiration for The Mortal Instruments!
The writing in this book is like the dry rattle of a dying man’s throat. The slow crawl towards a climax is like watching the continental drift. The endless descriptions of what every person is wearing is like being forced to trawl through a random stranger’s vacation photos. The unbelievable level of teenage angst in this book is like the ‘Dear Diary’ scrawls of a twelve year old. The ridiculousness of calling this a ‘novel’ and selling it for $11 is like... like... sorry, I can’t think of anything — obviously I don’t have Clare’s talent for overblown similes!
So, let’s see what the ‘plot’ in this book is about... Okay, Simon’s a vampire, but he’s still trying to pretend to be a normal boy. He’s turned into a playa, and is juggling two hot women at the same time. Then he gets accosted by a really old vampire who wants him to help her take over the Manhattan clan. But that’s not important, because we never come back to that story.
Moving on, Clary and Jace are supposed to be training, but mostly they’re making out. One such session gets interrupted by Isabelle who tells them that a dead Shadowhunter has been found somewhere in the city. But let’s not worry about that either, it��s not very important. What’s more important is that Jace is having some really disturbing nightmares in which he ends up hurting/killing Clary.
So he decides that he’ll talk to his mom about it. His mom suggests therapy, and Jace finds a therapist, who advises him to talk to Clary about his disturbed emotional state. Clary, having been told the whole story, begins to suspect that Jace may not be mentally disturbed at all, but the victim of a demonic attack. She takes him to the Silent Brothers who work their silent mojo, and together, Jace and Clary investigate the dead Shadowhunters, find the culprit, vanquish him/her and save the Shadowhunters.
.........................
..........................................................
....Oh wait. *embarrassed silence*
Umm, actually, that’s not how it goes.
What actually happens is that Jace, because of this nightmare, decides that he will distance himself from Clary, whinge about their relationship endlessly, run away every time he so much as spots her in the distance, and mope miserably. But don’t worry! He’s not really breaking-up with her or anything! He’s just nobly making her miserable and refusing to tell her why he’s avoiding her. But every once in a while, his
In the meantime, Simon the playa gets kicked out of his home and works some mind mojo on his mother to make her forget that she has discovered his secret life as a vampire. He feels miserable and guilty about this, but again, not to worry, it’s only for about two pages. After that, he just walks around town being targeted by sweatsuit-ed assassins and checking out the long, thick eyelashes of the guy who comes to audition for his band, and feeding Jace tomato soup and mangoes and watching him sleep. Awww.
Then there are random snippets about dead babies and more dead Shadowhunters and the faerie Queen psyching out Clary about how she might lose Jace and some moving, heart-rending conversations about Shadowhunter weddings, and more assassins in sweatsuits.
But what about the super cool, super adorable Magnus, you ask? Take heart, dear reader, Magnus and Alec DO reappear about three-quarters into the book. When they promptly get into a fight about Magnus’s long and colourful lovelife. Alec throws a jealous fit, gets sullen and asks random embarrassing questions that no-one wants to know the answer to, least of all me.
Then more unnecessary things happen, culminating in a made-for-TV moment where Alec decides to pause in his attempts to save his sister, brother and fellow Shadowhunters to quiz Magnus’s ex-girlfriend about Magnus’s lovelife. I kid you not.
In the meantime, those long-forgotten plots about dead Shadowhunters, dead babies, assassins in grey sweats merge with a last-minute, hastily-scrambled-together plot about a Greater demon and a villain who’s back from the dead.
.... oh, am I spoiling this for you?
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Anyway, this entire too-boring-for-words mess ends in a cliffhanger that is GUARANTEED to send you running for the nearest gun store. In my case, I handed my Glock 30 to my best friend and told her to shoot all ten rounds into my brain if I even thought about reading the next book.
Amen.
February 25, 2016
full video review / discussion can be found here: https://youtu.be/DH542vupm0g
(3.5)
I enjoyed this, but it just didn't wow me. I also think it struggled finding it's footing after an epic book like city of glass, but I do realize that I should consider this last portion of the series to be it's own trilogy, since that's what Cassandra Clare originally had in mind. I'm glad that I decided to re-read this before continuing on with the series, because I remembered basically nothing from this book and there is a huge reveal at the end that I'm more than sure will be an important plot line in the last two books.
(3.5)
I enjoyed this, but it just didn't wow me. I also think it struggled finding it's footing after an epic book like city of glass, but I do realize that I should consider this last portion of the series to be it's own trilogy, since that's what Cassandra Clare originally had in mind. I'm glad that I decided to re-read this before continuing on with the series, because I remembered basically nothing from this book and there is a huge reveal at the end that I'm more than sure will be an important plot line in the last two books.
April 20, 2011
I ahh, think that I....I don’t know....
I literally just finished this book and I’m at a loss of words to describe it. Was it brilliant? Yes! Was it fantastic? Yes! Was it worth the wait? Yes, yes, yes....lord yes! I feel like I’ve been waiting for this book an entire lifetime. Yes, that may seem weird, but that’s how I feel. There have been waits for books that I thought would kill me-Richelle Mead's Last Sacrifice being a big one- but none like this. I was happy and satisfied when City of Glass ended, but learning that Clare decided to write more books was just the icing on the cake. It’s been a while between books, but this was more or less everything I expected and more!
It was different and yet completely the same. There’s no way to pretend that the characters haven’t changed--that they’re not different and that everything that went into the storyline and plot of the first 3 books hasn’t changed. That chapter of the series is over and a new dawn has emerged (yes, cheesy, I know, but sue me).
The characters were still the amazing, incredible people that stole my heart throughout the first 3 books and being with them again was a lot like coming home from a long trip. I must say---I thought Jordan was an awesome inclusion! I always thought Maia’s ex was a real jerk, but he’s nothing like I thought or expected and I love that.
I will admit that I did miss seeing more of Clary and Jace. They’re still my fave everything of this series, fave characters, fave couple, but I still loved the book regardless. It was so strange getting such an in-depth look into Simon and following him the most. Obviously the books have always changed POV’s, jumping back and forth, but it’s always been fixed mostly on Clary, whereas this time it was more Simon than anything else. And yet... I didn’t have a problem with that.
I love Simon--always have--and even though I never wanted him to be the one Clary ended up with, I still wanted the best for him. He’s still the same great Simon he’s always been, but he’s slightly different too. I think he’s got a long way to go and there’s a lot of growth that I think will happen to him. I can’t wait to see though...
It’s odd, when the last book ended, if anyone had asked me, I’d have been one of the few people who actually said they wanted Maia to be with Simon, but after this book it’s plain to see that Izzy is the one that for him! Perhaps I’m late to the party, but it always seemed to me that she was a bit much for him and (even though I love her, heart and soul) I didn’t believe she was right for him. I honestly thought that Maia and he would have made a better couple, but after this book I’ll never think that way again. Perhaps it was Jordan coming into the storyline and seeing how he and Maia were/are, but I finally looked and realised that Simon and Isabelle really have something. There’s so much more to Izzy than we’ve seen and I think that Simon may actually break through her defences and worm his way into her heart if she lets him!
Oh, and it goes without saying that I want Maia and Jordan back together too. Hello? Weren’t they just perfect together? The issues they have and Maia wanting to rip him to shreds aside.
I was sad to see so many issues for Clary and Jace in this book, but I can’t say I was surprised either. I knew Cassandra Clare wouldn’t just let them be. It seems like they’ve been through so much, but of course it’s not the end for them, no sir-ee. There are more problems facing them and new struggles, but I don’t doubt for a second that they can get through it.....somehow. That’s not to say that I didn’t love every single moment they were together, because I did. I absolutely did! The moments between Clary and Jace were electric. Every time they’re together, every kiss, every time they touch, things just sizzle. I’ve loved a lot of book couples over time, but none compared to them. They’re like no other. You can’t deny that they’re made for one another, you can’t miss the chemistry they have. It’s truly impossible not to see and feel. They just go together so well, they both make each other better. Jace makes Clary stronger, and she’s his whole world. She means he world to him and it makes me giggly inside (Yeah, yeah, yeah....I went there =D)
This book was perfectly paced and the ending was a heart-stopping roller coaster ride. So much happened and I was on the edge of my seat, wanting to see how Simon, Jace and Clary would get out of things. I couldn’t believe that Lilith was trying to bring Sebastian back. There’s no one who deserves to stay dead more than him...well, perhaps expect Valentine.
The ending of this book was jaw dropping. I. Could. Not. Believe. It! Still can’t, if I’m honest here. I cannot believe that Sebastian is alive again and what he’s done to Jace. It’s shocking, it’s exciting, it’s heart-breaking, it’s everything I didn’t want, but at the same time I CANNOT wait to see what’s going to happen next.
The next book is going to be a showstopper--I can so tell—and I can’t wait to see what happens now. Can Clary and everyone else manage to free Jace from Sebastian? Can they defeat Sebastian? Just what does this mean now?
God! I NEEEEEED the next book, like stat! Seriously, this series is just brilliant and I can’t wait for the next instalment!
Bring on the awesome!
I literally just finished this book and I’m at a loss of words to describe it. Was it brilliant? Yes! Was it fantastic? Yes! Was it worth the wait? Yes, yes, yes....lord yes! I feel like I’ve been waiting for this book an entire lifetime. Yes, that may seem weird, but that’s how I feel. There have been waits for books that I thought would kill me-Richelle Mead's Last Sacrifice being a big one- but none like this. I was happy and satisfied when City of Glass ended, but learning that Clare decided to write more books was just the icing on the cake. It’s been a while between books, but this was more or less everything I expected and more!
It was different and yet completely the same. There’s no way to pretend that the characters haven’t changed--that they’re not different and that everything that went into the storyline and plot of the first 3 books hasn’t changed. That chapter of the series is over and a new dawn has emerged (yes, cheesy, I know, but sue me).
The characters were still the amazing, incredible people that stole my heart throughout the first 3 books and being with them again was a lot like coming home from a long trip. I must say---I thought Jordan was an awesome inclusion! I always thought Maia’s ex was a real jerk, but he’s nothing like I thought or expected and I love that.
I will admit that I did miss seeing more of Clary and Jace. They’re still my fave everything of this series, fave characters, fave couple, but I still loved the book regardless. It was so strange getting such an in-depth look into Simon and following him the most. Obviously the books have always changed POV’s, jumping back and forth, but it’s always been fixed mostly on Clary, whereas this time it was more Simon than anything else. And yet... I didn’t have a problem with that.
I love Simon--always have--and even though I never wanted him to be the one Clary ended up with, I still wanted the best for him. He’s still the same great Simon he’s always been, but he’s slightly different too. I think he’s got a long way to go and there’s a lot of growth that I think will happen to him. I can’t wait to see though...
It’s odd, when the last book ended, if anyone had asked me, I’d have been one of the few people who actually said they wanted Maia to be with Simon, but after this book it’s plain to see that Izzy is the one that for him! Perhaps I’m late to the party, but it always seemed to me that she was a bit much for him and (even though I love her, heart and soul) I didn’t believe she was right for him. I honestly thought that Maia and he would have made a better couple, but after this book I’ll never think that way again. Perhaps it was Jordan coming into the storyline and seeing how he and Maia were/are, but I finally looked and realised that Simon and Isabelle really have something. There’s so much more to Izzy than we’ve seen and I think that Simon may actually break through her defences and worm his way into her heart if she lets him!
Oh, and it goes without saying that I want Maia and Jordan back together too. Hello? Weren’t they just perfect together? The issues they have and Maia wanting to rip him to shreds aside.
I was sad to see so many issues for Clary and Jace in this book, but I can’t say I was surprised either. I knew Cassandra Clare wouldn’t just let them be. It seems like they’ve been through so much, but of course it’s not the end for them, no sir-ee. There are more problems facing them and new struggles, but I don’t doubt for a second that they can get through it.....somehow. That’s not to say that I didn’t love every single moment they were together, because I did. I absolutely did! The moments between Clary and Jace were electric. Every time they’re together, every kiss, every time they touch, things just sizzle. I’ve loved a lot of book couples over time, but none compared to them. They’re like no other. You can’t deny that they’re made for one another, you can’t miss the chemistry they have. It’s truly impossible not to see and feel. They just go together so well, they both make each other better. Jace makes Clary stronger, and she’s his whole world. She means he world to him and it makes me giggly inside (Yeah, yeah, yeah....I went there =D)
This book was perfectly paced and the ending was a heart-stopping roller coaster ride. So much happened and I was on the edge of my seat, wanting to see how Simon, Jace and Clary would get out of things. I couldn’t believe that Lilith was trying to bring Sebastian back. There’s no one who deserves to stay dead more than him...well, perhaps expect Valentine.
The ending of this book was jaw dropping. I. Could. Not. Believe. It! Still can’t, if I’m honest here. I cannot believe that Sebastian is alive again and what he’s done to Jace. It’s shocking, it’s exciting, it’s heart-breaking, it’s everything I didn’t want, but at the same time I CANNOT wait to see what’s going to happen next.
The next book is going to be a showstopper--I can so tell—and I can’t wait to see what happens now. Can Clary and everyone else manage to free Jace from Sebastian? Can they defeat Sebastian? Just what does this mean now?
God! I NEEEEEED the next book, like stat! Seriously, this series is just brilliant and I can’t wait for the next instalment!
Bring on the awesome!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2019
Le sigh. Or more like le fuck, am I right? Who the hell is this? Who is she? What happened to her? Alas, I've stopped caring, and my skin looks better already.
April 28, 2011
The plot of City of Fallen Angels by pennenickel
---
Official review (posted April 14, 2011):
An Open Letter to Cassandra Clare:
Dear Ms Clare,
You're not Joss Whedon. You'll never be Joss Whedon and/or J.K. Rowling, so do yourself (and everyone else) a favor: stop trying.
Yours Truly,
Someone Who Deserves Their Money Back (A.K.A. Everyone Who Bought a Copy of City of Fallen Angels)
P.S. What were you thinking?
P.P.S. No seriously, what were you thinking when you decided to revive this series? Were you thinking at all? Fair question given the circumstances. Why couldn't you just leave well enough alone? Are you controlled by greed? Just curious.
P.P.P.S. I hope you enjoy swimming in your money bin filled with all that ill-gotten wealth.
---
The first thing I did upon finishing City of Fallen Angels: *Headdesk*
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that I brought this misery upon myself. To that I say: I agree with you, wholeheartedly. You're probably also wondering why I expected a different outcome then the one I got. I've spent the morning wondering that exact same thing. So far I've come up with a handful of explanations, none of which are backed with much reason.
***SECRET SHAME ALERT!!!*** What can I say? I'm that person. You know, that pathetic moron who spends way too much time and energy believing in other people, even the ones who've done nothing but let me down in the past. In my defense I love seeing people live up to their potential.
Yes, I actually believe Cassandra Clare has potential. (Now over half my friends and followers have lost all respect for me.) Or at least I did feel that way until I picked up this book. Now I don't know exactly how I feel about her. Before anyone unfriends me, please lemme 'splain.
There are brief moments, between all the stolen storylines, ill-conceived plotting, melodrama and so-forth, in which I'm able to see that Cassandra Clare does have something unique and interesting to bring to the table. Even a few moments of--dare I say--complete brilliance that, had Ms Clare expanded on, could have gone somewhere great. Unfortunately I don't think Ms Clare knows that about herself so she spends most of her time lifting ideas from other people's work, pasting it together and trying to pass it off as her own.
Either that or she really wishes she was Joss Whedon. And really, who could blame her? I wanna be Joss Whedon too--that way I could know all the ins and outs of the Firefly universe, but I digress. She failed at channeling Joss Whedon's brilliance though it is evident that she tried.
Long story short: this book was like a slap in the face given to me by none other then a very smug Cassandra Clare. Serves me right for being dumb enough to believe in her, amirite?
In-depth review to come.
---
Initial reaction to the new cover to this book: Can I just say how irritated I am that Clary and Jace are pretty much front and center in this book? Clary is even on the freaking cover. I thought this story was going to focus on Simon, so what's with the return of The Jace & Clary Quasi-Incest Show? I just don't care about them anymore and I desperately wish they'd just go away. Forever.
I know I'm going to read this only to wish I hadn't. Why? Because I can't stay away from these stupid books. Kill me.
--
December 4, 2013
Wow, there's four days of my life spent reading this book that I'll never get back. And it normally doesn't take me that long, but I had to self motivate myself with promises of chocolate ("If you just read one more page..."), just to get through it.
I usually don't give too many books only 1 star. In fact there is only one book I can think of that angered me this much and that was The Vampire Diaries: The Return. I only got 50 pages deep into it before I flung it across the room. So I am very proud that I was able to finish this POS to write a review.
There is NO reason this book should have a higher rating than Mockingjay, a few Harry Potter books, and The Pride and the Predjudice. NO REASON.
After all of that, I have one question for Cassandra Clare:
Was this some sort of sick April fool's joke? Why was this even published?
Now before the fangirls come out to defend their master
, let me explain.I actually liked the original 3 books. I wouldn't say I loved them or call them literary masterpieces, but I *did* find them entertaining.
How would I describe our characters in CoFA, you ask? Well a picture is worth a thousand words:
Bordered between and Wangsty teen
and a cocky prick
And yes kids, he actually says he is better than everyone.
Clary:
"He loves me. He loves me not."
Simon:
I really liked him in the orignial trilogy. I found him funny. Sadly, he was boring. He wandered around this book with not a clue what was going on.
Alec and Magnus:
*sigh* They didn't even show up until half the book was over. And when they did all they did is bitch about Magnus' past sex life. Yes, more and more angst.
The gang is supposed to be investigating the murders of the shadowhunters, but there isn't much investigating going on. Instead, they are too busy ignoring each other, going to Simon's band gigs, and ripping each other's clothes off in an alley. Speaking of Simon, he is apparently dating Isabelle and Maia at the same time. Yet, he doesn't know how it happened. Ya, Simon, we already established that you are confused.
What's driving Jace and Clary apart? Well, Jace starts having these nightmares where just as he and Clary are ripping away their clothes, he kills her. He decides to ignore her, so as not to hurt her. Why Clare, why? Why did you have to play the "I love you, can't you see it's killing me?!" card? Stephenie Meyer already cashed in on that lotto ticket amoungst other recent, pathetic YA novels.
To top it off, we have evil minions in gray track suits and sneakers and a badass villain killed in the most shitty ending I have ever read. And that cliffhanger! Not everyone who dies has to come back to life, Clare. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Valentine makes an appearance in the next two books.
Clare is also very inconsistent with her storyline. When Kyle is first introduced to us he has black hair. However, two pages later he has brown hair. Jace doesn't believe in God, yet has the most angel blood in him that anyone else. The *Pepsi* sign is blue and red, not Coca Cola. Jace doesn't understand any of the pop culture references Simon quotes, but Jace spews Shakespeare lines off like its second nature. Seriously, why didn't the editors catch this?
Does my review seem like it's all over the place? Well, good cause that's exactly how this book was. ALL.OVER.THE.DAMN.PLACE.
A few days ago Clare posted a FAQ about the book and ending. She is basically validating why she, Almighty Author, is a genius and you, lowly reader, are an idiot. You can read it here if you haven't already. http://cassandraclare.livejournal.com...
And you know what I have to say to her little condescending FAQ? Cassandra Clare, I'm calling you out on the bull shit. It's time to stop riding J.K. Rowling's cash cow. Get off, the ride is over!
More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
February 25, 2024
**3.5-stars rounded up**
Even though I wasn't as enamored with this 4th-installment of Cassie Clare's Mortal Instruments series as I was with the earlier books, I still really enjoyed it.
Please note, since City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in a series, there will be minor spoilers within this review. Assuming pretty much the entire world has read it, I will not be hiding them.
Following the events of City of Glass, our group has returned to New York City. Simon has now been a vampire for about two months, but is still hiding his condition from his mother. Jocelyn and Luke are planning their wedding, and Clary and Jace are now able to date openly.
All is well in the Big Apple, until someone, or something, begins murdering Shadowhunters.
It seems Clary's choices in Alicante had some fairly serious repercussions, such as causing an imbalance in the world that opened a door to an ancient evil.
Whoopsie.
I did enjoy the fact that the boys get more page time in this one. Simon is forced to move out of his family home and into an apartment with a new friend, and band member, Jordan.
Jace is plagued by nightmares in which he murders Clary. Thus, he begins to distance himself from her, fearful that his dreams may end up becoming a reality.
I also discovered fairly early on why it is important to read Clare's books in publication order, as one of the most intriguing characters from Clockwork Angel appears in this novel trying to recruit Simon.
While there is a lot happening, it definitely isn't slow, I still wasn't super engaged with it until the second half.
Once the truth begins to unfold regarding Jace's haunting dreams, I was hooked however. Then it got really intense and really action-packed through the finish.
I think part of my disconnect with the beginning was that I was a little annoyed with Clary and Jace. After completing Clockwork Angel, and loving all those characters, coming back to Clary and Jace made them seem irritating in comparison.
By the end, I had forgiven them for their earlier behavior and I'm happy to report, we are now all friends again.
With this being said, I am so excited to move on with Clockwork Prince, up next. So far, my 2021 Shadowhunter Chronicles journey is going swimmingly!!
Even though I wasn't as enamored with this 4th-installment of Cassie Clare's Mortal Instruments series as I was with the earlier books, I still really enjoyed it.
Please note, since City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in a series, there will be minor spoilers within this review. Assuming pretty much the entire world has read it, I will not be hiding them.
Following the events of City of Glass, our group has returned to New York City. Simon has now been a vampire for about two months, but is still hiding his condition from his mother. Jocelyn and Luke are planning their wedding, and Clary and Jace are now able to date openly.
All is well in the Big Apple, until someone, or something, begins murdering Shadowhunters.
It seems Clary's choices in Alicante had some fairly serious repercussions, such as causing an imbalance in the world that opened a door to an ancient evil.
Whoopsie.
I did enjoy the fact that the boys get more page time in this one. Simon is forced to move out of his family home and into an apartment with a new friend, and band member, Jordan.
Jace is plagued by nightmares in which he murders Clary. Thus, he begins to distance himself from her, fearful that his dreams may end up becoming a reality.
I also discovered fairly early on why it is important to read Clare's books in publication order, as one of the most intriguing characters from Clockwork Angel appears in this novel trying to recruit Simon.
While there is a lot happening, it definitely isn't slow, I still wasn't super engaged with it until the second half.
Once the truth begins to unfold regarding Jace's haunting dreams, I was hooked however. Then it got really intense and really action-packed through the finish.
I think part of my disconnect with the beginning was that I was a little annoyed with Clary and Jace. After completing Clockwork Angel, and loving all those characters, coming back to Clary and Jace made them seem irritating in comparison.
By the end, I had forgiven them for their earlier behavior and I'm happy to report, we are now all friends again.
With this being said, I am so excited to move on with Clockwork Prince, up next. So far, my 2021 Shadowhunter Chronicles journey is going swimmingly!!
September 4, 2018
1.) City of Bones ★★★
2.) City of Ashes ★★
3.) City of Glass ★★★
1.) Clockwork Angel ★★★
Okay, I’m going to start this review off by saying that I am reading this for the first time in 2018. I know this is almost a decade old. And I know so many of my friends hold this series close to their hearts and have a lot of nostalgia for it. But friends, this was a damn mess. Easily the worst book I’ve read from Cassie Clare, and the themes were hella harmful and disgusting to read.
So, I’m not going to say any major spoilers, but this review is going to talk about my thoughts and feelings, which will talk about some things that have already happened in the story, and themes that have happened in this book. So, please use caution while reading this review if you are not up to date with this series.
Okay, I don’t really know how to do this review. And I’ll be honest, I’m a little scared because I know how beloved this series is. But these are the five things really made me dislike this book:
ONE: What have I complained about in every TMI book so far? Jace. I mean, I guess this book made the most sense on why he was acting the way he was, so I’ll cut him a little slack. But the dude wants to be Clary’s brother so bad, and just wants to live in pain so desperately, that it makes for a really unenjoyable reading experience.
TWO: Alec’s behavior in this book killed me. I know most of my friends love this character, but I honestly have disliked him from the start. Not only was he shitty to Clary about something she couldn’t control, but now he’s going to be shitty about Magnus and his past? I mean, he’s like 800 years old, you expect him to be a virgin? I don’t understand. And if you all want to be like, “Well Alec is still young!” Then maybe he shouldn’t be dating someone that’s so much older and more experienced than him. I mean, he obviously can’t handle it. And I also feel like there were some “stereotypical gay dude” things in this, that made my skin crawl, honestly. And how he treated an abused person at the end of this book because he’s a petty little fuck? *throws up forever*
THREE: Cheating is not okay, even if you’re young, grieving, and learning what you want from a relationship. Simon is one of my favorite characters. If I was Clary, I would have easily wanted to be with him over Jace. But I’ll never be here to make excuses for people’s shitty actions. And Simon acted really shitty in this book. And not to be too much here, but who the fuck would cheat on Isabelle Lightwood anyway? Like, what a dumbass.
FOUR: Abuse apologists’ storylines need to be canceled, and they are never okay; not in 2018 and not back in 2010. And the fact that I’ve never even seen this mentioned makes me honestly sick to my stomach. Comparing Simon’s need to eat from blood will NEVER be the same as a freshly turned werewolf physically assaulting and turning someone they “care” about into a werewolf against their wishes. There should be no redemption arc here, ever. It’s disgusting and was honestly the biggest contributing factor as to why I hated this book.
FIVE: Like, nothing happened in this book until the last four chapters. And then the “twists” felt so over the top that I couldn’t even stop the side eye if I tried. Especially the closing like of this book. Lord, help me.
And, like with all my reviews of this series, I’m going to break down my thoughts briefly on each of the main characters:
➽ Jace - Wants to live his life in pain and annoy me forever.
➽ Clary - Such a bland character. Like, she is supposed to be the star, true? But she’s so forgettable.
➽ Simon - My dude fucked up.
➽ Isabelle - My queen. Deserves the entire universe and all the stars within it. Way too fucking good for Simon at this point.
➽ Magnus - My king. Deserves the entire universe and all the stars within it. Way too fucking good for Alec at this point.
➽ Alec - I honestly feel like I just disliked him more and more each book. When am I finally going to see this character that you all love so much?
➽ Luke - Planning a wedding, therefore, not in this book as much. But I still love him.
➽ Jocelyn - Planning a wedding, therefore, not in this book as much. She’s alright.
➽ Maia - I wish, more than anything else in this series, that she would see her worth and realize that it’s okay to be alone and it’s okay to not accept an apology from your abuser.
➽ Jordan - The scum of this book. I have so much hatred in my heart for him. I’m going to buy Maia a “dump him” shirt. Boy, bye.
➽ Seelie Queen - Still one of my favorites, but Clary still playing with fire. I’m hyped.
➽ Camille - I liked her in TID and I liked her in this one. Give me all the morally grey characters, please. Especially one that gets under Alec’s skin so much.
➽ Lilith - Like, this book was dark as fuck. All the stuff with the babies? I was honestly feeling disturbed. But she was a pretty good villain, if I’m being honest. Just a little too over the top.
Overall, I hope this is the only book I’ll give one star to in the Shadowhunter world. And I’ll be really honest, I am really starting to regret that I didn’t just start my Cassie Clare experience with Lady Midnight, because I’m truly thinking that these books don’t hold up well while I read them as an adult in 2018. I feel like this fanbase is really fueled by nostalgia and not actual substance, because this book was honestly awful. But I’m so ready to dip back into TID with Clockwork Prince! Wish me luck.
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Content and trigger warnings for medical experimentation, a lot of talk of children’s deaths, a lot of blood depiction, misogynistic comments, death, murder, cheating, abandonment, self-harm, talk of suicide, and war themes.
2.) City of Ashes ★★
3.) City of Glass ★★★
1.) Clockwork Angel ★★★
“Why is it, little Shadowhunter, that your angels are so cold and without mercy? Why do they break that which will not obey them?”
Okay, I’m going to start this review off by saying that I am reading this for the first time in 2018. I know this is almost a decade old. And I know so many of my friends hold this series close to their hearts and have a lot of nostalgia for it. But friends, this was a damn mess. Easily the worst book I’ve read from Cassie Clare, and the themes were hella harmful and disgusting to read.
So, I’m not going to say any major spoilers, but this review is going to talk about my thoughts and feelings, which will talk about some things that have already happened in the story, and themes that have happened in this book. So, please use caution while reading this review if you are not up to date with this series.
Okay, I don’t really know how to do this review. And I’ll be honest, I’m a little scared because I know how beloved this series is. But these are the five things really made me dislike this book:
ONE: What have I complained about in every TMI book so far? Jace. I mean, I guess this book made the most sense on why he was acting the way he was, so I’ll cut him a little slack. But the dude wants to be Clary’s brother so bad, and just wants to live in pain so desperately, that it makes for a really unenjoyable reading experience.
TWO: Alec’s behavior in this book killed me. I know most of my friends love this character, but I honestly have disliked him from the start. Not only was he shitty to Clary about something she couldn’t control, but now he’s going to be shitty about Magnus and his past? I mean, he’s like 800 years old, you expect him to be a virgin? I don’t understand. And if you all want to be like, “Well Alec is still young!” Then maybe he shouldn’t be dating someone that’s so much older and more experienced than him. I mean, he obviously can’t handle it. And I also feel like there were some “stereotypical gay dude” things in this, that made my skin crawl, honestly. And how he treated an abused person at the end of this book because he’s a petty little fuck? *throws up forever*
THREE: Cheating is not okay, even if you’re young, grieving, and learning what you want from a relationship. Simon is one of my favorite characters. If I was Clary, I would have easily wanted to be with him over Jace. But I’ll never be here to make excuses for people’s shitty actions. And Simon acted really shitty in this book. And not to be too much here, but who the fuck would cheat on Isabelle Lightwood anyway? Like, what a dumbass.
FOUR: Abuse apologists’ storylines need to be canceled, and they are never okay; not in 2018 and not back in 2010. And the fact that I’ve never even seen this mentioned makes me honestly sick to my stomach. Comparing Simon’s need to eat from blood will NEVER be the same as a freshly turned werewolf physically assaulting and turning someone they “care” about into a werewolf against their wishes. There should be no redemption arc here, ever. It’s disgusting and was honestly the biggest contributing factor as to why I hated this book.
FIVE: Like, nothing happened in this book until the last four chapters. And then the “twists” felt so over the top that I couldn’t even stop the side eye if I tried. Especially the closing like of this book. Lord, help me.
And, like with all my reviews of this series, I’m going to break down my thoughts briefly on each of the main characters:
➽ Jace - Wants to live his life in pain and annoy me forever.
➽ Clary - Such a bland character. Like, she is supposed to be the star, true? But she’s so forgettable.
➽ Simon - My dude fucked up.
➽ Isabelle - My queen. Deserves the entire universe and all the stars within it. Way too fucking good for Simon at this point.
➽ Magnus - My king. Deserves the entire universe and all the stars within it. Way too fucking good for Alec at this point.
➽ Alec - I honestly feel like I just disliked him more and more each book. When am I finally going to see this character that you all love so much?
➽ Luke - Planning a wedding, therefore, not in this book as much. But I still love him.
➽ Jocelyn - Planning a wedding, therefore, not in this book as much. She’s alright.
➽ Maia - I wish, more than anything else in this series, that she would see her worth and realize that it’s okay to be alone and it’s okay to not accept an apology from your abuser.
➽ Jordan - The scum of this book. I have so much hatred in my heart for him. I’m going to buy Maia a “dump him” shirt. Boy, bye.
➽ Seelie Queen - Still one of my favorites, but Clary still playing with fire. I’m hyped.
➽ Camille - I liked her in TID and I liked her in this one. Give me all the morally grey characters, please. Especially one that gets under Alec’s skin so much.
➽ Lilith - Like, this book was dark as fuck. All the stuff with the babies? I was honestly feeling disturbed. But she was a pretty good villain, if I’m being honest. Just a little too over the top.
Overall, I hope this is the only book I’ll give one star to in the Shadowhunter world. And I’ll be really honest, I am really starting to regret that I didn’t just start my Cassie Clare experience with Lady Midnight, because I’m truly thinking that these books don’t hold up well while I read them as an adult in 2018. I feel like this fanbase is really fueled by nostalgia and not actual substance, because this book was honestly awful. But I’m so ready to dip back into TID with Clockwork Prince! Wish me luck.
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Content and trigger warnings for medical experimentation, a lot of talk of children’s deaths, a lot of blood depiction, misogynistic comments, death, murder, cheating, abandonment, self-harm, talk of suicide, and war themes.
September 11, 2016
The fourth book in the series, 'City of Fallen Angels' was a bit of a disappointment for me. That isn't to say it wasn't enjoyable though. I liked it, but it wasn't as great as the earlier books, in my opinion. It was lukewarm for me, at best.
While the third book seemed to leave off on a promising note, this book quickly rained on my parade. Just when I thought that they were making progress in their war against "evil", everything goes and gets messed up again. The guys, in particular, were grating on my nerves.
Simon is a huge focus in this book. He spends most of his time trying to juggle his relationships with Maia and Isabelle. He feels kind of guilty for two-timing both of the girls, who also happen to be friends...but not guilty enough to choose or to stop.
This time around, the girls aren't the only ones that want to get their hands on Simon. His special "day walker" blood has made him a hot commodity. Some want to protect him, while others would like to use or kill him. Several new characters were introduced that kept things interesting.
Like Simon, Jace spends a lot of time screwing up his personal life in this book. His behavior is all over the place. He spends a great deal of time distancing himself from Clary, nearly ruining their relationship.
Again, the guys were driving me bonkers! They were really messing up my mojo.
In the end, some big events transpired and more secrets came to light. This may not have been a total win for me, but I can appreciate that this book has paved the way for future events in the series. I am still enjoying the series as a whole and I can't wait to see where it is heading. I'm on to the fifth book now.
While the third book seemed to leave off on a promising note, this book quickly rained on my parade. Just when I thought that they were making progress in their war against "evil", everything goes and gets messed up again. The guys, in particular, were grating on my nerves.
Simon is a huge focus in this book. He spends most of his time trying to juggle his relationships with Maia and Isabelle. He feels kind of guilty for two-timing both of the girls, who also happen to be friends...but not guilty enough to choose or to stop.
This time around, the girls aren't the only ones that want to get their hands on Simon. His special "day walker" blood has made him a hot commodity. Some want to protect him, while others would like to use or kill him. Several new characters were introduced that kept things interesting.
Like Simon, Jace spends a lot of time screwing up his personal life in this book. His behavior is all over the place. He spends a great deal of time distancing himself from Clary, nearly ruining their relationship.
Again, the guys were driving me bonkers! They were really messing up my mojo.
In the end, some big events transpired and more secrets came to light. This may not have been a total win for me, but I can appreciate that this book has paved the way for future events in the series. I am still enjoying the series as a whole and I can't wait to see where it is heading. I'm on to the fifth book now.
September 5, 2018
#1 City of Bones ★★★★☆
#2 City of Ashes ★★★☆☆
#3 City of Glass ★★★★☆
#4 City of Fallen Angels ★★★★★
#5 City of Lost Souls ★★★★★
#6 City of Heavenly Fire
You know how, sometimes, you pick up a series that’s already popular, and everyone tells you, “Book ___ is the best!” and “Book ___ is the worst!”, and so you set up these weird sorts of expectations in your subconscious, and then you go into the one that everyone tells you is the “worst” and you’re like… “holy crap, this book is amazing”?
No? Just me?
“Hearts are breakable,” Isabelle said. “And I think even when you heal, you’re never what you were before.”
Jokes aside, I went into this book unsure of what to expect, but I was completely blown away. I thought the pacing in the story was excellent, the plot kept me intrigued without a dull moment (which I can’t say for any of the previous books or Clockwork Angel), and the character development was more than I could’ve asked for.
“What’s the point in wasting a perfectly good brick wall when you have someone to throw against it, that’s what I always say.”
The star of the character development in this installment was Isabelle, for me. I never disliked her, but she didn’t feel fleshed out to me until this book, when I suddenly found myself absolutely loving every single scene she existed in. Of course, that’s not to dim the fact that I still love and cherish my sweet angst-baby Jace, or my sweet, sad little bisexual warlock Magnus. I just want to protect all of them.
“I’m always so glad I have no idea what you’re vacantly chattering about,” said Jace. “It fills me with a sense of peace and well-being.”
Another facet to Fallen Angels that I loved was the development in the Downworlders’ section of things, with learning about the Praetor Lupus, politics in the world of vampires, the creation of warlocks, and more. Many of these were things that were touched on in the first three books, but it felt to me like a lot of world-building was caught up on in this installment.
“If love were food, I would have starved on the bones you gave me.”
Of course, a book in this series would be nothing without its angst and heartache, and I can’t help but eat up every last bite. I’m a sucker for drama in a story like this, and I have come to realize that I’m not sure if I believe any author can do such a wonderful job of creating mountains out of molehills as Cassandra Clare does. Between that and how much I love her characters, I feel like this installment is a good time to say that it’s official: I am ridiculously hooked on her writing, and can’t imagine not following this universe of stories (however many series it may be) all the way to the end.
You can find this review and more on my blog, or you can follow me on twitter, bookstagram, or facebook!
December 24, 2016
I love the green UK edition of this book. I just love all the UK editions of these books!
I have enjoyed this book more than the first three. I like how we get to see more into Simon's vampire world and what he is now. He's like totally bad to the bone, but not in a dude way because he's still Simon the nerd we love. But, in a can't touch this kinda way. If you have read the book or read the book you will know what I mean.
I loved the new character, Kyle/Jordon. He's cool and I like him a lot. I hope he's in the next few books. He has a past with one of the characters in the books.
Clary and Jace are trying to make a go of it but there seems to be something wrong with Jace. I wonder what it could be.
There are a lot of sweet things, cool things and evil things going on in the book.
There's also Lilith. That's a fun walk in the park!
That ending . . . more fun times will ensue!
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
I have enjoyed this book more than the first three. I like how we get to see more into Simon's vampire world and what he is now. He's like totally bad to the bone, but not in a dude way because he's still Simon the nerd we love. But, in a can't touch this kinda way. If you have read the book or read the book you will know what I mean.
I loved the new character, Kyle/Jordon. He's cool and I like him a lot. I hope he's in the next few books. He has a past with one of the characters in the books.
Clary and Jace are trying to make a go of it but there seems to be something wrong with Jace. I wonder what it could be.
There are a lot of sweet things, cool things and evil things going on in the book.
There's also Lilith. That's a fun walk in the park!
That ending . . . more fun times will ensue!
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
April 10, 2011
SPOILER ALERT
Cassandra Clare really should have let sleeping dogs lie.
“City of Fallen Angels” is yet another book in the Young Adult category that lacks the “element of surprise.” The fact that this book was even written despite formerly having established that ‘The Mortal Instruments’ series to be a trilogy is evidence enough that Clare was tempted by her successes within the urban fantasy genre, and decided to continue.
The fact that Clare continued the story is not my problem; it is the manner in which the plotline has been executed (which to reiterate lacks the element of surprise) that disappoints me. “City of Glass” ended definitively - bad, bad Valentine is dead, the seeds of harmony have been sewn between Nephilim and Downworlders, and Jace and Clary get their mushy, predictable happily ever after. It seems as though with this newest installation, Clare asked herself, “How can I possibly continue this?” and unfashionably, she dug up open ended dramatic quotes, such as “to love is to destroy”, and used them in order to create tension. Instead of putting faith in the audience’s imagination to keep her story alive, our beloved author took the task into her own hands and ironically, destroyed all that she forged with love.
Clary and Jace start to have relationship problems. Magnus and Alec start to have relationship problems. Simon is dating two girls simultaneously, one of which would realistically have never given him the time of day, because his latest vampirism is apparently a way for Isabelle to see the goodness of his heart and appreciate him beyond his looks (not that those enhanced cheekbones aren’t delicious). Oh, and I almost forgot, Sebastian Verlac/Jonathan Morgernstern isn’t quite dead! I feel almost insulted; Cassandra Clare is treating us, the audience, as though we are infantile, or to borrow her words, as the “mundanes” that her characters so obviously despise. Instead of providing us with a decent, realistic plotline, Clare’s chosen to do nothing other than sever all that she previously created with her words.
I will admit, if you’re looking for a quick fix, “City of Fallen Angels” is quite an easy and enjoyable read. The fact that this installation is Simon-centric was a pleasant attempted insight into the undead life - a brilliant contradiction - of the otherwise nerdy, annoying tagalong who unfortunately happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jordan Kyle, despite the ridiculous name, was an interesting addition considering the tumultuous past with Maia (if you can get past the tortured internals soap opera). And don't you dare forget this season’s Big Bad, Lilith - yes, it's that demon bitch in yet another fantasy! Besides the astounding fact that Clare is too lazy to create her own villain and has decided to steal from God, she didn't even let this melodramatic page-turner develop on her own! Why must Clare handfeed me all the information? Alec and Isabelle spitting out past lectures on Greater Demons seemed to be a cheap attempt at unravelling whatever mystery that Lilith was. She ran away from Adam and God said “Thou shalt be barren forever, infidel!”? That’s a wonderful backdrop there, Ms. Clare, but could you be any more subtle? Having one of your characters race through the history as though it were ordering lunch is not in the least bit believable. I want you to show me, not hold my hand and tell me what I need to cram before the big exam.
All I ever see nowadays is young adult novels being dominated by devastatingly beautiful characters. It would be unfair for me to blame only Clare for this trend, but she never needed to follow it. The fact that Clare seems to think her fan base will stay tethered to her through the creation of beautiful superhumans makes me question her writing skills - does she not have the ability to keep her audience enthralled with unattractive characters? Actually, let’s take a step back: why are only the superhumans beautiful? Simon as a human - a nuisance, and nothing much to look at. Simon as a vampire - handsome and having trouble juggling the ladies. Clary as a mundane - androgynous body shape; no breasts, no hips. Clary as a Shadowhunter - one up the bra size! Look at those hips form! Apparently, not only is New York full of gorgeous creatures, but not one of them is human. Way to be realistic, huh?
In the end, however, what bothers me the most is how desperate Clare is to save her characters falling from grace. Simon, in spite of toying with two potential girlfriends simultaneously, is forgiven by each! And that wretched Mark of Cain? Yes, the sevenfold vengeance is all very lovely, but what about the other part of the curse - “thou shalt wander the earth a fugitive”? If Simon is cursed to be a wanderer until the end of eternity, then how was Isabelle rushing to his aid? Why is Jace choosing to go to Simon, why is Clary still his best friend, and why is Kyle his protector? How could they possibly choose him if there is a powerful, binding curse that is constantly working to separate Simon from his loved ones? We know that the curse works because assassins impressively crumble to salt at Simon’s feet, so why on earth are we ignoring the second-half, the depressing part of the curse? I’m torn between branding it an obvious plot-hole, or just Ms. Clare’s overwhelming desire not to let one of her beloved characters exist alone. In my eyes, this undermines Clare’s integrity as a writer - if she cannot commit to the maxim she has presented for Simon, then how much can we truly trust her storytelling skill?
The first three books, riddled as they were with bona-fide plot holes and histrionic dialogue, were to a degree more fathomable. Clare created a definitive story arc I could readily engage with. While “City of Fallen Angels” didn’t make me contemplate skewering my eyeballs or washing my brain with bleach, it is not one I will return to in the near future. Instead of keeping me on my toes, Clare cheaply proffered a broken story arc for a few more minutes in the spotlight, and ultimately destroyed her credibility as a writer who values constancy.
You can keep a story going on forever, but sometimes, you just aren’t meant to.
Cassandra Clare really should have let sleeping dogs lie.
“City of Fallen Angels” is yet another book in the Young Adult category that lacks the “element of surprise.” The fact that this book was even written despite formerly having established that ‘The Mortal Instruments’ series to be a trilogy is evidence enough that Clare was tempted by her successes within the urban fantasy genre, and decided to continue.
The fact that Clare continued the story is not my problem; it is the manner in which the plotline has been executed (which to reiterate lacks the element of surprise) that disappoints me. “City of Glass” ended definitively - bad, bad Valentine is dead, the seeds of harmony have been sewn between Nephilim and Downworlders, and Jace and Clary get their mushy, predictable happily ever after. It seems as though with this newest installation, Clare asked herself, “How can I possibly continue this?” and unfashionably, she dug up open ended dramatic quotes, such as “to love is to destroy”, and used them in order to create tension. Instead of putting faith in the audience’s imagination to keep her story alive, our beloved author took the task into her own hands and ironically, destroyed all that she forged with love.
Clary and Jace start to have relationship problems. Magnus and Alec start to have relationship problems. Simon is dating two girls simultaneously, one of which would realistically have never given him the time of day, because his latest vampirism is apparently a way for Isabelle to see the goodness of his heart and appreciate him beyond his looks (not that those enhanced cheekbones aren’t delicious). Oh, and I almost forgot, Sebastian Verlac/Jonathan Morgernstern isn’t quite dead! I feel almost insulted; Cassandra Clare is treating us, the audience, as though we are infantile, or to borrow her words, as the “mundanes” that her characters so obviously despise. Instead of providing us with a decent, realistic plotline, Clare’s chosen to do nothing other than sever all that she previously created with her words.
I will admit, if you’re looking for a quick fix, “City of Fallen Angels” is quite an easy and enjoyable read. The fact that this installation is Simon-centric was a pleasant attempted insight into the undead life - a brilliant contradiction - of the otherwise nerdy, annoying tagalong who unfortunately happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jordan Kyle, despite the ridiculous name, was an interesting addition considering the tumultuous past with Maia (if you can get past the tortured internals soap opera). And don't you dare forget this season’s Big Bad, Lilith - yes, it's that demon bitch in yet another fantasy! Besides the astounding fact that Clare is too lazy to create her own villain and has decided to steal from God, she didn't even let this melodramatic page-turner develop on her own! Why must Clare handfeed me all the information? Alec and Isabelle spitting out past lectures on Greater Demons seemed to be a cheap attempt at unravelling whatever mystery that Lilith was. She ran away from Adam and God said “Thou shalt be barren forever, infidel!”? That’s a wonderful backdrop there, Ms. Clare, but could you be any more subtle? Having one of your characters race through the history as though it were ordering lunch is not in the least bit believable. I want you to show me, not hold my hand and tell me what I need to cram before the big exam.
All I ever see nowadays is young adult novels being dominated by devastatingly beautiful characters. It would be unfair for me to blame only Clare for this trend, but she never needed to follow it. The fact that Clare seems to think her fan base will stay tethered to her through the creation of beautiful superhumans makes me question her writing skills - does she not have the ability to keep her audience enthralled with unattractive characters? Actually, let’s take a step back: why are only the superhumans beautiful? Simon as a human - a nuisance, and nothing much to look at. Simon as a vampire - handsome and having trouble juggling the ladies. Clary as a mundane - androgynous body shape; no breasts, no hips. Clary as a Shadowhunter - one up the bra size! Look at those hips form! Apparently, not only is New York full of gorgeous creatures, but not one of them is human. Way to be realistic, huh?
In the end, however, what bothers me the most is how desperate Clare is to save her characters falling from grace. Simon, in spite of toying with two potential girlfriends simultaneously, is forgiven by each! And that wretched Mark of Cain? Yes, the sevenfold vengeance is all very lovely, but what about the other part of the curse - “thou shalt wander the earth a fugitive”? If Simon is cursed to be a wanderer until the end of eternity, then how was Isabelle rushing to his aid? Why is Jace choosing to go to Simon, why is Clary still his best friend, and why is Kyle his protector? How could they possibly choose him if there is a powerful, binding curse that is constantly working to separate Simon from his loved ones? We know that the curse works because assassins impressively crumble to salt at Simon’s feet, so why on earth are we ignoring the second-half, the depressing part of the curse? I’m torn between branding it an obvious plot-hole, or just Ms. Clare’s overwhelming desire not to let one of her beloved characters exist alone. In my eyes, this undermines Clare’s integrity as a writer - if she cannot commit to the maxim she has presented for Simon, then how much can we truly trust her storytelling skill?
The first three books, riddled as they were with bona-fide plot holes and histrionic dialogue, were to a degree more fathomable. Clare created a definitive story arc I could readily engage with. While “City of Fallen Angels” didn’t make me contemplate skewering my eyeballs or washing my brain with bleach, it is not one I will return to in the near future. Instead of keeping me on my toes, Clare cheaply proffered a broken story arc for a few more minutes in the spotlight, and ultimately destroyed her credibility as a writer who values constancy.
You can keep a story going on forever, but sometimes, you just aren’t meant to.
September 5, 2022
"It's not against the Law for a vampire to feed on a human."
It's over! It's finally over!!! Saying this had been a painfully boring reading experience is a massive understatement. From first three MI books, then to the ID trilogy, followed by Red Scrolls of Magic and back here to the second half of MI, is not something that I ever wanted to put myself through again, with the exception of Red Scrolls.
Honestly, I had very little expectations after City of Fallen Angels and only two things kept me going: to see how it'll all end and those fun parts with Isabelle and Simon. The overwhelming romance remained the main theme and the actual fantasy elements became quite minor. By the time I make it to the fifth book, I was skipping entire chapter that are only full of repetitive romance.
As I'm ending this sixth and last MI book, I suddenly realized how good Cassandra Clare's writing is (no sarcasm). It is very clear, highly readable and took almost no effort in maintaining a steady flow. It also must have been a reason for perpetuating me from one book to the other despite not enjoying all the love triangles and stuff.
Once again, I'm doing a common review for all three books as there's very little to separate them.
It's over! It's finally over!!! Saying this had been a painfully boring reading experience is a massive understatement. From first three MI books, then to the ID trilogy, followed by Red Scrolls of Magic and back here to the second half of MI, is not something that I ever wanted to put myself through again, with the exception of Red Scrolls.
Honestly, I had very little expectations after City of Fallen Angels and only two things kept me going: to see how it'll all end and those fun parts with Isabelle and Simon. The overwhelming romance remained the main theme and the actual fantasy elements became quite minor. By the time I make it to the fifth book, I was skipping entire chapter that are only full of repetitive romance.
As I'm ending this sixth and last MI book, I suddenly realized how good Cassandra Clare's writing is (no sarcasm). It is very clear, highly readable and took almost no effort in maintaining a steady flow. It also must have been a reason for perpetuating me from one book to the other despite not enjoying all the love triangles and stuff.
Once again, I'm doing a common review for all three books as there's very little to separate them.
April 12, 2011
Seriously Clare? Serious-freakin'-ly?
1.) Why does everyone have to fall in love? Or in most cases--get angry with each other, fight and then fall in love again.
2.) I'm so sick of sulking Jace. No--I'm so flippin' sick of Jace and Clary. All they do is mope, make-out, mope again and profess their love for each other. Talk about beating a dead horse. Plus it's boring.
3). Honestly, the ending didn't shock me. Sorry.
4.) Is it me, or did the editing suck?
5.) What's up with all the blood? I mean, like, blood that wasn't there is there.
6.) Nice attempt at sneaking in a moral lesson for Simon, but in the end it still looks like a "get rid of all adult involvement" move.
7.) How can a boy who doesn't know mundane culture, read poetry and literature by mundanes? Yes, I'm asking you this after reading all four books.
8.) The ending--too long.
The things I did like--Simon. A thousand times more interesting than Clary and Jace combined. Plus, whenever Jace came around in Simon's POV, I actually liked Jace again. Sulking Jace dampens the fun. A witty, cocky, jackass Jace brings smiles. Especially bickering and bonding with Simon. The plot was expected. The direction wasn't shocking nor was it lame. Just predictable. I'll continue to stick with the series. I've been with it since the beginning and it hasn't rubbed me entirely the wrong way yet.
Well, I'm tired. Night.
1.) Why does everyone have to fall in love? Or in most cases--get angry with each other, fight and then fall in love again.
2.) I'm so sick of sulking Jace. No--I'm so flippin' sick of Jace and Clary. All they do is mope, make-out, mope again and profess their love for each other. Talk about beating a dead horse. Plus it's boring.
3). Honestly, the ending didn't shock me. Sorry.
4.) Is it me, or did the editing suck?
5.) What's up with all the blood? I mean, like, blood that wasn't there is there.
6.) Nice attempt at sneaking in a moral lesson for Simon, but in the end it still looks like a "get rid of all adult involvement" move.
7.) How can a boy who doesn't know mundane culture, read poetry and literature by mundanes? Yes, I'm asking you this after reading all four books.
8.) The ending--too long.
The things I did like--Simon. A thousand times more interesting than Clary and Jace combined. Plus, whenever Jace came around in Simon's POV, I actually liked Jace again. Sulking Jace dampens the fun. A witty, cocky, jackass Jace brings smiles. Especially bickering and bonding with Simon. The plot was expected. The direction wasn't shocking nor was it lame. Just predictable. I'll continue to stick with the series. I've been with it since the beginning and it hasn't rubbed me entirely the wrong way yet.
Well, I'm tired. Night.
July 8, 2017
TOP 5 ANGSTY ISSUES IN City of Fallen Angels.
SHOW OF HANDS: How many of you took a ginormous break after reading City of Glass (TMI #3)? *Raises Hand* How many of you put off reading City of Fallen Angels (TMI #4) because you couldn’t remember all of the messed up shite our favorite Shadowhunters and their friends have been dealing with? *Raises Hand* Well, good news, Peeps! I've got The Top 5 Angsty Issues in City of Fallen Angels right here, listed from least to most angstalicious. Enjoy!
#5. The Problem With Immortality Is That It Never Ends (Like, Ever).
THE SITCH: Magnus is immortal. Alec is not. Which means, only one of them will live HEA.
“Camille said pretty boys were your undoing. That sounds like I’m just one in a long line of toys for you. One dies, you get another. I’m—trivial. Which is unfair, because you're anything but trivial for me. I changed my whole life for you. But nothing ever changes for you, does it? I guess that’s what it means to live forever. Nothing ever matters all that much.” ~ Alec Lightwood
WELL… ALEC THINKS SO, YES.
#4. Shadowhunters, And Vampires, And Werewolves (Oh My!)
THE SITCH: Isabelle is dating Simon. Simon is dating Maia. Maia doesn’t know about Isabelle. Isabelle doesn’t know about Maia. But soon, everyone will know about everyone. And then, there’ll be a whole lot of angsting going on.
“You’re playing with fire, Simon. I hope you know that. Let me tell you something about girls. Even if you haven’t had the exclusivity conversation, they’re still going to be mad if they find out you’re dating someone they know and you haven’t mentioned it. It’s a dating rule.” ~ Clary Fairchild
THIS LOVE TRIANGLE IS ABOUT TO GET ANGSTY.
#3. One Vamp’s Curse Is Another Vamp’s WMD (Meeting @ 2 a.m. To Discuss).
THE SITCH: The Mark of Cain turned Simon into a walking WMD, and it’s making him pretty popular with the power hungry Vampire crowd. Including, but not limited to, Camille Belcourt.
“ ‘I want you to join me against Santiago, Simon. The moment his cohorts see you’re with me, they’ll leave him and come to me.’
‘Cohorts?’ Simon grinned slightly.
Camille seemed baffled. ‘Yes?’
‘Well, it’s just... ‘Cohorts.’ It’s like saying ‘evildoers’ or ‘minions.’ ”
~ Camille Belcourt & Simon Lewis
I COULD TELL YOU… BUT I WON’T.
#2. Even Shadowhunters Get The Blues (And Other Reasons Co-Workers Shouldn’t Date).
THE SITCH: Jace is acting weirder than usual and it’s making Clary question the status of their relationship.
“She knew how breakups went. First the pulling away, the gradual refusal to return phone calls. The vague messages saying the other person just wants a little space. Then the ‘It’s not you, it’s me.’ speech. She’d never thought any of that would ever apply to her and Jace.” ~ Clary Fairchild
MAYBE… MAYBE NOT… ?
#1. Goodbye Daddies, Hello Identity Crisis (Or Why Jace Is Acting Like An Emo Pussy).
THE SITCH: Remember when Jace found out Michael Wayland WASN’T his dad but Valentine Morgenstern WAS his dad and that made Clary his sister AND his girlfriend? Then, a couple weeks later, it turned out that Valentine actually WASN’T his dad, but some random dude named Stephen Herondale WAS? Could the revolving door of daddies be messing with Jace’s head?
Simon: “You thought he was your father for sixteen years, that doesn’t go away in a day. And you never met your real father. So just think of yourself as having two fathers for a while.”
Jace: “You can’t have two fathers.”
Simon: “Sure you can. We’ll buy you one of those kid’s books. ‘Timmy Has Two Dads’. Except I don’t think they have one called ‘Timmy Has Two Dads and One of Them Was Evil’. That part you’re going to have to work through on your own.”
GOOD TIMES, INDEED!
BOTTOM LINE: Is it great literature? No. Is it original? No. Is it full of OTT teen angst? Yeah. But it’s still fun and I still like reading it. So there! Now quit judging me and pick up your own copy so you can start reading it too. And when you’re done, look for my review of, City of Lost Souls (TMI #5), where I rank my favorite part of the TMI series: THE SNARK.
City of Fallen Angels (TMI #4), by Cassandra Clare: 4 “Angstalicious” Stars.
For information about my ratings system, see my profile page.
MY REVIEWS OF:
City of Lost Souls (TMI #5): Click Me Baby!
City of Heavenly Fire (TMI #6): Coming Soon
SHOW OF HANDS: How many of you took a ginormous break after reading City of Glass (TMI #3)? *Raises Hand* How many of you put off reading City of Fallen Angels (TMI #4) because you couldn’t remember all of the messed up shite our favorite Shadowhunters and their friends have been dealing with? *Raises Hand* Well, good news, Peeps! I've got The Top 5 Angsty Issues in City of Fallen Angels right here, listed from least to most angstalicious. Enjoy!
#5. The Problem With Immortality Is That It Never Ends (Like, Ever).
THE SITCH: Magnus is immortal. Alec is not. Which means, only one of them will live HEA.
“Camille said pretty boys were your undoing. That sounds like I’m just one in a long line of toys for you. One dies, you get another. I’m—trivial. Which is unfair, because you're anything but trivial for me. I changed my whole life for you. But nothing ever changes for you, does it? I guess that’s what it means to live forever. Nothing ever matters all that much.” ~ Alec Lightwood
WELL… ALEC THINKS SO, YES.
#4. Shadowhunters, And Vampires, And Werewolves (Oh My!)
THE SITCH: Isabelle is dating Simon. Simon is dating Maia. Maia doesn’t know about Isabelle. Isabelle doesn’t know about Maia. But soon, everyone will know about everyone. And then, there’ll be a whole lot of angsting going on.
“You’re playing with fire, Simon. I hope you know that. Let me tell you something about girls. Even if you haven’t had the exclusivity conversation, they’re still going to be mad if they find out you’re dating someone they know and you haven’t mentioned it. It’s a dating rule.” ~ Clary Fairchild
THIS LOVE TRIANGLE IS ABOUT TO GET ANGSTY.
#3. One Vamp’s Curse Is Another Vamp’s WMD (Meeting @ 2 a.m. To Discuss).
THE SITCH: The Mark of Cain turned Simon into a walking WMD, and it’s making him pretty popular with the power hungry Vampire crowd. Including, but not limited to, Camille Belcourt.
“ ‘I want you to join me against Santiago, Simon. The moment his cohorts see you’re with me, they’ll leave him and come to me.’
‘Cohorts?’ Simon grinned slightly.
Camille seemed baffled. ‘Yes?’
‘Well, it’s just... ‘Cohorts.’ It’s like saying ‘evildoers’ or ‘minions.’ ”
~ Camille Belcourt & Simon Lewis
I COULD TELL YOU… BUT I WON’T.
#2. Even Shadowhunters Get The Blues (And Other Reasons Co-Workers Shouldn’t Date).
THE SITCH: Jace is acting weirder than usual and it’s making Clary question the status of their relationship.
“She knew how breakups went. First the pulling away, the gradual refusal to return phone calls. The vague messages saying the other person just wants a little space. Then the ‘It’s not you, it’s me.’ speech. She’d never thought any of that would ever apply to her and Jace.” ~ Clary Fairchild
MAYBE… MAYBE NOT… ?
#1. Goodbye Daddies, Hello Identity Crisis (Or Why Jace Is Acting Like An Emo Pussy).
THE SITCH: Remember when Jace found out Michael Wayland WASN’T his dad but Valentine Morgenstern WAS his dad and that made Clary his sister AND his girlfriend? Then, a couple weeks later, it turned out that Valentine actually WASN’T his dad, but some random dude named Stephen Herondale WAS? Could the revolving door of daddies be messing with Jace’s head?
Simon: “You thought he was your father for sixteen years, that doesn’t go away in a day. And you never met your real father. So just think of yourself as having two fathers for a while.”
Jace: “You can’t have two fathers.”
Simon: “Sure you can. We’ll buy you one of those kid’s books. ‘Timmy Has Two Dads’. Except I don’t think they have one called ‘Timmy Has Two Dads and One of Them Was Evil’. That part you’re going to have to work through on your own.”
GOOD TIMES, INDEED!
BOTTOM LINE: Is it great literature? No. Is it original? No. Is it full of OTT teen angst? Yeah. But it’s still fun and I still like reading it. So there! Now quit judging me and pick up your own copy so you can start reading it too. And when you’re done, look for my review of, City of Lost Souls (TMI #5), where I rank my favorite part of the TMI series: THE SNARK.
City of Fallen Angels (TMI #4), by Cassandra Clare: 4 “Angstalicious” Stars.
For information about my ratings system, see my profile page.
MY REVIEWS OF:
City of Lost Souls (TMI #5): Click Me Baby!
City of Heavenly Fire (TMI #6): Coming Soon
January 4, 2023
The Mortal Instruments, #4: The Mortal War is over but the repercussions hit Clary, Jace and Simon pretty hard! And someone's killing Shadowhunters and human babies (Trigger Warning)! Although this series maintains my interest I do find virtually all the romantic interludes tiresome, they also feel like they were slotted in, and are / were, not really part of the story. It's the Shadowhunters and the multiple conspiracies around dealing with their antagonists that truly entertain me.
What Clare does well in this series is the character and relationships' development of the young adult supporting cast such as the downworlders like Camille, Raphael, Maia, Jordan etc; but alas this is counteracted by the almost zero character and relationship development of the supporting adult cast, although it could be argued that this is done on purpose to replicate the generational divide found in most humanoid society? A firm Three Star, 7 out of 12 rating from me.
2022 and 2017 read
What Clare does well in this series is the character and relationships' development of the young adult supporting cast such as the downworlders like Camille, Raphael, Maia, Jordan etc; but alas this is counteracted by the almost zero character and relationship development of the supporting adult cast, although it could be argued that this is done on purpose to replicate the generational divide found in most humanoid society? A firm Three Star, 7 out of 12 rating from me.
2022 and 2017 read
May 25, 2017
3 Everybody hurts Stars
Spoilers
This one wasn't as good for me as the others. Jace and Clary had a ton of drama going on and where pretty much apart the whole book. Which I didn't like. They can't catch a break to save their lives. Simon was dating two girls at the same time and I didn't like that. Simon was sweet the last 3 books now in this book he does douchebag things like dating two girls. That is not like Simon! Alec and Magnus had a big fight over Magnus's past and the fact that he will live forever while Alec will grow old and die. I really liked Izzy in this book. I enjoyed her and Simon's time together would have enjoyed it more if he wasn't seeing someone else at the same time. Call me crazy but it kinda cheapens his feelings. I know their teens but Just sayin'. This book also kinda bored me at times. I would catch myself skimming over details. Everything was so detailed. Still a okay read for me but my least favorite so far. I hope the next one is better.
Spoilers
This one wasn't as good for me as the others. Jace and Clary had a ton of drama going on and where pretty much apart the whole book. Which I didn't like. They can't catch a break to save their lives. Simon was dating two girls at the same time and I didn't like that. Simon was sweet the last 3 books now in this book he does douchebag things like dating two girls. That is not like Simon! Alec and Magnus had a big fight over Magnus's past and the fact that he will live forever while Alec will grow old and die. I really liked Izzy in this book. I enjoyed her and Simon's time together would have enjoyed it more if he wasn't seeing someone else at the same time. Call me crazy but it kinda cheapens his feelings. I know their teens but Just sayin'. This book also kinda bored me at times. I would catch myself skimming over details. Everything was so detailed. Still a okay read for me but my least favorite so far. I hope the next one is better.
October 27, 2021
Ahhh I did it again. This is Heather by Conan Gray (hate this as much as you want but don't ever insult Conan infront of me or...🔪🔪)
🚫SPOILER ALERT🚫
I still remember when Jace was Clary's brother, he still did kiss her
So don't expect something better from these two
Only if they knew how much everyone says eww
As soon as they say
Their lines
They might be a cause of our sore eyes
Better is Kaz taking out the bad man's eye
They'll be the cause of death of mine
Why would Jace ever love her?
She's not even good for a demon
I liked Jace better, when in his dream he killed her
But then he woke up
Wish they both were dead-er
Watch as Simon dates two girls, playing in a band
See him befriend someone named Jordan
How could anyone ever kill him? He's protected by an angel
But then again, kinda wish that he gets
Beaten by
The girls who got played by
The vampire who could walk in the blue sky
But it's better than Meyer's Twilight
Why would you ever hate Cassie?
I'm dying seeing Malec so happy
Yeah I know she made Clace so ugly, it was the worst kind of ugly
But she did write something better
I wish Clace were better
Oh, I wish they were dead-er
Oh, oh, wish I they were better
Why would you ever bring back Seb-yyy?
I have seen villains much more savvy
Jace is far much better, than someone who kisses their own sister
But still it would be better
If Clary and Jace were-
City of Bones
City of Glass
🚫SPOILER ALERT🚫
I still remember when Jace was Clary's brother, he still did kiss her
So don't expect something better from these two
Only if they knew how much everyone says eww
As soon as they say
Their lines
They might be a cause of our sore eyes
Better is Kaz taking out the bad man's eye
They'll be the cause of death of mine
Why would Jace ever love her?
She's not even good for a demon
I liked Jace better, when in his dream he killed her
But then he woke up
Wish they both were dead-er
Watch as Simon dates two girls, playing in a band
See him befriend someone named Jordan
How could anyone ever kill him? He's protected by an angel
But then again, kinda wish that he gets
Beaten by
The girls who got played by
The vampire who could walk in the blue sky
But it's better than Meyer's Twilight
Why would you ever hate Cassie?
I'm dying seeing Malec so happy
Yeah I know she made Clace so ugly, it was the worst kind of ugly
But she did write something better
I wish Clace were better
Oh, I wish they were dead-er
Oh, oh, wish I they were better
Why would you ever bring back Seb-yyy?
I have seen villains much more savvy
Jace is far much better, than someone who kisses their own sister
But still it would be better
If Clary and Jace were-
City of Bones
City of Glass
December 19, 2018
One down, two more Mortal Instruments to go.
*Shout out to the Loudoun County library for carrying the kindle version so I don't have to lug around these honking big hardcovers. You're the real hero here.
*Shout out to the Loudoun County library for carrying the kindle version so I don't have to lug around these honking big hardcovers. You're the real hero here.
June 19, 2021
City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4), Cassandra Clare
City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.
The series was meant to end with City of Glass; it was announced in March 2010 that a fourth book would be added, with Cassandra Clare later saying that she views this as a "second trilogy" in the series.
The book was released on April 5, 2011. Simon receives an offer from a vampire named Camille Belcourt who claims to have been usurped by Raphael Santiago.
She says that if Simon joins her side as the Daylighter, he will finally earn his place in the vampire society.
After his meeting, he returns home worried about what his mother would think, as she has been suspicious since he went to Idris in City of Glass and did not return for a few days.
Although Magnus Bane erased memories of his absence, she was still subconsciously suspicious about his whereabouts. Simon is attacked several times.
Each time, the Mark of Cain placed on him by Clary works, and anyone who tries to attack him quickly meets a biblical "sevenfold" death.
When he arrives home, his mother confronts him about the blood she has found hidden in his closet, and he is forced to tell her what he has become.
She believes that he is no longer her son and begins to pray. Desperate, he tells her that it's a bad dream and she, surprisingly, believes him, with the help of his persuasion powers as a vampire.
Knowing that he can't go back to his mother's house, he moves in with his band's new member, Jordan Kyle. When Jace comes to Simon's apartment, he meets Kyle and realizes that Kyle is, in fact, a werewolf. ...
City of Fallen Angels: The Mortal Instruments; book 4, by Cassandra Clare, 2017, 424 Pages.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش نسخه اصلی: روز هفدهم ماه دسامبر سال 2018میلادی
عنوان: سری ابزار فانی: کتاب چهارم شهر فرشتگان مغلوب (رانده شده)؛ نویسنده: کاساندارا کلر؛ مترجمها لیلا و بهاره برج علیخانی؛ تهران اردیبهشت، 1396؛ در 429ص؛ شابک 9789641713074؛ موضوع: داستانهای جوانان از نویسندگان ایالات متحده امریکا - سده 21م
کتاب «شهر فرشتگان مغلوب»، چهارمین رمان، از سری داستانهای «ابزارهای فانی» است، که «کاساندرا کلر» نویسنده ی «امریکایی» بنگاشته اند؛ سری داستانهای «ابزارهای فانی»، قرار بود با رمان «شهر شیشه ای»، پایان یابند، اما کتابهای دیگری را نویسنده با عنوان «شروع سه گانه دوم» اعلام کردند؛ و «شهر فرشتگان مغلوب»، نخستین بار در روز پنجم ماه آوریل سال 2011میلادی از آن سری منتشر شد
یکس سخت دلمشغول کشتار «شکارچیان سایه» است؛ همین موضوع تنش و کشمکش، بین «شکارچیان سایه» و «زیرزمینیها» را، نیرو بخشیده است؛ «سایمون» دوست صمیمی «کلاری»، زندانی است، و نمیتواند کاری برای یاری به «کلاری»، انجام دهد؛ وقتی «جیس»، بدون هیچ برهان پذیرفته شده ای از «کلاری» دوری میکند، «کلاری» وادار میشود، به تنهایی، به دل یک ماجراجویی ناباورانه بزند، و پاسخ یک معمای خوفناک را بیابد...؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 28/03/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.
The series was meant to end with City of Glass; it was announced in March 2010 that a fourth book would be added, with Cassandra Clare later saying that she views this as a "second trilogy" in the series.
The book was released on April 5, 2011. Simon receives an offer from a vampire named Camille Belcourt who claims to have been usurped by Raphael Santiago.
She says that if Simon joins her side as the Daylighter, he will finally earn his place in the vampire society.
After his meeting, he returns home worried about what his mother would think, as she has been suspicious since he went to Idris in City of Glass and did not return for a few days.
Although Magnus Bane erased memories of his absence, she was still subconsciously suspicious about his whereabouts. Simon is attacked several times.
Each time, the Mark of Cain placed on him by Clary works, and anyone who tries to attack him quickly meets a biblical "sevenfold" death.
When he arrives home, his mother confronts him about the blood she has found hidden in his closet, and he is forced to tell her what he has become.
She believes that he is no longer her son and begins to pray. Desperate, he tells her that it's a bad dream and she, surprisingly, believes him, with the help of his persuasion powers as a vampire.
Knowing that he can't go back to his mother's house, he moves in with his band's new member, Jordan Kyle. When Jace comes to Simon's apartment, he meets Kyle and realizes that Kyle is, in fact, a werewolf. ...
City of Fallen Angels: The Mortal Instruments; book 4, by Cassandra Clare, 2017, 424 Pages.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش نسخه اصلی: روز هفدهم ماه دسامبر سال 2018میلادی
عنوان: سری ابزار فانی: کتاب چهارم شهر فرشتگان مغلوب (رانده شده)؛ نویسنده: کاساندارا کلر؛ مترجمها لیلا و بهاره برج علیخانی؛ تهران اردیبهشت، 1396؛ در 429ص؛ شابک 9789641713074؛ موضوع: داستانهای جوانان از نویسندگان ایالات متحده امریکا - سده 21م
کتاب «شهر فرشتگان مغلوب»، چهارمین رمان، از سری داستانهای «ابزارهای فانی» است، که «کاساندرا کلر» نویسنده ی «امریکایی» بنگاشته اند؛ سری داستانهای «ابزارهای فانی»، قرار بود با رمان «شهر شیشه ای»، پایان یابند، اما کتابهای دیگری را نویسنده با عنوان «شروع سه گانه دوم» اعلام کردند؛ و «شهر فرشتگان مغلوب»، نخستین بار در روز پنجم ماه آوریل سال 2011میلادی از آن سری منتشر شد
یکس سخت دلمشغول کشتار «شکارچیان سایه» است؛ همین موضوع تنش و کشمکش، بین «شکارچیان سایه» و «زیرزمینیها» را، نیرو بخشیده است؛ «سایمون» دوست صمیمی «کلاری»، زندانی است، و نمیتواند کاری برای یاری به «کلاری»، انجام دهد؛ وقتی «جیس»، بدون هیچ برهان پذیرفته شده ای از «کلاری» دوری میکند، «کلاری» وادار میشود، به تنهایی، به دل یک ماجراجویی ناباورانه بزند، و پاسخ یک معمای خوفناک را بیابد...؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 28/03/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
May 26, 2022
It could have been worse.
September 14, 2011
Dear CC,
What is wrong with you?
I suppose it isn't really fair. After all, I did come into this book expecting to dislike it. I did have warnings that it was bad, and I did plan on heeding them. But, alas, I succumbed to the anxiety and curiosity that lurked in the back of my mind when I glanced at the pdf on my desktop.
And then it began.
Between the contrived Jace/Clary angst("OMG, joo will leaves me!" "I will neva leaves joo!" "No, but joo will leaves me!" "I will neva leaves joo!" and repeat), plain idiocy between Alec and Magnus ("OMG, you liek dated someone before me!" "I'm a 1000 yr old vampire. Of course I have." "OMG, you liek dated someone before me. And it was a WOMAN."), interesting subplots that are shoved aside for no good reason to make room for more Jace/Clary angst (*cough*Simon*cough*), and the worst way of getting rid of a main villain who is supposedly badass ("Me willz totally stand herez and liek talk 'bout killin joo instead of actually doin it and --" "OMFG WE DEFEATED JOO!" "OH NOES ME DEAD!") this has to be one of the worst books I've ever read. Sure, there have been worse, but this manages to outshine all of those for what it truly is -- complete and utter garbage.
I am really shocked as to how this book was picked up by an agent. The manuscript must have been at least five times worse if it hadn't seen an editor yet. What was this agent smoking? Because whatever it is, can I have some? It might relieve some of my stress. Or kill me because it's so gross and toxic.
I don't understand how you can call this literature with a straight face.
There is only one true use for this book,
Let's dance around the flames singing and holding hands, pressing our copies of Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia to our chests to make the bad bad things go away.
Cassandra Clare, it is time to be honest. You are not an author. You are not a writer. You are a spewer. You don't care enough about your writing or readers to carefully piece together a plot or think over whether or not you actually need another 5 sequels. You are in this for the money, and the money only. Can you at least put a disclaimer on the book, so nobody else has to waste their time and money?
Thanks.
What is wrong with you?
I suppose it isn't really fair. After all, I did come into this book expecting to dislike it. I did have warnings that it was bad, and I did plan on heeding them. But, alas, I succumbed to the anxiety and curiosity that lurked in the back of my mind when I glanced at the pdf on my desktop.
And then it began.
Between the contrived Jace/Clary angst("OMG, joo will leaves me!" "I will neva leaves joo!" "No, but joo will leaves me!" "I will neva leaves joo!" and repeat), plain idiocy between Alec and Magnus ("OMG, you liek dated someone before me!" "I'm a 1000 yr old vampire. Of course I have." "OMG, you liek dated someone before me. And it was a WOMAN."), interesting subplots that are shoved aside for no good reason to make room for more Jace/Clary angst (*cough*Simon*cough*), and the worst way of getting rid of a main villain who is supposedly badass ("Me willz totally stand herez and liek talk 'bout killin joo instead of actually doin it and --" "OMFG WE DEFEATED JOO!" "OH NOES ME DEAD!") this has to be one of the worst books I've ever read. Sure, there have been worse, but this manages to outshine all of those for what it truly is -- complete and utter garbage.
I am really shocked as to how this book was picked up by an agent. The manuscript must have been at least five times worse if it hadn't seen an editor yet. What was this agent smoking? Because whatever it is, can I have some? It might relieve some of my stress. Or kill me because it's so gross and toxic.
I don't understand how you can call this literature with a straight face.
There is only one true use for this book,
Let's dance around the flames singing and holding hands, pressing our copies of Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia to our chests to make the bad bad things go away.
Cassandra Clare, it is time to be honest. You are not an author. You are not a writer. You are a spewer. You don't care enough about your writing or readers to carefully piece together a plot or think over whether or not you actually need another 5 sequels. You are in this for the money, and the money only. Can you at least put a disclaimer on the book, so nobody else has to waste their time and money?
Thanks.
August 15, 2012
I watched Cassie Clare read this to some kids in France on youtube, the parts she read werent even connected to the plot, it was just about 2 pages worth of rising action, and i already have it marked down onnmy calander. This was the first book i ever read in third person and i didnt think i was going to like it. I read the first 3 pages of City of Bones and i was hooked. After that i couldnt wait for City of Ashes or Glass. After City of Glass i didnt think she would write any more because i thought it ended nicely. When i found out she was writing another book?forget about it. Im getting that book the day it comes out wether i have a ride or not. i will walk there. i love how Ms. Clare writes with a rhythem that makes everything flow and work, all of her charactors have different personalities. I like that she has Magnus Bane, the warlock,as a smart and powerful guy thats hilariuos in personality and Issabelle, the girly model who fights like Superwoman or something. and Clary the small fragile girl that has more power than you would think. Her main charactor Clary never got on my nerves like some charactors and it never got confusing. City of Bones, Ash, and Glass had so many twists and turnes that I'm wondering what other twists will Ms. Clare come up with next? I cant wait to find out. I also like that she doesnt discriminate when it comes to gay people. Alec and Magnus love each other for personality and not looks or blood. Alec doesnt mind that Magnus is a downworlder. just like Clery still loved Jace when she thought he was her brother. I cannot wait for Ms. Clare's next book City of Fallen Angels.
April 12, 2011
I remember watching a scene in a sitcom where two people were talking about a soap opera they enjoyed. The guy admitted he was behind on it because he'd stopped watching it a few years before. The woman replied, "That's okay. You stopped around [insert whatever event]? Well, it's later that same day and... blah-blah."
Soap operas do this really weird thing where time seems to stagnate and a lot of events happen in a small window. Actors and actresses may change out, but they'll still ride the same very prolonged story arch into the ground. I immediately felt that way when I picked up City of Fallen Angels. The original trilogy takes place during a few weeks of one summer. The problem with doing this is it makes Clary and Jace's relationship drive me utterly insane. (Alright, maybe it did that in other ways, but this my friends is the icing on the seven layer cake.) They've known each other a few weeks -- thought they were siblings for a significant portion of that time, but their romance is supposed to be epic, see-into-your-soul, and not at all just about lust... which you can maybe buy if not for the fact that they've spent a couple of weeks together. Unrealistic portrayals of romantic love are nothing new to the YA fantasy genre, but the timeline here is exceptionally bad.
The story was originally supposed to be Simon's story with the rest of the cast taking a more backseat role. I was surprised to switch to Clary's POV in the first few chapters but not really shocked. Clare has a big problem with POV. She switches it on a whim and in the middle of scenes. You are constantly privy to thoughts and ideas you really should have been allowed to come to on your own through subtext. The story is primarily told through Simon and Clary's POVs, but that doesn't stop scenes from Isabelle's POV (something that came out of no where in my opinion) and, of course, the boy wonder Jace's POV. Sometimes a scene is from one character's POV when it would be so, so much more interesting to get it from someone else's. When you really want to know what Jace is feeling you get Clary's POV and observations on why he is the way he is instead of just direct insight.
To me, it came across as a bit of a hot mess. I don't particularly enjoy first person books, but I really hate all this over the shoulder jumping. Clare has no idea how to transition or keep focus. It felt lazy and cheap. For example: tossing us into Alec's raging jealousy for a few pages. We didn't benefit from it at all; the story didn't benefit from it at all. It wasn't necessary, we got that he was jealous in other scenes and it added nothing to the story except pages...
Which is something City of Fallen Angels is light on -- pages. It's probably the slimmest book in the series? I expected a brick. I thought if she had more story to tell we were going to get walloped with it. The thin book and the severe plot holes made me feel like this book was a money making gimmick more than anything else. A lot of reviewers I respect have called the first three books out for some lazy writing or sloppy fantasy building. I only wish they could read this book. It never once felt like there was actually more story to tell. Maybe it took a fourth book for me to appreciate that City of Glass ended the right way. It felt a lot more solid than the new plots thrown at us... and I could say I felt they were thrown in there literally. The new plots were not woven into the old, just dropped down like a brick house.
There's some stuff going on with Simon and the vampires, but it's pretty paltry. Simon's plots contribute to Clary and Jace's plot, not vice verse, which to me is an important distinction. His story wasn't exactly stronger, but it was more interesting. I wanted to know more about what happened with his acclimation to being a vampire a hell of a lot more than I wanted to hear Clary and Jace lament over and over again about how unworthy they were of one another. I wanted to slap the two of them with a copy of Romeo and Juliet and tell them to try the cold embrace of death so they could always, always be together.
Given the time frame and the sibling factor, Clary and Jace barely got to be together before the BIG PLOT in this book tears them apart all over again. We get to see very little of them actually being together. It really is mostly wangsting about how Clary's mother thinks Jace is Valentine revisited and how Jace half agrees with her.
Jocelyn is my next point. She's all DPS (Disappearing Parent Syndrome) in the original trilogy. She's out of her coma now and around to let Clary know she Disapproves of her romantic relations... Um. God. It so reminded me of Linger's follow up to Shiver where Grace's absentee parents pay attention long enough to hate on Sam. Jocelyn disapproves of Jace because he was raised by Valentine... Yeah, well Clary is Valentine's biological child, Jocelyn. If crazy is hereditary I'd be more worried about my own little red haired super villain before poking at other people's kids. Jace was only half raised by Valentine. Half his life was with the Lightwoods and he almost exclusively thought he was a Wayland! On top of that he is ACTUALLY a Herondale. (And, yes, I hate myself for knowing all of these names so perfectly.) Valentine had some influence, but seriously, it felt like a really obscure thing to be worried about. If we have to worry about Jace's childhood and development be more concerned that every adult in his life has been untrustworthy to one degree or another.
I'll read the next book for three reasons: 1. I don't want these books to have exclusive 5 star ratings they don't deserve. 2. I have thus far resisted the urge to ever rate a book I haven't read. 3. I want to see if a 'plot' actually develops.
I preordered this book with Red Glove and I've got to say of the two Holly Black's series has been the better experience for me. I plan on rereading and reviewing it next because I kind of tore through it in a fit of joy... what? It's been known to happen!
Soap operas do this really weird thing where time seems to stagnate and a lot of events happen in a small window. Actors and actresses may change out, but they'll still ride the same very prolonged story arch into the ground. I immediately felt that way when I picked up City of Fallen Angels. The original trilogy takes place during a few weeks of one summer. The problem with doing this is it makes Clary and Jace's relationship drive me utterly insane. (Alright, maybe it did that in other ways, but this my friends is the icing on the seven layer cake.) They've known each other a few weeks -- thought they were siblings for a significant portion of that time, but their romance is supposed to be epic, see-into-your-soul, and not at all just about lust... which you can maybe buy if not for the fact that they've spent a couple of weeks together. Unrealistic portrayals of romantic love are nothing new to the YA fantasy genre, but the timeline here is exceptionally bad.
The story was originally supposed to be Simon's story with the rest of the cast taking a more backseat role. I was surprised to switch to Clary's POV in the first few chapters but not really shocked. Clare has a big problem with POV. She switches it on a whim and in the middle of scenes. You are constantly privy to thoughts and ideas you really should have been allowed to come to on your own through subtext. The story is primarily told through Simon and Clary's POVs, but that doesn't stop scenes from Isabelle's POV (something that came out of no where in my opinion) and, of course, the boy wonder Jace's POV. Sometimes a scene is from one character's POV when it would be so, so much more interesting to get it from someone else's. When you really want to know what Jace is feeling you get Clary's POV and observations on why he is the way he is instead of just direct insight.
To me, it came across as a bit of a hot mess. I don't particularly enjoy first person books, but I really hate all this over the shoulder jumping. Clare has no idea how to transition or keep focus. It felt lazy and cheap. For example: tossing us into Alec's raging jealousy for a few pages. We didn't benefit from it at all; the story didn't benefit from it at all. It wasn't necessary, we got that he was jealous in other scenes and it added nothing to the story except pages...
Which is something City of Fallen Angels is light on -- pages. It's probably the slimmest book in the series? I expected a brick. I thought if she had more story to tell we were going to get walloped with it. The thin book and the severe plot holes made me feel like this book was a money making gimmick more than anything else. A lot of reviewers I respect have called the first three books out for some lazy writing or sloppy fantasy building. I only wish they could read this book. It never once felt like there was actually more story to tell. Maybe it took a fourth book for me to appreciate that City of Glass ended the right way. It felt a lot more solid than the new plots thrown at us... and I could say I felt they were thrown in there literally. The new plots were not woven into the old, just dropped down like a brick house.
There's some stuff going on with Simon and the vampires, but it's pretty paltry. Simon's plots contribute to Clary and Jace's plot, not vice verse, which to me is an important distinction. His story wasn't exactly stronger, but it was more interesting. I wanted to know more about what happened with his acclimation to being a vampire a hell of a lot more than I wanted to hear Clary and Jace lament over and over again about how unworthy they were of one another. I wanted to slap the two of them with a copy of Romeo and Juliet and tell them to try the cold embrace of death so they could always, always be together.
Given the time frame and the sibling factor, Clary and Jace barely got to be together before the BIG PLOT in this book tears them apart all over again. We get to see very little of them actually being together. It really is mostly wangsting about how Clary's mother thinks Jace is Valentine revisited and how Jace half agrees with her.
Jocelyn is my next point. She's all DPS (Disappearing Parent Syndrome) in the original trilogy. She's out of her coma now and around to let Clary know she Disapproves of her romantic relations... Um. God. It so reminded me of Linger's follow up to Shiver where Grace's absentee parents pay attention long enough to hate on Sam. Jocelyn disapproves of Jace because he was raised by Valentine... Yeah, well Clary is Valentine's biological child, Jocelyn. If crazy is hereditary I'd be more worried about my own little red haired super villain before poking at other people's kids. Jace was only half raised by Valentine. Half his life was with the Lightwoods and he almost exclusively thought he was a Wayland! On top of that he is ACTUALLY a Herondale. (And, yes, I hate myself for knowing all of these names so perfectly.) Valentine had some influence, but seriously, it felt like a really obscure thing to be worried about. If we have to worry about Jace's childhood and development be more concerned that every adult in his life has been untrustworthy to one degree or another.
I'll read the next book for three reasons: 1. I don't want these books to have exclusive 5 star ratings they don't deserve. 2. I have thus far resisted the urge to ever rate a book I haven't read. 3. I want to see if a 'plot' actually develops.
I preordered this book with Red Glove and I've got to say of the two Holly Black's series has been the better experience for me. I plan on rereading and reviewing it next because I kind of tore through it in a fit of joy... what? It's been known to happen!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2017
After reading
The Infernal Devices,
I didn't think the last half of The Mortal Instruments would live up to the expectations that the prequels set, and this book
proved me right.
At least just in this case. City of Fallen Angels is by far my least favorite book in this series.
This book was just filled with stupid relationship drama. Relationship drama between no other than Clary and Jace. No surprise there! Relationship drama between Simon, Isabelle, and Maia. Relationship drama between Maia and Kyle. Relationship drama between Magnus and Alec. It seemed like Cassandra Clare stirred up all this drama with literally ALL the couples in the beginning of the book only to bring them all back together again by the end of City of Fallen Angels.
Clary and Jace have literally been dying over the fact that they weren't able to be together because of that "thing", but now that situation got cleared up in City of Glass, they're free to finally be together and make up for lost time. But of course, that doesn't happen and more drama comes up between them that creates all this unnecessary angst in the relationship that can simply be solved with straightforward, basic communication. But nope. Apparently communication has become such a hazard. So instead, they make out and verge on having sex in almost every scene instead of actually working out their problems. I had to skip all their scenes because 99% of the time they were making out and groping each other. I can't wait to see what new relationship problems they have next in City of Lost Souls. YAY. -____-
On top of that, Clary is still a BRAT. Jace is back to being his depressed, self-loathing self again. Alec was acting like a whiny, jealous boyfriend. Simon even managed to irk me in this book. The plot twists weren't even plot twists considering how I called them from the beginning. This book was just a disaster for me. Period. 80% of this book consisted of everybody and their relationship problems and the other 20% is actual plot progression.
To be honest, this series should've just been done after City of Glass. I feel like this book, or maybe even just the last half of this series in general, was just really unnecessary. The whole "mortal instruments" concept in which this whole series was named after, already seemed to reach its conclusion by the end of the third installment. But I'm just going to continue one with the last two books just to finally say I completed The Mortal Instruments, and to catch up on all of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter books in time for Lady Midnight.
This book was just filled with stupid relationship drama. Relationship drama between no other than Clary and Jace. No surprise there! Relationship drama between Simon, Isabelle, and Maia. Relationship drama between Maia and Kyle. Relationship drama between Magnus and Alec. It seemed like Cassandra Clare stirred up all this drama with literally ALL the couples in the beginning of the book only to bring them all back together again by the end of City of Fallen Angels.
Clary and Jace have literally been dying over the fact that they weren't able to be together because of that "thing", but now that situation got cleared up in City of Glass, they're free to finally be together and make up for lost time. But of course, that doesn't happen and more drama comes up between them that creates all this unnecessary angst in the relationship that can simply be solved with straightforward, basic communication. But nope. Apparently communication has become such a hazard. So instead, they make out and verge on having sex in almost every scene instead of actually working out their problems. I had to skip all their scenes because 99% of the time they were making out and groping each other. I can't wait to see what new relationship problems they have next in City of Lost Souls. YAY. -____-
On top of that, Clary is still a BRAT. Jace is back to being his depressed, self-loathing self again. Alec was acting like a whiny, jealous boyfriend. Simon even managed to irk me in this book. The plot twists weren't even plot twists considering how I called them from the beginning. This book was just a disaster for me. Period. 80% of this book consisted of everybody and their relationship problems and the other 20% is actual plot progression.
To be honest, this series should've just been done after City of Glass. I feel like this book, or maybe even just the last half of this series in general, was just really unnecessary. The whole "mortal instruments" concept in which this whole series was named after, already seemed to reach its conclusion by the end of the third installment. But I'm just going to continue one with the last two books just to finally say I completed The Mortal Instruments, and to catch up on all of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter books in time for Lady Midnight.
June 26, 2016
“Hearts are breakable," Isabelle said. "And I think even when you heal, you're never what you were before".”
After Valentine was down in the previous book, Sebastian is ready to takeover his father's tasks. CoFA is completely cruel and cunning, but the way CC treated our beloved characters isn't what I like. She gave them their HEA and ripped it away in the first half of this book I wanted to sob for hours for every single thing between the chapters. I didn't like it at all. I wanted to throw this book away and read CoG over again.
CoFA deserves two stars, yet the reason I gave it three because of some twists and turns. I hate to say that this book is the worst of them all, it's dragged and has many fillers I wasn't able to make myself enjoy. Sebastian is like a SOB for me, he's too charismatic to be a villain. Not like Valentine, I didn't even believe his motivation to dominate the world, it's pointless and weightless. This book is blunt, if I can say. The dialogues are not sharp. The direction is uncertain.
“Or maybe it's just that beautiful things are so easily broken by the world.”
CC did good with her trilogy, but with this hexalogy ? It's totally a disaster ! I hate to admit this, but the book is full of angst and some other teenage ramblings. The only thing I decided to continue this series because I want to get more of Jace and Alec and Magnus, that's all.
“Still I pictured having you for fifty, sixty more years. I thought I might be ready then to let you go. But it's you, and I realize now that I won't be anymore ready to lose you then than I am right now. Which is not at all.”
December 19, 2016
Did Cassandra Clare mix up manuscripts and put the wrong characters in this book? I know it's far-fetched, but I'm trying to understand how else a bunch of funny, intriguing characters could turn into such whiny bores.
Jace is brooding and unfunny, Clary is pissy and unfunny, Simon is depressed and unfunny, Isabelle is....just sort of there (oh, and unfunny), Alec is...wait, Alec isn't there for most of it. But when he is, he's immature and unfunny. Even Magnus is unfunny. Magnus!
Let's try and tie this installment to the previous three. At the end of City of Glass we were treated to a rare bit of carefree camaraderie as everyone basked in the relaxation and jubilant relief that can only accompany thwarting the master plans of some psycho with delusions of apocalyptic grandeur. Clary and Jace learned they weren't brother and sister, so they could be together, Simon was a vampire and finally attracting some chicks, Magnus and Alec were getting closer and snugglier, blah, blah, blah, everyone was happy and satiated. It was almost post-coital in its relaxation and happy happy warm fuzzy glowiness. Sure there was that ominous bit from the faery queen, but who takes that bitch seriously, anyway?
Given that ending, I had expected to skip into City of Fallen Angels relatively smoothly, with everyone joking around and being friends and loving not being dead and all. What I got instead was page after page of Simon...emoting. Oh, and carrying on two relationships at once. So unlike Simon it kinda made me mad. When we're finally taken to see Clary and Jace, their relationship has not progressed at all, but has, in fact, regressed. "How is this possible?" I asked myself, wondering if perhaps there were big chunks of story I was missing somewhere. I began questioning my own reading comprehension, thinking perhaps all those steamy scenes from previous books, the longing, the yearning, the nearly-having-sex Clary and Jace of the past was all in my imagination. Had I dreamed it all?
*Sigh*
It was not a good sign of things to come. But I love the Mortal Instruments series and I forged ahead, thinking perhaps things would get better.
SURPRISE! They didn't.
The story is limp. Dead fish limp. Erectile dysfunction limp. Jace flits about like a clinically depressed muppet while Clary simpers and cries her way through the book without ever once growing a spine and demanding to know what the fuck is going on. Simon is wandering around waxing poetic about the horrors of being a vampire who can walk around during the day, and about the horrible imposition of having not one, but two girlfriends. Really? Isabelle is present. Yes, that's it. She's there, she offers information, she gets mad at Simon. Isabelle in a nutshell. Alec and Magnus are off on vacation together and don't show up until later on in the book. Not like that mattered because as soon as they showed up, I was wishing they'd just remained MIA. Alec spends his scenes sulking over Magnus' romantic past up until the end where he's either fighting baddies or stupidly freeing them. Magnus...I can't even talk about it. What she did with the old Magnus I may never know. This should be considered a crime against humanity.
I absolutely cannot stand it when characters in a book refuse to communicate with one another because I can tell it's a very lazy trick by the author to drag the story out. If you don't have enough material to write a full book, don't write one. Don't sit here shoving smoke up my ass and trying to sell me on this "Well, they're not speaking because they're ashamed and hurting" psychobabble we both know is complete and total horse shit. They're not talking about anything with anyone else because if they did, everything would get figured out and the book would be over in 50 pages instead of a few hundred. The characters in this book spent more time avoiding each other than they did doing anything else, and I was overcome with the desire to watch them all die slow, painful deaths.
Here's how it went: Mope, mope, mope, whine, whine, whine, moody, moody....BAD GUYS! Fight scenes, cliffhanger, the end. The bad guys were lame so the fight scenes were lame, and the cliffhanger was infuriating. Sebastian? Really, Ms. Clare? Again?
These were not the characters I've grown to love. This is not the writing that made me fall for the MI series. This is Cassandra Clare at what I truly hope is her worst.
Jace is brooding and unfunny, Clary is pissy and unfunny, Simon is depressed and unfunny, Isabelle is....just sort of there (oh, and unfunny), Alec is...wait, Alec isn't there for most of it. But when he is, he's immature and unfunny. Even Magnus is unfunny. Magnus!
Let's try and tie this installment to the previous three. At the end of City of Glass we were treated to a rare bit of carefree camaraderie as everyone basked in the relaxation and jubilant relief that can only accompany thwarting the master plans of some psycho with delusions of apocalyptic grandeur. Clary and Jace learned they weren't brother and sister, so they could be together, Simon was a vampire and finally attracting some chicks, Magnus and Alec were getting closer and snugglier, blah, blah, blah, everyone was happy and satiated. It was almost post-coital in its relaxation and happy happy warm fuzzy glowiness. Sure there was that ominous bit from the faery queen, but who takes that bitch seriously, anyway?
Given that ending, I had expected to skip into City of Fallen Angels relatively smoothly, with everyone joking around and being friends and loving not being dead and all. What I got instead was page after page of Simon...emoting. Oh, and carrying on two relationships at once. So unlike Simon it kinda made me mad. When we're finally taken to see Clary and Jace, their relationship has not progressed at all, but has, in fact, regressed. "How is this possible?" I asked myself, wondering if perhaps there were big chunks of story I was missing somewhere. I began questioning my own reading comprehension, thinking perhaps all those steamy scenes from previous books, the longing, the yearning, the nearly-having-sex Clary and Jace of the past was all in my imagination. Had I dreamed it all?
*Sigh*
It was not a good sign of things to come. But I love the Mortal Instruments series and I forged ahead, thinking perhaps things would get better.
SURPRISE! They didn't.
The story is limp. Dead fish limp. Erectile dysfunction limp. Jace flits about like a clinically depressed muppet while Clary simpers and cries her way through the book without ever once growing a spine and demanding to know what the fuck is going on. Simon is wandering around waxing poetic about the horrors of being a vampire who can walk around during the day, and about the horrible imposition of having not one, but two girlfriends. Really? Isabelle is present. Yes, that's it. She's there, she offers information, she gets mad at Simon. Isabelle in a nutshell. Alec and Magnus are off on vacation together and don't show up until later on in the book. Not like that mattered because as soon as they showed up, I was wishing they'd just remained MIA. Alec spends his scenes sulking over Magnus' romantic past up until the end where he's either fighting baddies or stupidly freeing them. Magnus...I can't even talk about it. What she did with the old Magnus I may never know. This should be considered a crime against humanity.
I absolutely cannot stand it when characters in a book refuse to communicate with one another because I can tell it's a very lazy trick by the author to drag the story out. If you don't have enough material to write a full book, don't write one. Don't sit here shoving smoke up my ass and trying to sell me on this "Well, they're not speaking because they're ashamed and hurting" psychobabble we both know is complete and total horse shit. They're not talking about anything with anyone else because if they did, everything would get figured out and the book would be over in 50 pages instead of a few hundred. The characters in this book spent more time avoiding each other than they did doing anything else, and I was overcome with the desire to watch them all die slow, painful deaths.
Here's how it went: Mope, mope, mope, whine, whine, whine, moody, moody....BAD GUYS! Fight scenes, cliffhanger, the end. The bad guys were lame so the fight scenes were lame, and the cliffhanger was infuriating. Sebastian? Really, Ms. Clare? Again?
These were not the characters I've grown to love. This is not the writing that made me fall for the MI series. This is Cassandra Clare at what I truly hope is her worst.
April 14, 2011
GAAHHHHH! *Lets out a scream that lasts for about ten minutes*
Okay. Well. I'm not sure where to begin.
I guess I'm a bit torn on this one. Don't get me wrong. I loved it. It was epic. As good as the first three? No, but still great.
My main problem with it was, this was originally going to be a trilogy. And although a lot was left open-ended at the end of the third book, it still felt like a happy ending. The main villain was dead (and the other villain was probably dead), most of the romantic issues were solved, yada yada. And they all lived happily ever after, right? … Well, apparently not.
You know what this reminds me of? "Into the Woods" (the musical). I don't mean plot-wise. Just the fact that it's like, "So they all lived happily ever after!" And then you come back after intermission, and you find out that in the second half of the story, everyone gets stomped on by a giant. There are no giants in Mortal Instruments, but there are creepy-as-hell demons that want to kill everybody––so that's just as bad.
I didn't have a problem with most of the added-on conflict. I mean, there were a lot of issues from the third book that had yet to be solved. Like, how would Simon adjust to life as a vampire? How would he deal with the whole Maia/Isabelle issue? What happened to Sebastian/Jonathan's body? Yada yada. I'm glad that Cassandra Clare addressed these issues and expanded on some things. I like that Maia and her backstory were developed a lot more in this book. And I liked Isabelle a lot more in this book, too. I also liked that Cassandra Clare brought the whole Clockwork Angel story into it a bit more.
Then ... Jace and Clary. Ohhh mannn. Well, all right, I've always disliked Clary. She's pretty stupid and obnoxious. I have been a die-hard Jace fan from the start ... but as much as I love him, I have to say he was being TOTALLY ANNOYING. It was frustrating enough to watch their relationship go on and off for three books, so then it was all the more satisfying to see them get together in the end. And while they were still acting like sane people for the first fifty pages or so, it was like, "Awwww, they're such a cute couple!" But just like that, Jace goes back to being his old, "STAY AWAY FROM ME! I'M EEEEEVIL!" self. Even though he knows he's not a demon and all. "But Valentine still raised me so like maybe his evil-ness rubbed off on me or something!" And … well … if I were having recurring dreams about stabbing my girlfriend, I guess I'd be pretty upset, too. But that doesn't mean he has to be such an asshole! Like, "I CAN'T BE WITH YOU. I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU." Gosh. Really?
And then … THE ENDING OH GOD THE ENDING. I literally threw the book across the room, I was so angry.
BUT, I still loved it, as frustrating as it was. I'm in love with the plot and characters. These books are exciting and twisted and hilarious. They're just … great.
Although, I'm looking forward to Clockwork Prince slightly more than I'm looking forward to City of Lost Souls. :)
Okay. Well. I'm not sure where to begin.
I guess I'm a bit torn on this one. Don't get me wrong. I loved it. It was epic. As good as the first three? No, but still great.
My main problem with it was, this was originally going to be a trilogy. And although a lot was left open-ended at the end of the third book, it still felt like a happy ending. The main villain was dead (and the other villain was probably dead), most of the romantic issues were solved, yada yada. And they all lived happily ever after, right? … Well, apparently not.
You know what this reminds me of? "Into the Woods" (the musical). I don't mean plot-wise. Just the fact that it's like, "So they all lived happily ever after!" And then you come back after intermission, and you find out that in the second half of the story, everyone gets stomped on by a giant. There are no giants in Mortal Instruments, but there are creepy-as-hell demons that want to kill everybody––so that's just as bad.
I didn't have a problem with most of the added-on conflict. I mean, there were a lot of issues from the third book that had yet to be solved. Like, how would Simon adjust to life as a vampire? How would he deal with the whole Maia/Isabelle issue? What happened to Sebastian/Jonathan's body? Yada yada. I'm glad that Cassandra Clare addressed these issues and expanded on some things. I like that Maia and her backstory were developed a lot more in this book. And I liked Isabelle a lot more in this book, too. I also liked that Cassandra Clare brought the whole Clockwork Angel story into it a bit more.
Then ... Jace and Clary. Ohhh mannn. Well, all right, I've always disliked Clary. She's pretty stupid and obnoxious. I have been a die-hard Jace fan from the start ... but as much as I love him, I have to say he was being TOTALLY ANNOYING. It was frustrating enough to watch their relationship go on and off for three books, so then it was all the more satisfying to see them get together in the end. And while they were still acting like sane people for the first fifty pages or so, it was like, "Awwww, they're such a cute couple!" But just like that, Jace goes back to being his old, "STAY AWAY FROM ME! I'M EEEEEVIL!" self. Even though he knows he's not a demon and all. "But Valentine still raised me so like maybe his evil-ness rubbed off on me or something!" And … well … if I were having recurring dreams about stabbing my girlfriend, I guess I'd be pretty upset, too. But that doesn't mean he has to be such an asshole! Like, "I CAN'T BE WITH YOU. I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU." Gosh. Really?
And then … THE ENDING OH GOD THE ENDING. I literally threw the book across the room, I was so angry.
BUT, I still loved it, as frustrating as it was. I'm in love with the plot and characters. These books are exciting and twisted and hilarious. They're just … great.
Although, I'm looking forward to Clockwork Prince slightly more than I'm looking forward to City of Lost Souls. :)
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