City of Bones

City of Bones is the first book to one of my all time favorite series, The Mortal Instrument Series. Now the prequel series, Infernal Devices, actually came out after the first three books of this series so this was my first experience in the shadow world. Cassandra Clare really put a lot of effort into making this community and I have been fascinated ever since I first read this book. 

The plot revolves around fifteen year old Clary Fray who is an average teenager in New York City. She spends most of her time drawing and hanging out with her best friend Simon Lewis. However, one night when they are at the club Pandemonium, Clary witnesses three people her age kill another boy who they claim to be a demon. Soon after Clary's mom disappears and she is thrust into a world that is completely different then the one she has been seeing for the past fifteen years, though she hasn't set foot out of the city. As Clary works with the Shadowhunters Jace, Alec, and Isabelle, as well as their tutor Hodge, to find her mother she begins to learn things about herself, her relationships, her past, and her world that she could never imagine.  

The women of this series kick ass. It is as simple as that. Both Clary and Isabelle Lightwood don't let themselves be push around though they do it in two completely different fashions. Even Clary's mother Jocelyn, though absent for most of the book, is painted as a strong willed female. Clary is amazing, funny, quick witted, but still enough of an average girl that the reader can relate to her. She has problems dealing with her mom, her drawings hardly ever come out the way she wants them to, and she thinks she looks twelve instead of almost sixteen. Clary is a wonderful heroine, but she is far from perfect which makes the reader love her even more. Isabelle is what you would expect from a Hollywood leading woman. She is stunningly attractive, all the guys are enchanted by her, and at times she is a complete bitch. Even though Isabelle is a complete bitch there is something about her that you can't help but like, it is really weird. Maybe it is because, like Clary, secretly we all want to be a little like Isabelle. Either way both have no problem speaking their mind and taking out anyone they need to.

The men of this book are just as lovable and as amazing as the women. Jace Wayland is the main male lead (I feel like I am describing a play but this seems like the best way to do it) and a Shadowhunter that lives at the Institute with Alec and Isabelle Lightwood. Jace is a smartass, charming, and just that type of guy that every girl is attracted to, but probably wouldn't want to date because you know he wouldn't be good for you. He is also damaged, he fears loving anything or anyone too much because everything he has ever cared for has been taken from him. Even his best friend and fighting partner Alec can't break through his shell a lot of the time. Alec is almost the opposite of Jace, quite and reserved, almost scared to have people notice him, and yet still as attractive as his sister when someone stops and looks at him. In this novel you really don't like Alec until the end of the book, but his character is well crafted and you can understand his motives even if he pisses you off.

*spoilers past this point*

The two non-shadowhunter men in the book are Simon Lewis, Clary's best friend, and Luke Garroway, who is Clary's mother best friend. Simon is amazing, I can't say enough about his character. He is in love with Clary, who is oblivious to this fact, but also sarcastic, caring, smart, and just nerdy enough to be adorable. Simon and Jace have some of the best lines in the novel and they are so natural as well as funny that it is hard not thinking of them as actually people. Simon, even though he is not a shadow hunter, is also useful to the group and though he makes them get into a pretty bad situation having to go into a vampire lair to get him back  he makes it up for getting them out of one. Luke, though you rather hate him at the beginning of the novel, is really loveable after we find out that he is a werewolf and the story behind how he became a werewolf. It is amazing that within a chapter Luke became probably my favorite character. I love him.

From a writing point of view I found the dialogue to be absolutely amazing. You never realize how hard it is trying to write how people actually talk until you try to do it yourself. Cassandra Clare captures teenage speech perfectly as well as jokes, back and forth retorts, and sarcastic humor perfectly. The characters themselves are wonderful constructed and become living and breathing as you get further into the story and dialogue is a major way to make this happen.

Overall this book gets a 5 out of 5. I honestly think that everyone should at least give it a shot. The ending is a little...I don't know how to describe it without giving it away, but do not let it stop you from reading the other books, if you liked the story that it. I swear to you it has a gratifying ending, I won't say happy, but definitely gratifying.