Book Review: CITY OF BONES

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones is the first book of the Mortal Instruments Series, which the Infernal Devices series is a prequel of (there was a review on Clockwork Angel, the first book of the Infernal Devices series, that was previously done). Both series exist in the same world of Downworlders and Shadowhunters, with the Downworlders being magical creatures like vampires and werewolves, and the Shadowhunters being the half-angel “police”, who guard humanity from the dangers posed by demons and Downworlders. Despite existing in the same universe, City of Bones is set more than a hundred years later, hence there is little more than surnames or minor characters (such as Magnus Bane) they seem to share.

The protagonist of City of Bones is Clarissa Fray, more commonly known as Clary. At first glance she is an ordinary girl; however she is found to be a possible Shadowhunter, as she can withstand the Marks (magical runes that only Shadowhunters can draw on themselves to give themselves strength). Just like Tessa Gray of the Infernal Devices series, she is a strong, stubborn character who is willing to jump into the fire to protect her friends. Even though she is not a properly trained Shadowhunter, it does not stop her from killing a Ravenek demon while searching for her mother, or from running into a hotel full of vampires to retrieve her best friend Simon. Although she is headstrong and may make wrong decisions, she is willing to admit her mistakes and improve upon her skills, so that she can become stronger and protect those she cares about, hence making her a character worth rooting for.

One thing I like about this book is its fast-paced action; every scene serves a purpose, even though we might not realize it at that point, and there is not a single moment that is boring. Clare is also able to write the action scenes very well; typically action scenes are written in too much detail, making it boring. Clare is able to write every action scene in such a way that every fight is interesting and keeps the readers on edge and worrying for the safety of the characters.

Another point I enjoy about the book is the many twists and turns in the story; Clare has a talent for keeping secrets right up to a certain point while giving small hints here and there, then revealing them with a boom, giving the reader a huge “AHA!” moment and a sense of satisfaction as we put the pieces together. This makes the book an especially enjoyable read.

On the other hand, I feel that there are too many similarities between City of Bones and Clockwork Angel. The protagonists of both books are awfully similar; Tessa, like Clary, is a girl who suddenly finds out about the Shadowhunter world, kills a couple of demons in the process of escaping and then joins the Shadowhunters. Jace Wayland and Will Herondale are even more similar in personality; both are good-looking boys who have sharp wits and are almost always described as “annoying”. They are both over-protective when it comes to the female protagonist and, if not for their names, might even be mistaken for the same person. Even worse is the similarity in plot points; both stories involve a protagonist being injected with either demonic or angelic blood, and if one has read one series, then it becomes somewhat easy to guess what happens in the other series.

All in all, I think that City of Bones is an enjoyable read – it’s fast-paced and exciting, with interesting characters that we can root for. Although it may be a little predictable for those who have read Clockwork Angel, it still has enough fresh ideas that make it worth reading.

Rating: 4/5

For ages 13 and above

By TCH