Book Review: City of Bones

 City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, the first in The Mortal Instruments series, came out in 2007. So here I am, four years later, reading it. The book, and I’m assuming the entire series, is aimed at young teen girls who enjoy paranormal worlds and adventures, and fans of the Twilight series. Here’s the back cover blurb:

When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons -- and keeping the odd werewolves and vampires in line. It’s also her first meeting with gorgeous, golden-haired Jace. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interesting in an ordinary mundane like Clary? And how did she suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know….

City of Bones has a lot of twists and turns. Clare creates a fully realized alternate world that exists in New York, right alongside the everyday world. This world of vampires, werewolves, demons, Shadowhunters, and more is complex and well thought out. There is so much going on that at times it’s a bit hard to keep up but that’s probably a comment on my aging mind rather than the writing.

The story starts with Clary and her friend Simon at a nightclub. Clary realizes she can see things that Simon can’t. Being the kind of person who steps in to help, she does just that, only to find herself involved in things she shouldn’t be able to see. Once she steps into this world, taking Simon with her, the story revs up the action and revelations.

Despite the fact that I’m a few years past my teens (y’all quit laughing), I enjoyed reading City of Bones.

I give City of Bones by Cassandra Clare a rating of Hel-of-a-Story for teenage girls.

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FTC Disclaimer: I did not buy City of Bones, nor did I check it out of a library, nor did I steal it. None of that influenced my review. My son walked out of his room one morning and set four big books on the table. They sat there for days. Finally, I asked him about them and he told me a girl had lent them to him and he was going to return them. They sat there for days until, finally, I picked up the top one and started reading and kept reading, all 485 pages. I’ve told him he can take the books back to his friend since it will probably take me forever to read them all. Apparently his friend is not in a rush to retrieve them. I suspect there will be movies made from the books. I’ll probably go see them. I think it will help if I see characters on-screen calling her Clary. In my head, I kept calling her Clay. Wouldn’t you? I mean, you’re reading fast and you glide across “Clary.” Wouldn’t you think it said Clay? Wouldn’t you? Okay, that’s probably just me.