Customer Reviews

The Mortal Instruments

5 star:		(89)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

1. Amazing Heroes. I don't think there are enough words in the English language to express my love for Jace. And Simon. But specifically Jace. As a matter of fact, a speechless stance is probably the best to take anyway. If I'm not talking I can concentrate more fully on wiping away the drool.

2. Strong Heroines. Isabelle is definitely a strong female character, and so is Clary, but Clary makes some mistakes. We get to watch her grow over the course of the books, make her way, come into her own. She makes good choices - she makes poor choices. She's relatable. She's feisty. I want her for a friend.

3. Secondary Characters. There's not one token character anywhere in this entire series. All are multi-dimensional, richly drawn, vital, and each one serves at least a dual purpose. Even the Church the Cat.

4. Setting/imagery/worldbuiling/kick ass writing. You can see the lights of the Manhattan skyline and smell the scent of crisp apples and night blooming flowers. You can feel the weight of the weapon in your hand, the bass thumping against the walls of the club, the pressure of the stele as it draws the rune on your skin, and the crack in your heart as it begins to break. Whether New York City or Idris, you are THERE.

5. The covers. Do you SEE THEM? Aren't they PRETTY?

6. The fans. Best fans ever. Because we LOVE IT.

7. Cassie. She's a doll. She is vigilant about interacting with fans. She answers questions frequently on Twitter, has a Google group that she's very actively involved in, and she blogs on Live Journal as well. You can get more information about how to connect with her on her website.

8. The graphic novels! TH3RD WORLD will be publishing The Mortal Instruments as comic books in monthly installments first, then bind them together as graphic novels - one for each book. Savvy fans were treated to a sampler on Free Comic Book Day.

9. The Prequel. The Infernal Devices kicks off with CLOCKWORK ANGEL on August 31, 2010.

10. THERE ARE MORE ON THE WAY! In addition to the already anticipated THE CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS, due out spring 2011, there will be two more books in The Mortal Instruments series, making the total six in all.

I've seen this book lying around and the sequels. finally picked it up and couldn't stop until after the third one. action packed, angels and demons, magic, and a reluctant love triangle. This makes Twilight just raw dough to this series, which is the icing on the cake. I'm 40+ something, and a reader of anything worthy. Wow! There is to be a forth book next year. I'm so looking forward to it. Bring it on...

I must give Clare some credit for the build through out the three books. The third book of course was my favorite of the series but they all kept me entertained. For those of you who enjoyed "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (the series not the movie) I believe that you will enjoy the witty dialogue between the characters. I love the characters and the chances that Clare took with the plot. The story will definitely keep you guessing until the epic ending in the last book!

I may be a little late to the game with this one. But that's OKAY. A good book still deserves a good mention. And with that mention, I would like to take a moment for the Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass novels written by Cassandra Clare.

I believe it was shear fate that I read these books. You see, it started a few weeks ago while on vacation in Florida. Those pesky flights can be somewhat underwhelming. Waiting in airport terminals is boring. Airplane seats are very uncomfortable. And there is something just simply unnerving about being 32,000 feet in the air in a rocking tube. I'm not a bird. That scares me. So, I try my best to divert my attention. With my nifty smart phone in hand before take off, I reached out to the closest E-book store armed with Starbucks in hand. And thus the adventure began.

All three books are on all sorts of recommended reading lists. I've seen them before while browsing through Barnes and Noble. Certainly the covers all look great. I know, I know... You're not supposed to judge a book by its cover. But these really looked NEAT! None the less my interest was peeked, so I downloaded the first book.

What the Books Are About:

I don't want to give too much of the storyline away. It's hard not to. The plot line has been done before. Let's face it, nothing is original anymore. Boy meets girl. Boy has super powers. Girl has super powers. Insert struggle here. There are a few fights here and there. Good wins triumphantly. That's about the most I'm going to give away.

But what makes this series so interesting? What's so special? The little tweaks in the plot line are all sorts of fun. Every time something starts to go right, someone just has to go in and throw that monkey wrench in the works, fouling everything up again. The author has the story line suspense twisted in such a way that it draws the reader in, forcing them to want to keep going, to see what happens next. Her use of foreshadow and imagery keep the story alive and the imaginations running free. The details and emotions are done so well, I often felt like I was watching a soap opera produced by Stephen Spielberg mixed with a blockbuster action movie. That sounds like a weird combination, but it's true.

And then there is the content. This is considered a young adult book. The vocabulary isn't outstanding. But that's perfect for me. Reading all three books is more akin to sitting and watching a good movie. Everything flows naturally. It's a simple and entertaining read.

So far I've been a little vague. Like I said, I don't want to give too much of the story lines away. But let's use this example. If Harry Potter, Twilight, Underworld, and True Blood all got together and had a massive literary orgy, this series would be the result of that love fest. I mean really, these books have a little bit of everything. The characters consist of vampires, werewolves, warlocks, fairies, shadowhunters, demons, satin, god, heaven, hell, and angels. The scenery takes place in diverse places like New York City, grave yards, under-earth dungeons, to fairy palaces, and to mystical and whimsical cities. Mighty battles happens. Little personal struggles take place. A surprise gay twist is thrown in for good measure. That ever pesky love triangle exists. Some people die and some characters live. Sudden family ties are discovered and quickly regretted, in more than one dynamic way. And other family ties are broken. The stories are very enticing. And they do contain a little bit of everything. And by the time it's all done you will miss the characters.

Did I mention there is now a 4th book in the Mortal Instruments Series called City of Fallen Angels?! Guess who just purchased it through Amazon.com? Me!

Would I Recommend These Books?

Yes! Yes! Yes! By all means, please go out and buy this series. You won't be sorry. These are one of those few series I truly wish Hollywood would make a movie from. It's deserving of that. The entertainment value is high. The story line is thrilling. I found it so difficult to put these books down. And I would love to know what happened to that character at the end after that thing!? Ms. Clare, I do believe you owe me another book explaining that situation (oh that's right there IS another book!)

But none the less, please purchase this series. They are wonderful fantasy novels good for any age group from sixteen on up. I really do promise that this purchase will not be met with buyer's remorse.

I'm so glad Amazon had a trilogy edition for these books! I didn't think I would love this series as much as I did...but I DO! I have fallen in love with the characters and the world that Cassandra has let me in to. I feel privileged to have access to this amazing story. The Twilight series does not compare. The love story, the yearning, just doesn't compare. I don't know how much more of this see-sawing I can take. I guarantee that you will love this series and I cannot wait until the 4th book comes out in April...I've already pre-ordered mine. This series has taken me away from all the stresses of every day life and allowed me to relax in the adventure of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders! I love The Mortal Instrument Series!!!!

I must say these books are quite amazing. When I first bought them my expectations were rather low, but after finishing the first half of City of Bones I was hooked. The Mortal Instruments Series includes an exciting storyline, strong characters, and a cute love story. I love the magic involved and some unique twists on classic mystical beings. Even the book covers are beautiful. Only negatives I have is 1) It seems every 10 pages in every book someone has the coppery taste of blood in their mouth. It get very, VERY redundant. And 2) the cover of all the books is partially destroyed by the giant print of Stephenie Meyer's review. I understand wanting to draw in Twilight fans but they could have found been a tad more discreet. Overall though, it's a great read!

If you like reading about fairies, vampires, werewolves and the like, then this book is for you. This book is action packed and keeps you guessing till the end. There are no borring parts of the book. The characters are believable and likable. I liked that it is a three book series where there was only one true conflict that carried till the end of the third book. Highly recommend this anyone that likes mythical creatures, low level of romance and a high level of action.

I am a 37 year old mother of 4. I am also a Twilight fan, totally. I was looking for something else to read, something that grabs you right from the first page. I am a busy mom, and I like "fast" reads. I read some other reviews about this series, and thought I'd give them a try. I LOVE THESE BOOKS!!! I was sucked into the first one from the first sentence. I literally could not put these books down until I was done with all 3. I would rate this series right up there with the Twilight books. I would recommend them to anyone who loves a fast read, with many twists and turns, and characters that call you back into their world.

Titles: City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass

Clary lives as normal and uncomplicated a life as anyone can in NYC--bohemian mom, quiet best friend Simon, father-like family friend Luke... There is nothing more to Clary's world than the everyday--until reality comes crashing through the thin veil of her mind late one night in a sketch downtown club. One glimpse and Clary's mundane life becomes utterly complex: mother's missing; Simon's hopelessly in love with her; angels exist, so do demons, werewolves, and vampires (aka "downworlders"); and the only person who seems to know what's going on is the single most arrogant, cold, and freakishly HOT guy Clary has ever seen. His name is Jace, and he calls himself a Nephalim--half human, half angel.

Before she can even remember to object, Clary is thrown headlong into a serious interspecies conflict led by a rogue Nephalim--Valentine--whose very name inspires the shivers. As the whole shadow world struggles to decide whether to combine forces and stop Valentine from claiming the 3 powerful Mortal Instruments or to give in and allow him to fulfill his diabolical plans, it slowly becomes apparent that Clary is the unsuspecting lynchpin.

In order to stop him, she must face a host of challenges--physical, psychological, and romantic--before confronting the ultimate choice to sacrifices what matters to her most, or live with the devastating consequences.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

**--Spoiler Alert--** (I won't give away whole storylines, but will hint at things that aren't revealed until bk 3.)

I knew that sooner or later it'd have to come along: my first negative review. However, please bear in mind that I'm not saying not to read these books. Though I got frustrated and sometimes put them down (for the reasons outlined below), I wouldn't have not finished them. Hence the 3 stars (where I was tempted to give 2). I don't think that I will pick up the new *surprise* book 4, City of Fallen Angels though...and I don't really think back on the ones I did read...at all.

That's because this trilogy falls firmly into the group I'd call "cotton candy": look pretty, smell pretty, melt in your mouth and are gone. They are, seemingly without remorse, a very cheap thrill--a la Twilight & Co.--and for that reason, very hard to put down. I found myself alternatively groaning with gusto and sighing with teen fever.

If you're interested to know the details of why I wasn't so keen on them, keep reading. If not, skip to the next set of stars.

* * * * *

In particular, these 4 things bothered me:

1) Simon. Love triangles are common enough that I've devoted an entire category to them here. But, some are achieved more or less annoyingly than others. This was not in that group. Simon, Clary's friend-turned-gaggy-crush, doesn't stand a chance - he's a clear 2nd best to the cold, heroic heartthrob, Jace. Although, there is one "turn off" about Jace that is supposed to make us doubt his destiny to be with Clary, it was so un-deftly played that I never bit. As a result, Simon ended up looking even dorkier than intended, and, well, just grated on my every last nerve.

2) Incessant Foreshadowing. A literary device full of potential, it became something of a dead horse in these books. I knew the answers to the "burning" questions (and was 100% confident about them) some 500 pages before they were answered. This was, in part, because the narrative was a little too transparent, but also partly because the author spent so much energy trying to keep the questions burning that she smoked the answers out. I like a little more cleverness to my mysteries - otherwise, what motivation do you have to keep reading a not-particularly-well-written 1500-page series?

3) Reckless Manslaughter. Like George in HP, a sibling of a supporting character dies in the final book. However, this series wasn't brave about it: the character is so minor to the plot as to be useless; its removal more of a hiccup than heartstop--and the motive for doing such an obvious attempt at evoking pathos that I almost laughed...then got angry (see Tweet proof). The poor kid's role - who, unlike George, we never get to know and love - is reduced to something like a cute puppy who gets bopped on the head to make softhearted girls go "awww!" Truly, this piece of the narrative was ridiculously clumsily pulled off (enough to deserve two -ly adverbs!). If the writing's good, it will evoke tears through its art - not by stabbing the reader in the hand with a fork.

4) Clamoring Clichés...and a lot of familiar motifs. There is a chunkton of rather unoriginal material in this series. I don't necessarily mean the demon/angel/etc lore - but in actual motifs of the storyline. (Those spoilers I told you about hit most here.)

--> Brother-sister a(ttra)ction (Starwars)
--> Sociopathic, racist villain whose name begins with "V" - every mention of which name strikes fear - whom the adults of the book went to school with and knew as a "less than purely evil young man," and who plans the purification of the world from inferior races by means of 3 magical artifacts...(Need I go on? Of course, I do mean Voldemort.)
--> A triumvirate of mystical objects, which, when combined, achieve world-changing ends. (Harry Potter series; His Dark Materials trilogy)
--> Heroine who has the power to write or read magical runes/glyphs/letters that alter reality. (the Dreamdark series; His Dark Materials trilogy)
--> Protagonist who discovers they have a powerful parent they've never known when they go off to a haven for their "like kind." (Percy Jackson series; His Dark Materials trilogy; Fever Crumb series)
--> Heroine who is small/weak, and needs protecting by the tall, cold, quiet heartthrob. (Twilight series)
--> Tall, cold, quiet heartthrob with burning golden eyes and slightly jealous siblings. (Twilight series)
--> World with a somewhat malevolent group of specially powered rulers, sitting in a remote European corner of the globe, unbeknownst to the rest of society. (Twilight series; Harry Potter Series; Percy Jackson series; Vampire Academy series...)
--> Death of a supporting character's sibling. (Harry Potter series)
--> Etc.

Now, I'm not saying I believe much (if any) of our contemporary literature can claim full originality - it's just not possible, nor would it be much fun. The art of storytelling for the entire history of man has coincided with the art of borrowing. (That was, actually, my masters thesis in a nutshell.) And, J. K. Rowling is a primary example - her work is a virtual collage of borrowed mythic and literary artifacts. However, her story is also extraordinarily complex and subtly original in its own right. The Mortal Instruments books, however, don't have the same complexity by far, and thus their recycling comes across as rather obvious and forced than intriguing, clever, or allusive.

* * * * *

All in all, if you are looking for an easy, fast, rollercoaster ride through romantic conflict and paranormalcy, I do recommend this trilogy. The love story (and hunka-hunka hero) was enough to pull me through. And, pull me it did, I must admit. I was dying to know what happened to Clary and Jace at the end. But, if you find yourself groaning at the obsessive hint-dropping, see-through emotional triggers, and overall mundaneness of style, don't say I didn't warn you.

(Review originally published at booknotized.wordpress.com)

I read these to my daughter when she was convalescent. Generally a good, exciting read, and well plotted, too. Lots of touches of humour.

I seem to be the only person in the world to feel some sympathy for Valentine! I always feel for the villains, even when their behaviour, like Valentine's, is inexcusable. Valentine's nasty quips as he jumped uninvited through the portal were priceless. You can see why he had such a terrible influence over his followers.

I loved Isabelle's toughness and liked Clary, but I wish she had more interests apart from Jace. After she falls for him, she loses some of her personality.

I found Jace a bit too of a male 'Mary Sue' -is there a name for male Mary Sue's? - for him to come alive as a person. He's so much the sort who no girl can resist, fearless, skilled in battle,detached and ironic, the type whose trousers would never fall down in a supermarket. Yet, the author does give him one vulnerablity; his longing to be with his father again.

Simon was a little too much of the opposite type - clever,funny and nice, but a bit of a nerd.

Overall, though, an exciting read and very well plotted.

**Spoiler Alert**

There was no chance that Simon could ever compete with Jace for Clary, so I guessed how The Thing That Must Keep Clary and Jace Apart could be resolved at once and so did my daughter, so there wasn't much suspense about the romance.