The Mortal Instruments

A little overdue, but still needs to be shared. Last week I finally got my hands on the final installment of Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments trilogy, and I must say, I am just blown away. So as a way of showing my appreciation to a wonderful series, I dedicate this one lengthy entry to The Mortal Instruments books.

Book One: City of Bones

City of Bones is an amazing introduction to the world of shadowhunters and downworlders in the mundane world. I love how it was written, how it was paced, and how the characters were introduced. I love how each character develops as the story progresses. I love that the story goes beyond the attraction of the two main characters, and that there are bigger and more pressing issues in the series. The events are actually bigger than the whole “forbidden love” element. The way every element and sub-story and well, just the way everything is interconnected in its own way was just amazing. Each chapter was written in such a way that you feel like you’re watching a TV series unfold. It was paced in such a way that you cannot skip any line, or any page. Even better is that there was never a moment where I went “Come on, out with it already!”. It was a thrilling ride to the very last page.

Okay, here’s the gist of book one with as little spoiler as I can give. City of Bones is set in NYC, and do NOT think Gossip Girl here. The series opens in a teen night club, introducing the novel’s main characters: Clary, Simon, Jace, Alec, and Isabelle. Simon, is the only mundane. As the story develops, we are introduced to a secret world of shadowhunters (nephlim), and downworlders (vampires, lycans, faeries, etc), and a past Clary doesn’t remember. Everything catapults to action when Clary finds these demon slayers in a club, and that she is the only one who could see them Then, her mother is abducted, and a demon attacks her in her own home. She then finds out who she really is, and how she is connected to this secret world, and its impending demise. As if that isn’t stressful enough, she finds herself in a love triangle between the shadowhunter, Jace, and her childhood BFF, Simon. To make things even more complicated, she find her mother in a strange coma, and that the master-villain of the story is her birth father, and that Jace, is her brother! So many things happening one book, it’s amazing how it fits in a few hundred pages.

Book Two: City of Ashes

Book two picks up on what book one left off. Valentine gets the second Mortal Instrument, Clary’s mother is still in a coma, Jace is a suspected spy, and the love triangle gets more complicated. And Alec, Alec falls in love. To make things interesting (and classically complicated), the Lightwoods (Alec and Isabelle’s parents), and the Inquisitor (a detective of sorts) arrive at the Institute. Jace gets into deeper and deeper trouble, and Downworlders get murdered (not Jace’s doing). Jace and Clary find out that they are more than just ordinary Shadowhunters, and that they have extra abilities. In this book, the villain gets more badass, and the demons these young shadowhunters face are much more powerful.

Equally amazing as the first book, if not even more amazing, City of Ashes is more than just a sequel. It’s like an upgrade. As if the first book couldn’t be written any better, City of Ashes gets even more exciting. Maybe it’s just me, but the second book seems to be the best book on all trilogies I’ve read. It’s where the plot thickens, and the action gets even more intense, and the characters evolve. It leaves you hanging, and wanting more at every page turn. Naturally, I squealed like a giddy fangirl wanting to know what will happen next. Are Jace and Clary really siblings? Will Alec come clean about his relationship with Magnus? Has Simon found new love? Will Izzy find love too? And who is the character introduced at the last page? What is her part in all this hot mess? So many questions, it’s like watching a Heroes-Lost-Buffy hybrid.

Book Three: City of Glass

 As expected by people who know me, this book gets a hug and a sniff (yeah I have a thing for the new book smell) when I finally got my hands on it. I’ve waited for months for this book, and so I spent the entire day basking in its awesomeness. City of Glass is a fitting ending to the series as it addresses all our burning questions. And if you don’t know yet, that dude on the cover is a key character introduced only on this book. My guess was Alec, till I found out out it was someone else. It was intense and amazing on some parts, as opposed to its prequels, yet not as amazing on others. That’s the thing about the last book. The plot thickens and the action intensifies on the first half of the book, and then slows down to the ending. It’s a classic feeling, although this one was definitely written well. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending. It’s always a sad moment when you see a fantastic story end, but they all have to. That’s just the way of things. It wouldn’t be much of a spoiler if I tell you all ends well. The same action and intensity is there, and if, like me, you get all carried away with your reading, there might be a moment or two of screaming amidst the intense intense revelations and twists. Yes, as if things can’t get even more complicated and insane,it does. And word to the anti-emo, if you think that Jace was overly angsty and emo in City of Ashes, he gets worse in this one. But you really can’t blame him now, can you? It’s like life set him up for it, really. Yet like all stories, all ends well in the City of Glass. But, mind you, this happy ending is not cheesy in anyway. It may leave you asking “That’s it?!”, because it ends the way it ends,but you wouldn’t want to be spoon-fed, right? Sad as I am to see this series end, I’m happy it ended the way it did, and that there’s room for the rest of us to imagine what happens post insanity of it all. It’s a wonderful journey with a fitting end.

So what exactly happens in the City of Glass without spoiling it? Well, as what’s meant, things get even more intense at the first couple of chapters. Clary decides to travel to Shadowhunter city, Alicante in Idris, despite Jace’s obvious disapproval. Clary ends up being left behind by the Lightwoods, yet somehow finds her way there anyway. Yeah, hurrah for her iron will. Once in the City of Glass, Clary finds herself in the center of the biggest mess Shadowhunters have to face. A choice between a seeming suicide mission, or an eternity of Valentine’s rule. Obviously a no-win situation. A spy (or spies) are revealed, and as mentioned earlier, everything comes in full circle as all our burning questions are answered. Guess what one happy ending is? With its perfection or imperfection, either way, Cassandra Clare keeps you on the edge of your seat to the very end. One ride that most definitely deserves a round 2.

With all that said, I honestly wonder why such a fantastic series does not have that insane buzz it so deserves. The Mortal Instruments is just one of the best fantasy novel series I have ever read, probably just under The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, and it’s such a shame it seems so under rated. If dumb novels can get so much buzz, then why not this one? Come on people! Elevate your choices! Sorry. I think that would be deemed a wee bit offensive, so yeah, I apologize. But seriously, fantasy novel junkies have to read this. It’s smart, fierce, and as if I haven’t said this enough, intense. So go rush to the nearest Fully Booked and grab a copy of the series. You most certainly won’t regret it.

So here are my ratings:
Book One: City of Bones,
Book Two: City of Ashes,
Book Three: City of Glass,

For more info on The Mortal Instruments, you can visit the official website here [Mortal Instruments]. And if you’re on twitter, give some love and follow the amazing author on her twitter page [Cassandra Clare].