My Take on City of Ashes

City of Ashes, the second book in the Mortal Instruments series, was the first book I read upon getting home from the library earlier this week, and it kept me up way past my intended bedtime for two very thrilling days. Good reads are gonna give me insomnia1, I swear.

 The characters were as great as ever, even better than the first book, I think. They were flawed and wonderful and very relatable. I love them.
 In this installment of one of my new favorite series, Clary has been pulled deeper into the dangerous, magical world that lies just beneath the thin veneer of glamour in Cassandra Clare's gritty version of New York. Her relationship with Jace has become strained and awkward2 and things between her and Simon are more confusing than ever. She just wants her life to return to "normal," but things keep happening to pull her further into the realm of the strange than she's ever been. It seems like every other call she receives has her riding off to save someone she loves from some new danger, or at least tagging along to help. On top of all that, she and Jace are finding that they're not quite the average shadow hunters they thought they were3.
 The book switches perspectives often, depending on where the story goes, which gives you a chance to get to know all the characters on a deeper level, especially Jace. We get a chance to delve deeper into the psyche of our favorite golden boy as he is persecuted for his less than desirable lineage by a vindictive Clave inquisitor and struggles with betrayal from his closest allies4.
 The only way to describe the pacing of this book is that it grabs you by the short hairs and drags you along through awesome scenery, bizarre encounters, and exhilarating fight scenes, pausing occasionally to give you the bigger picture in the form of somewhat lengthy explanations.
 I give this book and its predecessor City of Bones...

...Four zombies.

 I apologize for never formally reviewing City of Bones, but the time got away from me and before I knew it I was reading the sequel! Plus it was an audio book5, and I wasn't quite sure what to say about it. I really loved the format; it allowed me to do my laundry and run while absorbing a great story, and the narrator did an awesome job with some of the voices, but I'm going to have to actually read the book to be sure that it stuck.

 As for the *shocking* ending, it was almost too shocking! It was like living your whole life thinking that apples are apples only to be told that are, in fact, oranges. Very good. First-class plot twistage. I actually yelled at the book.

Happy reading, 

Z.G.

footnotes_______________________________________________________
1  But according to Kate from {Catalyst, insomnia can very productive, and I must agree; I get a lot more reading done when I don't sleep!
2  And also a little Stars Warsy. Luke and Leia ringin' any bells?
3  Ooh, juicy.
4  Do you ever feel like a fortune teller with all the vague little blurbs? I sure do. "I see good reads in your future..."
5  Isn't that an oxy moron, "audio book?" *shrug*