Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA/Fantasy
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Publication Date: March 27, 2007
Sources: Easons Amazon
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to Pandemonium, a club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder – much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons.
Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of Nephilim warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. This is her first encounter with Jace Wayland, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours, Clary’s mother disappears, Clary is attacked and almost killed by a demon, and is soon pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance.
But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? Secrets will be told.
Alright everyone, the 'City of Bones'.. control yourselves..
I had really high expectations for this book, because I'd heard it was being made into a film and so many book blogs were raving about. Thank God I wasn't disappointed, not too fond of when that happens.. haha
Never before have I read a novel, the opening chapter of which consists of a 'murder' in a nightclub. I don't think anyone can't protest that the opening to this book wasn't engaging and didn't immediately catch your attention. And the fact that this fifteen year old girl, is the only person to have seen the 'murder', further curiosity, and before you know it, it's three hours later and you're still reading! Haha
The action doesn't stop there, because a little ways into the book, we already have the protagonist being tested, what with her Mother disappearing and her apartment being turned upside-down. This is when I started to like Clary, when she arrives at the apartment and is greeted with a not-so-pleasant surprise! One of my favourite things about a book is the characterisation, and I think it's in this chapter that we actually start seeing into the main character of Clary. She's not some helpless little girl who waits around for others to get things done for her, and that's really admirable in a heroine!
By chapter five you're already being introduced to the world of demon hunting, and meet many more new characters. You see the Institute as Clary sees it, everything ordinary yet almost alien in nature. We're introduced to Alec and Isabelle, Hodge and the strange cat, Church, and we see the story fleshing out more and more, arguably even too much.
The rapid pace is exciting, making sure to keep you entertained throughout the story, but I actually think it was too fast in some parts, skipping over details that would have allowed for a better understanding of the story and the plot. I just felt a lot was thrown at you, without giving you enough time to process the information, before setting off again.
You are given a good bit of history, on the Nephilim and Valentine and his group of shadowhunters, which I actually liked, but had to read over once or twice before continuing, just to make sure I had all the details.
Towards the end is where things really start to heat up. After the whole incident with Simon being transformed into a rat, and the confrontation between the werewolves and the vampires, and of course Jace and Clary's first kiss, all the unpredictable things start taking place. Who could've expected such a change from Hodge? Or the realisation of Clary being Valentine's daughter? Actually I kinda saw that one coming, but still!
And what happens at the very end, the very thing that horrifies even the two main characters, Clary and Jace! I'll stop myself now before I go and spill one too many spoilers! Haha
I really enjoyed this book, though I was slightly disappointed by how eager Clare was to fit so much into the first book, instead of taking a few aspects and building on them. Nevertheless it was a very good read, and I would recommend it to anyone who has a sort of modern YA fantasy tooth! Haha
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