City of Ashes Review

by Cassandra Clare

So this week I finished reading the second book in the Mortal Instruments series, City of Ashes, and I have already started reading City of Glass. There has been a lot of hype surrounding the series due to the recent release of the TV adaptation on netflix, so I was slightly worried that it wouldn’t live up to the high expectations that other fans had. Luckily I was not disappointed.  I found myself in just as much in love with the characters and storyline as I was when I read City of Bones.

I have to admit the supporting characters such as Alec, Magnus and Luke held my attention more than Clary and Jace. The constant struggle between the two to define their relationship made it difficult to focus on the characters themselves, and instead had me cringing slightly at the awkward encounters they constantly found themselves in. I am hoping this will be resolved in the later books. However, I did do a little internal cheer when i realised Clary was a little more kick arse in this book than in the previous. Her new found rune ability and her willingness to fight back did make me like her a more appealing to me. Although the fact it seemed to happen overnight without any training and support from the other Shadowhunters did seem slightly bizarre to me. But overall the book kept me captivated until the end and I devoured it in two days. The fact that I couldn’t put it down, along with a plot chock full of demons, werewolves and vampires. Well to be honest I can’t ask for more in a book.