Book Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare | My Baby Has Sprout Wings Once Again

Image result for city of bonesWhen fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium 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. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 


Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Discussion:

⭐There will be a spoiler-filled section so please watch out.

"Shadowhunters have a saying: all the stories are true."

5/5 stars

The first time I read this was about the time when the television show was premiering. As I enjoy my daily scoop of television (and ice cream), I found myself drawn to this series. The only thing that kept me from reading this was the cover. Half-naked men on covers do not attract me when choosing a book; nonetheless, I picked up the book after a friend's endless nagging and an intriguing synopsis.

First, I really enjoyed the complexity of this world Clare creates. When I first heard about this book and its paranormal aspects, I immediately thought, "Like Twilight? Like vampires and romance and angst?" I immediately got the answer, "YES BUT SO MUCH BETTER THAN Twilight." The world is so thought out and described so well. I could just imagine the Shadow World stationed in Brooklyn, New York as Clare describes everything in perfect detail. Also, some fantasy novels with complex worlds usually cause some info-dump to occur in the very beginning, which causes my hard drive to go into overdrive and me to become very, very, very sleepy. However, as I have written before, Clare is a painter, the book is her canvas, and I am here to observe her masterpiece and devour it all in one bite. She is just a painter with words, and if I were ever to meet her in person, which will most likely never happen due to me being a awkward little bean, I would tell her those exact words and show her this blog post just to show her that I mean these exact words are how I feel every time I glance at her books. Then, I will make her cry.



See, I've written before that I can make any sappy moment turn into a weird and awkward situation. This is why I am a turtle that is stuck in its own shell. Or a sock!!


Another thing I found Clare to do amazing was the characters. They are crafted so beautifully and I want to hug every single one of them AND I LOVE THEM SO MUCH THAT I WANNA DIE! Um, can we never forget that happened? Clary Fray is a normal teenage girl who stays up all night joking with her best friend Simon Lewis and drawing until her hands hurt; however, once she steps into Pandemonium, a club that she and Simon frequent often, and follows a figure clad in black clothing, everything she thought she knew is a lie. She finds out she is a Shadowhunter, and that is when the awesomeness ensues! Having Jace Wayland a.ka. Mr. Sarcastic Know-it-all as a mentor, Clary begins her life hunting demons and trying to stop Valentine Morgenstern from taking over the world. Also, she grows more confident in herself and her choices as the novel progresses. I found the characters to be well rounded and to have their own individual personalities that make them unique. I love that all the characters stay true to themselves throughout the novel so I can always obsess over how cool they are. Clary, Jace, Simon, Alec, Isabelle, Luke, Magnus, and even Valentine will always hold a special place in my heart due to all the hours spent poring over their lives.

Also, let's just take a hot second to focus on Simon as he is the best rat I have ever heard, seen, or read about. He is awesome, hilarious, spectacular, and I want the best for my dorkish baby! For example, I will quote a scene he is in which I find so hilarious.
-
"The door flew open. Jocelyn gave a little scream.
'Jesus,' Luke exclaimed.
'Actually, it's just me,' said Simon. 'Although I've been told the resemblance is startling.'"
-
I find this so hilarious and so quirky of Simon to do in a serious situation. I love this scene so much, which is why I am so glad that although I may not read this book 27 million times, I will have it cataloged in my notebook.

Along with amazing characters, there always needs to be relationships to root for, especially since it is a Cassandra Clare novel. I will always ship Sizzy, or Simon and Isabelle. I love them so much as Simon is so quirky and cute and Isabelle is a kick butt fighter with a sense of humor that matches Simon's. Also, they are both extremely loyal, so WHY NOT? Also, let's just discuss Clary and Jace's relationship. Clare laid such a good foundation for this ship to sail. I would never in a million years yearn for the treatment Clare put me through, but why, Cassandra Clare? Why?! 

-Spoiler-
How did you feel when you read this scene? I reacted normally except for a few spilled tears; however, the first time, I was balling my eyes out. I really wish that Clare did not use this trope as the ending in City of Glass is so predictable. I understand that plot twists are big; however, the love-triangle situation with Simon, Clary, and Jace is unbelievable. Too unbelievable. Nonetheless, it did surprise me and broke my heart into a million pieces. MY POOR BABIES. They suffer for the hope of making people want to follow their troubles, which I already would have done.

Though this book may make me swoon and fall to the ground, I found a big complication. As a peewee reader two years ago, I was very new to becoming a hardcore reader rather than just a serious reader. I didn't know right from wrong nor did I know right from left.* Seriously, which side is right and which side is left? So, when it came to Clary and Izzy having a conflict with each other, I was all down with them having a cat fight and getting to spread some juicy gossip. However, this scenario is not beneficial to people and never should one fight because it is the "best" thing to do. Through my years of growing up, I have wanted to see more friendships that leave me with a warm, fuzzy feeling rather than seeing action-packed wars caused by hormone-ridden, angsty teenagers looking for something to fill the void in their hearts. There. I hope that was a long enough of a sappy written paragraph about friendship!

*It's okay. I figured it out soon enough as I always write from right to left. Duh!😋

Lastly, this has not been a long enough review for Cassandra Clare's City of Bones as I would like to pour out more of my heart into more of Cassandra Clare's books. I have finished City of Ashes so expect a review to come in the future. Whether it will be in a day or in a year, just expect it. I cannot wait to jump into City of Glass and rediscover all my favorite parts for that book.

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy your day!

Love,
newbookcats

What super hyped book have you read that you must shout to the universe and its inhabitants to read as well? Have you read any of Cassandra Clare's books? What paranormal creature, such as a warlock or a Shadowhunter, would you be? Are you an introverted sock or a extroverted book lion? How do you feel about forbidden romances and false promises? Want to talk to me about your love(or hate) for this book? Chat with me in the comments below or on any of my social medias.

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Comments

  1. great review Nicole...I remember reading this long ago and I have the same sentiments. I hope there was not much love triangle. And Izzy and Clary should've been more friendly with each other. Because I really like their characters individually but together, their relationship is not likeable at all.

    have you read Six of Crows? There are 2 female MCs there. Theyre not part of a love triangle and darn it, they're the best of friends thought they seem to have nothing in common. It was amazing. I like it when an author don't make unnecessary conflicts between girls. Not all girls (teenagers) hate each other, right? hehe...

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    1. Hi, Lili! Yes, I cannot believe my peewee self did not pick up on the lack of female friendships and how much I hated love triangles (even though this one is not very convincing), but I guess I was just looking for something entertaining and to keep me up into the early hours of the morning. It definitely did that.

      Wow, if I knew you were going to talk about Six of Crows(again), I would have put on my party hat(again) as I love this duology. It is so good and I want to cry because of how good it is! I have to agree that Bardugo is one of the best writers/storytellers out there. I also love Nina and Inej, and I so wish they were eating more waffles together as they are the best of friends and each of them need time off.
      And, it definitely is true that not every girl is mean to one another just because. I think authors have learned to accept female friendships and other things that take place in our world. Have you read Lady Midnight? LM has a female friendship and it is so fun to see them bicker because they care about each other, not for causing a fight. Clare, like Bardugo, has grown as a writer over the years.
      Maybe, we need to bicker just because. 😂Hahaha!
      It is was nice talking to you, as always, and thanks for commenting! Have a great day!😊

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  2. This book is my life. Might sound sad but it's true.
    Such a lovely blog-post xo

    Grace x

    www.gracelouiseofficial.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. I am just like you and probably millions of other people as Clare, along with many other authors, is one of the reasons why I am a reader and alive. When I first picked up her book, I never knew how much I was going to love it. We can be sad Shadowhunter friends together and wear black all the time. That's why they wear black, to look emo?

      Thanks for taking the time to read this as I spent a long time just yelling at the computer to take my incorrectly spelled words and fix them. Also, thanks for commenting and for sharing your thoughts, and have a great day!😊

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  3. Love this review!! The TMI series was actually one of the first fantasy YA novels I really got sucked into—I devoured the first four books in a week. I was literally OBSESSED with it.

    I can relate with you so much on being an awkward little bean because I am too. We can be awkward little beans together. :'))

    I can't wait for you to finish this series and find out your thoughts!! There's so much angst and tears left, just you wait *cackles*

    <3 Hannah

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    1. Thanks for the love for this review. I had a fun time reading City of Bones once again, and loved and appreciated it more this time around. I read all the books in this series really fast. I think within three weeks, and then I dashed into Lady Midnight as it came out around the time I finished all the Shadowhunter Chronicles.

      Yes, I hope by the end of this year that I will have read all the books in the Shadowhunter Chronicles and then review them. I love to share my thoughts about this book every where else so why not do reviews and yell at the readers to read it as well.
      Thank you for reading and commenting as every thought counts! I hope you have a lovely day!😊

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  4. Yaaas I love this series tot death! Actually I adore EVERYTHING she writes and the Lady Midnight ones might slightly be my favourite but not by much?! I just adore the world and all the characters so so much afdjlskad (like Mangus! He's so glittery and wonderful). I do like forbidden romances, because it makes the stakes wilder.😂And I would TOTALLY be down to be a warlock. Or a Shadowhunter because I think I could handle being that sassy.😂

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    1. YES, THIS SERIES IS THE BEST! I, along with so many people, love this world, the characters, and everything else. I am so glad you enjoyed this specific book and series as a whole. It is terrible to hear or read that someone dislikes any book. Also, I cannot wait for Queen of Air and Darkness to come out this December as the Dark Artifices is so good! I cannot believe Clare left us at that cliffhanger!

      I am so glad to hear that you wanted to be a Shadowhunter or a warlock when you were growing up as a mortal human. Who knows? You may be a Shadowhunter or a Downworlder in secret. What I would do to become a Shadowhunter? I just think that if I were to become a Shadowhunter, I would be kicked out for not being sassy enough.

      Thanks for commenting, and have a great day!

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  5. I totally agree with everything you said!!! I was obsessed with this series when I first read it (I have a special love for Isabelle and Simon), although I kind of grew out of the series after a while and never got around to finishing the last book... whoops. D: BUT YES. World-building and characters are super spot on for this series!!!

    - Aimee @ Aimee, Always

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    1. Hallelujah! Someone finally understands all the gibberish I spurt out of my mouth and type onto this very page. Anyway, I am so sad to hear that you've outgrown the series. I feel as if this is the new Harry Potter, but instead of Harry Potter, it is a bunch of differently aged teenagers fighting demons and having relationship troubles. 👍 Also, yes, Clare's worlds are so intricate and it has only gotten better. I would totally recommend The Dark Artifices as it is about the world and the characters or The Infernal Devices if you want to be more involved with the characters' lives. I hope you find some books you can scream at everyone about! Thanks for commenting, and have a great day!

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  6. I love this book, and I want to read it again. This book is so good that I would marry it.Also, I loved the review that you did on it.

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    1. Yes, this book is so good! IT IS THE BEST! It could be said that it is the goat according to my brother. Thank you for your kind words! I really enjoyed writing this review! Have a great day! :)

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  7. Your blog is really cool! But the thing I loved the most was that I'm a sock GIF. Cristine is
    g💿als

    I found the first two books really boring. But after my friend urged me to read it, I ended up loving TMI when I reached city of glass

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    1. Aw, thanks for commenting about my baby blog!:) Also, yes, Christine is EVERYTHING, except the fake holo.

      It is so sad to hear that you found the series uninteresting until City of Glass. Did you resemble shattered glass at the end because of how amazing it is? Or at least by how many times you have been "shooketh" by the series? I hope you enjoy the rest of Clare's books!

      Have a great day, and thanks for commenting!

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