Review: City of Ashes

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Goodreads Says:Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father. 

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father? 

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.


This might contain spoilers. You should have read the first book by now if you are looking at this review but just in case there will be spoilers from the first book mentioned...starting now!

City of Ashes takes place pretty much where City of Bones left off...give or take a week or so. Clary's mom is still in a self induced coma but at least she has Luke. She also seems to be in a heavy romance with Simon obviously trying to forget Jace but doing a horrible job of it. Jace is still in denial about A LOT OF THINGS! We learn more about the evil Valentine and his plan.

Again, this book as it was with the first, was just ok with me. Nothing really amazing happens in the book. I think it was a bit drawn out. The action scenes are not written in a way that is clearly understood the first time around. I had to read some of these scenes a few times to understand what had just happened. Another thing, be prepared to keep track of the ever growing list of characters because there will be a few new ones introduced in this book.

One pet peeve that I really really really can not shake off was one line in the book...

Rafael, the head vampire who happens to be Latino who has migrated to the United States, walks up with Simon in his arms saying a line in Spanish. I was listening to the book in audio book form when I heard the line at first but then looked it up in the book because I really thought it was the reader goofing up the line... Nope the reader said it just as it was written.

Rafael says "El no es muerto." Which should be "El no esta muerto." Yeah it bugged me because I think it comes back to so many authors doing so much research on things they include in their books and well this writer didn't...at least not on this one line. Having years of being corrected on how to speak Spanish properly and all my Spanish classes...well yeah now I see how it can be annoying. However, as a Latina reading how a Latino is being represented in a book and speaking in a book, I find it important for the character to at least know how to speak his native tongue... Just sayin'

One thing I am having a terrible time getting passed, hoping! that it gets cleared up quick and painlessly, is the fact that Jace and Clary are still siblings in this book and are in love. Jace keeps pushing to just let it happen and although Clary keeps saying its wrong she wants it just as bad as he does. I am having a really hard time trying with my son reading the books and getting this message that its ok to have love affairs with your family members. It might be as obvious as heck that they are indeed not related but at this point you really don't know!

Another thing is that Jace is a douche! LIKE OMG! kind of douche! How he has girls and grown women out there swooning over him I have no freaking idea...Nope not a clue. There is nothing utterly attractive about this kid. He is rude, sarcastic, mean, full of himself, prejudice and racist(which ebbs and flows and it's not consistent but more often than not is racism. I find nothing about this kid even worthy of attention. Straight up!


I'm on to the next book in the series which I understand should have been the last book in the series. Let's see what happens!



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