Review: City of Ashes

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



View all my reviews

The second book in the Mortal Instruments series begins where the Downworlder's kids were being attacked in the city and the blood is drained out of them. Dealing with their complex sibling relationship, both Jace and Clary are stuck in the complexities of their life, where Jocelyn is still in the hospital brain-dead and Marsyn Lightwood starts throwing shade on Jace for being Valentine's son. This complex the situation with the Inquisitor's arrival in the Institute who accuses Jace of involving in Valentine's plan.

The plot starts to develop so well in the City of Ashes that refuses to reader to drop the plan of not completing the series. The story is gripping in the first 20 pages itself where the readers come across the inevitable dilemmas of both the protagonists. Later, the plot thickens in an adventurous manner. It is indeed very conspiring and makes the readers more and more curious about the unsaid words by some of the characters. Few more characters have been introduced in this part. Maia is one of them, with a very interesting strong personality and an overpowering back story. This part is mostly about the Downworlers. You will get to know more about Faeries, Vampires, and Werewolves in a better way. It's nice to see where the plot where the Downworlers are given so much importance!
Writing is so much fascinating that will make you think why you didn't like the first book. There is this one example of the Cuckoo Parasitic theory written which is so horrific and beautiful at the same time. The powerful humor by Clare is so on point and amusing. It just keeps the readers engaged. The romance part is well done, portraying the perplexity, attraction, and loathing at the same time. Including the bonds shows by the Lightwood siblings, between Jace and the Lightwood family, Luke and Clary, overall between all of them. And the action part also. Everything is organized very profoundly.
Book 1st might have distressed you, but the City of Ashes is a must-read! In no way this can stop the readers from diving into the Shadowhunters series.