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City of Ashes
The Mortal Instruments Book 2
725 pages
A neon-lit plunge into a hidden, monster-filled New York City, fueled by snarky banter, forbidden romance, and world-ending family drama.
What it feels like
Reading this feels like stepping into a gritty, neon-lit alleyway where magic and monsters hide just out of mortal sight. It is a propulsive, adrenaline-fueled experience that perfectly balances high-stakes urban fantasy with the intense, messy melodrama of being a teenager. The narrative thrives on its sharp, sarcastic banter, using humor as a shield for characters grappling with dark family legacies and impossible choices. You are swept up in an atmosphere that is equal parts shadowy danger and breathless romance, where every stolen glance feels just as perilous as a demon attack. It will absolutely delight readers who crave immersive, angst-ridden supernatural worlds, complicated love triangles, and a found family that fights as fiercely as they love.
- Mood
- shadowy
- neon-lit
- tense
- romantic
- Tone
- snarky
- melodramatic
- angsty
- urgent
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- forbidden attraction · dark family legacies · loyalty and betrayal · found family · coming of age in chaos
- The writing
- Accessible and cinematic, relying heavily on sharp, sarcastic banter and vivid descriptions of a gritty, magical underworld.
- The arc
- The journey shifts from desperate denial of a chaotic new reality to a fierce, messy embrace of dangerous powers and even more dangerous feelings.
- Who it's for
- Readers who devour high-stakes urban fantasy packed with snarky demon hunters, intense love triangles, and world-ending family drama.
Content notes
- fantasy violence
- blood and gore
- parental manipulation
- themes of incest (perceived)
About the book
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.
Description from Open Library.
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