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City of Ashes
The Mortal Instruments Book 2
453 pages
A neon-drenched, demon-hunting adrenaline rush fueled by sarcastic banter and forbidden, angsty romance.
What it feels like
Stepping into this sequel feels like slipping on a leather jacket and descending into a neon-lit, subterranean New York where danger and romance bleed together. The pacing is relentless, pulling you through a shadowy underworld of vampires, warlocks, and demon hunters with propulsive energy. It thrives on a distinctly melodramatic, angsty atmosphere, where every stolen glance feels like life or death and the sarcastic banter acts as armor for deeply vulnerable teenagers. The emotional texture is tangled and intense, heavily focused on the agonizing pull of forbidden love and the fracturing of found families. It is a perfect escape for readers who want their supernatural action served with a heavy dose of romantic yearning, gothic aesthetics, and unapologetic teenage drama.
- Mood
- shadowy
- neon-lit
- tense
- romantic
- Tone
- snarky
- melodramatic
- angsty
- dramatic
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- forbidden love · found family · identity crisis · betrayal and loyalty · coming of age
- The writing
- Accessible and dialogue-heavy, the writing is defined by its rapid-fire sarcastic banter and gothic, atmospheric descriptions of a hidden magical city.
- The arc
- The journey plunges from chaotic heartbreak and confusion into a hardened, desperate resolve to protect loved ones at all costs.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave high-stakes supernatural drama, messy love triangles, and snarky teenagers fighting monsters in leather jackets.
Content notes
- fantasy violence
- blood and gore
- perceived incest
- parental manipulation
About the book
Sixteen-year-old Clary continues trying to make sense of the swiftly changing events and relationships in her life as she becomes further involved with the Shadowhunters and their pursuit of demons and discovers some terrifying truths about her parents, her brother Jace, and her boyfriend Simon.
Description from Open Library.
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