Review: The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments Series

Written By Cassandra Clare

City of Bones (Book 1)

City of Ashes (Book 2)

City of Glass (Book 3)

NOT a Publisher Requested Review

Simon & Schuster Publishers

Available Now

Rated 5 out of 5 Stars

I felt it was appropriate to review the entire series in one review, because I tore through the three books so quickly it was as if I was reading one book. I absolutely LOVED these books! I am now completely obsessed with the world Cassandra Clare has created in this masterpiece of a series. Full review after the jump. WARNING: SPOILERS!!!

I usually at least have one thing to complain about in a book, so it's incredible that I'm reviewing three books and still don't have anything bad to say about them. Not one thing in these books bothered me. I found myself so engrossed in the picture Clare was painting in these books that everything else just kind of fell by the wayside (ask my husband and the pile of laundry in front of the washer).

Clary was a main character I could really get behind. She was interesting, impulsive, emotional and powerful, which is a great change from a lot of the female protagonists that I've been reading lately. Even her weakest characteristics seemed real and believable, which I really enjoyed. The other characters were also very powerful forces. Jace, while being a cocky jerk, was strong and sexy with sensitive undertones. It was easy for me to fall in love with him when I read these books, in spite of his less desirable characteristics (aka his huge ego). Alec and Isabelle were also really awesome background characters, and I really hope to get some more insight into them in the next two books in the series. Simon played his role of the unrequited best friend perfectly, even showing a strength I didn't expect to see out of him. And how about that Magnus Bane? LOVE him! It makes me extremely eager to jump into Clockwork Angel to get some back story on the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

The story itself was amazing. The romance, the drama, the violence...everything was moving at a mile a minute, so I never got bored. I didn't ever feel like the story was dragging or even moving to a lull. If it wasn't one thing, it was another, which definitely kept the pages turning for me. I found it very easy to identify with the characters in what was going on. I was totally rooting for Jace to not really be Clary's brother so they could be together, but I also felt Simon's pain of having to watch the woman he loves go to the arms of another man. I am TOTALLY Team Malec (Magnus and Alec FTW!), and I'm so glad that Simon came into his own with the ladies. I can't wait to see where these romances go!

Another aspect I really enjoyed was the infusion of Biblical stories and theory into the world as we know it. I am really into stuff like that, so I liked that Clare really did her research before diving into a religiously-tinged topic like angels and demons. I also like how many types of mythological creatures were woven into the world, and that it wasn't just a story about a vampire or a werewolf. The story gave Clare an opportunity to address bigotry of all kinds while exploring this incredible fictional world that, with the right divine intervention, could have absolutely happened. For all we know, we could be surrounded by warlocks, demons, nephilim and Downworlders right now. At least, it would be pretty awesome.

I absolutely can not wait for the rest of the books in this series and to read the Infernal Devices series. Cassandra Clare, you are at the top of my favorite authors list. I think this series should be on the top of everyone to be read pile.