Don’t you just hate it when you go to a club to dance and become the sole witness to a murder? Well, maybe that’s a rare occurrence; but for Clary, in the Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare, that is the first of many oddities that she witnesses over the soon-to-be five book series.

The Mortal Instruments tells the story of shadowhunters, who are humans who protect the world from demons. Yes, this may sound like the familiar cheesy plot line of most of the teen-targeted books of today. However, this series in the overused supernatural genre is worth reading because Clare creates sophisticated plot lines and actually writes well.

It all begins when Clary meets a trio of sibling Shadowhunters: Alec, Isabelle, and Jace (you know, the ones murdering that person in the club). She is forced to seek their help when her mother is kidnapped by a psychotic villain (but really, he is out of his mind) by the name of Valentine.

While searching for her mother, Clary becomes very close with the shadowhunters. She discovers that she may be better fit for the world of demon hunting than she first thought…(no foreshadowing there).

Throughout the books it seems that as one major problem is solved, another conflict arises. Keeping the story action-packed and filled with a continuous sense of mystery. This book is truly one full of surprises, and revealing them here would be completely unfair to any potential readers of the series. I urge you, whole-heartedly to pick up City of Bones today.  

If the previous compliments I’ve given this book have not convinced you, then at least read this book for its great characters. Clary, despite being a bit of a Mary-sue, is an overall respectable, relatable female lead. In the first three books, she is the reader’s eyes and ears to see the rest of the great cast.

Jace makes Edward look like a wimp. He is full of sarcasm and sex appeal (not that I am obsessed or anything, just stating the facts). He does have a slight ego issue, but he can usually back it up; and he is considered one of the most talented shadowhunters of his age.

There are also many other amazing characters that you will just have to discover for yourself, but i’m telling you, this book is worth the read. You will be invested in these characters and in the action-packed, mysterious, fantastic story. Get it. Today.

Read on,
The Redeyed Reader