City of Bones - Review

Book: City Of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Type: Series
Rating: ★★★✰✰

This book was quite good. Not the fangirling level, but quite good. I mean, considering this is Cassie's debut novel, y'know. I'm gonna break down this review according to my Book Loving Criteria, and explain the elements.

The Characters.

Clary - Well, this is your typical annoying female protagonist. At some parts, it did feel that she had a brain, but considering the majority, she didn't. Yes, people, this is the protagonist who doesn't think before doing things.

"I was thinking. I was thinking about you."

I was surprised that she even thinks. I have a soft spot for artists in my heart, so I'll treat her as an average character.
Jace - Jace. I'm not even sure what I feel about him. He is likable, but not exactly like Will is <3 I am a big fan of his jokes, though! Or maybe words that fall under the category of jokes? Ooh, but this is my all-time faves, I don't even know why, but here it is for safe-keeping:

"I said his poetry was terrible. It sounds like he ate up a dictionary and starting vomiting words at random."

Nothing special, I know. I don't even know why I love it 😂

Isabelle. Izzy, Izzy. No wonder how many times Cassie tries to make us hate her, I only just love her. She is the kind of girl I do and will always love, no matter how much the author dissuades us. Oh and how the heck does Clary hate her if she looks like a moon goddess (her words, not mine)?!

Alec. I don't know what's wrong with him, he does get better. I don't know what obsession Cassie has with blue eyes, always comparing them with ridiculous things. Navy and dark blue eyes, like fire lamps?! Anyway, we're here to talk about Alec. He has no personality, for now.

Luke. I love him, no matter what. <3

Hodge. I'm tired of reading how kind he is, the kind features he has. We saw that he isn't.

Valentine. Your typical villain, who betrays his own kind. He's just so cliche, not wanting other kinds to exist. Here, we have another Voldemort.

Plot. The plot was okay, it felt like a rip-off of Harry Potter. You know, Valentine and Voldemort having the same motive. The Institute & Hogwarts. Forsaken & Inferi. Mrs. Figg & Madam Dorothea.

Also, about the plot-twists, they should at least make some sense. None of them make sense. And who's the real villain?! What's happening?! This is just the introduction of 442 pages, nothing else.

Though I'm glad the romance didn't play a crucial role in it.

World-building. I feel this was the best part of the book. The world-building. I love how the customs are made, how we know about Downworlders and Shadowhunters. And also the glamour, runes and all that. Like I said in my review of Clockwork Angel, it's lovely how Cassie managed to build a whole story out of the basic elements and myths we already know of.

Writing. Considering this was her debut novel, I would go with it. Certainly, her writing evolved so much in TID. 

I was overwhelmed by the excessive and extreme use of hyphens, semi-colons, and colons. It's so... cliche? You know, I could point out 3 unnecessary uses of them in just one page. I'm too lazy to make quotations, maybe later.

Cover. It makes no sense. It's beautiful, but shouldn't it signify something- anything? Someone help me out.

Overall, I would say it was an okay experience, justifying my rating. I would read more, I need more of Magnus.

~ Happy Reading!