4/8/11

City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

City of Fallen Angels
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Form: Audiobook

Synopsis: In book four of The Mortal Instruments series, Jace is becoming distant with Clary, despite the fact that their love is no longer taboo, and Clary is trying to understand why, while also helping her mother organize a wedding. Simon, still processing the difficulties of being a vampire and leading a normal life while precariously balancing his romantic relationships; is being sought out, stalked and threatened – not all by the same persons. New friends are made, and old and new enemies emerge.


Review: Cassandra Clare darkens things up a bit in City of Fallen Angels not that her books weren’t already a tiny bit on the dark side to begin with. Outside of some of Jace’s internal struggle – which we have gotten to glimpse many times in the preceding books – this time around we step into the realm of teenage angst at its highest, internal debate and dialogue running wild, all the while dealing with the same old problems. You know, demons, vampire grudges, political maneuvers for power, foes that would like to see all of the Shadow Hunters dead. Okay, the last is a bit exaggerated, but you get the point. The thing is, we do get to know all of our Shadow Hunters (and their friends) much better this time around, and it isn’t always pretty. I loved it!

As promised (by many Cassandra Clare tweets), there are plenty of steamy scenes to get you through the book – as IF the story wasn’t enough and it were even necessary. I will say that most of the said scenes were played out while Jace and Clary were struggling – and were desperate attempts at reassurance and just plain need. Rather than feeling “steamy,” it was almost painful to read…er, well listen to. I do actually hope that eventually there is a good, hot scene that isn’t laced with pain, grief, regret and…any other negative vibe.

While I LOVE Jace and Clary, I was thankful that theirs wasn’t the only story being told! Alec and Magnus have their moments, as well as Mia and ….well there ARE some things that you should read for yourself.

Okay, and just one note on the end of the book…..UGH!!!! There is a part of me that can’t STAND it. WHY!? I don’t even want to read the next book because I can just imagine how hard it’s going to be. I’m thinking almost in the same way New Moon was hard the first time through (but not in the same way…no, this wasn’t really a hint). There’s the other part of me that is ready for the book to be released…. today. Now. COMMON PEOPLE..why must we break these up by a year?!?!


LOVED IT: Will was mentioned several times in this book!!! I love The Mortal Instruments, but my favorite Cassandra Clare book thus far is Clockwork Angel…hands down, bar none.

HATED IT: Why, oh why did I get this via audio?? There are some books that are better on audio, and there are some books that are better read. The real problem though, I didn’t really care for the male reader’s voice. Well, actually I DID like his voice, when he was just narrating (I’m a sucker for accents, and his was a bit British, but not heavily). When he was trying to give “voice” to a character, I didn’t care much for it at all. Simon was okay, because now and then his accent would come out and it would give Simon something of a Boston-ish accent. I was okay with that, although it wasn’t constant. I WAS NOT okay with the voice he gave to Jace. Not at all. Not even a little.

SONG RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD: This is kind of unfair, because I’ve been stuck on the Beastly Soundtrack for a few weeks now, so I can hear nothing else really. BUT, I do think that the song “Garden of Exile” by Toby Martin is a good fit for Jace, for this book.

While on the topic, I wonder what kind of soundtrack the City of Bones movie is going to end up having? I can see some guitar heavy stuff for the fighting for sure. Any thoughts?



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