Hello all,
Another Challenge 2020 review now, this time in the Young Adult (YA) Book category; I chose the first book in The Mortal Instruments series for this category. This book series was recommended to be years ago but an ever growing TBR list meant they got put on the back burner. I’m sure you can all relate?
“I have not slept.
Between the acting of a dreadful thing and the first motion, all the interim is like a phantasm, or a hideous dream: The Genius and the mortal instruments are then in council; and the state of man, like to a little kingdom, suffers then the nature of an insurrection.”
William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar
In other words,
“From the time when you decide to do something terrible to the moment you do it, everything feels unreal, like a horrible dream. The unconscious and the body work together and rebel against the conscious mind.”
We meet 15 year old Clarissa Fray, known as Clary. She lives alone with her protective mum in a flat and has her best friend Simon and uncle Luke there for her as well.
“I sung of Chaos and Eternal Night, taught by the heav’nly Muse to venture down the dark descent, and up to reascend…
John Milton, Paradise Lost
When she goes on a night out to the Pandemonium night club, seeing teenagers covered in tattoos isn’t an uncommon sight. But witnessing those three teenagers committing a murder with bizarre weapons is hardly what she expected to see. When the body disappears well that’s weird, but weirder still, those teenagers seem to be invisible to everyone except herself.
“The descent beckons as the ascent beckoned.
William Carlos Williams, The Descent
When her mother disappears and she is attacked by a monstrous demon, she finds herself introduced to the good-looking and ever sarcastic Jace Wayling and his friends Isabelle and Alec; overseeing them is Hodge. They are shadow hunters, warriors dedicated to ridding their earth of demons.
“To love is to destroy.”
So why has Clary’s mum disappeared? Was she taken by the same demon that attacked Clary? Why is a demon interested in ‘mundanes’ like Clary and her mum? Her mum has nothing to do with the mysterious world of vampires, werewolves, demons and shadow hunters…or does she?
“The way downward is easy from Avernus. Black dis’ door stands open night and day. But to retrace your steps to heaven’s air, there is trouble, there is the toil.”
Translated, Virgil, The Aeneid
At every turn there are surprises and lies in store for Clary, the deeper she digs, the further away from the truth she seems to get.
“If there was one thing she was learning from all this, it was how easy it was to lose everything you had always thought you’d have forever.”
This is the first of The Mortal Instruments series and I’ll definitely be reading more of this series despite giving it 3.5 stars. This was a super easy read but also super addictive – I read it in 4 days and for a book with 500+ pages, that’s pretty quick.
I enjoyed all the characters (except from Simon, he was too needy I found) and I loved how Jace’s sarcasm came across – I won’t lie, I definitely laughed out loud at points. But I didn’t like the twist at the end but then with this series, is it the truth? It wasn’t like I couldn’t wait to find out what happens, it was just super easy to read and I didn’t dislike the book.
If you’re someone who doesn’t like lies or liars then this definitely isn’t the book for you! I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series so keep an eye out for those after I’ve finished Challenge 2020 – 2 books to go!
You can find this book on Amazon
Until next time,
Keep reading,
D x
