Originally read in December 2012. Reread again in November
2013 because I bought the box set of the first five and I’m preparing for book
6 later on this year…so forgive me if I’m a little hazy on some of the details.
Clarissa Fray – Clary for short – is celebrating her
birthday when she sees something that she shouldn’t see; a vampire being killed
by a trio of teenagers. Only she doesn’t know the man being killed is a
vampire, she thinks he’s just a regular guy. But the thing is, Clary isn’t
supposed to see the teenagers at all. They’re glamoured.
While she’s trying to figure out who those teens were and
why the blonde haired boy with an attitude is calling her a mundane, the apartment
she lives in with her mother gets broken into and her mother is taken. When she
arrives, the place is in ruins and her mother is gone, but the apartment isn’t
empty. Something is still lurking and
attacks her. The blonde boy comes in and saves her and takes her back to the
Institute – a sort of home base for what the boy and his friends are.
It turns out they’re Shadowhunters, people who hunt demons
and try to keep the world that mundanes – normal people – live in safe from
Downworlders and the demons. Jace – the blonde – takes an instant ‘liking’ to
Clary and shows her the basics of the Shadowhunter trade. Alec Lightwood isn’t
so keen on her though, and that’s mostly because he has a thing for Jace too.
The book revolves around Clary trying to find her mother,
figure out why she can see Jace and the others even though they are glamoured,
saving Simon – her best friend – from vampires and finding the first Mortal
Instrument – the Mortal Cup – before Valentine – an evil guy who was a
Shadowhunter – can get his hands on it.
There’s also some great romantic angst between Jace and
Clary – the greenhouse scene! But that’s all turned to crap when Valentine
reveals that Jace and Clary are brother and sister. …I’m sorry, say what?!
Figures the one relationship I actually liked in this book that had so much
potential turns to something you shouldn’t be rooting for.
Final Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Even though it was a slow
start – as most first books in a series are – the action picked up fairly
quickly and I loved the characters, even Hodge.
Bookshelf worthy? Um…since I already own them…this is sort
of an obvious yes.
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