So, here comes my first book review, being part of my New Years resolution of reading 52 books this year and writing a little about those. These won't always be full book reviews like I have to do for my literature class, but then again, I don't want to spoiler anyone too much :)
I really don't want to spoiler anyone, but it might contain light ones, which shouldn't make it less fun reading though... after all this is a review :P
My First book of this year was :
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments # 1) by Cassandra Clare.
Just some things to know for a start:
- I read it in the original English version.
- It was published March 2007
- It has 485 pages
- It is set in New York City and, even though it doesn't really say, I'd say, everything happens in our time and our world.
- I stared: 1st January 2015 and ended it: 4th Jan.
Also, I have already read the "Infernal Devices" Series last year (which Lily recommended to me), which is a prequel to this, but written somewhere in between. You don't have to read the prequel beforehand, but I am glad I did, because I was able to recognise many surnames due to this.
So, everything starts off with Clary Fray, a 15 year old redhead (she turns 16 during the story) and her best friend Simon who is a 16 year old geek. They already know each other for 10 years. They are off to the Pandemonium, a Club, where Clary starts to see people, nobody else can... She sees, how a beautiful dark haired girl her age lures a blue haired boy into a distant part of the Club and 2 boys, one dark haired, the other blond with a weapon, following them. Clary goes after them, leaving Simon to get the Security, as she wants to help the blue haired boy, but when she catches up, she quickly realises, that the boy doesn't need any help, because he is a demon, and the 3 other people are Shadowhunters, Demon-Slayers, protecting the humans, mundane, without them even knowing it.
When the Security comes for help, they can't see the Shadowhunters, and Clary and Simon go back home.
Only a day later Clary meets Jace, the blond Shadowhunter, again, during their conversation her Mum, Jocelyn, calls, but it is disrupted by noises and a scream from Jocelyn.
Clary hurries back home to find a destroyed apartment and is attacked by a demon, which she can slay, but is poisoned doing so. Jace rescues her and takes her with him to heal her.
Clary soon finds out that she has Shadowhunter blood in her, and that her Mother, who disappeared, has lied to her in many occasions. As she tries to find her mother, she finds out more about her past and the world of demons, warlock and Shadowhunters...
I really liked this book it was very catching from the beginning, but latest after the first part of the book (it has 3) I was absolutely hooked and didn't want to put it down at all! I would have finished earlier, if I didn't have to work as much.
Many people criticise that this reminds them of Harry Potter Fanfiction, honestly I couldn't see this when reading. Of course, when it comes to Fantasy, everything seems to be linked. I tend to find links in stories which just can't be true. But honestly, City of Bones and Harry Potter (the at least the original and not the Fanfictions) happen in totally different worlds. And yes, I actually liked HP a lot when I read it!
Anyway, when reading, and criticising, you should always remember for which audience the story is actually written. City of Bones is recommended for 14 years and up. I am 21. I study Dutch and Art-Theory. For Dutch I specialise on Literature, for Art it's Mythology. My point is, I read - A LOT!
I have to admit, some parts of the story are just way too obvious, but remember this is written for 14 year olds and up. What might be obvious for me, a 21 year old fantasy and book loving person, might not be this obvious for a 14 year old, who doesn't read a lot outside of school work. And hey, even if there are small parts which are a little obvious, it can still be very fun reading it! I mean, the it's the 1st book of a series!
What I personally didn't like at all though, was that sometimes when characters were speaking, especially in long monologues, people didn't speak naturally. It just didn't sound like someone saying it, but as if they were reading out of a book. If you don't know what I mean, please look at the Chapter: "A Werewolf's Tale" again, I personally think, sometimes it didn't sound like person A telling person B a story which he/she was a part of, but rather a story out of a book. But this my taste, some people might like this kind of story telling.
I hope you don't think, that I am the kind of person who just says positive stuff about everything she reads, because I am not. If I don't like something, I'll tell you why I don't like it, but it is my opinion only and I think I should still be fair. The authors do put a lot of work in their books, and many live from them!
If, for my next review, you would like me to add some more things, info, or what so ever, please tell me. I'd be glad to get some help. After all this is my first review I wanted to do without spoiling too much. Usually, for Uni I summarise EVERYTHING and then analyse it. But I don't really want to bore you with a page long analysis why Clary's sofa might be read.
OK, so I hope to be able to write a nother post next week wit "City of Ashes", but as Uni starts again, and I have lessons next weekend too, I can't promise - but I will try :)
Lisa~
