The Mortal Instruments series

by Cassandra Clare

I really enjoyed “The Mortal Instruments” series. Reading the first book took a little longer to get into then the 2nd and 3rd, but that is because I was trying to grasp the world Clary lived in at first and then the world she came to be in through Jace. So much changed for Clary in the first book, that the reader struggled along with Clary to understand what was going on- what was real and what had all been an illusion. But I really liked Clary as the narrator- she was a strong female character who was trying to find and rescue her mother, understand the truth about her past and her mother’s past, figure out the whole Shadowhunter business, and juggle two boys.

There were times that I thought the author could have made things a little less confusing, but the storyline kept me engaged and I was constantly pulling for Clary and Jace to defeat their ‘father’ Valentine and save the day. I can honestly say that I was happy when the truth about Jace and Clary relationship came out in the 3rd book because I was a little icked out before that. (That whole scenario read a little too much like a V.C. Andrews book for me!) I loved the character of Simon- Clary’s best friend/(ex-)boyfriend/newby vampire/Daywalker- and I was happy that he played a role in all 3 books. I also liked the subplot of Alec and the warlock Magnus Bane and the subplot of Lucian and Clary’s mother, Jocelyn.

All in all, I was highly entertained throughout the series, and was constantly trying to find time to read and finish the books. It was a very entertaining fantasy series that at times were dark, humorous, or touching -everything a book should be!