What do you do when you’ve been thrust into an entirely new world?
A world very different than the one you grew up in with its own rules and laws you find yourself struggling to understand?
And all the while everyone around you is too busy dealing with your psychopath father, come back from the grave and the war he’s trying to ignite.
City of Glass by Cassandra Claire is a young adult fantasy romance adventure about a young girl, Clary Fairchild, and her interdiction to the Glass City. The Shadowhunter capital of Idris where Downworlders aren’t allowed.
As the book begins Clary is planning on going to the Glass city with the Lightwoods to find a Warlock name Ragnor Fell, who she’s been told holds the key to waking her mother.
Unfortunately, due to an attack and meddling by her brother, Jace, the Lightwoods end up leaving without her.
But, thanks to Clary’s unique abilities she is able to create a portal of her own and sends both her and her mother’s friend Luck to Idris.
During her time in the Idris Clary and Jace uncover more secrets and lies.
And have to face off against their father once and for all.
Many people have committed on the incestuous aspects of the book.
I have to admit I watched the show before reading the series, so I’ll never know whether or not Jace and Clary’s interactions would actually bother me, though I don’t think they would.
However, most of Clary and ‘Sebastian’/Jonathan’s interactions did.
But that’s more so because of the lies and manipulation. He knew he was Clary’s brother yet he completely objectified her.
Not to say I’m complaining or would want this changed. I thought it was very well executed to work exactly as it was meant to. To show just how irredeemable and discussing Jonathan is.
No, the only real criticisms I have for this book are about the lack of Alec’s point of view and Raphael’s demands.
How he wanted to kill Simon just because he’s a Daylighter, and thought both Simon and Clary’s abilities were unnatural and shouldn’t be allowed.
And it’s not the fact he thinks this way that I have a problem with. It’s the fact it was never openly addressed that he sounds no different than the racist Shadowhunters.
Also, I don’t know if Clare had yet to decided on Raphael’s personality when she wrote the first book because the Raphael in later books doesn’t really fit the Raphael you meet in book one. Raphael in book one seemed more playful and sarcastic whereas later he just seemed like a dark brooding asshole.
Anyway, beyond the incestuous pining, the dumb irrational decisions of the characters, and a few characters being slightly off from their original interdiction the book is very well written and builds up to a rather satisfying ending.
Though, not quite as satisfying as the last book’s. Mainly because the war this story is gearing up for takes place mostly ‘off camera’ so to speak.