Heyo Bookaholics!
This took me a while…
So I re-read the book that began my Shadowhunter obsession all those years ago in High School.
Blurb When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...
I’ve re-read City of Bones before but only partially. It’s a comfort read for me and the reason I chose it to read during November/ NaNoWriMo month. I thought it would be a quick, easy read but boy was I wrong.
Book Chat!
Calling this one a ‘book chat’ because even though I don’t actually have a formal review on this blog for City of Bones, this is a re-read and reviews for me are first impressions of the novel. This is hardly my first time reading or experiencing City of Bones and hence will not be considered a review.
I obviously knew what I was in for in terms of the storyline. What I’d totally forgotten was the way Cassandra Clare describes the characters. Her metaphors and quotes are perfect and what had me fall in love with the series in the first place.
I love this novel for the nostalgic factor but I soon came to realise why I hadn’t re-read it sooner.
You see, it’s difficult to read something you know the ending to and even more difficult to read something that you know the ending to in over five years time! FYI, that’s five years in the book world, more like 10 or so years in our time.
I found myself having to force myself to connect to the story and not let my mind stray to the most recent events of the story. Saying this, it is really awesome when you can make the connections and see little details you didn’t see before when you know the ending and all the twists. Although it does get a little annoying when you know you’re approaching an embarrassing moment and for the sake of continuity and reading the novel in its entirety, you can’t skip it. Especially if said fact is retconned a book or so later (a lil wink to all those who have read the series).
Reaching the height of the novel where the plot twists and – if you’ve never read it before – shocks the reader into either leaving or staying; I found myself feeling like I was at home in this novel. At the real start of the conflict, I just sped through the rest of the novel to the end. Reading under the covers and when I could on public transport really helped me finish it, but in the end, I felt myself reaching to click on the next book in the series.
Of course, I didn’t as it would ruin my TBR progress and as you know from my recently uploaded December TBR post, I have three amazing books to read before the year is over!
Overall, I loved this book as I had the first time. Instead, this time I knew what was to come and powered through, coming home to the novel that first dragged me into YA fantasy and never let me leave.
It may have been hard to read at times because I knew the twists and the ending. My mind often diverting to the ending that is still yet to be written, asking questions about events that haven’t even transpired in the first novel. I am so so happy to own a copy of this book, let alone five (one in Korean) and be able to come home to the place that started it all.
To be able to fall in love with my Shadowhunter family all over again. To be reintroduced, see their original selves and re-experience the magic of City of Bones all over again is a privilege that I am honoured to have.
Every time I think about this novel, I remember how thankful for my friend in high school for introducing me to this series – her favourite one – at the most perfect time, just before the release of City of Heavenly Fire. Since then, I’ve read every book and followed this series until the latest release.
Yes, I have pre-ordered Chain of Gold!!!
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this book chat and if you’ve read City of Bones please let me know all of your thoughts, first and current. If you haven’t, I totally respect your choices, just know that there is a tonne of Shadowhunter content on this blog and I cannot confirm that it is all spoiler-free!
★ Rating ★
I’m not giving this book a propper rating because as we all know, this or any novel in the Shadowhunter Chronicles will receive the highest honour: 5/5 stars. The day I don’t give a Shadowhunter novel the highest rating, send me to an asylum and assume me possessed by a horrible daemon.
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See you back here on Monday’s (book reviews), Wednesday’s (storytime/ writing updates) and Saturday’s (other bookish content).
