Monday, July 18, 2011

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare


I like to keep up on the YA scene as much as I can, and so I thought I'd try the first in this series that has been wildly popular at the library. Fans of Twilight gravitate toward these fantasy books and always give rave reviews, and now I know why.

Clary Fray is just a girl (or so she thinks) living with her mother in New York City, hanging with her best friend Simon and working her way through a normal teenage life including conflicts about boys and her mother. But a chance encounter with a demon and some beings called Shadlowhunters in a local club change her life forever. The fact that Clary can see these supernatural beings while others cannot, is the first clue that she is different, and her quest to learn about this new world and how she fits in becomes the stage for some exciting supernatural conflict.

There are many interesting facets of Clare's new world that I found fascinating and different from other fantasy novels. These aspects make the story realistic and fantastic all at once, and get me to lose myself in their world. For instance, Clary discovers from Jace and his family that Shadowhunters are the beings who keep the human world safe from demons of the underworld. Demons are supposed to remain "down below" per an agreement they have with the higher powers. In the middle world are creatures like vampires and werewolves, fairies and witches, who are allowed to live in the human world as long as they don't bother the humans too much (or in other words, kill them.)The story of City of Bones revolves around a former Shadowhunter turned bad named Valentine who threatens to mess up this tenuous balance between worlds. Clary and Jace fight their way through hordes of demons in order to find out the truth about their own powers and heritage, giving the reader lots to get lost in: love, friendship, physical battle, and struggles of family loyalty. A rich world to be sure.

So, if you're ready to get lost in a good story of good vs. evil, with cool, realistic yet fantastical characters for some exciting summer fun, then pick up this set of novels right away. Let me know what you think!

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