City of Ashes is the second installment in Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series.
My review of City of Bones (the first book in the series) can be found here.
This second book was just as compelling as the first, which was quite refreshing! There were quite a few twists that I didn’t see coming and many questions were posed that I can’t wait to be answered!
Valentine returns in this installment to steal another of the Mortal Instruments to use in his war on the Clave.
He accuses the Shadowhunter government of corruption because of their willingness to protect and work with Downworlders, or part-demons like vampires and werewolves.
So, he raises an Army of demons to battle the Clave, and in so doing, commits a crime worse than the actions of the Clave.
This book is full of moral dilemmas — does Jace go against his father, the man who raised him to be the strong, unforgiving Shadowhunter he has become?
Does Clary stay with Simon, knowing her heart actually belongs to her brother?
And that’s just weird in itself. I’m sure there is hope for Clary and Jace, and I can’t wait to see the twist coming in that department.
I love the strong characters in this series. I appreciate their uncompromising values. I know that sometimes, that’s not the easy route for an author.
But what really got me was the cliffhanger ending.
I couldn’t wait to pick up the next book in the series.
I can’t imagine how it felt to those who read this book when it first came out and had to wait for the next installment, City of Glass.
City of Ashes is available from Amazon here.
In answer to your comment about how it felt to have to wait the year between the release of City of Bones & City of Ashes & then to wait another year before City of Glass was released – truly TORTUROUS!! 😉 The Mortal Instruments books are among my all-time favorites. Can't wait to read City of Fallen Angels & Clockwork Angel (the first book in Cassandra Clare's new Infernal Devices trilogy).
I know, it must have been awful for them. I'm so glad all three were out when I went to read them! I love this series, the third book is even better!