City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

There is a lot of controversy surrounding this book; everyone either loves it or hates it. I absolutely adore it. I think it’s very unique, phenomenally written and just a fantastic story all around. This book introduced me to Cassandra Clare’s writing and I have been a huge fan ever since. She has a way of writing that draws you in from the start; it’s beautiful, hilarious and emotional all together. I am always shaken up after reading any of her books, and City of Bones was no exception.

I love the characters in this book. Clary, the protagonist is strong, sarcastic and very loyal. She is the perfect protagonist for the story and Cassandra does an amazing job of introducing Clary to us throughout the book. I am able to connect to her on a new level. She is very relatable and impossible not to love. I have also fallen in love with Clary’s love interest: Jace. Jace is my version of the ideal boyfriend. He is a lot of fun to be around, he is loyal to his friends and family, he is hilarious and he is so sweet and caring. He and Clary go together perfectly. There is a bit of a love triangle going on here with Simon, but there aren’t any hard feelings and Cassandra comes up with the perfect solution in future books (take note Stephenie Meyer and Suzanne Collins!).

The plot may not be unique, but the world Cassandra created absolutely is. I have never read anything like it before and I long to be a part of it. I haven’t felt this way since reading Harry Potter; I want to be there with the characters. I feel like I AM there with the characters. I was immersed in this world where demons roam the night, weres run a bar, vamps occupy abandoned hotels, warlocks cast spells while ricking glitter in their hip hugging jeans, and the law is upheld by Shadowhunters, a race of humans blessed by the angel Raziel. WOW! The plot draws you in and the story is full of action. Yes, there are some cliches, but who cares? The story is dramatic, interesting and perfectly paced. THIS is what I call a paranormal romance. Someone finally got it right.

The characters touched my heart, the plot drew me in, the writing left me in an emotional wreck. Cassandra Clare created a spectacular book that touched on all elements of the perfect novel, and completely surpassed my expectations. This is a fantastic read and I would recommend it to everyone, no matter what gender, what age, what genre preference. 10/10!