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book review: City of Glass , by Cassandra Clare

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Review: City of Glass, The Mortal Instruments series book 3, by Cassandra Clare

First, I have to say City of Glass is a fast paced page-turner which you would find difficult to put down, still despite the entertainment the book proves, I found the major 'plot-twists' highly predictable; to a point that I was a bit taken aback: "That is all you can manage, Miss Clare!?"

Well.......but at least Miss Clare's failed attempt in delivering surprise managed to give me a sick sense of satisfaction. Look, see. That woman failed to fool me and so many other readers out there.

Here I list the supposed 'surprises' which turn out to be predictable:

*major plot spoiler warning*

(1) Jace and Clary turn out not being siblings. Oh yes, we so can't see it coming. I mean, if the author isn't ready to let the two of them say: "Screw society, screw public opinion. I love you anyway and we're running away!" like Setsuna and Sara do in Angel Sanctuary, or let them find some new and *real* love interests; then I know that 'Jace and Clary are siblings' statement must be a lie, a fake, a gimmick for shock value all along. At the end of the day, I'm right.

Jace eventually turns out to be the son of some dead character who is barely even mentioned in the books. Well, I'd rather have Jace being Michael Wayland's son after all.

PS: people also commented that the Jace/Clary is a copy of Luke Skywalker/Princess Leia from Star War, I don't 100% agree with that accusation, but the Jace/Clary's 'forbidden love' looks really half-hearted. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan for forbidden love, but oh please, if you want to write forbidden love, please have the decency to make it forbidden FOR REAL.

(2) The Mortal Mirror is in fact Lake Lyn. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out, seriously. But for so many years those Shadowhunters failed to figure it out, I'm so amused.

(3) Sebastian turns out to be Clary's real brother and the bad guy. It also makes me wonder, how can Clary decide to trust Sebastian when she knows nothing about him? And this blind trust results in the death of a warlock. Clever girl, Clary.

Aside from predictable 'plot-twists', our hero and heroine: Jace Wayland and Clary Fray, remain rather unlikable and flat. Surely Jace shows some improvement as a character, he is being less self-centered and is doing more to help others. But I just can't overlook his lame joke after Max's funeral. *sighs* What's wrong with him. seriously? Jace just had to have some smartass remark to make even after his beloved foster brother's funeral. Great, isn't it charming?

City of Glass also offers us some of the most pointless character deaths ever. The problem is, Miss Clare seems to be too chicken to 'kill' any of her main characters so she made do with killing off secondary characters, namely Max Lightwood; and Max's murder by Sebastian DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE. Why would Sebastian kill the boy but not his sister Isabelle, who is a fully trained Shadowhunter and is more of a threat than Max can ever be? Why don't kill them both? Why would Sebastian spare Isabelle's life anyway? (I know I sound horrible but it's what a villain would have considered!) That 'I really don't want to kill you, Isabelle."' excuse is really lame.

*end of plot spoiler*

As to Jace and Clary's romance.................where should I start? I can only say the more they said "I love you!!!!", the more I feel turned off by their love. Like many other YA romances, their love is so damn cliche that I felt embarrassed when I read about them. Here is a humble suggestion from a reader: Hey dear YA authors! If you can't write convincing romance, then cut it out, for goodness' sake! Not every single pair of hero and heroine needs to fall in love and become a couple in the end, you know!

I continue to enjoy Alec and Magnus's romance simply because it's mostly done off-scene and Magnus's cute remark of "I'd done everything (for Alec) free of charge!" made me LOL so hard......

On the other hand, Clary continues to be the main source of irritation in this book: she did things without once thinking about how her actions might affect the people around her. For example, she snakes out of Amatis' house, knowing fully well that if she was found wandering in Idris, would not only risk her own safety, but also Amatis' safety. But no, Clary snakes out anyway and go back with barely an apology to Amatis---who saved Clary's life and hid her in her own house even under the risk of getting herself into serious trouble.

I'm also troubled by Clary's reaction to the death of Madeleine and the warlock whom she tried to find. She found out they were murdered by the bad guys, and then......she didn't react to their death at all. Hardly any pity is displayed, and there's no sadness or anger. It looks wrong to me.

To sum up, I'm sick of Clary refusing to listen to people, messing up and breaking rules without any consequence. It might work in novels, but not in real life. In book 1, Clary manages to survive only because Jace and the other Shadowhunters are there to save her life every single time she gets into trouble. In book 3, Clary behaves like Harry Potter at his worst: stubborn to the point of annoying, refuses to listen to anyone, taking all sorts of risk but somehow manages to come out okay and even saving the day eventually JUST BECAUSE SHE/HE IS THE GODDAMN HEROINE/HERO SO OF COURSE SHE/HE CAN DO NO WRONG AND EVERYONE ELSE IS WILLINGLY WIPING HER/HIS ASS FOR HER/HIM. Ah, that really is charming.

Therefore when I read to the parts Jace and Luke scolding Clary, I couldn't help applauding for these two guys. Good job! Someone needs to talk some sense into this girl anyway!

Naruto and Angel Sanctuary are both mentioned in the book, I honestly hope the reference would attract more people to notice these two manga. Although I got tired of Naruto eventually, still I think both mangas worth the reading. (but a nine years old reading Angel Sanctuary? Miss Clare what was you thinking?)

I don't have much complain about the plot nor the ending---mostly because I'd stopped caring in the middle of the book. To an extent I did enjoy the story but it's only in a mindless guilty pleasure way. The warfare in the book, is done in a total made-believe way. The angel and demon setting is...unoriginal though not unbearable. And I also noticed a lot of events are set up to be convenient plot devices, it makes me feel quite empty.
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Asanbonsam's avatar
Yeah Max's death... useless. Who would be affected by that. And Clary's selfish wish by the lake... couldn't she wish for several People to come back to live? Nope, all she cared about was Jace.

And all those plot conveniences... actually, isn't it convenient that the Shadowhunters always find at least one Downworlder that will help them?