Book Recap: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Cover Inspection:
On the one hand, I'm glad that
they found a boy who looks like Jace.
On the other hand, the cover is too cheesy for my taste.

SUMMARY (book description based on GoodReads):
The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.
No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?
Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.
And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?
Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

BOOK REPORT CARD:

Cover	3.0
Plot	4.0
Writing	4.0
Characters	4.0
Ending	4.0
Overall Rating	4.0 Excellent (97% to 100%) * highest rating possible is 4.0

LOCATION/SETTING:
The story moves in different places: New York, Prague, and Paris.

MAIN CHARACTERS:
In this book, Clary is lost. She is full of longing and sadness. Nevertheless, she remains hopeful. She is no longer the Clary from the City of Bones, who needs constant looking after. Clary is no longer helpless; she matured in every way. Jace, on the other hand, is not himself. He is possessed by Sebastian. However, he stopped being the broody and angry teenager in the City of Fallen Angels. He seems happier, but then again... he is not himself.

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT:
In this installment, Jace is gone. The Shadowhunter community tried to look for him and Sebastian, but no one can find them. So they gave up hope. But the stubborn Clary refuses to let Jace go just like that. She still believes that she is will get Jace back, and she does everything within her power to make sure she gets him back.

LOVE:
And Cassie Clare did it again.

Like with her other books, City of Lost Souls is a pleasure to read. It is one of those books that you never want to end because of the wonderful writing, amazing storytelling, and fantastic world building. I am already very familiar with each one of the characters, and when they hurt, I hurt too. The emotions are overflowing from the pages of the book. While reading, I felt Clary's longing and frustration as if I am her. Don't you just love those books that make you feel? Plus, Clare does not shy away from homosexuality and lesbianism. I respect her all the more for this.

Another thing I loved is the friendship between Clary and Simon. Suffice it to say that Simon, being the one constant in Clary's life, has been the comfort that Clary craves in Jace's absence. And no, nothing sexual is involved. Just pure, unadulterated friendship. Simon is loyal, dependable, kind-hearted, and selfless. It is Simon who shone in this book because of the risks he took for Clary. Their friendship is truly one of a kind.

The battle scene was out of this world. I especially loved the way that it was narrated in the different POVs of the characters, such that you can get a glimpse of what is happening to each and every one of them. If you have read the Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa, and loved the battle scene in that book, then you will love the battle scene in this book. In both books, the battle scenes were filled with action and emotion, a very rare combination. Really, truly amazing.

Last, but not the least, I loved those Cassie Clare one liners that strike hard and deep. And so I lay down two of my favorite lines...

FAVORITE LINE/S:

“I’m not used to you loving me,” he said.

“My heart is your heart,” he said. “My hands are your hands.”

NO LOVE:
I love Jace. But the REAL Jace? He was absent for most of the story, and I missed him. You see, the Jace in this book isn't the REAL Jace that we all love. He's not his usual sarcastic, arrogant self because he is possessed by Sebastian.

MUSINGS:
Sebsatian is an enigma. He is a complete mystery to me. You are never certain of his motive and intent. Sometimes you think he is evil, but there were moments that would confuse you too. Maybe he is just a boy, who the love and affection of family. Valentine is dead, and he has no one to call family.

There were a lot of intimate moments between coupling characters. A lot of sleeping together (both sleeping and "sleeping") in this book. All the characters have undergone changes and have truly matured that they are ready for a little bit more intimacy and sweetness in their relationships.

This book is about siblings, and the different kinds of sibling relationship. An irony exists between Jace's relationship with Alec and Isabelle, and Clary's relationship with Sebastian. Jace is adopted but his siblings cherish him. Clary is blood related with Sebastian, but she cannot seem to trust him. Such beautiful irony.

While i think this book is good, its not the best cassie clare book for me. Clockwork Prince blew me away, and still holds the throne. But this book, as with all of Clare's works, did not disappoint. I was ensnared by the events, the characters, and by the twists and turns in the story.

FAVORITE CHARACTER:
Magnus Bane! Magnus is the comic relief when everything is getting too serious. He is the one shadowhunters run to when theyre in trouble. Calm and collected in the face of adversity. Sarcastic, eccentric, fantastic in every way imaginable.

DOODLES:

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: Cassandra Clare   SIMILAR READS:  Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead  Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick   CONTENT REVIEW:  profanity: mild  violence: moderate  sexual content: moderate  mature themes: mild  age recommendation: 13+