Editorial Review
Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father.
To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?
In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.
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Customer Reviews
Waiting for more... 
2008-06-16
Regardless of the author's beginnings, I am finding myself really liking this series. It has a lot of elements that nod to famous YA fantasy novels (Harry Potter, Tithe) and a lot of elements of its own. It has its own Dark Lord, plenty of magic, and a very interesting bunch of characters.
There is one particular point about this book that's going to make you cringe, though: there is a love triangle...and two of the people in that love triangle are (as yet to be disproven) brother and sister. If that makes you scream "YIKES!" you probably won't be able to get past it and enjoy yourself.
I found it a fun read despite that. It was a page-turner for me, and kept my interest all the way up until the end. I'm excited to read the last book in the trilogy.
City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments) Book 2 
2008-06-14
This book is an incredibly good sequel. It's a total page turner. I couldn't put it down. I read it in a day and a half. VERY good book. I can hardly wait for book three. A total must read. Go out and get it!
The Thrill Ride Continues 2008-06-10
Readers are brought back into the exciting world introduced in Cassandra Clare incredible City of Bones. Clary's life can no longer be normal. Her mother is in a coma, her father is deranged, her best friend may no longer be human, and she has feelings that she shouldn't have toward her brother Jace. Someone is murdering Downworlder children and has stolen the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword. Clary and Jace suspect it to be Valentine with another evil plot, and they know they must stop him. Their world is on the brink of war. Soon, they are swept up into another dangerous adventure as they struggle to save the ones they love as well as their own lives in this epic power struggle.
If possible, City of Ashes was even better than its prequel City of Bones. The story has non-stop action which kept me on the edge of my seat in suspense. I also highly enjoyed the love tensions among nearly all the characters. The story was just as unforgettable as the first, and the end left me hungering for more. City of Ashes is the type of story that I want to read over and over because it is just such a well-written and amazing story.
The characters in City of Ashes are just incredible. Clary is my hero; she's strong and resourceful, even if she sometimes doubts herself. Jace is an alternate form of Edward Cullen; he's sexy and will give anything to protect the ones he loves. The cast of characters from the Mortal Instruments series are some of my favorite fictional characters ever. They make me wish I could participate in their attractive, although dangerous, world.
I most definitely recommend the Mortal Instruments series to every eager reader out there (if you couldn't already tell from my excited raving). Fans of supernatural series such as the Twilight series or the A Great and Terrible Beauty series, among others, will certainly fall in love with this amazing story. If you've already read City of Bones but not yet its sequel, then get on it! And if you haven't even begun the series, you'd better get started. I promise you won't regret investing your time in this incredible series.
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bloody nonsense 
2008-05-27
No, definitely not. The first book was sort of OK, the writing was better, the plot more gripping. But even the first novel suffered from this special kind of fascism that the genre seems to admire: all this "Übermenschen"-stuff: this killing, blood-splitting, flesh-disrupting, intestines-devouring rubbish. No! City of Ashes is pulp-fiction of the worst kind. Cassandra Clare changes from embarassing scenes of "teenage-schnulziness" (I have to apologize for my German background)to embarassing scenes of gory weaponism. I know I know: we are so proud of our youngsters when only they read. And we name whatever they put before their eyes a book if only this item seems to consist of letters which seem to make up a story of the clumsiest sort.
Good Beginning 
2008-05-26
The author does a very good job setting up the world and situation in which the characters live. The book captures the reader's attention fairly easily, but at some points leaves them feeling a bit bored and perhaps anxious for upcoming plot development. However, overall it is an excellent first installment of the trilogy and definitely worth the read.
Even Better than Bones 2008-07-31
When I first picked up City of Bones, I wasn't sure what to make of it. As I was reading, I fell in love. No, it's definitely not heavy reading, and yes, there is better quality prose, but the book was just so fun and made me laugh out loud (which is rare), and the writing, while not amazingly spectacular, works perfectly for the story and is far from bad.
City of Ashes was even better. The characters are the kind of people you wish you knew, but don't; yet they're also just the kids next door. They bridge the gap between the ordinary and extraordinary, and you love them all for their weaknesses and strengths.
If you love fantasy, if you love sarcastic, witty conversations, if you love star-crossed lovers...READ THIS BOOK!
inconsistent timing 2008-07-23
This book seemed like much less of a mush of other books than the first one in the series did, which was a relief. It picks up shortly after the first book left off, with all the main characters just recovering from the wounds they sustained in the big fight against Valentine's Forsaken. Which brings me to my only major problem with this book: the timeline. Although we're told that it was August during the events of City of Bones, in this book it seems to be late fall (there's always a chill in the air). Clary wakes up and eats a doughnut on her way to meet Simon, and then suddenly it's late afternoon. And a few more occasions of missing time...
If you can ignore those inconsistencies, though, this is a good read. Plenty of twists and turns, and unexpected action. A few characters wind up not being dead a few too many times (an author can only pull that trick so many times before all the tension leaks away). And, although the book dragged in a few scenes (ok, Inquisitor, we get your point), I'll be waiting with a fair degree of anticipation of the (hopefully, since I don't think this story-line can last for more than one more book) last book in the trilogy.
The Compulsive Reader's Reviews 2008-07-23
The past few weeks have been hectic for Clary Fray to say the least, and they only seem to get even more so in the sequel to Cassandra Clare's popular debut City of Bones. Clary's mother still hasn't awoken from her strange sleep induced by Jace and Clary's father, Valentine, and Jace is having troubles coming to terms with his true parentage.
Things only get more complicated when an Inquisitor is sent to the Institute to question Jace's loyalty to the Clave, and he doesn't make a good impression. Suspicion is further aroused when children of magical descent are found dead all over the city, making everyone suspect that Valentine is up to something more sinister than they have anticipated.
The second book in the Mortal Instruments series is full of fast paced action and twists and turns that you won't see coming. Clary gets more and more involved in the supernatural world as she and Jace struggle to accept their relationship, while at the same time fending off attacks from all sides. In between it all is exhilarating excitement, the awkwardness of being a teenager, and intriguing mysteries. Readers looking for more breathless adventure and a spectacular battle against evil will delight in City of Ashes.
Terrific read 2008-06-29
I was surprised by the number of negative reviews because I found this to be an original and exciting series. Despite some of the dialogue trying too hard to be "kewl" at times, I thought the plot was excellent, the world well developed and intriguing, and the writing to be first rate. Clare's descriptions of places and characters are terrific and sometimes beautiful, particularly in this installment (it was more uneven in the first). I really like all the characters, I care about them, despite some of them occasionally being annoying - but that's like real people. And I'm impressed with the chance she has taken with the main love story (I don't want to put a spoiler here) - it takes some courage to promote a love story like that. I like the chances that Clare takes and can't wait to read City of Glass!
Much Better Than City of Bones 2008-06-22
To me, this still isn't perfect, but it's fast-paced and in-character. I cared a lot more about the plot and characters, and saw a lot less parallels to all the other YA fantasy series I've read. I'm waiting on the edge of my seat for the next one!
