Quote of the Day
Literature has been the salvation of the damned, literature has inspired and guided lovers, routed despair and can perhaps in this case save the world.
--John Cheever

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

City of Bones  by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Original Release Date: March 27, 2007 (with 497 pages)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Edition Read: Paperback (485 pages)


         City of Bones is about a girl named, Clarissa Fray who embarks on a journey in a world of Shadowhunters (demon killers). One night at a club, she witnesses a murder committed by three teenagers. Here she meets, Jace, an arrogant, exceptionally skilled Shadowhunter who pulls Clary into his world. Soon, Clary is drawn to a whirlwind of mysteries, in which she discovers the truth about her family, her past, and herself.
          The beginning did not fail to pull me into reading the book, but the setting did bore me a bit. The book opens in a club, the Pandemonium, in which Clary drags her friend. However, being a curious teenager, Clary follows a certain teenager whom she witnesses getting murdered. That is when the novel entrances you in its pages; the killing. The beginning also introduces you to most of the main characters, but the most noticeable is Jace. Being a bit biased, I did not expect this book to have any romance, but it did and it caused me to shift my views about the book, making me read further.
          The middle of the novel was a whirlwind of fun. In the beginning, Clare introduces arrogant Jace, and explains a bit of his past. The ghosts of his past sparks a curiosity none like other. The fast pace and uniqueness of the novel was just so entertaining that putting down the book was not an option. It were a if I was begging time to lend me a few more minutes (even hours) so I could read another chapter.
          Endings are very tough to judge on their quality, because they are what matters most to a book. An ending that pretty much sucks can bring a hell of a great novel, to one of the worst a person can ever read. It goes the same way for a horrible novel with a fantastic ending. Needless to say, this ending did neither, because the beginning was GREAT and the ending was FANTASTIC! It was very movie-like, already hinting at a sequel before a person can even wonder whether or not there is going to be a sequel. However, the ending was a bit boring, but that was due to the lengthy dialogue of explanations and the fact that I was rushing to end it.
          The plot was VERY unique, including anything you can think of and some that aren't even known to man. Plainly from Cassandra Clare's mind, the plot has so much depth that it's such a fascination to venture on through the novel.
          Although the characters had perfect roles, namely Jace, I couldn't help but be bothered by Clary's insecurity. What makes a main character weak is their inability to have confidence in themselves, and this was even on a mior thing: her beauty. Then, as you see Jace and Clary's relationship progress, you will notice a sort of Disney princess type of relationship going on. However, Clary also has many great qualities that makes her insecurity only a tiny bit annoying.
          Cassandra Clare's writing is phenomenal with profound vocabulary and eloquency. Clare is like the Simone Elkeles (expert on YA romance) of adventure. Her debut novel proves to be a worthy read that is impressively a page turner from the very first page.
           The cover was good, and the fact that Jace is on the cover is amusing. It proves that he is  basically the main reasons City of Bones was even written. Needless to say, the originality is very genuine and the inclusion of myths were fun to surf through!

Grading Scale:
Beginning:  14/15  93%
Middle: 20/20 100%
Ending: 23/25 92%
Plot: 10/10 100%
Characters: 9/10 90%
Writing: 10/10 100%
Cover: 5/5 100%
Originality: 10/10 100%
OVERALL: 96 A

No comments:

Post a Comment