Review: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: April 5, 2011

Pages: 424

Source: For Review from Simon and Schuster Canada (Thank you!)

Rating: 4.5 Stars

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. 
Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

In short: In this latest installment to The Mortal Instruments Series, City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare features the return of our favourite characters but now with new troubles, consequences, and villains that are not to be missed!

I was so excited for this long awaited return to one of my favourite series! Oh, how I missed the intense action scenes, the witty dialogue, and above all, the characters. I have grown extremely fond of the characters in The Mortal Instruments Series over the years. As I mentioned in my Clockwork Angel review, Cassandra Clare excels at creating characters that all have unique personalities and all have their own side stories. There is not one character who falls flat in this series and I honestly care about all of them and their futures. Simon lovers, like me, will especially enjoy this latest installment as he receives a major emphasis in the story this time around.

The beginning of City of Fallen Angels was a little slow for me and I had a bit of trouble returning to the world. But once I did, it was like I had never left these characters whom I adore so much. It was such a relief to feel this way because I had initially had my doubts about the continuation of a series that started off as only a trilogy. Could Clare create a new and unique plot and new trials and tribulations for our favourite characters, and not have it seem manufactured and forced? Turns out that yes, she most certainly can!

Speaking of new trials and tribulations for our favourite characters, boy, did Clare ever provide us with some doozies! I felt so bad for some of the things the characters have to go through. Poor Simon, hasn't he been through enough change in his life to deal with? Poor Jace and Clary, will they ever get to have their happy ever after? Well, not if Clare has anything to say about it. She has proven time and time again that she is evil and has no problems with playing with her readers' emotions. And no where is this more evident than in the jaw dropping cliffhanger that she leaves us with! Argh!

Overall, City of Fallen Angels is an amazing addition to an amazing series. It was so cool to read this book and then return to my list of Top 10 Questions to be Resolved in TMI Cycle 2. Clare whet my appetite by answering a handful of my questions while still leaving a few of them to be resolved in either City of Lost Souls (to be released in 2012) or City of Heavenly Fire (to be released in 2013). I simply cannot wait!

Other Reviews:
Avery's Book Nook
Poetry to Prose
Supernatural Snark

Stalk the author (not for serious):
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Fansite - MortalInstruments.net
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*Read as part of the YA Series Challenge

Top 10 Questions to be Resolved in TMI Cycle 2

Can you believe that the release of City of Fallen Angels is only a month away? The fourth book in The Mortal Instruments Series is set to be released April 5th, 2011 (Right in the middle of finals craziness. Curses!). There's already been tons of excitement leading up to its release, including the release of the full first chapter, the announcement of Ed Westwick and Molly Quinn reading the audiobook, and the soon to be released book trailer!

I thought it would be a good idea to post what I think are the top ten unanswered questions from The Mortal Instruments Series that I hope to be resolved, if not in City of Fallen Angels, then at least sometime before TMI Cycle 2 is over. Cassandra Clare left a few things unresolved from TMI Cycle 1 and I'm DYING to find out the answers!

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you read the following if you have not read the first three books in The Mortal Instruments Series. Spoilers Ahoy!

1. What was Magnus talking to Tessa (from The Infernal Devices Series) about at the end of City of Glass?

From the epilogue of City of Glass:
"Magnus stood in the shadow of a tree, talking to a girl in a white dress with a cloud of pale brown hair. She turned as Magnus looked toward them, and Clary locked eyes with her for a moment across the distance that separated them. There was something familiar about her, though Clary couldn't have said what it was."

2. Why does Tessa look familiar to Clary?

Has Clary met Tessa before? For what other reason could she find Tessa familiar?

3. What did the Seelie Queen mean when she told Clary that her mother's accounts of her past may not be completely true?

Is there something Jocelyn has still yet to tell Clary from her past or was the Seelie Queen just trying to trick Clary? The Seelie Queen cannot lie but she can mislead.

4. What is the repercussion of Simon's curse, the Mark of Cain?

Clary marks Simon with the Mark of Cain, a powerful protection spell. This supposedly makes Simon invulnerable to anyone who tries to harm him. As Raphael says, "Any harm done to him will rebound upon the doer sevenfold."

5. Who will Simon choose: Isabelle or Maia or neither?

I am not on any particular Team for this. Does anyone have a preference?

6. If Magnus is immortal and Alec isn't, then what kind of effect will this have on their relationship?

I love Alec and Magnus together possibly even more than Clary and Jace. I'm worried how this is going to be resolved although I understand that not everyone's story can have a happy ending.

7. Why did Madam Dorothea predict that Jace would fall in love with the "wrong person"?

Is Clary the "wrong person" or is someone else? Is Madam Dorothea's prophecy just BS?

8. What is the repercussion of Jace being brought back to life?

Cassie posted a CoFA cookie back in May of last year indicating that Jace may be in trouble with the Silent Brothers for upsetting the balance of life and death.

9. Is Sebastian/Jonathan really dead?

Jace supposedly kills Sebastian in City of Glass (he breaks his spine and penetrates his heart with a seraph blade) and yet his body is never recovered.

10. Who is going to be the "Big Bad" in TMI Cycle 2 now that Valentine is dead?

There will be a new villain in the Second Cycle and according to Cassie, it is someone we've already met in either TMI Cycle 1 or The Infernal Devices. I'm absolutely baffled. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thoughts, predictions, theories, anything I missed? 

Let me know in the comments!