City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare (Mortal Instruments: Book 5)

9/10

I have not attempted to write an earlier review of the Mortal Instruments series simply because I had nothing nice to say. While I adored Clockwork Angel and, despite the stark similarities between Will Herondale and Jace Lightwood, I still preferred the former to the latter. Will’s superiority complex seemed out of place and ridiculously adorable in a Victorian setting whereas Jace was just plain annoying.

And this is why I have decided to review The City of Lost Souls, book number five in the Mortal Instruments series - because for the first time I’m actually caring a little bit about Jace.

In this book the bizarre just gets more bizarre. It picks up where City of Fallen Angels left off and Jace has disappeared, along with the supposedly dead body of Clary’s brother Jonathan (or Sebastian, call him what you will). The story then follows the complete freaking out of Jace’s adoptive family, and of course Clary. This then extends to the outer circle as Simon wants to help, Clary and Magnus want to help, Alec and the werewolves join in but I don’t know why they care unless they, unlike me, really loved Jace who probably told them all he was ten times hotter than them in every way!

My favourite characters really pick up on their threads here and Clare draws them out little by little, making them almost four dimensional, which I love her for.

[Spoiler] There was in particular, the scene with Simon and his sister where I broke down and cried - it really tugs on them heartstrings. [Spoiler end]

Which brings us to Jace...

Although I said it was Jace I started to care about, I think it is mainly due to Sebastian – who I want to call Jonathan so there – and his magical ‘connection’ to our blonde hero. Clare takes both boys; one dark and the other light and moulds them into one person which brings out the light in Jonathan and the dark in Jace in strikingly realistic ways. I’d say that Jonathan is one of the most well written villains since Tom Riddle? Yes? Maybe!

If you haven’t checked out the series, now’s the time! And I am looking forward to reading Clare’s next series, set in Los Angeles as well, the ‘hero’ of the story makes an appearance in City of Lost Souls and the chemistry between him and me was instant!