City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5)


City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare


Rating: 4 stars

Alright alright, I finished City of Lost Souls!!!! XD I would like to say a big thank you to Cassie, because as I have hoped, this is a huge step up from City of Fallen Angels! Although in my opinion, it is still not as good as the first three books in the series (especially the first and the third book), it is at least a 4-star book and something I liked and enjoyed. 

City of Lost Souls picks up pretty much exactly from where City of Fallen Angels left off, continues with the Clave's horrified discovery of the fact that Sebastian and Jace went missing. Clary and her friends are determinded and desperate to find Jace. They would go through anything to save him from his connection with the evil Sebastian and from dying. 

After I picked up the book, I immediately sunk into the familiar and absolutely wonderful world of the Shadowhunters. I did not want to put it down until I have finished it but it still took me a few days to get through the whole book (it is quite a thick book! XD A good thing too!). The writing in the book is brillant, as always with Cassie. I enjoyed the descriptive style of writing and could visualise all the imagery/scenes and characters as I read. Clary and Jace did seem to mature in this book, they felt older and more capable to me. To be frank, Jace scared me a bit when he is the not-Jace/Sebastian-controlled-Jace, he seemed so unlike the Jace we know and I blaunched along with Clary in some of the situations. But... OK, I won't spoil it here for those who haven't read it yet :D I felt all the emotions the characters felt, sometimes it is as if I was experiencing whatever the events are there myself. It is hard to be able to do that, and in City of Bones and City of Glass and also in the Infernal Devices Cassie successfully did so, so it's great to be returning to the exciting, all-consuming style of reading. 

My favourite character in the book is Simon. SIMON IS THE BEST!!! I really really loved Simon in this book. I know right, this surprised myself a lot too. But the way Cassie protrayed Simon in this book forces you to love him or fall in love with him. He really is the best friend anyone can every ask for, and I'm glad Clary has such a friend and that their friendship can last and hold against all that comes their way. Keep holding on! Please Cassie, don't ruin their perfect relationship! :P We see a lot more of Simon and Isabelle in City of Lost Souls and like them both a lot more. Isabelle also seemed more vulnerable and feeling. Magnus and Alec are also two characters who grace us with their appearances a great deal, as well as Jordan and Maia. 

After reading this book, I actually found myself liking Sebastian/Johnathan Morgenstern a bit as a character. In some parts of the book, he actually seemed genuinely nice and I was confused as to whether he was really good or not until the very end. No, I don't REALLY like him, but he was a lot more likable at times, though I hated him at other times too. I feel a lot more for him and understand him a lot more. 

The title City of Lost Souls seemed very accurate, as in this book, everyone seems to lose something of themselves at some point. Though not all the 'losing' are major or terrible, but it shows that all humans undeniably show weakness sometime in life, and that no one is perfect. It also shows that mistakes can be righted, and that you can try to control yourselves and continue on a good path. 

All in all, I really liked this book, it could be a little bit better (there are still areas in the writing which can be improved and that more vocabulary can be added), and maybe less commerical like? As alway, there is a cliffhanger at the end, though it's not too desperate a cliffhanger, I can hang on until next year XP I really hope that the next book is not too predictable. Cassie, give us a story which ends the series well and closes it with a wild plot that will leave us gripping our seats until the very last moment!
Can't wait to read City of Heavenly Fire!!! Go Jace and Clary!!! And Simon! XD 

Synopsis from Goodreads

The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.Can the lost be reclaimed? What price is too high to pay for love? Who can be trusted when sin and salvation collide?     Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series. 

(It doesn't say much I know...) 

3 comments:

  1. I absolutely love this book. The whole series in fact. :) Cassandra Clare's writing is mesmerizing, she's one of my favorite authors. But why is she leaving us to wait till 2014 for the next book?? That's cruel! :D
    Can't wait to discover what that heavenly fire will do to Jace. I guess it's gonna make him even more awesome! :D

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    1. I totally agree! :) It was going to come out in 2013, but then the date got pushed back to 2014. *sigh* Such a long time! I hope there will be a happy ending to all the awesome relationships in this series :D

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  2. I really loved this series and can't wait for City of Heavenly Fire...too bad it's gonna take forever but maybe that's why they're doig the movie :)

    Almost time for clockwork princess!!!! YAY!!!

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