Throwback Thursday: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Author: Cassandra Clare
First published in 2007 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 

When I saw this book on the 8th grade summer reading list, I decided to give into the hype and read it before my daughter did this summer.  I'll admit that I only got 50% of the way through this book.  I have two questions.  Who thought this book was good for a summer reading list?   How did this book get so many rave reviews? 

This story was a mess.  The characters were forgettable and annoying.  The writing wasn't very good and not up to the quality that I would expect for a summer reading book.  I felt like I had read this story so many times before.  Clary was bratty and pretty TSTL. Jace was arrogant and annoying.  I'm still not even sure what the shadow hunters are and what they do,  

Anyway, if you missed the hype when this book came out, don't worry, you aren't missing anything.  Really!