Thoughts: The Mortal Instruments

TMI Thoughts & Informal Review

Note: So I've decided to do this very informal review of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series (from City of Bones to City of Lost Souls). There are some minor spoilers below. But here is a quick summary: I love this series. Definitely hooked. I suggest you read them if you haven't already and enjoy supernatural/fantasy books. Also read the prequel series Infernal Devices. It is also amazing. Possible more. I rate this series and overall 4.5/5)

City of Bones had me hooked right from the get-go. I had read the first chapter somewhere (I think either in the back of a book I once read, or perhaps online somewhere as a preview), and ever since had been wanting to pick up the books. When I finally did back in March (I'm late to the party, I know, but at least I got here in time to wait for CoLS), reading that first chapter again was like meeting up with an acquaintance I had met once, but was regretfully unable to spend more time with. My first impression of the characters went basically like this (I had to tame down what my actual first impressions were, because... they weren't all that appropriate. I apologise for the inappropriate words to come. I tried my best, I swear I did.):

• Clary, cool, you're the main character and can see things your bff couldn't. Interesting. I want interesting stuff to happen to me. But oh my goodness, you have guts. But curiosity killed the cat, remember.
• Simon, I love you. You are sarcastic and hilarious. Be MY best friend. Please.
• Jace you asshat, conceited sexy beast. Don't ever change.
• Alec, you are probably cool, but who peed in your cereal this morning?
• Isabelle, you are a bitch. Come down off your high horse.
• Magnus, okay. You're a little odd. But you have magic. That's cool. I want magic powers and to be immortal.

And that is pretty much how I saw each of the main characters to begin with. They go through some amazing character development throughout the series. Of course, we see more of Clary of Jace, but their relationship changes QUITE drastically. For those of you who have not read the books, there WILL be slight spoilers later on, so you should take caution from hereon in.

I found the whole 'are Jace and Clary actually siblings or no?' thing to be interesting. I had heard things about the books and this plot beforehand, however, so finding out that in the end they weren't was not actually a surprise. However, I loved the trip Cassandra Clare took us on, toying with our minds. That was fun.
Jace soon became irritating with his whole 'my father is evil and might have made me out of demons so I must be evil too' thing. At first Jace brooding over it made sense, but after he found out he wasn't actually part demon, I didn't understand why he kept pushing people away. It just got repetitive, and I lost all interest in Jace and Clary. The supporting characters, however, really kept my interest in the plot and what was happening with them. I definitely like the supporting characters more than I do Jace and Clary, but that's just personal opinion, of course. And I do like Jace and Clary; I'm just glad there are other characters because at times it is easy to become bored of those twoand their angst.

I liked how we got to see what was happening from the different third person perspectives of most of the characters. It filled in a lot of blanks, and to be quite honest, if it had just been all from Clary's point of view, I would have punched a hole in the wall. Or broken my hand trying, anyways.

The different directions that the plots form each book took us was interesting. I like how we slowly found out how the Mortal Instruments came into play, and how we got a history lesson of the Shadowhunters throughout the first three books, either from plot or from Clary teaching herself about them through books from the library. A character betrayal in the first book was one I have to say I did not see coming, and those are my favourite kind of plot twists. It was kind of convenient, I thought, how Jocelyn became comatose. Parents always seem to get in the way, though, so having Jocelyn out of the picture for that reason made sense. She is one of my least favourite characters anyways, but I won't get into that. Although once Clary found out about the Shadowhunters, I wish she had just confessed everything. It would have made things go a lot more smoothly. Of course, then we wouldn't have much plot, would we? Her over-protectiveness of Clary in the later books made me want to smack her. I understood it, of course, since she is Clary's mother. However, when Jocelyn took it to the point where she told Clary to her face that she didn't have hope in her relationship with Jace, that signed the deal of my dislike for her. I really hope we see less of her in the final Mortal Instruments book. She's pretty much useless now that we don't need information about Valentine.

I need to talk about Sebastian/Jonathon for a moment. I love him as a villain, a lot more than I liked Valentine as a villain. I never really got where Valentine came from, but Sebastian I found I was able to feel for at moments. Of course, he turns out to be completely and 100% downright awful and I'm looking forward to his death (because that is pretty much inevitable), but man. A+

I liked seeing the fun-loving, arrogant side of Jace that was first introduced to us in City of Bones when Jace was under the influence of Sebastian. Seeing Jace like that in City of Lost Souls reminded me of how much I liked Jace at the beginning. I have no idea what he will be like in City of Heavenly Fire. I can see it going either way. Either he gets over everything, or he becomes even more whiny. Let's hope it's not the latter. I know Jace has been through a lot now, but I really miss the old Jace. He's not fun anymore. I honestly don't know how Clary puts up with him. I would have given up on him a long time ago, haha.

TMI Character impressions as of now:

• Isabelle, I love you. You are amazing and strong, but also vulnerable because of your parents' relationship. I hope Simon is good for you <3 I wish I were you. I'd love to have a sister or best friend like you. Favourite female character of this series. By far <3 So much respect.
• Simon, you and your sis are so sweet together. I hope we get to see more of her, but also, I love you. You are sarcastic and awesome. Be MY best friend.
• Jace, I hope you stop being so mopey now. Except I doubt that will happen considering... Too bad. I miss your superiority complex.
• Alec, I understand your intentions but oh man :/ I love you. But that was wrong. Hopefully you'll grow up a little and things will be okay.
• Clary, I don't know how you have put up with Jace through all of this. I bow to you.
• Magnus, I love you so much. You have some growing up to do too. You may be old (in the you were born centuries ago sense), but you still have some learning to do. Learn to open up to those who love you and all will be okay <3

Predictions for Heavenly Fire (caution: spoilery) 

• Someone I love will die. Aka one of the characters I've posted about above. But it won't be Clary or Jace. I just don't see either of them being killed off.
• Malec will repair (more of a hope than a prediction)
• Sizzy
• We will find out something about Tessa? Since Clockwork Princess will be out, it won't spoil anything. 
• Ditto finding out about Brother Jeremiah.
• We'll see a little more of characters that will appear in the sequel series aka Emma.
• Clace will live mostly happily every after. Meaning Jace will be cleared of his heavenly fire duh.
• Someone I love will die :'( I know I already said that. I'm just so terrified. 

I'm curious. What are your CoHF predictions?
What do you want to happen?
What don't you want to happen?
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Anyways, sorry for the word vomit, but I had to get those feelings out. I have a lot more I could write, but I think I'll leave it at that. However, if anyone would like to discuss this series thusfar a bit more, the comments are open! I'd love to hear your thoughts, even if and especially if they are different from mine! (Not to argue; everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just to compare notes)