City of Glass

Title: City of Glass
Author: Cassandra Clare
Reading Level: YA
Location: YA Clare

This review discusses major plot points from the first two Mortal Instrument books. If you have not yet read City of Bones and City of Ashes, skip ahead to the bottom line.

This third and final installment of the Mortal Instruments trilogy opens with all the Shadowhunters returning to Idris to face an inevitable battle with Valentine. Even though Jace disapproves of Clary going along, she wants to meet up with a warlock who has the power to cure her comatose mother. Upon arriving they realize that Valentine’s attack is indeed imminent and his spies have ears all over Idris. While the Clave argues over himself and the final Mortal Instrument, Valentine prepares a deadly and devastating attack to begin a final war. Everyone who has not yet died in the last two books returns with a few new faces to attempt to thwart Valentine’s selfish plan to acquire the final mortal instrument and desecrate the race of shadowhunters.

Although I enjoyed the previous two books, City of Glass exceeded all my expectations for this trilogy. I enjoyed the change of scenery to Idris and the author does a good job describing this fantastical country and the city of Allicante. Many of the main characters become even more compelling as the author makes them more complicated in this final book. I have always considered Jace to be a deep, multi-layered character, but the author really delves into some of the other character’s feelings and motivations which make the book all the more satisfying. I also loved the deepening relationship between Alec and Magnus. The author succeeds in making their relationship intricate and genuine, instead of using them as the token gay couple. In the end, I love how all the story threads wrapped up in this book, it was truly an enthralling, action-packed conclusion to a very imaginative trilogy.

The Bottom Line: City of Glass was a great ending to the Mortal Instruments trilogy. The author does not shy away from violence, but it is not overdone. Amidst all the action, the characters deepen and the story becomes more intricate resulting in an exciting, satisfying conclusion.