Review: ‘City of Glass’ by Cassandra Clare
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City of Glass
by Cassandra ClareSeries: The Mortal Instruments #3
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on February 14, 2009
SubGenres: Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Paranormal
Format: AudioBook, Paperback
Pages: 577
Narrator: Natalie Moore
Length: 15 Hours And 22 Minutes
Source: Library - Libby, Purchased
Audience: 14+/Young Adult
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Love is a mortal sin, and the secrets of the past are deadly. Plunge into the third instalment novel in the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series and "prepare to be hooked" ("Entertainment Weekly")--now with a gorgeous new cover, a map, a new foreword, and exclusive bonus content! "City of Glass "is a Shadowhunters novel.To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters--never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City--whatever the cost?
City of Glass is the third book in Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series. I actually finished reading it last month (May 2025), but I am just now getting around to writing my review. Originally, this book was intended to be the conclusion of the trilogy, but thankfully, Cassandra decided to continue the series with additional books. I’ve been wanting to read this series for a long time, and after watching the Shadowhunters TV series on Hulu, I’m finally starting to read the series.
The third book finally provides the answers I’ve been craving since the first book, and I’m grateful that Cassandra included even more points of view, especially concerning Jace. He’s a character I’ve wanted to learn more about, even though he drove me a little crazy in the first book. He and Clary continue to struggle with their feelings for each other despite being supposed siblings. I felt for both of them because they couldn’t shake their feelings. This book reveals the truth about whether they are truly siblings. Unfortunately, they are still dealing with Valentine, who I have to say is an antagonist you will immediately despise. At least I did.
I loved the other characters who had point-of-views as well, and it was great to get to know even more of them. For instance, Simon, who is Clary’s best friend, is still nerdy and lovable, but now he’s a vampire, and I enjoyed exploring that aspect of his character. Then there’s Alec, whom I’m starting to like even more, especially as he becomes less concerned about what others think, particularly regarding his feelings for a certain Warlock who consistently steals the show for me in this series.
In this book, another antagonist is introduced who will create chaos for everyone, especially Clary. This poor girl has been thrust into a world she’s still trying to understand, largely because her mother kept it hidden from her. However, Clary is strong and resilient, and she is more determined than ever to learn and fight with the other fellow Shadowhunters and her friends.
This was another enjoyable book in the series, and I give it four stars. I’m really glad that Cassandra decided to continue writing more books. While there were moments when the story dragged a bit, it didn’t stop me from reading. I actually listened to this book because my library had a copy of the audiobook. If you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend listening to this series. The narrator, Natalie Moore, does a fantastic job of bringing the world and characters to life.
I am eager to read/listen to the fourth book in the series. Perhaps I can persuade my youngest daughter to read this series as well since she enjoys paranormal and fantasy YA books. I just know she’ll enjoy it as much as I’ve been enjoying it.
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s the third book in The Mortal Instruments series and needs to be read in order.
Single/Dual/Multi-POV: Multi-POV.
Would I recommend this book/series? Yes. If you enjoy reading YA Paranormal/Fantasy with vampires, fae, shifters, etc., then this series is a must-read.
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My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)
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