City of Bones is another of those books that gets rave reviews and actually deserves them. Within the first few pages I was completely sucked into the world of the story and rearranging my schedule to be able to finish the book. It was worth it, too.
The novel is a can’t-put-it-down urban fantasy set in New York, where demons (bad) and werewolves and vampires and the rest (not necessarily bad) are real, and people called Shadowhunters fight the demons. I have to admit that the premise had me thinking this book wasn’t for me (I guess I’ve developed an aversion to vampire tales), but it didn’t take long before I was won over. Everything just clicks in this milieu, from the magic system to the various societies and cultures. Nothing felt tacky or cliché or, for lack of a better word, stupid.
Have I mentioned the characters? Holy smokes, these people are awesome. Clary, Simon, and Jace are the three major characters, and they’re all drawn in ways that make them real and funny (Simon is hilarious!) and immensely endearing. These are characters you’ll want to spend lots of time with. (Which is why I’m glad there are two more books in the series. :))
Disclaimer: City of Bones is definitely for older teens. There’s a bit of language and some light innuendo. Nothing too hard, but more than your typical YA novel.
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