City of Fallen Angels

Typically, as a series progresses, the fate of the novels can go in one of two directions: the books can either improve, or they can make readers wish that the series had ended sooner. Cassandra Clare’s City of Fallen Angels, the fourth book in the Mortal Instruments Series, is caught somewhere in the middle. City of Glass, the third book in the series, comes close to a perfect ending. Most of the loose ends tie neatly together, and readers breathed a sigh of relief when their beloved characters finally got the resolution they deserved. Moreover, Clare’s writing improved as the series progressed: something that is always a treat to read.

And then, City of Fallen Angels was released. City of Fallen Angels starts approximately six weeks after City of Glass. The war is over; Simon is adjusting to life as a vampire; Clary is training to be a shadowhunter, and most importantly, she is finally able to have a relationship with Jace.

Of course, conflict is guaranteed to ensue. Former members of the Circle are found dead, and Clary notices that Jace is acting rather distant and strange. Add Simon’s love triangle with Maia and Isabelle, demon worshippers, excellent character interactions, an unexpected plot twist with a maddening cliffhanger, and readers are in for a treat.

That is not to say that City of Fallen Angels is without flaws. The writing is a bit sloppy at times, and Clare tends to overuse similes and metaphors. The writing in City of Fallen Angels seems to be a step backward from her previous novels, which is what is preventing this novel from being the best in the series (as far as the plot is concerned, it very well could be the best). However, several aspects save this novel. Cassandra Clare is an amazing storyteller. She creates worlds that are impossible to escape from, and she makes her readers devour page after page, never growing bored with the plot. Clare also creates wonderful characters that plant themselves inside the reader’s mind. Clare makes the reader care about the characters- almost to the point where they feel real. Readers have become emotionally invested in the characters, which is probably why they are so infuriated at the ending. Despite the anger, it is certain that readers will await City of Lost Souls (book five in the series) with much expectancy.