{Review} City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Lost Souls
Series: The Mortal Instruments #5
Author: Cassandra Clare

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Synopsis:

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?

Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

Yes, I finally finished City of Lost Souls! And, yes...it lives up to every other novel I've read by Cassandra Clare. She is such an amazing author with an awe-inspiring ability to pull readers into the story where they fight, love, and suffer along with the characters. Her talent to write complex and lovable (even when they shouldn't be) characters continues to astound me. And world building...well, no one does it better in YA literature.

I'm also relieved to say, I didn't feel the need to throw the book across the room when I finished reading it like I did Clockwork Prince. Thank goodness. I might have actually stopped reading Cassie's books if she'd tortured me again. Okay, that's a lie. I would have to finish reading her books because, ultimately, I'm nosy and also, I hold out hope that things will end my way. LOL.

So, without giving too much away, let's do a short summary of City of Lost Souls.

Of course, if you read City of Fallen Angels, you know that Sebastian is holding Jace captive and he's plotting something huge. I mean, when isn't Sebastian plotting to take over the world or something just as equally appalling? I have to say, there were points during this story when I wanted to root for Sebastian. I wanted him to do the right thing. I'm a dreamer at heart and I do love to root for the underdog. Sebastian is an excellent chameleon, camouflaging his true intentions until precisely the right moment. I believe he loves his sister, in the only way he knows how. AND...yes, I still believe this after finishing the novel.

Jace is, well...Jace. His connection with Sebastian transforms him into a different person during his journey between worlds. He appears carefree and happy while under Sebastian's influence and occasionally I enjoyed seeing him in this light. I think there were times Clary enjoyed this side also, even though she knew he wasn't the real Jace. Now, while the possessed Jace was fun, nothing compares to the brooding, snarky, and sexy Jace. Nothing.

You get to see everyone work together in the fifth installment of The Mortal Instruments. Magnus, Alec, Izzie, Simon, Jordan, and Mia. They all come together in an effort to save Jace and, ultimately, Clary. Magnus still remains as one of my all time favorite literary heroes and not just because he's quirky and magical. He literally does everything for the person he loves, including summoning demons and angels to save someone he doesn't even necessarily like or dislike. Magnus helps Simon, Izzie, Clary, and Jace because they are important to Alec...not for any other reason. That's true love, people.

While chatting with one of my besties over at Starbooks, we discussed Alec's actions in City of Lost Souls. He does some things that are questionable at best, if not downright childish. He's so young in comparison to Magnus and you begin to see where this will be the downfall of their relationship if Alec does not mature greatly. I'm still holding out hope here too.

And, Izzie and Simon? Well, let's just say...do it already! Seriously!

City of Lost Souls is another of Cassie's famously captivating and emotional roller-coaster ride of a book. Readers should be warned, Cassie pulls no punches with her writing and once your hooked, there's no returning. Ever! I love that I don't always see through her storylines like I do with so many other authors. I might think something's not quite right, but I can never pin-point exactly what's off and then when everything blows up, I find myself saying WTF? Great stories should leave you wondering WTF on more than one occasion. At least in my opinion.

So go read and conquer!