City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare

 

  
   Title: City of Lost Souls

   Author: Cassandra Clare

   Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
   Release Date: May 8, 2012

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The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

Wow. Just WOW. I wasn't expecting City of Lost Souls to be THIS GOOD, especially with how lackluster City of Fallen Angels was, but Cassandra Clare pulled a good one on me. Clare kept me on my toes with her writing, and every page had me discovering more on the characters I previously thought I already knew so well. I still don't give a damn about Maia and Jordan, but hey, I don't think it's possible to like all the characters a series has to offer, so I'm fine with that. The book opens with the readers finding out that Jace and Sebastian are still missing, and the Clave deciding that the search for the boys won't be that much of a priority anymore. Clary is understandably distraught, but in a move that surprised me, she decides to take matters into her own hands after chancing upon the two boys. When I say OWN HANDS, I really mean that Clary had no one else to rely on but herself. It doesn't take too long for Jace to convince Clary to be with him and Sebastian, for they are now bound to each other. Simply put, what one feels, the other feels as well. Clary agrees, but under false pretenses. Jace thinks that Clary has accepted his ties with Sebastian, but Clary is actually looking for a way to break the two's bond. Ahhh, the plot thickens!

This storyline reminds me of how Vampire Academy's Rose sets out to find Dimitri after he was turned into a Strigoi in Blood Promise, and like Rose, Clary's grit and determination impressed me to no end. Truth be told, I've never been a fan of Clary - I've always been neutral towards her. Sure, she's likeable enough, but that was it. I've always found her character lacking, but after reading City of Lost Souls, I can now say that I actually like Clary. She was brave, strong, powerful, focused - everything that a worthy heroine should be. She never gave up, even when the odds were bleak, and she stood tall until the very end.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading City of Lost Souls. The book was  beautifully written, and all threads that Clare left hanging in the previous books were explored, presumably paving the way to the series' conclusion. Honestly, I've always preferred The Infernal Devices as compared to The Mortal Instruments, but I'm considering jumping ship after finishing City of Lost Souls. It's THAT good - I cannot stress this enough! Go start reading both of Clare's series if you haven't yet - you can still make it before both series conclude in the next two years!

Rating: 5 Stars