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Tharindu Dissanayake's Reviews > City of Ashes
City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2)
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"Usually, I'm remarkably good-natured. Try me on any day that doesn't end in y."
It wasn't until I picked up City of Bones I had really experienced how damaging the hype could be for one's reading experience. Sure, there had been disappointments before, but not like this. Given how well received Cassandra Clare is, I had saved her for last (with the exception of Sanderson, which I'm hoping to jump in to next) but didn't expect something shockingly bland like this...
""
In my preview review, one of the GR friends said that this series is 'such a cliché' and I think that comment sums it up perfectly: unless this is one of your first fantasy series, the story is going to look as it lacks any originality. Take away the repetitive descriptions of the same characters' facial features, body language etc., and you have a quite short story. Speaking of characters, with the exception of Magnus Bane perhaps, were underwhelming, and it was only the fast pace and sheer entertainment that kept me going till the end.
""
As I'm now done with the first three books of MI, seeing there's not much improvement in second or third books, I'm doing a single review for all three at once. I know I'm probably in the minority here, but when it comes to fantasy, I like when romance is only a small part of the overall experience. Though the author had sorted things out by the end of book three, I wasn't much entertained by the way she handled any of Clary's relationships. To me, introducing 'obvious' love triangles is a way to lengthen a book unnecessarily, unless of course the author is a master in using it to better the fantasy elements themselves (which is clearly not the case here).
""
Though somewhat corny, the humor was somewhat acceptable, but the storytelling was not as great as I had imagined it would be based on the high rating. For me, it lacked that harmony which is essential in keeping the world building, plot, and characters in sync. At times, the narrative's viewpoint was all over the place, breaking the emotional flow.
""
On the plus side though, the author did manage to see me sailing through all three books of this first half of MI, and then steering towards Infernal Devices to see what's all the fuss is about there. So she's doing something right.
"Everyone has choices to make; no one has the right to take those choices away from us. Not even out of love."
It wasn't until I picked up City of Bones I had really experienced how damaging the hype could be for one's reading experience. Sure, there had been disappointments before, but not like this. Given how well received Cassandra Clare is, I had saved her for last (with the exception of Sanderson, which I'm hoping to jump in to next) but didn't expect something shockingly bland like this...
""
In my preview review, one of the GR friends said that this series is 'such a cliché' and I think that comment sums it up perfectly: unless this is one of your first fantasy series, the story is going to look as it lacks any originality. Take away the repetitive descriptions of the same characters' facial features, body language etc., and you have a quite short story. Speaking of characters, with the exception of Magnus Bane perhaps, were underwhelming, and it was only the fast pace and sheer entertainment that kept me going till the end.
""
As I'm now done with the first three books of MI, seeing there's not much improvement in second or third books, I'm doing a single review for all three at once. I know I'm probably in the minority here, but when it comes to fantasy, I like when romance is only a small part of the overall experience. Though the author had sorted things out by the end of book three, I wasn't much entertained by the way she handled any of Clary's relationships. To me, introducing 'obvious' love triangles is a way to lengthen a book unnecessarily, unless of course the author is a master in using it to better the fantasy elements themselves (which is clearly not the case here).
""
Though somewhat corny, the humor was somewhat acceptable, but the storytelling was not as great as I had imagined it would be based on the high rating. For me, it lacked that harmony which is essential in keeping the world building, plot, and characters in sync. At times, the narrative's viewpoint was all over the place, breaking the emotional flow.
""
On the plus side though, the author did manage to see me sailing through all three books of this first half of MI, and then steering towards Infernal Devices to see what's all the fuss is about there. So she's doing something right.
"Everyone has choices to make; no one has the right to take those choices away from us. Not even out of love."
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