Fully Booked: City Of Lost Souls Review!

Evening everybody! I'm a little embarrassed at how long it has taken me to put this review up as I promised you normal service over the past couple of weeks and still didn't manage it, but over October I finally had a chance to properly read 'City of Lost Souls,' the fifth book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments' series. As you will know if you've read more than 2 blog posts on here, I am a massive fan of the MI series, it is second only to the Potter books in my favourites list.

I'll leave links to my reviews of the first book in the series, City of Bones, so you can see how this book compares to the first book, I actually thought I had reviewed the other 3 but apparently not.

Unsurprisingly, I adored it, Cassandra Clare is becoming more and more well known for being the 'queen of YA fantasy' and it's not hard to see why. I don't think I've ever read a book series where the real world and the 'fantasy' world are so well connected. Normally you can read YA books about 'hidden fantasy worlds' and easily pick loopholes in the plot but I find it really hard to see major loopholes in this series. I do also think that's where the movie fell a little flat for me, other than missing out some of the best scenes (Simon becoming a rat.)

The book picks up two weeks after 'City of Heavenly Fire' concludes, and we see the aftermath of Sebastian/Jonathan being reborn and linked to Jace. It becomes apparent that they have disappeared off the radar and with the Clave being distracted by other demonic events that are occurring more and more frequently around the world, Jace's disappearance has lost priority. However Clary, along with Alec, Isabelle, Simon and Magnus, as well as help from the werewolves Maia and Jordan, has of course decided that they must continue to hunt for the two missing boys and find a way to sever the link between them that means Jace now agrees with everything Sebastian says.

As is becoming a theme in these books, Clary soon comes up with a plan which risks her life and breaks the law in order to find Jace. The underlying theme of the book creates the plot line for the next book, throughout their hunt for Jace, the small group of friends are earned time and time again of an 'oncoming storm' and of a giant war which will leave the streets running red with blood etc etc etc.

I'm not revealing anything because this is very far on in the series and that means that the vast vast majority of those reading this blog post won't have read the book. However if you haven't started this series or have read the first few books/first book, then I cannot recommend this enough. I know that a lot of series are said to go in a U shape for quality, with the first and last books being brilliant but with the middle of the series being poorer but in this case book number 5 is solidly up there with book number 1. I cannot wait for the sixth book to come out but I'm also upset that the series will be ending.

Plot: 10/10

Characters: 10/10

Overall: 10/10