Sunday 19 August 2012

Review: City of Lost Souls


Title: City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments ~ Book 5)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: May 8 2012
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
ISBN: 1442416866
Length: 534 Pages
Link to SynopsisGoodreads
Source: Purchased (Kindle Edition)
Buy ItAmazon US / Amazon UK

My Rating: 5 Stars

Let us begin with the bad... the very very bad.  Why oh why is Book 6 not due out until 2014?  Yes you read that correctly, 2014.  City of Heavenly Fire is scheduled to be the final in this 'second trilogy' and the actual release date is scheduled for March 19th, 2014.  That is 1 year and 7 months away, not that I am counting down or anything. *sigh* I guess I will just have to sit and wait with everybody else and hope that there is no large asteroid that is currently hurtling towards earth or that the zombie apocalypse is held off until after the release date.

Now with that little moan out of the way let us get on with the review of City of Lost Souls.  I really did enjoy it! I loved it much more than book 4, City of Fallen Angels but not as much as City of Glass. There are currently two camps you can join.  Camp One thinks that the original trilogy was so wonderful and ended so perfectly that it was a shame to carry on with a 2nd trilogy.  Camp Two can not get enough of Clare's wonderful characters and would read anything about them and love that she chose to continue them.

I have a leg in both camps. City of Glass for me has yet to be topped but I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters.  I was a little disappointed in book 4 but I really feel that City of Lost Souls stepped up it's game and I felt we are back to the style of writing I have come accustomed to from Clare.

I felt true despair in multiple parts and had no idea how it was all going to be made right.  I gasped and talked to myself so many times my husband probably thinks I am going insane.  I know deep down I should hate Sebastian and really I do but I just find him so sad and lonely.  A few times I so wished they could pull the bad out of him and it would all be fine and he and Clary could be a proper brother and sister and there would be family dinners and they would spend Christmas together... but this is not a Norman Rockwell moment.  He is bad. Evil. Black hearted... the list could go on and on.  And what is up with Clare's fascination with incest?  I felt dirty because I so desperately wanted Jace and Clary together in the first Three books and now we have Sebastian salivating over Clary.  Ewwww.  Just Ewwww.  I did have a little trouble understanding Alec in this book.  I understand how much he cares for Magnus but the lengths he goes to in this book was so out of character for Alec.  I am sad at how Magnus and Alec ended up but there is hope that it will all come together in the next book.  Oh... and how much do I love Jordan?  The answer is a whole lot!  So sweet.

I am quite happy with the ending and that is saying something because Clare is the queen of cliffhangers.  This book ends in a way that makes you want to carry on but not in a way that you will be pulling out every last hair on your head while you wait for the next book. Maybe she gave us this ending as some sort of a peace offering as she knew there would be so many upset people with the 2014 release date for the final book.

I have added the March 19th, 2014 date to my calendar, I have the final book added to my Goodreads 'Awaiting Release' folder and will be along with all of you kicking and screaming patiently waiting for our last look in on the characters we have all come to love.


19 comments:

  1. I agree with you, city of glass is my favourite and i found city of fallen angels to lack a little, but looking forward to read city of lost souls! And i CANNOT believe the next is coming out in 2014!!! its ridiculous!! great review:)

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  2. Hey! I just followed you back! I didn't quite like City of Lost Souls, though. Love the characters, but they sort of disappointed me in this one :(

    Vanya D. @ YA Story Teller

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  3. GReat review! i too have a leg in each camp. I felt like this book had to many POV's i really didn't care for Jordan and Maia's story. Im sry i know it sounds mean but i just didn't....................2014....................
    *long heavy sigh*

    http://thecrossbreeds.blogspot.com/

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  4. Hi Christine,

    I'm really curious about this series. Apparently I've been living in a cave and haven't run across them until now. Now, you have me really curious about these books! I'm now officially on the wait list at our library.

    I'm visiting from Mother Daughter Book Reviews and saying hello. I'm now following you via GFC, Networked Blogs, Twitter, and Goodreads. Thanks for stopping by and visiting us. You have a wonderful blog and your header is so gorgeous! Glad we connected.

    Cheers,

    Renee @ http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com

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  5. Your blog is AWESOME! And your reviews are out of the ballpark. I am Amelia Wright from The Blooming Reader who you recently followed. I am now a proud follower of your blog. Keep up the GREAT work!

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  6. Hi!

    Great review! Thanks for stopping by my blog, The Crazy Bookworm. I'm inlove with your blog and can't wait to chat books with you!

    Happy reading!

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  7. I have not even heard of this series, but from your reviews I'm going to put this on request at the library.

    It's so tough waiting on the next book to come out! Aaah! I guess I'll have to pace myself so that I don't have to wait too long for the next book in 2014.

    Returning your follow -- thanks for stopping by my blog!

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  8. Hi, new follower through GFC and I want to read the series, but have not started it. I understand I have a great nephew, brand new, named after ....Jace!
    visit follow me at bethartfromtheheart.blogspot.com! Nice meeting you!
    Beth

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  9. Thanks for following my blog! I'm now following yours as well. I love the look of it, and I look forward to reading more of your reviews!

    I also hate waiting for books to come out. I can be torture sometimes.

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  10. UGH UGH UGH UGH UGH.

    OK, so here's the deal: I ADORED the first three TMI books. They're what got me into YA. I'd read Twilight, but these sealed the deal.

    I've owned every book released since really soon after it came out.
    And not read them.

    AND I DON'T KNOW WHY. I LOVE the TMI fandom, I'm following the movie news like a nutter, and I am SO exciting for CP2 to release. Your review's only making me more nuts! I NEED to read this! ♥♥♥

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  11. Hi! New follower! I'm over at Chrissy's Chatter at chrissychatter.blogspot.ca
    COme on over and say hi!

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  12. Hi! Thank you for following me @ Lost in Literature - I have followed you right back! :)

    First of all, I can not believe that I STILL haven't read this series. I need to read it... and pronto!!!! ;)

    Secondly, I just love how you include quotes in your reviews. I am so bad at taking note of certain quotes while reading... but when I see others that have, I am so impressed. I really enjoy reading the quotes that stood out to you.

    Thanks again for following! And I look forward to reading more on your blog in the future! :)

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  13. Seriously I'm the only person on EARTH who hasn't read any Cassandra Clare. I really need to remedy that! :D Glad you enjoyed it. (Maybe I'll wait until late 2013 to start the series, eh?) :D

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  14. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I absolutely love the look and feel of your blog!! I haven't read this one by C.C. yet. I still need to read book 3 (City of Glass, maybe?).

    Jenifer @ www.underagraysky.com

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  15. I absoutely LOVE this series! Have you read The Infernal Devices? I definitely recommend them! Thank you for that lovely comment on my blog & thanks for the follow! :)

    -Emily @ Emily Hearts Book

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  16. I love Jace so even though it wasn't really him for most of the book, I still liked him :) City of Glass was by far the best book but I'm just greedy for more Clare and Jace so I'll take what I can get. I can't wait for the movie next year for this series... so excited!

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  17. I'm reading my first Cassandra Clare book right now, Love your reviews!
    I'm your latest follower and found you at GR

    Please follow back at: http://sha-reviews.blogspot.nl/

    -Shairssa @ It's all about the books

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  18. I still haven't read this, but the last one was a bit of a disappointment to me. This review gives me hope to move forward.

    Thanks for stopping by and following my blog, I'm following you back now... which I was happy to do as this blog is so lovely!

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  19. I just started reading this series, and have finished CIty of Glass. I tried to read the 4th book, City of Fallen Angels. I had to put it down - Jace is so angsty and sad, and I didn't like him pushing Clary away like that! Should I finish it? I am not sure I can pick a camp yet since I didn't finish, but I did really love the first three books. :)

    Thanks for stopping by my blog! I am an new follower. :)

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I would love to hear what you have to say! I read and try to respond to every single comment I receive. Knowing there are people out there reading is what makes this all worth it... : )