City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Clary Fray walked into a backroom of a club to find a boy with blue hair tied up to a post surrounded by three shadowhunters. The shadowhunters, better known as the half-humans half-angels or Nephilim, claim the boy is a demon, but Clary knows that demons aren't real. So, when the boy breaks loose of his bindings, attacks one of the Nephilim with taloned hands, ends up with a knife in his heart, and then disappears as if he had never existed, Clary finds herself doubting everything she ever knew about the world; especially when no one else can see the shadowhunters.


The next day, Clary ends up in an argument with her mom. She storms out of the house with her best friend Simon and go to a poetry reading. There, she sees Jace, one of the Nephilim from the night before. Apparently, he had been following her because she intrigued him. Then, Clary recieves a disturbing call from her mom. She races home to find the house trashed and empty, or almost empty. She comes face to face with a demon. She manages to kill the little beast, but not before getting poisoned by it. Jace, who followed her again, saves her by taking her to the Institute.


Clary, then, begins the hunt for her mother. Along the way, she learns amazing secrets about herself and about her mom.


Clare did a fantastic job on this novel. It left me wanting to go directly out and get the next part in the series. Once more she goes along the theme of finding one's self and learning to be comfortable with who you are. The cast is set up amazingly. Each character, in their own way, makes the scenes they are in. Jace, Simon, Alec and Isabelle help create complex social issues that Clary has to go through.


However, once more, Clary seems to be underdeveloped. At times you like, at other times she's your worst enemy. You can never tell exactly how you feel. Maybe, as the series goes on, you can learn to like her.