Monday, December 29, 2014

Top Ten YA Novels 2014 #3: City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

I can't believe I'm putting City of Heavenly Fire (I mean, come on. It's the freaking last book of The Mortal Instruments series, and I love it with all my heart) at the third place. Seriously. It's such a good book. I guess the top two is just too good to be true.

Yes the third place goes to City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare.

Synopsis:

In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

***

“Freely we serve
Because we freely love, as in our will
To love or not; in this we stand or fall.”
-City of Heavenly Fire

Date Read: May 28, 2014

My review: 


My rating: I didn't even rate it. Ratings can't do it justice. My review can't do it justice. Let's see if I can do better here.

***

Top 3 reasons why I like it:

1) The feels, man. THE FEELS! (Spoiler Alert!)

This should occupy the slots of the top 3 reasons. You have no idea how this book wrecked me. Or maybe you did, when you read my ramblings in the original review. I thought Clockwork Princess has pushed me over the edge of sanity. It has. But City of Heavenly Fire... let's just say I can't recover for, like, ever. The lines of good and evil have blurred, and that scene... with Sebastian/Jonathan... GOD! WHY! HE'S A VICTIM! THE REAL HIM DESERVES TO LIVE (okay, he has done a lot of bad things and that's probably the understatement of the year, but I still mourn for him like crazy)! I just can't get over it. Cassie also include a lot of TID stuff in the book (without spoiling people, of course), which just makes the feels worse. Oh how I miss Will and Jem and Tessa (even though two of them appeared in the book). The bittersweet feeling will never go away entirely.

And I might have broken down a little while I was typing the above words.

2) Cassie's clever writing

Speaking of not spoiling anyone... how is that even possible! I don't know if I'm just too sensitive or if Cassie is being subtle enough to mention the details that only the ones who have read The Infernal Devices can fully get it. It's probably the latter. Wow, I struggle not to spill out plots in my short reviews, and Cassie is putting all the fine details together without spoiling anyone like breathing air. (Well, maybe not breathing air. I'm sure this takes a lot of work. But seriously, she's just brilliant like that) I pay my utter respect to Cassie. It's just insane.

3) I can't think of anything when the feels is the whole world.

Yep. They are just a strong force that I can't resist. Cassie's writing is like the ultimate sustenance and the ultimate poison of the lovers. Just... I can't even talk anymore!

***

Why I recommend this book or series:

Seriously?! Do you need me to recommend it to you? How about thousands (probably millions, I don't know. I suck at counting) of fans presenting the series to you? It's just too good to be true. 

And it's poetic and utterly beautiful.

And I can't believe it's over.

***

Do I like the cover?

It's one of the most beautiful covers. I remember spending a lot of time analyzing the cover, trying to figure out the meaning behind it. It's a good memory. I don't have that time anymore.

***

Top 3 favorite scenes:

1) When Jace meets Jem (I'm hoping this is not spoiling anyone who hasn't read TID)

It brings back a lot of memories of Will and Jem. I'm going to cry in a corner now.

2) DSES

You can't not like the DS_S scene. (My favorite is the DSDS scene)

3) Pretty much when Alec and Magnus get together (and I mean together, together)

They are the couple who everyone ships. You can't deny the sweetness.

***

OTP: I just mentioned it, but I will do it again. Malec all the way.

2 comments:

  1. Hello! OMG, I loved CoHF too! It was so amazing, and when Magnus and Alec got together - I was just so happy! I thought Cassie did an amazing job of rounding off the series - it was a good ending, and I was happy. :)

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    Replies
    1. Me too! I love it so much. It was an amazing ending. :)

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