City of Lost Souls

Cassandra Clare

May 2012 · The Mortal Instruments Book 5 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

What price is too high to pay, even for love? Plunge into fifth installment the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series and “prepare to be hooked” (Entertainment Weekly).

The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

Ratings and reviews

I honestly think this series should have stopped at City of Glass. To me, books 4 and 5 have seemed redundant. In truth, City of Lost Souls could have been a good story, as it does have some enjoyable adventures, and it does improve slightly once one manages to reach Part Three… However, since it is the third time in a row that Clare tries to sell the same “unattainable lover” story conflict, the first two parts of the book become a bit dull: I got the sense of not reading anything new or compelling that would push me to rush through the pages.

Jace, where oh where did Jace go ? This guy gets himself in so much trouble. Now he's disappeared along with the evil Sebastian's body. Of course everyone if frantically trying to figure out what happened. They just went 'poof' gone, no clues left behind. Their search is hampered by the Clave's investigations. Red tape rearing it's ugly head, it's even here. There belief that Jace and Sebastian are both dead comes crashing around them with the stabbing of somebody near and dear to the gang. Life hangs, death is near and nobody knows what to do. Clary can't let him go, she can't let him be dead, never again. The doomed adventure begins. There is major dark mojo and twists to discover. People have changed, or have they ? The only way to know is to jump into the black and hope for a light. My only complaint- It was very good, except the Jace/ Clary- connecting, not connecting, getting together/staying apart..endless teasing. It is time to bring them together or tear them apart this is getting ridiculous ! I know it is YA, but this author has had them to the point of banging the bedpost for 5 books now, 5 ! She makes it so important in the story, they think about it, get all hot and bothered only to pull away at the last moment. This one was the worst for dragging it out for yet another book.

ACTUALLY 3.5 The whole book is all about Clary saving Jace from Sebastisn's evil influence. Ok, then instead of the story's focus at that part, most of the book is wasted in Camille's and Alec's conflict, Maia and Jordan, Simon and Isabelle's love story and Clary's romance. The story deviates in between and comes back. There are 21 chapters and the actual book could come upto maybe 15 or 16 chapters. The book's progress could've been better.

About the author

Cassandra Clare is the author of the #1 New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shadowhunter Chronicles. She is also the coauthor of the bestselling fantasy series Magisterium with Holly Black. The Shadowhunter Chronicles have been adapted as both a major motion picture and a television series. Her books have more than fifty million copies in print worldwide and have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Cassandra lives in western Massachusetts with her husband and three fearsome cats. Visit her at CassandraClare.com. Learn more about the world of the Shadowhunters at Shadowhunters.com.