City of Ashes
Cassandra Clare, 2008
Fantasy Young adultHorrorContemporary fiction
The second Mortal Instruments book: Shadowhunters, demons and a bond that won't break, in a New York where every loyalty is tested. A tense, lyrical YA fantasy that moves fast through New York, mixing Shadowhunter banter with genuine unease and dramatic romantic pulls.
Feels like unease, wonder and longing. About freedom, love and art.
Who it’s for
You may like it if you enjoy YA urban fantasy with dark faerie and demon lore, sharp banter, and relationships under strain. It is the second Mortal Instruments book, so the emotional stakes assume you know the first, and some of the horror imagery is grim.
Why read it
The draw is charged Shadowhunter politics and the push-pull between loyalty and desire, set in a New York that feels shadowed and alive.
A page from the book
A warning about faeries that gets worse with every sentence.
“They can’t be worse than vampires. And you did all right with them.”“Did all right with them? By which I take it you mean we survived?”“Well. . .”“Faeries,” Jace went on, as if Simon hadn’t spoken, “are the offspring of demons and angels, with the beauty of angels and the viciousness of demons. A vampire might attack you, if you enter its domain, but a faerie could make you dance until you died with your legs ground into stumps, trick you into a midnight swim and drag you screaming underwater until your lungs burst, fill your eyes with faerie dust until you gouged them out at the roots-”“Jace!” Clary snapped. Cassandra Clare.Before City of Bones, Cassandra Clare wrote popular Harry Potter fanfiction as 'Cassandra Claire'; her Shadowhunter world now spans many series.
Books that feel like this
More by Cassandra Clare
City of Bones
Cassandra Clare, 2007
A girl who sees what others can't is pulled into a New York of tattooed demon-hunters, rune-magic and a boy with gold eyes who is trouble.
City of Glass
Cassandra Clare, 2009
Clary crosses into the Shadowhunters' hidden city of glass to save her mother, with Jace, Simon and a war following close behind.
Clockwork Angel
Cassandra Clare, 2010
A girl who can become anyone by touching their belongings is held captive in gaslit London, where angels and clockwork hide in plain sight.
Where to get it
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Questions readers ask
- Is City of Ashes for me?
- You may like it if you enjoy YA urban fantasy with dark faerie and demon lore, sharp banter, and relationships under strain. It is the second Mortal Instruments book, so the emotional stakes assume you know the first, and some of the horror imagery is grim.
- What is City of Ashes like?
- A tense, lyrical YA fantasy that moves fast through New York, mixing Shadowhunter banter with genuine unease and dramatic romantic pulls. Feels like unease, wonder and longing. About freedom, love and art.
- What should I read after City of Ashes?
- If you liked City of Ashes, try Brimstone (Callie Hart), Obsidian (Jennifer L. Armentrout) and The Elite (Kiera Cass).
A taste of the feed
What a man says when the only thing he owns is his life.
Every part. I love all of you.” He blew a dark curl out of his eyes. “I’d spend the fortunes of the universe to protect you. I’d drain the seas dry. Fell every tree. I would sacrifice the sun from the fucking sky and surrender the stars, too, if I could. But those things aren’t mine to give. All I have is my life. It isn’t much, but I’d spend it and consider the price small if it meant keeping you safe.
Brimstone · Callie Hart
Hostility this polished is usually something else entirely.
Thanks,” I muttered and added under my breath, “Douchebag.” He laughed, deep and throaty. “Now that’s not very ladylike, Kittycat.” I whipped around. “Don’t ever call me that,” I snapped. “It’s better than calling someone a douchebag, isn’t it?” He pushed out the door. “This has been a stimulating visit. I’ll cherish it for a long time to come.” Okay. That was it. “You know, you’re right. How wrong of me to call you a douchebag. Because a douchebag is too nice of a word for you,” I said, smiling sweetly. “You’re a dickhead.” “A dickhead?” he repeated. “How charming.” I flipped him off.
Obsidian · Jennifer L. Armentrout
What it feels like when someone doesn't just want you—they orbit you.
It wasn’t like I made his world better. It was like I was his world. It wasn’t some explosion; it wasn’t fireworks. It was a fire, burning slowly from the inside out.
The Elite · Kiera Cass
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