Let me ask you a question – when you recall the events of Cassandra Clare’s incredible Mortal Instruments series, do you remember this book? Can you tell me the plot? The key events? The subplots and extra threads woven into this book? I’m hoping the answer is yes to at least the latter questions because, in all honesty, City of Ashes has very little to talk about.

It’s a real shame because I genuinely liked what this book had to offer (that overarching plot detail excluded). We’ve got the signature third-person perspective essential to any Cassandra Clare book, the insight into other characters and their thoughts and feelings surrounding that which is spoken between each other and that which is kept secret. We have tension between characters, tension in the plot points, personal stakes building and relationships being tested. I won’t tell you the main plot points for this book incase you haven’t read it, but I assure you they don’t exceed one hand.

I wish there was more. The Lightwood siblings being involved would have made things so much better, not only because there are more perspectives and active shadowhunters to investigate things, but because Izzy and Alec know Jace and the funk Jace is going through wouldn’t be leaking through into every interaction and conversation he has with Clary. Jace is just a tad pitiful in this one and it does nothing for his attractiveness. We could have some more scenes between other downworlders and the main characters, more worldbuilding or history exposition to aid Clary in her studies and entry into being a shadowhunter. I know there is a specific set of plot points that needed to be followed in this one but a girl can’t help but long for more.

At 400 pages, give or take, it feels shorter. the lack of significant plot points and active characters makes this book feel more like a 300 pager than its 400 pages. There’s nothing wrong with it being 400 pages. Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone is 416 pages, Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games is 375 pages, and J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is around 360 pages. There was room for more depth and more threads to be woven through the story than we were given.

This little hiccup didn’t stop me from continuing the series and a hope, should you choose to reread this series too, that you plough through and pick up City of Glass without delay because that is where things start to really get the Cassandra Clare treatment. High intensity and quick pacing, multiple threads and sub plots working with the main plot, relationship lines doing all sorts of cartwheels and backflips, and a whirlwind of a read to be devoured in one sitting.