Disclaimer: I should have opted to put this review off for a while, as I just finished this book, but it would probably take at least three weeks for me to process ALL that happened... and a complete re-read of the series. Oh, and, spoiler alert.
My thoughts? Eh. Shrugs. It was alright. I didn't -hate- it... but I didn't love it. I liked it well enough but after hearing all the hype surrounding this series, I couldn't help but feel as though I was missing something. I remember listening to a review of this series in which the speaker said that, if Young Adult Fiction were an amusement park, the Mortal Instruments would be the main attraction - the ultimate of ultimate roller coasters, smack dab in the middle of the park. Okay so, maybe I'm not missing something... it was just way too built up for me.
There were definitely parts in City of Glass that felt dragged out. I kept finding myself checking how many pages I had left until the end (and not in a good way). None of the deaths affected me. I wasn't worried for Simon during the battle... or even when he semi-sacrificed himself to the vampires. When Jace was stabbed, I felt nothing. The only time that I felt actively engaged by the story was when Valentine summoned Raziel out of Lake Lyn. And yes, I knew from City of Bones that Jace and Clary weren't brother and sister (I spoiled that for myself), so the revelation was cute at best. I don't know. This is what I get for reading/watching reviews.
Maybe I'll read City of Fallen Angels and Lost Souls (4 and 5, right?) if I can find them on sale/clearance at Ollie's or Books A Million... But I will not be rushing out to get them. Clare wrapped everything up so nicely (yes, I see where she left possibilities for later books) that I'm a bit hesitant to see where she takes the series next. And definite props to Clare - for the first time in my life, I did not cringe during an epilogue (yay for no Jace-Clary babies named Ithuriel Valentine and Raziel Lucian).
All in all, I did like this series. It was entertaining, and a nice, fast paced read. My over all rating would be 4/5 stars. I will probably re-read this series someday, in hopes that I'll fall in love with it, and yeah, I'll go see the movie. But I wouldn't say that this is one of the greatest series ever.
Also, was anyone else a little grossed out when you learned that Jace was going to be played by the weird blonde Volturi guy? No? Eh, I'd like Alex Pettyfer myself .