CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 27, 2014

Darkness has descended on the Shadowhunter world. Chaos and destruction overwhelm the Nephilim as Clary, Jace, Simon, and their friends band together to 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 of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell. Nothing in this world can defeat Sebastian—but if they journey to the realm of demons, they just might have a chance…

Lives will be lost, love sacrificed, and the whole world will change. Who will survive the explosive sixth and final installment of the Mortal Instruments series?

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REVIEW: CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE is the sixth and final instalment in Cassandra Clare’s young adult, paranormal / UF Mortal Instruments series focusing on the war between demons and angels; heaven and hell; mundanes, downworlders and the supernatural. As our band of five intrepid young warriors endeavor to save the world from the evil that is Sebastian Morgenstern, each will lose something or someone close. Throughout the six book instalment, the series covers a time frame of approximately six to eight months where we will see a young Clary Fray discover a world of the supernatural and take her place among the most powerful of their kind.

Cassandra Clare blends loss and hope, love and hatred, betrayal and forgiveness into a storyline that will see the past, the present and the future unfold. We will be introduced to the next generation of Shadowhunters as Cassandra prepares for her next spin off series THE DARK ARTIFICES (A Shadowhunter series set in present day Los Angeles) where twelve year olds Emma and Julian prepare for the next war between good and evil. Brother Zacariah will make an appearance and in doing so will see the past meet the present with a love that has endured for all time.

CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE will bring together the Shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, fae, demons and the mundanes in a war that will see Clary’s estranged and demonized brother Sebastian build an army of the Endarkened using family and friends of those trying to save the world. As Clary and Jace’s powers grow with the encroaching battle so too will Sebastian’s need and obsession for his sister. To save the world and those she loves, Clary will make a decision that will have everyone wondering is she has truly lost her mind or if something all together evil has taken control.

The storyline is told from third person POV, focusing on several different plotlines, worlds, and battles that will overlap, run parallel and culminate in a final scene where good will win against evil-but at a cost. As with all of Cassandra’s previous instalments, the storyline is slow to build as she focuses on a number of premises and stories as well as the build up to her new The Dark Artifices spin off series starring Emma and Julian. This particular development is not necessary to City of Heavenly Fire but it sets the premise and background for things to come.

If you are a fan of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunters series the City of Heavenly Fire is a storyline that will answer many questions, look deeper into the past, and make way for the future in her paranormal/UF young adult series.

Reviewed by Sandy