City of Ashes
City of Ashes is the second installment in Cassandra Clare's popular urban fantasy series, "The Mortal Instruments." This young adult novel plunges readers deeper into the supernatural world of Shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, and faeries, set against the backdrop of modern-day New York City. The story follows Clary Fray as she grapples with her identity and complicated relationships after discovering she is a Shadowhunter and that her enigmatic, powerful, and evil father, Valentine, is a major threat. Her mother remains in a magical coma, and Clary must navigate a world filled with dangerous demons and powerful artifacts while confronting unsettling family revelations. The book is known for its fast-paced action, mystery, and evolving character dynamics. It is typically recommended for a mature teenage audience due to its complex themes and content. This installment significantly develops the overarching narrative, introducing new characters and intensifying the stakes for the protagonists, who must contend with Valentine's escalating plans to create a demon army. Throughout the narrative, the characters are forced to make difficult choices, explore the boundaries of their loyalties, and confront personal challenges amidst a brewing supernatural war. The book maintains the series' blend of fantasy adventure and romance, continuing to engage its target demographic with its blend of intricate world-building and character-driven drama.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe book features a significant subplot involving a prominent LGBTQ character, Alec Lightwood, who grapples with his homosexuality. His developing relationship with the warlock Magnus Bane is explored, alongside the societal taboo surrounding his sexuality within the Shadowhunter community. A key event involves Jace outing Alec to other characters, causing Alec distress, though Alec later publicly acknowledges his relationship.
Alec Lightwood struggles with his sexuality, described as 'taboo in his society,' and his developing relationship with Magnus Bane. Jace attempts to 'out' Alec in front of Clary, Simon, Luke, and Maia in Chapter Twelve, leading to Alec's discomfort, under the guise of Jace 'not caring' about Alec being honest. Later, Alec bravely confronts his parents, Robert and Maryse Lightwood, stating, 'I’m seeing someone,' referring to Magnus, signifying his acceptance and declaration of his gay identity.
Violence
HighThe narrative contains frequent and graphic depictions of violence, including brutal attacks, murder, and detailed descriptions of injuries and gore. The antagonist, Valentine, engages in horrific rituals involving the draining of blood from victims. The creatures and battles are often portrayed with gruesome details, contributing to a high level of intensity.
Demons attack characters, sometimes killing them, with descriptions of being smothered in 'boiling black tar' and using poison, talons, teeth, and scorpion tails. A young werewolf is murdered, and the crime scene is described in detail, while Simon's mutilated body after a vampire attack is also explicitly detailed before his transformation.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are fundamental to the book's urban fantasy setting. Characters called Shadowhunters fight demons, use magical runes for various effects, and interact with other 'Downworlder' species like warlocks, vampires, and faeries, all of whom possess supernatural abilities. Dark rituals and powerful magical artifacts are central to the antagonist's plot.
Valentine attempts an 'Infernal Conversion' ritual, kidnapping Maia and Simon to use in his dark magic to summon demons for his army. Clary possesses a unique ability to create powerful, previously unknown runes, such as drawing a 'Fearless rune' on Jace to remove his fear.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe book contains numerous scary and intense scenes, including graphic violence, the murder of children, and disturbing creature descriptions. The overarching plot involves a malevolent villain with a plan to unleash a demonic army, creating a constant sense of peril and high stakes for the protagonists.
The plot features the murder of Downworlder children, and the ensuing crime scenes are described in detail. Demons are portrayed with gruesome attributes such as 'suckers with sharp teeth, eye sockets with fangs that drip poison.' Valentine's plan to use the Mortal Instruments to create a demon army and destroy all Shadowhunters and Downworlders presents a pervasive and terrifying threat.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe book explores intense and complicated romantic relationships, including passionate kissing scenes and implied sexual activity. A central, highly controversial plot point involves a perceived incestuous attraction and relationship dynamic between main characters Clary and Jace, who believe they are siblings. There are also instances of suggestive language and jokes.
Clary and Simon kiss passionately on her bed multiple times and make jokes about having sex, with Simon also making suggestive comments about watching porn. The Seelie Queen forces Clary and Jace, who believe they are siblings, to kiss in front of Simon, leading to a prolonged and passionate embrace that is emotionally intense and causes distress due to the perceived incest.
Profanity
MediumThe book includes a moderate amount of profanity, featuring various mild to strong curse words used by characters throughout the dialogue. While explicit F-bombs are generally absent, terms that some parents may find objectionable are present.
Characters use words such as 'b–tard,' 'b–ch,' 'd–khead,' 'h—,' and 'd–n.' 'A–' is used alone and in phrases like 'a–hole,' 'a–jack,' and 'a–smart.' God's name is used in vain with 'sake,' 'd—,' and 'my.' Other objectionable words include 'screw' and 'crap.'
Substance Use
MediumThe book includes instances of alcohol consumption, particularly by teenage characters. There are depictions of young Shadowhunters and Downworlders drinking in social settings, including a bar where age verification is not a concern, implying underage drinking.
Young characters, including Shadowhunters and Downworlders, are depicted drinking alcohol and talking about it freely. Jace visits a 'Downworlder bar' where no one questions his age, and he consumes alcohol.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumCharacters, particularly the young protagonists, frequently exhibit rebellious attitudes and engage in disrespectful behavior towards authority figures. This includes talking back, defiance of rules, and sarcastic remarks, which are sometimes portrayed as characteristic of their personalities.
Jace is frequently characterized as arrogant and reckless, and Isabelle Lightwood is explicitly described as a 'rebellious daughter who defies authority.' The teenage Shadowhunters and Downworlders are often depicted as being 'free to run a bit wild,' demonstrating independence and a lack of strict adherence to adult rules.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThe book is set in a fictional urban fantasy world with its own cosmology of angels, demons, and supernatural beings, distinct from traditional Christian theology. While not directly anti-Christian, a character makes a brief, irreverent remark about nuns. The narrative focuses on its unique magical system and does not actively engage in promoting or criticizing real-world religious doctrines.
Jace, known for his sarcastic and rebellious nature, makes a flippant comment about doing 'naughty things' like making 'rude gestures at nuns.' The core conflict revolves around Shadowhunters fighting demons and the search for powerful artifacts called the Mortal Instruments, which are elements of the book's invented mythology rather than a commentary on Christian faith.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 14 and up (Grades 9-12) is recommended. This age range is justified by the presence of moderate to high levels of violence and gore, discussions and implications of sexual content, the use of mild to moderate profanity, and intense, complex romantic relationships, including themes of perceived incest. The book also features significant themes of witchcraft and occult practices central to its plot, along with frightening and intense scenes involving demons and perilous situations.
Additional Notes
The series progresses with intensified content in later installments, particularly concerning the resolution of the perceived incestuous relationship between Clary and Jace, and the continued exploration of LGBTQ themes through Alec and Magnus's relationship. The level of violence and occult themes remains consistent or escalates as the overarching conflict with Valentine unfolds.
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