City of Bones
City of Bones is the first installment in Cassandra Clare's urban fantasy series, The Mortal Instruments. The story follows Clary Fray, a seemingly ordinary teenager in New York City, whose life is irrevocably changed when she witnesses a murder committed by mysterious, tattooed figures invisible to others. This event propels her into a hidden world of Shadowhunters—half-angel, half-human warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons—and uncovers secrets about her own lineage and the disappearance of her mother. The book blends elements of adventure, mystery, and paranormal romance, as Clary navigates a dangerous new reality populated by vampires, werewolves, warlocks, and other magical beings, all while grappling with emerging powers and complex relationships. It targets a young adult audience, exploring themes of identity, family, and the ongoing battle between good and evil in a richly imagined supernatural setting.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe book contains frequent and graphically described fantasy violence involving battles between Shadowhunters and various supernatural creatures, including demons and vampires. Descriptions often include blood, injuries, and death, with threats of mass murder being central to the antagonist's plans.
Clary witnesses a demon, disguised as a teenage boy, being violently killed at the Pandemonium Club, with 'black liquid erupting from its wound' before it disappears. Later, Clary is attacked by a demon that 'whispers that it wants to kill and eat her'. The antagonist, Valentine, plans to create a new army by forcing innocent children to drink from the Mortal Cup, implying the 'murder of thousands'.
Profanity
HighThe book's dialogue is noted for containing a significant amount of profanity, including moderate to strong curse words and instances of taking God's name in vain.
Profanity is 'laced throughout the dialogue' and includes terms like 'd—n,' 'a—hole,' 'a—hat,' 'bas—d,' 'b—ch,' and 'd—khead'. God's name is 'used several times in vain' with phrases such as 'God help,' 'God dear,' 'thank God,' and 'oh my God.' The exclamation 'Jesus' is also used, and 'hell' appears both as an exclamation and a place.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are central and pervasive to the narrative, forming the foundation of the 'Shadowhunter' world. The story involves angels, demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves, and the use of magic, spells, and powerful magical artifacts.
The entire world revolves around 'Shadowhunters,' who are half-angel beings, fighting 'demons'. Characters like Magnus Bane are 'warlocks' who use magic, such as blocking Clary's memories of the supernatural world. The 'Mortal Cup' is a magical artifact crucial to the plot, used to create new Shadowhunters. Demons are depicted as malevolent entities, with some capable of possessing human bodies.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe book contains frequent scary and intense content, including encounters with grotesque demons, violent attacks, disturbing imagery, and a pervasive sense of danger. The antagonist's intentions involve widespread death and destruction, contributing to a high level of suspense and frightening situations.
Clary witnesses a demon murder at a nightclub and is later attacked by a 'dog-like creature' that transforms into a 'demonic creature bent on killing her' in her own home. Valentine's goal to 'annihilate the Downworlders' and potentially 'murder thousands of innocent children' introduces a constant, high-stakes threat throughout the narrative. The Shadowhunters frequently battle various monstrous demons with weapons, creating intense and frightening action sequences.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe book introduces character Alec Lightwood, who is gay, with initial indications of his sexual orientation causing discomfort within the Shadowhunter community. While a romantic relationship is only implied in this first book, his journey of self-acceptance and his relationship with Magnus Bane become central to the series' themes of identity and acceptance in later volumes.
Clary Fray guesses that Alec Lightwood is gay, which causes his sister Isabelle to react with panic, indicating that homosexuality is 'frowned upon in the shadowhunter clave'. There are also 'flirtations' between Magnus Bane, an older warlock, and the teenage Alec Lightwood, which some reviewers found 'tacky, if not disturbing'. The book lays the groundwork for the prominent gay couple (Malec) in the overall series.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe narrative features significant romantic tension and developing relationships, including intense kissing. A particularly disturbing element is the temporary romantic entanglement between protagonist Clary and Jace, under the mistaken belief they are siblings, leading to a pseudo-incestuous plotline that is eventually resolved in later books.
Clary and Jace share 'intense kisses' and experience 'predictable sexual tension'. A controversial plot twist involves Jace and Clary believing they are siblings, yet they continue to express romantic feelings and kiss, which reviewers describe as 'nasty' and 'tacky, if not disturbing'. The movie adaptation, based on the book, also includes 'low-level sexual references and innuendo,' such as a character being described as 'dressed like a hooker' and a demon asking a werewolf to 'hump' his legs.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe story features teenage characters who frequently act independently and sometimes defy authority figures or established rules within their supernatural society. While not always malicious, this often manifests as sarcastic backtalk and a rebellious spirit.
Jace is characterized as acting 'a lot like a jerk' and making 'snarky remarks'. Clary herself exhibits rebellious behavior by actively pursuing her new Shadowhunter life against her mother's attempts to keep her safe and ignorant of the supernatural world. Alec Lightwood's internal struggle with his sexuality also represents a form of rebellion against the strict, disapproving norms of the Shadowhunter 'clave'.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe series incorporates a unique fantasy mythology that draws upon, but significantly reinterprets, Christian angelic and demonic lore. It presents a world where angels are the source of Shadowhunter power, and demons are literal physical entities to be fought, but also features a diverse array of other supernatural beings and magic systems that exist outside traditional Christian teachings.
Shadowhunters are described as 'half human and half angel' and are 'blessed by the angel Raziel', which diverges from traditional Christian theology regarding angels. The narrative explicitly features 'warlocks,' 'vampires,' 'werewolves,' and 'fairies' as distinct, often morally ambiguous 'Downworlder' races, rather than strictly evil or demonic entities as might be interpreted in a Christian context. The magic system, including runes and spells, is also central to the Shadowhunter world.
Substance Use
LowThe book has minimal to no explicit depictions of substance use. While scenes take place in a nightclub setting, there is no significant focus on alcohol or drug consumption by the main teenage characters, nor is it a plot driver.
While the story begins in the 'Pandemonium Club'—an underage dance club—where alcohol might be present in the environment, there are no specific examples of main characters engaging in significant substance use. Parental guidance resources for the movie adaptation, which closely follows the book's themes, do not highlight substance use as a concern.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 14 and up. The book features graphic fantasy violence, moderate to high romance and sexual tension (including a temporary pseudo-incest plotline), frequent profanity, and pervasive occult themes. While readable by younger teens, the mature content warrants an older age recommendation.
Additional Notes
The 'City of Bones' is the first book in a longer series ('The Mortal Instruments'). Many of the themes, particularly LGBTQ+ representation with Alec and Magnus, become more explicit and central in later books. The initial pseudo-incest plotline between Jace and Clary is also resolved in subsequent volumes, alleviating the concern present in this first installment.
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