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City of Fallen Angels: Mortal Instruments #4    by Cassandra Clare Amazon.com order for
City of Fallen Angels
by Cassandra Clare
Order:  USA  Can
Simon & Schuster, 2011 (2011)
Hardcover, CD, e-Book
* * *   Reviewed by Hilary Williamson

City of Fallen Angels follows City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass as the fourth in Cassandra Clare's spectacular (and action-packed) Mortal Instruments series. It's set in a New York City where human mundanes coexist with Downworlders (including werewolves, vampires, and faeries) and are threatened by demons.

Series heroine Clary grew up in the mundane world with Simon as her best friend. She only recently discovered that she is a Shadowhunter. While her mother Jocelyn was in a coma, Clary lived with Jocelyn's friend Luke, leader of a werewolf pack (including young Maia who was bitten by her boyfriend). Clary is very close to Shadowhunter siblings Jace, Alec and Izzy. Jace and Clary are in love but the author throws up one barrier after another between them (including the belief that they were brother and sister, now known to be untrue). Alec is in a relationship with warlock Magnus. And Jocelyn is about to marry Luke.

As City of Fallen Angels opens, Jace has terrible nightmares, each ending with his killing Clary - he fears he's like Valentine, who raised him. As a result, he's avoiding Clary, to her consternation. As this situation simmers, Simon (recently turned into a vampire, a unique Daylighter who can withstand sunlight) is dating both Maia and Izzy, though neither knows about the other. Simon is approached by Camille, the (absent until now) head vampire of the Manhattan Clan to help her against her second-in-command Raphael. And, after his mother finds his stash of blood, Simon leaves home and ends up rooming with newcomer Kyle, who has his own secrets.

At the same time, someone is killing Shadowhunters and leaving the bodies in Downworlder territory - attempting to foment dissent? Clary, still developing her runic talent, follows a trail that leads to dead human babies - and to demons. Jace's nightmares worsen and Simon is blackmailed, those he loves threatened. As always, Cassandra Clare builds her story steadily to a violent confrontation, tossing in surprises right up to her disturbing cliffhanger of a conclusion ... 'An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life.' And as always, along with countless other fans, I can't wait for more.

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