Review: City of Heavenly Fire

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My favorite chapter is Chapter 14 (The Sleep of Reason).

View all my reviews

City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments Book 6) by Cassandra Clare-Notes & Highlights

1. This book is about the long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends 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 Dark Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris—but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee — even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned . . .

2. Supernatural

3. Jocelyn Fray (Clary's Mom) is an over-all kind and caring person. Jocelyn is also quite stubborn and brave, traits which her daughter also seemingly inherited. Jocelyn was originally an active Shadowhunter and a member of the Circle with her husband, but after discovering her husband's heinous and cruel acts, she abandoned the cause and became a key orchestrator against the Uprising.

- Luke Garroway (Clary's Step-Father) is kind, gentle, calm, level-headed, and righteous. He is also fiercely loyal to those he loves. He is a werewolf who was formerly a Shadowhunter and a member of the Circle, before he was betrayed by his parabatai, Valentine Morgenstern.

4. I am reading chapter 21 and I am really enjoying it so far because of all the action that has happened already.

5. I would recommend this book because love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the world in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

2/22/2016 was the first quote I put in Google Keep.

I got this for cheap online at a discount book store. It was a library book once from California.

I got lucky with this book! Just look at this beautiful artwork on the inside of the dust jacket! I just wish Clary was in it :/

Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 1:52 AM

This is how many stickies I had while reading "City of Heavenly Fire".

Saturday, March 5, 2016 at 7:49 PM

This is the last page in this book.

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“Round and boyish and really familiar, but she could almost see through the face he had now to the face he would have, when he was older” (11).

This quote reminded me when I look at my younger cousins and I can see their older faces in their current baby faces.

“‘What’s wrong?’ Clary said; Jace suddenly looked a million miles away. Since the heavenly fire had entered his body, he’d tended to drift off more into his head. She had a feeling that it was a side effect of suppressing his emotions. She felt a little pang—Jace, when she had met him, had been so controlled, only a little of his real self leaking out through the cracks in his personal armor, like light through the chinks in a wall. It had taken a long time to break down those defenses. Now, though, the fire in his veins was forcing him to put them back up, to bite down on his emotions for safety’s sake. But when the fire was gone, would he be able to dismantle them again?” (31-32).

I feel like this paragraph that Clary is explaining could be a metaphor or analogy.

“‘Jace mostly likes weapons,’ Clary said. ‘He likes books, but they have a huge library at the Institute. He likes classical music. . . .’ She brightened. Simon was a musician; even though his band was terrible, and was always changing their name—currently they were Lethal Soufflé—he did have training. ‘What would you give someone who likes to play the piano?’

‘A piano.’

‘Simon.’

‘A really huge metronome that could also double as a weapon?’

Clary sighed, exasperated.

‘Sheet music. Rachmaninoff is tough stuff, but he likes a challenge’” (41).

Clary and Simon are talking about what Clary should get Jace for Christmas and Simon suggests this Russian composer. I am listening to his most famous piece and it does sound challenging, mostly because it’s half an hour long! XD jk it’s amazingly so Jace: loud, harsh, and beautiful with a touch of misery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJpJ8REjvqo

“‘I see that even as the world plunges into darkness and peril, you two stand around discussing your love lives. Teenagers.’

‘What are you doing here?’ Simon said, too surprised for a smart comeback.

‘Came to see Alec,’ Magnus said.

Clary raised her eyebrows at him. ‘What was that about teenagers?’

Magnus held up a warning finger. ‘Don’t overstep yourself, biscuit,’ he said, and moved past them, disappearing into the crowd around the Portal.

‘Biscuit?’ said Simon.

‘Believe it or not, he’s called me that before,’ Clary said” (61).

“Everyone gets the time they get together, and no more” (66).

Alec says this line to Magnus when Magnus says goodbye to Alec before he leaves for Idris.

“‘Or vampire musicians,’ said Simon. ‘Let’s face it. My career is now professional vampire’” (105).

I know that Cassie has made a Lestat reference before, but come on! This line was like a set up for the former musician, Vampire Lestat de Lioncourt.

“‘I didn’t realize you were quite so famous,’ said Clary as she and Jace made their way down the narrow pavement that ran alongside Oldway Canal. It was turning to evening—darkness had only just fallen—and the streets were full of people hurrying to and fro, wrapped in thick cloaks, their faces cold and closed-off.

Stars were beginning to come out, a soft prickle of light across the eastern sky. They illuminated Jace’s eyes as he looked over at Clary curiously. ‘Everyone knows Valentine’s son.’

‘I know, but—when Emma saw you, she acted like you were her celebrity crush. Like you were on the cover of Shadowhunters Weekly every month.’

‘You know, when they asked me to pose, they said it would be tasteful. . . .’

‘As long as you were holding a strategically placed seraph blade, I don’t see the problem,’ Clary said, and Jace laughed, a cut-off sound that indicated that she had surprised the amusement out of him. It was her favorite laugh of his. Jace was always so controlled; it was still a delight to be one of the few people who could get under his carefully constructed armor and surprise him” (109-110).

I love the idea of a Shadowhunters Weekly magazine! XD

“…No shutting me out. No epic sulks.’

‘I was figuring I could sulk for Idris in the next Olympics,’ Jace said, but his voice was already softening, the edge of hard self-loathing filed away, wryness and amusement taking its place.

‘You and Alec could go for pair sulking,’ said Clary with a smile. ‘You’d get the gold’” (119).

😞 XD

“And then he saw himself.

He was wearing a flowing, puffy white shirt. Even more troubling was the fact that he also appeared to be wearing a pair of very tight leather pants.

Very tight.

Very leather.

Simon looked down at himself and took it all in. The billows of the shirt. The deep, chest-exposing V. The tightness of the leather” (124).

lol ;)

“Maia could feel the anxiety rolling off him in waves” (128).

• I feel like the whole thing with Clary not being able to touch Jace in that way is definitely building up that sexual tension between them.

“‘I don’t want it,’ Clary whispered.

‘If you flinch from it, you give it power over you,” said Diana. “Take it, and cut your brother’s throat with it, and take back the honor of your blood’” (147).

“‘Apparently there’s some kind of special protection laid on the London Institute, something even the Council didn’t know about. There were some injuries, but no one was killed. Sebastian’s forces were rebuffed” (147).

I think that Tessa has something to do with the protection of the London Institute. She could have put wards, but it’s unknown at the moment. At the first mention of the London Institute being protected somehow my mind went to Tessa.

“‘They do not trust me, the Shadowhunters,’ said Raphael simply. ‘But they trust you. Especially the New York Nephilim. Look at you. You wear Isabelle Lightwood’s necklace. They know you are more like another Shadowhunter than you are like the Night’s Children” (153).

If Simon is wearing Isabelle’s demon necklace, wouldn’t it be pulsing all of the time because he is a vampire?

“‘We don’t know that much,’ said Luke. ‘We got a fire-message about it this afternoon from the Gard, but not a lot of details. London was one of the few Institutes that hadn’t emptied yet. Apparently Sebastian and his forces tried to attack. They were rebuffed by some kind of protection spell, something even the Council didn’t know about. Something that warned the Shadowhunters what was coming and led them to safety.’

‘A ghost,’ Magnus said. A smile hovered around his mouth. ‘A spirit, sworn to protect the place. She’s been there for a hundred and thirty years.’

‘She?’ Jocelyn said, leaning back against a dusty wall. ‘A ghost? Really? What was her name?’

‘You would recognize her last name, if I told it to you, but she wouldn’t like that.’ Magnus’s gaze was faraway. ‘I hope this means she’s found peace.’ He snapped back to attention” (196).

At first I thought it was Tessa, but now it’s confirmed that it’s Jessamine Lovelace.

“‘What are you doing here?’ she demanded. ‘Whose clothes are you wearing?’

‘It’s a long story, and Alec’s, mostly,’ Simon said. His words were casual, but he looked strained and tense. ‘You should have seen what I had on before. Nice pajamas, by the way.’

Clary looked down at herself. She was wearing a pair of flannel pajamas, too short in the leg and tight in the chest, with fire trucks on them.

Luke raised an eyebrow. ‘I think those were mine when I was a kid.’

‘You can’t seriously tell me there wasn’t anything else you could have put me in.’

‘If you insist on trying to get yourself killed, I insist on being the one who chooses what you wear while you recover,’ Jocelyn said with a tiny smirk.

‘The pajamas of vengeance,’ Clary muttered” (222).

lol

“‘Jace Herondale,’ said the boy. ‘Once more a Herondale is the bringer of my deliverance. I should have anticipated’” (232).

<3

“‘Have you ever felt that your heart contained so much that it must surely break apart?’ Jace thought of Alec wounded in his lap, of Max still and white on the floor of the Accords Hall; he thought of Valentine, his arms around Jace as Jace's blood soaked the sand underneath them. And lastly he thought of Clary: her sharp bravery that kept him safe, her sharper wit that kept him sane, the steadiness of her love” (236).

“She glared at Simon. ‘But he’s going back to Clary’s now. Aren’t you, Simon?’

‘My head feels round,’ Simon said sadly. ‘So round.’

Robert lowered his arm. ‘What?’

‘He drank some drugged blood,’ said Clary. ‘It isn’t his fault’” (246).

lol XD

“‘My apologies for the binding spell,’ Sebastian said, a light, mocking tone to his voice. He lay back against the pillows, stretching his arms up to touch the headboard in a catlike arch. His T-shirt had ridden up, baring his flat, pale stomach, traced with the lines of runes. There was something that was clearly meant to be seductive about the pose, something that made nausea twist in her gut. ‘It took me a little while to set up, but you know how it is. One can’t take risks’” (250).

😳

“‘Is there any reason you wish to preserve amity with the Shadowhunters, besides the fact that one of them is your lover?’

Luke coughed violently into his wine. Jocelyn patted him on the back. Raphael simply looked amused.

‘Get with the times, Meliorn,’ said Magnus. ‘No one says ‘lover’ anymore’” (257).

lol XD

“She looked up at him, startled and bewildered, and saw his expression change, the shutters going up behind his eyes, hiding his brief vulnerability” (273).

“...and reciting pieces of the Song of Solomon, telling me about how brothers and sisters used to marry to keep royal bloodlines pure, how I belonged to him” (277).

“‘There's no “we,”’ Jace said. ‘None of you are coming. I'm going to do this alone.’ 

Alec sprang to his feet. ‘I knew it, I bloody knew it, and absolutely not. Not a chance.’

Jace cocked an eyebrow at him; he was outwardly calm, but Clary could see his tension in the set of his shoulders and the way he rocked forward slightly on the balls of his feet. ‘Since when do you say “bloody”?’ 

‘Since the situation bloody warrants it.’ Alec crossed his arms over his chest” (337).

“They poured out into the room, arranging themselves in an arc behind Jace: Alec with his bow already strung, Isabelle with her whip out and glittering, Clary with her sword, and Simon—Simon had no better weapon than his own self, but he stood and smiled at Meliorn, and his teeth glittered” (345-346).

“Alec laughed shortly. ‘We’re Shadowhunters,’ he said. ‘We know the old tales. This is the Three Roads.’ At Clary’s puzzled look he said, ‘Faeries don’t like their secrets to get out, but sometimes human musicians have been able to encode faerie secrets into ancient ballads. There’s one called “Thomas the Rhymer,” about a man who was kidnapped by the Queen of Faerie—’” (353).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYyJ8pRdfYs

“Simon stood at the window, taking in the view of the city of Manhattan. It was an impressive sight. From the penthouse floor of the Carolina, you could see across Central Park, to the Met museum, to the high-rises of downtown. Night was falling, and the city lights were beginning to shine out one by one, a bed of electric flowers. Electric flowers. He looked around, frowning thoughtfully. It was a nice turn of phrase; perhaps he should write it down” (374).

“Still. A good problem to have. The darkening sky turned the window to a mirror. Simon smiled at his reflection in the glass. Tousled hair, jeans, vintage T-shirt; he could see the room behind him, vast acres of hardwood floor, gleaming steel, and leather furniture, a single elegant gold-framed painting on the wall. A Chagall—Clary’s favorite, all soft roses and blues and greens, incongruous against the apartment’s modernity.

There was a vase of hydrangeas on the kitchen island, a gift from his mother, congratulating him on playing a gig with Stepping Razor the week before. I love you, said the note attached. I’m proud of you” (375).

“...As of yesterday, my son became engaged to be married to his partner, Magnus Bane—’

A chorus of cheers broke out. Magnus accepted them with a modest wave of his fork. Alec slid down in his chair, his cheeks burning. Jace looked at him meditatively.

‘Congratulations,’ he said. ‘I kind of feel like I missed an opportunity.’

‘W-what?’ Alec stammered.

Jace shrugged. ‘I always knew you had a crush on me, and I kind of had a crush on you, too. I thought you should know.’

‘What?’ Alec said again.

Clary sat up straight. ‘You know,’ she said, ‘do you think there’s any chance that you two could . . .’ She gestured between Jace and Alec. ‘It would be kind of hot.’

‘No,’ Magnus said. ‘I am a very jealous warlock.’

‘We’re parabatai,’ Alec said, regaining his voice. ‘The Clave would—I mean—it’s illegal.’

‘Oh, come on,’ said Jace. ‘The Clave would let you do anything you wanted. Look, everyone loves you.’ He gestured out at the room full of Shadowhunters. They were all cheering as Robert spoke, some of them wiping away tears. A girl at one of the smaller tables held up a sign that said, ALEC LIGHTWOOD, WE LOVE YOU.

‘I think you should have a winter wedding,’ said Isabelle, looking longingly at the white floral centerpiece. ‘Nothing too big. Five or six hundred people.’

‘Isabelle,’ Alec croaked.

She shrugged. ‘You have a lot of fans.’

‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ Magnus said, and snapped his fingers in front of Alec’s face. His black hair stood up in spikes, and his gold-green eyes were brilliant with annoyance. ‘THIS IS NOT HAPPENING.’

‘What?’ Alec stared.

‘It’s a hallucination,’ Magnus said, ‘brought on by your entry into the demon realms. Probably a demon that lurks near the entrance to the world and feeds on the dreams of travelers. Wishes have a lot of power,’ he added, examining his reflection in his spoon. ‘Especially the deepest wishes of our hearts.’

Alec looked around the room. ‘This is the deepest wish of my heart?’

‘Sure,’ Magnus said. ‘Your father, proud of you. You, the hero of the hour. Me, loving you. Everyone approving of you.’

Alec looked over at Jace. ‘Okay, what about the Jace thing?’

Magnus shrugged. ‘I don’t know. That part’s just weird.’

‘So I have to wake up.’ Alec put his hands on the table, flat; the Lightwood ring shone on his finger. It all seemed real, felt real—but he couldn’t remember what his father was talking about. Couldn’t remember defeating Sebastian, or winning a war. Couldn’t remember saving Max.

‘Max,’ he whispered.

Magnus’s eyes darkened. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘The wishes of our hearts are weapons that can be used against us. Fight, Alec.’ He touched Alec’s face. ‘This isn’t what you want, this dream. Demons don’t understand human hearts, not well. They see as through a distorted glass and show you what you desire, but warped and wrong. Use that wrongness to push yourself out of the dream. Life is loss, Alexander, but it’s better than this’” (381-383).

I mean, Jace and Alec (JALEC) would be extremely hot. I can agree with you there, Clary. XD *drools*

“‘I wonder sometimes,’ he said. ‘My father—Valentine, I mean—loved music. He taught me to play. Bach, Chopin, Ravel. And I remember once asking why the composers were all mundanes. There were no Shadowhunters who had written music. And he said that in their souls, mundanes have a creative spark, but our souls hold a warrior spark, and both sparks can’t exist in the same place, any more than a flame can divide itself.’

‘So you think the Shadowhunter in me . . . is driving out the artist in me?’ Clary said. ‘But my mother painted—I mean, paints.’ She bit back the pain of having thought of Jocelyn in the past tense, even briefly.

‘Valentine said that was what Heaven had given to mundanes, artistry and the gift of creation,’ said Jace. ‘That was what made them worth protecting. I don’t know if there was any truth to any of that,’ he added. ‘But if people have a spark in them, then yours burns the brightest I know. You can fight and draw. And you will’” (407-408).

Bach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwHpDOWhkGk

Chopin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVeOdm-29pU

Ravel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPHSHZssOLs

“‘Shadowhunters,’ he said. ‘They get in your blood, under your skin. I’ve been with vampires, werewolves, faeries, warlocks like me—and humans, so many fragile humans. But I always told myself I wouldn’t give my heart to a Shadowhunter. I’ve so nearly loved them, been charmed by them—generations of them, sometimes: Edmund and Will and James and Lucie . . . the ones I saved and the ones I couldn’t.’ His voice choked off for a second, and Luke, staring in amazement, realized that this was the most of Magnus Bane’s real, true emotions that he had ever seen. ‘And Clary, too, I loved, for I watched her grow up. But I’ve never been in love with a Shadowhunter, not until Alec. For they have the blood of angels in them, and the love of angels is a high and holy thing’” (428).

<3

“The Ferris wheel started up suddenly with a screech and a groan. Maia jumped back, almost knocking into Bat, who took her by the shoulders. They both stared as the wheel started to turn and music began to play—“It’s a Small World,” Maia was pretty sure, though there were no words, just tinny instrumentals” (430).

“‘I did not make a pie,’ Alec repeated, gesturing expressively with one hand, ‘for three reasons. One, because I do not have any pie ingredients. Two, because I don't actually know how to make a pie.’ 

He paused, clearly waiting. 

Removing his sword and leaning it against the cave wall, Jace said warily, ‘And three?’

‘Because I am not your bitch,’ Alec said, clearly pleased with himself. 

Clary couldn't help but smile. She undid her weapons belt and laid it down carefully by the wall; Jace, unbuckling his own, rolled his eyes” (435).

I was kind of shocked that Alec said, “bitch”.

“‘Don’t look at me,’ said Jace. ‘My adoptive father was a mass murderer. And I still worried about what he thought. It’s what we’re programmed to do. Your dad always seemed pretty great by comparison.’

‘Sure, he likes you,’ said Alec. ‘You’re heterosexual and have low expectations of father figures.’

‘I think they’ll probably put that on my gravestone. “He Was Heterosexual and Had Low Expectations.”’

Alec smiled—a brief, forced flash of a smile” (438-439).

Lol

“‘Trust me,’ she whispered again, and reached for her blade” (451).

I was sitting in my car reading this scene and I felt the fire because it was hot outside. It was like the wind was fire! XD :’( 😭 Also, at this point in the story I think that Clary stabbed Jace or something and transferred some of the heavenly fire from Jace to Heosphoros. It was hinted that that happened, in my opinion.

“She broke apart from Jace and flashed a smile at Clary, who smiled shyly back. Alec moved to hug Clary, and Simon and Jace eyed each other warily. Suddenly Simon grinned—that sudden, unexpected grin that flashed out even in the worst of circumstances, and which Isabelle loved—and held his arms out toward Jace. 

Jace shook his head. ‘I don't care if I did just set myself on fire,’ he said. ‘I'm not hugging you.’ 

‘Simon sighed and dropped his arms. ‘Your loss,’ he said. ‘If you'd gone in, I would've let you, but honestly it would've been a pity hug.’ 

Jace turned to Clary, who was no longer embracing Alec but standing looking amused, with her hand on the hilt of Heosphoros. It seemed to shimmer, as if it had caught some of the light of the fire. ‘Did you hear that?’ Jace demanded. ‘A pity hug?’” (454).

“Her brother's eyes met hers and then, a little hoarsely—as if he'd almost forgotten how to do it—he started to laugh” (456).

“Energy runes were all well and good, Clary thought exhaustedly as she reached the top of yet another rise of sand, but they didn’t begin to compete with a cup of coffee. She was pretty sure she could face another day of trudging, her feet sometimes slipping ankle-deep into heaps of ash, if she just had sweet caffeine pumping through her veins. . . .

‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking?’ Simon said, coming up beside her” (473).

“‘That a massive latte from the Mud Truck would make everything brighter just about now?’

‘There’s a vamp place not far from Union Square where they mix just the right amount of blood into the coffee,’ Simon said. ‘Not too sweet, not too salty’” (474).

I wonder if the Mud Truck is a real place. If it is, I would definitely go with Clary and Simon! XD 🤎 ☕️ OMG! I just googled it and it is real! Look!

Here’s their website: https://www.mudnyc.com/

“‘They have endured much loss,’ said Jia. ‘But we are Shadowhunters; many of us endure great loss at a young age.’

‘They have Helen, and their uncle,’ said Patrick, standing not far away with Robert and Maryse, both of whom looked tense and drawn. ‘They will be well taken care of, and Emma Carstairs, as well, clearly considers the Blackthorns as family.’

‘Often those who raise us, who are our guardians, are not our blood,’ said Zachariah. Jia thought she had seen a special softness in his eyes when they rested on Emma, almost a regret. But perhaps she had imagined it. ‘Those who love us and who we love. So it was with me. As long as she is not parted from the Blackthorns, or the boy—Julian—that is the most important thing’” (477).

I wonder what’s going on there.

“Jia hesitated. ‘Things may be worse than you know,’ she said, and drew something from the pocket of her coat. It was a fire-message, addressed to her from the Spiral Labyrinth. She handed it to Zachariah.

He seemed to freeze in place. For a moment he simply looked at it; then he brushed a finger over the paper, and she realized he was not reading it but rather tracing the signature of the writer of the letter, a signature that had clearly struck him like an arrow to the heart.

Theresa Gray.

‘Tessa says,’ he said finally, and then cleared his throat, for his voice had emerged ragged and uneven. ‘She says that the warlocks of the Spiral Labyrinth have examined the body of Amalric Kriegsmesser” (478).

Tessa! I’m so glad she’s helping in this war! <3

“‘If I were Turned, I would want to be put out of my misery,’ said Zachariah. ‘That is mercy. That is what Edward Longford gave his parabatai, before he turned his sword on himself. That is why I paid my respects to him.’ He touched the faded rune at his throat” (479).

Who’s Edward?

“With a strange detachment Magnus watched Raphael approach him. Magnus’s heart was thudding in his chest, he was aware of that much, but he did not feel afraid. He had been close to death many times; so many that the idea no longer frightened him. Sometimes he thought some part of him longed for it, for that unknown country, the one place he had never been, that one experience as yet unlived” (501).

“‘Simon’s starving,’ Clary explained. ‘He lost blood healing Izzy, and his supply was wrecked in the Hall—’

‘Why didn’t you say something?’ Jace asked, rising and pushing back a lock of blond hair” (509).

This whole scene with Alec and Simon tho ;)

“‘I don't want to feed on my friends’ blood.’ 

‘Why not?’ Jace stepped past the fire and looked down at Simon; his expression was open and curious. ‘We've been here before, haven't we? Last time you were starving, I gave you my blood. It was a little homoerotic, maybe, but I'm secure in my sexuality’” (510).

“‘I just want you to know,’ Alec said as he held his wrist out, ‘that I realize that to you vampires this feeding business sometimes equals sexy times.’

Simon’s eyes widened.

‘My sister may have told me more than I wanted to know,’ Alec admitted. ‘Anyway, my point is that I am not attracted to you in the slightest.’

‘Right,’ Simon said, and took Alec’s hand. He tried for a brotherly sort of grasp, but it didn’t quite work, considering that he had to bend Alec’s hand back to bare the vulnerable part of his wrist.

‘Well, you don’t ring my bells either, so I guess we’re even. Although, you could have faked it for five—’

‘No, I couldn’t,’ Alec said. ‘I hate it when straight guys think all gay guys are attracted to them. I’m not attracted to every guy any more than you’re attracted to every girl’” (512).

“Jace raised his eyebrows. ‘Walk of shame, boys?’

Alec glowered. He stood with his left wrist turned in, hiding the puncture marks, though they were mostly faded thanks to the iratze he’d put on his wrist. He hadn’t pushed Simon away, had let him drink until Simon had stopped himself, and as a result he was a little pale. ‘It wasn’t sexy,’ he said.

‘It was a little sexy,’ Simon said. He felt much better, having fed, and couldn’t help but poke at Alec a bit.

‘It wasn’t,’ said Alec.

‘I had some feelings,’ said Simon.

‘Do feel free to agonize about it on your own time,’ said Alec, and bent down to grab the strap of his backpack. ‘I’m going to take watch’” (515-516).

XD Lolz them sexy times tho XD

“Simon could feel Isabelle’s hair, as soft as spun silk, under his cheek. ‘Good night,’ he said, and closed his eyes, his veins full of Lightwood blood” (517).

💙 my fave 💙

“‘We never got to finish our conversation, before,’ Jace said. ‘I just wanted to say that you don’t always have to be all right. I asked you to be my parabatai because I needed you, but you’re allowed to need me, too. This’—he indicated his own parabatai rune—’means you are the better, other half of me, and I care about you more than I care about myself. Remember that. I’m sorry I didn’t realize how much you were hurting. I didn’t see it then, but I see it now.’

Alec was very still for a moment, barely breathing. Then, to Jace’s surprise, he reached out and ruffled Jace’s hair, the way an older brother might ruffle his younger sibling’s hair. His smile was cautious, but it was full of real affection. ‘Thanks for seeing me,’ he said, and walked off down the tunnel” (517-518).

Awww, my heart! *clutches chest* *face holding back tears emoji* <3

“She trailed off, unnerved by his lack of response” (519).

“...and Simon said, ‘So have we DTRed now?’

Isabelle shrugged. ‘I have no idea what that means.’

Simon hid the fact that he was inordinately pleased by this. ‘Are we officially boyfriend and girlfriend? Is there a Shadowhunter ritual? Should I change my Facebook status from “it’s complicated” to “in a relationship”?’

Isabelle screwed up her nose adorably. ‘You have a book that’s also a face?’

Simon laughed, and Isabelle bent down and kissed him again. This time he reached up to draw her down, and they wrapped themselves around each other, tangled in blankets, kissing and whispering. He lost himself in the pleasure of the taste of her mouth, the curve of her hip under his hand, the warm skin of her back. He forgot that they were in a demon realm, that they were going into battle the next day, that they might never see home again: Everything faded away and was Isabelle.

‘WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?’ There was a sound of shattering glass, and they both sat up to see Alec glaring at them. He had dropped the empty bottle of wine he had been carrying, and there were bits of sparkly glass all over the cave floor. ‘WHY CAN’T YOU GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO DO THESE HORRIBLE THINGS? MY EYES.’

‘It’s a demon realm, Alec,’ Isabelle said. ‘There’s nowhere for us to go.’

‘And you said I should look after her—’ Simon began, then realized that would not be a productive line of conversation, and shut up.

Alec flopped down on the opposite side of the fire and glared at them both. ‘And where have Jace and Clary gone?’

‘Ah,’ said Simon delicately. ‘Who can say . . .’

‘Straight people,’ Alec declared. ‘Why can’t they control themselves?’

‘It’s a mystery,’ Simon agreed, and lay back down to sleep” (532-533).

lol XD

“...and tired beyond all measures of tired” (533).

“...his expression both calculating and faraway” (537).

“His delicate face was smudged with tiredness” (542).

“‘My father,’ he said, and Clary heard Alec suck in his breath with a gasp. ‘My father, who art in Hell, unhallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in Edom as it is in Hell. Forgive not my sins, for in that fire of fires there shall be neither loving kindness, nor compassion, nor redemption. My father, who makes war in high places and low, come to me now; I call you as your son, and incur upon myself the responsibility of your summoning’” (620).

“‘So I'm your first ever Shadowhunter, huh?’ Alec said when they separated at last. 

‘You're my first so many things, Alec Lightwood,’ Magnus said” (667).

“‘Can I ask you something?’ Clary said.

‘About A Tale of Two Cities?’ He sounded amused. ‘Look, I haven’t read it yet. I like the more modern stuff. Catch-22, The Catcher in the Rye—anything with “catch” in the title, I guess.’ He was flirting a little, Clary thought. He must have thought she’d called him up out of the blue because she thought he was cute. Some random girl at school whose name he didn’t even know” (672).

A tie back to the Infernal Devices I see. *wiggles eyebrows*

YAS! The Catcher in the Rye! I absolutely love that Simon’s teacher made him read that book or I would love it even more if Simon chose to read it on his own time! YAS! 🧡

I love that Cassandra Clare made Simon’s class read A Tale of Two Cities like in The Infernal Devices. I think it’s such a great connection to the past! I really need to read that book one day!

In this alternate universe Simon would be flirting with Clary! XD So cute!<3

• I wonder where Cassandra Clare got the idea for Julian and Emma to spell words on each others skin.

“...before making himself scarce” (684).

“Isabelle watched Clary go, a small figure making its way up the street, unnoticed by other pedestrians. Then she glanced down at the flyer in her hand. 

SIMON LEWIS, ERIC HILLCHURCH, KIRK DUPLESSE, AND MATT CHARLTON 

‘THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS’ 

MAY 19, PROSPECT PARK BAND SHELL 

BRING THIS FLYER, GET $5 OFF YOUR ENTRANCE FEE!” (686).

“As his mother said, once you started worrying about the future, you started obsessing about the past” (689).

“It was always...She hid her grin in the dark” (692-700).

This is one of my favorite CLACE scenes.

“Clary's eyes widened. She wondered if she was about to be broken up with. If so, she would have a thing or two to say to Jace about his timing, after she drowned him in the lake” (697).

Woah! What? Dam Clary! 😕 Jace is ur world, how could u even think that?!  This is no joking matter, Clary.

“Alec stood at...but it was a start” (700-703).

Alec & Robert Scene (So touching)

“The grass was

…

Then he smiled. ‘I don’t remember everything,’ he said. ‘Not yet. But I remember you.’ He brought her hand up, touched the gold ring on her right index finger, the Fair Folk metal warm to the touch. ‘Clary,’ he said. ‘You’re Clary. You’re my best friend’” (703-705).

Clary & Simon (CLIMON) Reunion Scene

That part when Simon says that Clary is his best friend fucked me up right there! 💔 *smacks chest and sobs*

“Alec made his way... we make every day matter’” (705-707).

MALEC Scene 💙💚👬

“‘Chopin.’ Tessa identified the music with a soft smile. ‘I wonder—I wonder if little Emma Carstairs will play the violin someday’” (708).

“She sighed and nodded. ‘All right,’ she said, and let him draw her onto the dance floor. In her heels she was as tall as he was; their eyes were on a level. Behind the glasses his were the same dark coffee brown” (711).

“‘I wouldn't expect you to.’ His face lit up, and she saw the shadow of a memory move behind his eyes. ‘You're a heartbreaker, Isabelle Lightwood,’ he said. ‘I remember that much, at least’” (712).

“Zachariah slung Tessa’s scarf around his shoulders. ‘Tell Jace Herondale that he plays Chopin’s Concerto no. 2 very well,’ he said, and vanished after Tessa, into the crowd. She stared after him, clutching the ring and the Codex” (718).

I love that Zachariah always uses Jace’s full name.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J98BqWRYgNs&t=249s

“‘There's no way,’ said Jace, appearing beside Clary; he had his sleeves...with her friends” (719-720).

Lovely Friends Scene

Raphael reminds me of Armand from The Vampire Chronicles. I wanna see a picture of Raphael from the books. Raphael is 14/15; I wonder how old Armand was when he was Turned. Armand was 17.

I just checked on the Shadowhunters Wiki and it says that Raphael was born in Zacatecas, Mexico. That’s where my da is from. That’s crazy!

I also want to say that Rapahel’s death towards the end of this book felt downplayed or something like that.

CITY OF HEAVENLY FIRE BY CASSANDRA CLARE | booktalk with XTINEMAY