City of Ashes (Cassandra Clare)

They'll find out whatever it is you want most in the world and give it to you--- with a sting in the tail of the gift that will make you regret you ever wanted it in the first place. (p.180)

Pansamantala kong isinantabi si Edward Cullen dahil bukod sa napakarami nang fanatic ang nagkakandarapa sa kanya lalo pa't sa disyembre na lalabas ang pagsasapelikula ng Twilight, muli kong nakadaupangpalad ang mga Shadowhunter kung saan tampok ang aking pinakatangi-tanging si Jace Wayland (aka Jonathan Morgensten) kagabi.

Ito ang Book II sa Mortal Instruments trilogy.

At sa loob ng mahigit-kumulang 10 oras, muli kong binuhos ang aking buong atensyon at afeksyon kay Jace.

Natuwa. Nasabik. Kinilig. Nalungkot. Kinilig. Kinilig. Naluha. Kinilig. Kinilig. Kinilig. Naaliw. Kinilig.

Nasabi ko na bang kinilig?

Mas lalo pang naging makulay ang pagbabasa ko nitong Book II dahil nadagdagan ang level ng power of imagination ko sa tulong na rin ng East Coast tour ko earlier this month. Kaya mas vivid ngayon ang setting ng kwento, although it's not entirely necessary kasi magaling sa paggamit ng picture words si Binibining Cassandra.

To compare this with Twilight trilogy is uh... insane. Mas maraming characters ang involved dito. Faeries. Werewolves. Vampires. Nephilims (the Shadowhunters). And demons. Yes, lots of kinds of demons.

And the TWIST is i must say, also insane.

Sa Twilight, papatayin ni Jacob si Edward pag nagpasya itong i-convert si Bella into vampire dahil nangangahulugan ito ng paglabag sa napagkasunduan ng Cullens at werewolves ng whatsitsname reservation.

Dito sa Mortal Instruments, bagamat mayroon ding love triangle (Simon-Clare-Jace), mas praning ang lovestory. In Book I (City of Bones), Clary and Jace fell in love with each other just to learn later on that they were in fact, siblings.

INCEST alert.

It was a continuation of their implied forbidden love in Book II but they pretty much sorted out their feelings, especially Jace, who, much to my dismay, decided to put off his affection, to which Clary had been taken aback. It seemed to me that she was actually hoping they could continue this sorry love affair.

Clary: It doesn't matter how many times you say it. It'll still be true.
Jace: And it doesn't matter what you won't let me say, that'll still be true too.
(p.202)

Jace: Everytime you almost die, I almost die myself.

Aside from the cheesy lines that drove me completely hysterical, the puns/sarcasms in conversations were definitely hardcore. I love it when either Simon or Magnus is involved in conversations.

But this isn't just about Clary's forbidden affection for Jace. Clary adores her mother so much that her faith is tested when her mother fell in a coma at the latter part of Book I.

Clary: I remember you saying that growing up happens when you start having things you look back on and wish you could change. I guess that means I'm grown up now.

Again, worth the 20 bucks, And I couldn't wait any longer for the Book III!