Preston Smith
To this day, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare remains one of the most appreciated and widely read young adult fantasy series. It spawned a movie and television series on top of two spinoff book series. With these accomplishments you may wonder what makes this series so special, and if you are we’ve got you covered.
The first thing that makes this series standout is the wide array of characters. As the six-book-series progresses, more and more characters become involved into the ongoing battle of good versus evil, or shadowhunters versus demonic forces in this case. These characters come from all different backgrounds and go through various struggles, essentially creating a wealthy cache of relatable characters for varying audiences.
This cache of characters also portrays excellent representation. Cassandra Clare has woven into the series LGBT+ individuals, people of colors, and individuals with psychical and mental disabilities. Clare shows these characters in important leadership roles, which is monumental in normalizing representation and showing all kids, teenagers, and adults that they can do whatever they want. For example, she has Maia Roberts, who is African American, lead her werewolf pack; Alec Lightwood, who is gay, lead the New York shadowhunters’ institute; and Magnus Bane, who is both Asian and bisexual, act as the head warlock in Brooklyn, NY.
On top of excellent characters and representation, the plot of The Mortal Instruments is one to write home about. It progresses smoothly, no plot twists are too wacky or feel out of place, the narrative is consistently fresh with slow-burning revelations, etc. It’s a series that will keep you craving more as you learn about the Shadow World, Alicante, Edom, and every place in between.
Furthermore, the lore of the series is top notch. The premise of the book surrounds shadowhunters and their relation to the Downworld – the community comprised of werewolves, vampires, warlocks, and faeries. Despite revolving around these fantastical species, the series never feels forced or cheesy. Rather, Clare builds worlds of lore that are special and completely her own and in which you become completely consumed.
Despite being action-heavy, the series is also filled with a ton of brilliant humor. This is one of the best aspects of the series. Clare has somehow found a way to perfectly blend action and humor while also being brilliantly descriptive. It’s easy to go overboard on details when writing, but Clare has mastered the art of being just detailed enough to make her books perfectly worth reading.
Overall, we love absolutely everything about The Mortal Instruments. It’s been out for years and we still find ourselves coming back to it all the time, re-reading it and discovering all of its spinoff content.
Do you love Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments series as much as we do? Comment below and tweet us @Fuzzable with all of your love and opinions for this series!
