Independent+Novel+Study

Myron Lam City of Bones December 2, 2011 Page 1-98

1. Why did you select this novel? I selected this novel because I wanted something that was mythical and not life like. 2. What has happened before the novel began? What happened before was that Clary was a normal girl, or at least she thought she was. Her dad died and she was living with her mom. 3. What is the initial or first problem faced by the main character? The initial problem faced by the main character was that she went to a club, and there she saw a murder happen by 3 teenagers.

Summery: Clary Fray had a normal life with normal friends, like Simon. Her dad died a long time ago and she has to live with her mom, which is an artist. One day, Clary went to the Pandemonium Club with Simon, witnessing something weird. She then was curious enough to follow a stranger, then witness a murder of a blue-haired boy by 3 teens. They explained that it was not a person, but a demon. She was scared out of her mind, but as Simon came, he did not see anyone. Obviously, the 3 teens were still there. The next day, her mom wanted her to go on this vacation out somewhere in the country, but Clary did not want to go. She then left to go with her friends, with the anger and guilt lingering in her mind. She went to a coffee shop with her friends, and saw 1 of the 3 murderers there. Once talking to the murderer, a strange phone call rang. It was her mom telling her to not come home, whatever she does. She then drops her phone as she shakes. Clary whacked the murderer and steals what seemed like a cellphone. Clary was worried because her mom was cut off, so she ran to the house anyways. This monster attempted to attack her, but she struggled and put the "cellphone" in the monster's mouth. The monster then died and Clary faints. The when she wakes up, the murderer drags her to their base. Clary meets the murderers master and they discuss about what happened. She phones her mother's friend and her mother's friend objected to helping. She was saddened when she wanted to go to her house one more time. When they went, they found a Forsaken, something that things turn into if they use runes on human. Runes are thing that the murderers use to power themselves up. Once they defeated it, the fortune teller that lives downstairs then comes out and tells them all she knows.

I believe that this book is amazing as it gives a really detailed description on everything that you want to know about but it's not so detailed that it doesn't let you use your imagination. It's also interesting as it pulls you in, making you feel as if you were there in the setting. It's great that it's fantasy, yet it's so serious and suspenseful sometimes that it makes it feel real. Usually the beginning is boring in books but this is interesting from beginning to end. It also shows a perspective and interaction of a daily life of a teenager. It's hard to put down the book because it's always a mystery, waiting for the answer to be solved. Releasing just the right amount of information at the right time is one of the books best characteristics. It's also aiming to attract teenagers because of it's language. The language is one similar to the one we use now-days, with familiar names like Starbucks. It's also has great humor with quotes like "Hi, I'm one of the knife-carrying hooligans you met last night in Pandemonium? I'm afraid I made a bad impression and was hoping you'd give me a chance to make up to-", but the most funniest parts are the situational ones. Like how Simon's friend wrote a bunch of poem's and is going to perform it at a shop and Simon said "Please don't tell anyone I know him". Overall I believe that this book is beautifully written.

Myron Lam City of Bones December 9, 2011 Page 99-214

1. Who is telling the story? How does this person’s perspective effect the way the story is told? Clary Fray is telling the story. Her perspective changes the story because she has no idea what happened when she received the weird phone call from her mom and didn't know what tried to attack her. Clary's mom suddenly disappeared and her thoughts has changed, changing her perspective. Also, it's because Clary doesn't know what the other people think and maybe the evil villains are the shadowhunter, and not Valentine. 2. How does the author get you to read on or hold your interest? The author keeps the interest because of sudden action. Also, new information is inputted all the time, with some plot twist. The new information really keeps a suspense, because it's not putting it all at once, instead of piling a bunch of info in one place, making it hard to understand, thus making it less interesting to read. 3. Is the language in the novel difficult or easy? GIve examples and explain. The language in the novel is easy to read because the language is targeting teens. I can really connect with what the characters say instead of Shakespeare's language, which is really hard.

Summery: Clary soon talks enough with the fortune teller and discovers a portal. She thinks that her mom didn't run away, because Clary wasn't there with her. Clary rashly jumps into the portal, thinking it'll lead to her mom's runaway spot. It turns out, she teleported to Luke's house and the shadowhunter, Jace followed her. They find Simon there, finding out he has been there, suspicious of Luke, for a long time. They break into the house, finding her picture of her mom, Luke, and her. They figure out that they transfer to Luke's house because that was the last place the portal teleported to. Soon Luke comes in and they listen to his conversation with 2 men. It was about Valentine and how he needs the cup. The 2 men, later on said, were the killers that killed Jace's father. Clary and her group leaves to go back to the Institute, reporting what they have heard to Hodge. They find out the past and how everyone joined, including Clary's mom and Luke, Valentine's army. The section ended with Clary's mom being Valentine's wife. They still discuess, but over some chinese take-out. Jace volunteered Clary to get a Silent Brother to read her mind. She protested at first, but then agreed. The Silent Brother said that she has a block in her mind and she needs to go with him to their hideout to get it removed. She goes there and it turns out, they can't get rid of it, and she'll need to get the one who put that block in her head to get it out, whose name is Magnus Bane. They get ready to go there and that is the end of the chapter.

Over here, it developed a nice mystery about her mother and Valentine. It kept the interest going, while including needed information. Some people may think the excessive information and socializing was unnecessary, but it really relieved the pressure that was building up, without letting all of it go. Cassandra Clare is an amazing author which knew the balance between too much pressure and too little pressure. She kept the thoughts lingering, even though there is 2 pages worth of socializing. Like I said in my previous entry, I enjoy a lot of the humor that was imputed in. Also, so far, I enjoy this book because you feel as if you can communicate with the characters even if they aren't real. It really pulls you in the story, without feeling like you're Clary. It's nice to have a first-person perspective while imagining it as a third-person.

Myron Lam City of Bones December 15, 2011 Page 215-294

1. What is the initial or first problem faced by the main character? The initial problem is that Clary didn't want to go to "vacation" to somewhere out there, because she spent her own money to get art classes, and she still has classes left over. 2. What new things are added to the original problem as the novel progresses? The new things that were added to the original problem were that her mom got kidnaped, finding out her mom use to be a Shadowhunter and now currently trying to find her mom. 3. Comment on the style of the novel. Is it easy or hard to follow the events? The events of the story are easy to follow because the book doesn't have much time skips, and if they do have time skips, they're usually in small periods of time.

Summery: Clary has a nice long chat with Magnus after they were invited to his party. They discussed how her mom asked Magnus to put that block in her mind. Once they left Magnus's bedroom, they find out that Simon, the mundane friend, drank this potion, which turned him into a mouse. Magnus said that the effects will disappear overtime and they don't have to worry. Once they were heading back to the Institute, Clary discovers Simon isn't in her pocket. She and Jace told the rest that they'll catch up and they left back. They found out where Simon might have been, and they pressured Magnus to tell them the location of the vampires' lair. He reluctantly told them, and would not if Clary didn't say that he put a block in her mind and that telling her could be the least he could do. They enter there, invade it, only to hold the leader hostage for Simon. Some action happens and the werewolves join in, demanding for Clary. Of course, Jace and Clary ran and remembered that some vampire bikes might fly. They jumped off, lucky that that bike did indeed fly. They escaped safely, only to discover that the sunset drains the bikes energy, and they crash down.

I personally thought that this part had a bit too much information without enough action. The entire thing was boring until the part where they go to the vampires' lair and fight it out. It wasn't so boring as reading a textbook, but it wasn't to my standard. I preferred it when they input some information, then some action and repeat, than dump a whole chunk of info, then the action. I still found the layout and the words easy and understandable. Overall, if I were to give this section a mark, I would give it a 3/5.

Myron Lam City of Bones January 6, 2012 Page 295-385

1. What plot twists or unexpected events happen as the novel goes on? A plot twist that happened was that Hodges turned out to be a double spy and was working with Valentine to get the immortal cup. 2. Is the novel believable? Of course this story isn't believable. Not that many people would believe in monsters and wizards. Maybe a small population believes, but most the the world doesn't. 3. To what age group is the novel aimed? Support your answer with evidence. The age group that this book is aiming for is teenagers. There are a bunch of "juicy" scenes in this book, just like what one of the commenters on the book said. The language they use is very modern with a lot of communication with teenagers. Of course if there is a lot of communication with teenagers, the author would have to make it look authentic by using teenager language.

Summery: Clary and Jace arrived to the institute in one piece... more or less. They got chewed out by Hodge and they rested for some time. Then during the night, Simon came into her and they talked about old time, falling asleep halfway in. Clary, despite super sleepy with all that happened that day, could not sleep. Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door. Opening it, she saw chase and invited her to the greenhouse to eat, for Clary did not eat yet. When they went up, they talked about stuff, then got all snug. They went back down, seeing Hodge's pet, knowing Hodge will be up there soon. At her room door, they suddenly got into this passionate kiss. Simon, just awoken, opened the door to see this. Simon was mad at Clary and Jace for kissing, and Jace was mad at Clary and Simon because Clary chased after Simon. Clary and Simon got into a fight, Clary found out Simon likes her and Simon left. Jace was still mad at her and she couldn't chase after Simon anymore, so she just went into her room. She started drawing a rune and a picture. Suddenly, the picture came out of the drawing and she has an idea. The next day, she phones Simon to drive her and the Shadowhunters to her apartment. She asks Dorothea if she can borrow the ace of hearts from the present her mom has given Dorothea as a present. She drew the rune and the cup came out. Then Dorothea tried to snatch it away, summoning a greater demon. The demon failed and they went back to the Institute for safety, as Alec got poisoned by a greater demon. Hodge could barely do nothing, not knowing that they succeeded in getting the cup. He was all frantic and said things like "Give me the cup" He then snatched it away, and Valentine came to pick it up. He also requested for Jace and Hodge reluctantly gave him Jace. They went away and it turned out, Hodge did all that, just for his own freedom. She was so mad at Hodge, but she couldn't do anything because she was trapped into this magic box. Hodge left and Clary remembered she has Jace's steele, which she used to work her way to escape. Following Hodge, she got trapped into the corner. Suddenly, a wolf came and appeared to have killed Hodge, but he escaped. The wolf morphed from a wolf to Luke. Clary was raging at Luke and they sat down for an explanation.

This section, for me, is the most important. It gives the most information, but while the most action. The action near the end really makes you want to keep reading, making ti hard to restrain yourself. Even though there was some boring parts with love and such, it was interesting because there was a huge problem inside it. Also, in this section, it barely gives useless information, and the prime place for plot twists. It can't be the best mid part, because pretty much all book's mid parts are interesting. Judging from the other book's mid parts, I would give this part a 4/5.

Myron Lam City of Bones January 13, 2012 Page 389-485

1. Why would you (or why wouldn't you) recommend this novel to a friend? I would recommend this book to a friend because this book has a deep plot. It also has enough excitement inside of it, mixed with action and dialogue. It would also depend on what kind of genre my friend likes to read because certain people like to read certain books. 2. Why did (or didn't) the novel meet your expectations? This novel met my expectations because it was exciting throughout the story as I said in the last question. Also, this book rarely sends in information to let the reader foreshadow, making it always an action-mystery. 3. What were the major things that helped to resolve the plot? The major things that helped resolve the plot were that Luke turned out to be good guy and got a pack of wolves to help rescue Jocelyn. Another major thing that helped resolve the plot was the fact that, despite being the son of Valentine and wanting family again, Jace betrayed Valentine.

Summery: Clary and Luke sat down and they had this history lesson. It was about how Luke was not so good at being a shadow hunter, but Valentine saved him. Valentine formed this group and was the leader, but once his father died, he became all violent. Luke tried harder and harder to please Valentine everyday, but it didn't really work. Apparently, Jocelyn's pity and Valentine's sorrow made them fall in love. They got married and got a kid. One night, Valentine asked Luke to hunt with him. A wolf bit Luke and they didn't tell the Clave. Eventually, Luke transformed into a werewolf and Valentine gave Luke a knife to kill himself. When Valentine went away, Luke did think of suicide. Instead of suicide, Luke charged right into the base of the werewolves and duked it out with the leader. When Luke won, he was crowned the new leader of the wolves and Luke reconsidered suicide. Just before a war that Valentine was going to start, Jocelyn found Luke and plotted against Valentine. When the war raged, Valentine got so mad he burned her families house, along with her parents and her child. Jocelyn fled the city, vowing to not get involved with Shadow hunters again. When Luke finished his story, they rushed to Valentine's base. Lots of wolves died to the forsaken outside, but they managed to get in. They found Clary's mom in a coma and wanted to leave with Jocelyn, but Clary had to save Jace. She rushed up there, finding Jace, and finding out he's her brother. Luke pops out, and fights Valentine. When they finally caught Valentine, the door exploded and gave Valentine a chance to throw a knife. The knife almost connected with Luke, but his best wolf dived and saved Luke. Valentine left and both the kids chased after Valentine. Valentine pursued Jace to follow him, but Clary held him back. After that, Valentine escaped. The epilogue showed that everyone was once again, fine.

This part of the story is probably my favorite. There is a lot of action in here, and a gigantic plot twist really brought out the shine. This book really makes me want the sequel because it leaves a whole bunch of cliff hangers like "Will Valentine ever be caught?" and "What will happen next?". I personally liked this book, because it was balanced with talking and action. Most books have either too much action, and no talking, which makes it really confusing, or too little action and too much talking, which makes it boring. If I were to give this book a grade, I would give it a 4.5/10!