Cassandra Clare, now a household name in the teen literature industry, was just releasing her second novel on this day 10 years ago. City of Ashes, the second instalment of the best selling series The Mortal Instruments, was published on the 15th of March 2008, and the series has since been adapted for both TV and film.
The book picks off right after its predecessor, The City of Bones, ends – with Clary’s mother in a coma, while Jace is imprisoned for fighting alongside the series’ antagonist, Valentine. It delves deeper into Clary and Jace’s relationship as they attempt to accept that they are siblings, and explores Clary’s unique rune drawing ability. Meanwhile, Valentine continues to collect a powerful set of objects known as the Mortal Instruments, the entire series building to his conquest attempt of the Shadow Hunter world.
These novels lay the foundations for Clare’s future works, such as Clockwork Angel or Lady Midnights. The novel was planned to become a film, as City of Bones had been, in 2014, but the TV series Shadowhunters was produced instead.
Known for its wit and unique take on fantasy, The Mortal Instruments remains a popular series for teens today.
Watch the trailer for the upcoming third season of Shadowhunters below, released on Freeform on 3rd April:
