This is a tough book to review. If you look at the plethora of reviews out there, there is very little middle ground -- people either hate it or love it. I understand both points, so I came down in the middle. This may be a book you have to judge as part of the entire series, rather than an isolated work.

They mythos is well constructed. Demons (and half-demons) exist throughout the world (some good, some bad, and some neutral). There is a group called the Shadowhunters who are like peace keepers and enforcers all rolled into one. Most of the rest of the world goes about their day, not noticing. Clary, with her friend Simon, are dragged into the world and the adventure takes off.

Let's tick off the negatives: Clare has borrowed way too much from a certain epic space opera... Enough to the point that it feels like it taints a lot of the good in the book (even the dialog once it's revealed is painfully similar). Clary and Simon too readily accept this new world. A huge chunk of the back story is told in one rambling monologue chapter, where I felt cheated -- it was too easy and sloppy of a reveal.

I enjoyed it enough to want to read the second. Not very much reaches a conclusion in this first installment, which is understandable considering the trilogy.

Really, if it weren't for the borrowing from said space opera, I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more.