Showing posts with label Mortal Instruments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mortal Instruments. Show all posts

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Top 5 Sundays: Best Evil Villains

 

Hello! Today I thought I would join in on the Top 5 Sundays meme from Larissa & Friends' Bookish Life. I'm nearly a week late and it isn't Sunday, but oh well, it's fun anyway. :) The theme today is:

Best Evil Villains

Don't you just love it when you come across a really spectacular villain? One who manages to actually creep you out every once in a while? Here's my list, in no particular order. Also, these are just my top 5 off the top of my head, not necessarily my favorites of all time. There are so many good bad guys...

Sebastian from The Mortal Instruments. I like all of the bad guys in that series, but he's the only one who made me shiver sometimes.

Guy of Gisborne & the Sheriff of Nottingham from nearly all Robin Hood stories. Yes, I'm a Robin Hood geek. These two aren't creepy, but they are definitely favorites.

Tohon and the Skeleton King from Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder. Tohon has been kind of creepy through the whole Healer series and the Skeleton King is downright shudder-inducing.

Hugh d'Ambray from the Kate Daniels series. He's not particularly scary, but I really loved him as a main villain in Magic Rises.

Chauvelin from The Scarlet Pimpernel. OK, so he's not scary at all, but he's so much fun. He always has this complicated, nefarious plan to defeat the hero, and Sir Percy just saunters in and makes a fool out of him.

                              Lieder Madchen


Thursday, July 14, 2011

YA Bachelors Month: Jace from the Mortal Instruments

Welcome to the YA Bachelors Month hosted by Amber at Down the Rabbit Hole. This fantastic event is filled with boy-crazed bloggers gushing and raving about their favorite YA heroes. Of course, (sighs) mine is the best. It is my job, as the representative of Jace Wayland, star of City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass and City of Fallen Angels, to convince you (if you are not convinced already) that he is the most eligible bachelor around. To fulfill this purpose, I will share a few of his most swoonworthy lines, pictures and mannerisms, not to mention a brief interview with the man himself! (I will be using pictures of Jamie Campbell Bower as well as one of Lily Collins for Jace and Clary as they have recently been cast to fill the roles in the upcoming film.) So, here it goes...


Jace Wayland is a 16 year old (at the beginning of the series) Shadowhunter with a muscular but slender build. He has tawny hair and gold eyes that remind Clary of a lion. His relationship with the lovely red-head Clary Fray gets off to a rocky start (and middle), but their love conquers death. And I mean that literally. Here is a quote from City of Bones showing how Clary sees him:
Jace was seated at the grand piano, his slender hands moving rapidly over the keys. He was barefoot, dressed in jeans and a gray t-shirt, his tawny hair ruffled up around his head as if he had just woken up. Watching the quick, sure movements of his hands across the keys, Clary remembered how it had felt to be lifted up by those hands, his arms holding her up and the stars hurtling down around her head like a rain of silver tinsel.
Sigh, I love a man who plays the piano.

Despite his father's dubious parenting abilities, Jace loved him dearly and is terribly scarred from witnessing his murder. Who doesn't love a guy with a tragic past? Though he comes across as being utterly full of himself, he never sees himself as being worthy of Clary, and the worst punishment he can come up with for himself is to stay away from her. Aww.
"And now I’m looking at you,” he said, “and you’re asking me if I still want you, as if I could stop loving you. As if I would want to give up the thing that makes me stronger than anything else ever has. I never dared give much of myself to anyone before – bits of myself to the Lightwoods, to Isabelle and Alec, but it took years to do it – but, Clary, since the first time I saw you, I have belonged to you completely. I still do. If you want me."  Swoon.

Best Bad Boy:
Very quickly, you can see that he is fearless, smug, arrogant, sarcastic, irritating and totally swoonworthy. I mean, really, all of those pointed words and barbed remarks are a shield he uses to hide his true feelings. Not that he doesn't have fun being insufferable, though, because he most certainly does. It is one of the few things he truly enjoys in life. Well, that and near-death experiences. He is perhaps a bit addicted to those.
"Tell me, is he always really rude, or does he save that for mundanes?"
"Oh, he's rude to everyone," said Isabelle airily. "It's what makes him so damn sexy. That, and he's killed more demons than anyone else his age."
I think Isabelle has a point. He is the perfect Bad Boy.


Favorite Supernatural Being:
As a Shadowhunter, Jace has angel blood and certain abilities. He can heal himself, he has a wicked way with knives and he is far tougher than the ordinary teenager. He also has his own unique and not entirely explored powers imparted to him by extra angel (or is it demon?) blood in his veins. He can jump so high he is nearly flying and land as light as a feather, and who knows what talents may develop in the future...




Sexiest:
OK, where do I begin? Just look at him shirtless on the cover of City of Bones! In my mind, what makes a guy sexy is a combination of several things. One of them is good looks, which Jace Wayland certainly has. He knows exactly how hot he is and treats it like a fact of nature. Which it is. But more important is his personality. He is a sarcastic devil-may-care on the outside, but he is capable of such tenderness and that is what makes him so attractive. And his kissing...
It was almost as if he hadn't wanted to kiss her: His mouth was hard on hers, unyielding; then he put both arms around her and pulled her against him. His lips softened. She could feel the rapid beat of his heart, taste the sweetness of apples still on his mouth. She wound her hands into his hair, as she'd wanted to do since the first time she'd seen him. His hair curled around her fingers, silky and fine. Her heart was hammering and there was a rushing sound in her ears, like beating wings --
Add to that the fact that he plays the piano, speaks who knows how many languages, including Latin, and writes a killer love letter, how can any girl resist?


Best Fighter:
He isn't a bulky jock, but rather slim, agile, fast and he laughs and cracks jokes in the face of death. Wielding numerous seraph blades as well as a stele, he causes destruction wherever he goes. His very presence makes any sensible homeowner cringe. Among his many defeated enemies are: Demons. Downworlders. Forsaken. Creatures of evil too numerous to count. Not to mention the occasional near-relation...
"Now he's a - what do you call people like him again?"
"He's a Shadowhunter," Clary said.
"A demon hunter," Jace clarified. "I kill demons. It's not that complicated, really."

"I wish he'd hurry," Jace said crossly.
"Why? Does it hurt?" Clary asked.
"No. I have a high pain threshold. In fact, it's less a threshold and more of a large and tastefully decorated foyer. But I do get easily bored."


Best One Liner:
"There is no pretending, I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I'll love you then." With anyone else that would probably be corny, but Jace says it so sincerely, as if stating a simple fact, that you just can't help but sigh.

Change My Mind:
Well, I will have to leave this part to you, because my mind is already made up.

Overall Favorite:
He is most certainly my overall favorite. I have read a lot of YA novels, and I mean a LOT, and many of them have truly wonderful heroes, but in my mind not one comes close to Jace Wayland.

Now, for the grand finale, the wonderful Cassandra Clare agreed to have Jace and Clary answer five questions. Since this post is all about Jace, so are the questions.


Clary:
1) What is the best thing about Jace? The worst? Is he a good kisser?

The best thing about Jace is that he always does what he thinks is right. He has his own code of honor. The worst thing is that he doesn't care about placing himself at personal risk. It doesn't make it easy to be his girlfriend. As to whether he's a good kisser . . . that's like asking if Everest is a big hill.
Jace:
2) Can you please describe yourself in your own words?

 I keep trying, but Clary keeps erasing what I write and writing over it. I don't see what's wrong with describing myself as 'so staggeringly good-looking that people of both genders have been known to walk into telephone poles while staring at me.'

3) What do you think of Jamie Campbell Bower? Do you think he can manage to properly portray you or will your awesomeness get the better of him?

[The author says: now, there's a metatextual question.]  I can only assume that if the producers chose him to represent myself, he must have some astounding qualities. While no one can quite capture the lightning flash of amazingness that is myself, he seems well placed to do an excellent job of trying.
4) What are the worst/best situations you can possibly imagine?

Worst situation: Being stuck listening to Alec sing. I used to have the room next to his and I could hear him sing in the shower. It's bone-chilling, I tell you. Best situation — what's the rating on this?  Because I'm a sixteen year old boy and our minds are pretty much like the Welsh railway system: one-track and dirty.

5) Is there anything about yourself that you wish Cassandra Clare would put in her books but hasn’t?
More nude scenes. I should be naked more often. Some time spent every day admiring my nude form would do most people a world of good. Perhaps there should be illustrations.

Jace is so hilariously full of himself, I should have known he wouldn't take an interview seriously. Then again, would it be nearly so entertaining if he did?

I would like to thank Jace, Clary and Cassandra for answering my questions and Amber for coming up with YA Bachelors Month. This was way too much fun!

Head over to Down the Rabbit Hole to see Jace and other cute guys from YA novels!

                                  Lieder Madchen

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Book Review #62: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels
by Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA Fantasy / Paranormal
Ages: 13 and up
Book 4 in the Mortal Instruments series. Also see my review of Clockwork Angel, book 1 of the Infernal Devices series.

Product Description:
The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.
 
Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her. His mother just found out that he's a vampire and now he's homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side—along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. Not to mention that he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other one.
 
When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

My Review:
Have you ever felt the overwhelming urge to throttle an author simply for ending a book? Well, that is how I felt at the end of City of Fallen Angels. I mean, really, it was shorter than the previous books and did it have to end there??? And I have to wait a whole year before the next one comes out? Grr. I really shouldn't read books in a series until they are all released, but I can't help myself. I must be a masochist.

(Note: Sorry for the above rant, I needed to vent to someone and my sister is still reading City of Glass so I can't vent to her. Yet. Later, maybe we can console each other.)

This book was fantastic. I had heard that Jace was not at his best from other reviewers, but I don't agree. Sure, he wasn't quite as entertainingly sarcastic as usual, but with everything going on in his head, who would be? I would have found it strange if he had been his usual self. As it is, he was even more tormented and vulnerable than ever before. Clary was her lovely, spunky self throughout, supporting her friends with her faith in them even when they didn't have faith in themselves. She seems to be growing up faster than the boys, but then again, if she didn't, who would look after them?

As for secondary characters, one of them has graduated. I don't think Simon counts as a secondary character anymore. From the sweet, friendly boy of City of Bones, he has grown into a complicated (not to mention undead) young man with serious romantic issues. There were some times when I wanted to bash his head against the wall and others where I wanted to give him a hug.

Magnus managed to be entertaining even from hundreds of miles away, which is no mean feat, but I wished that he played a larger part in the story. I like that Alec was developed a bit more, even though he is such a girl sometimes. I really liked Isabelle in this book, even more than before, and I can hardly wait to see what happens with her and a certain someone... :)

The level of teenage-angst in this book was through the roof and well on its way to the moon. Tense relationships and raging hormones exacerbated by near-death experiences...you get the picture. There were points when I was tearing my hair and mentally yelling at the characters (wouldn't want to yell out loud and frighten the neighbors), ordering them to communicate better. They mostly ignored me, but it was worth a shot.

I am glad that I read Clockwork Angel before City of Fallen Angels, there were several references that I would have missed if I hadn't. However, it raised even more questions about what might happen in Clockwork Prince, which in turn increased my cliffhanger-fueled frustration. Especially those hints about Magnus and Will...hmm.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has read the rest of the series and doesn't mind an oh-so irritating cliffhanger that will keep them grumbling until they can get their hands on City of Lost Souls.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
This book gets a 4.10 for mild to mid-level swearing.

Sexuality:
I rate this a 3.10 for multiple references, innuendos and a scene where certain people lose some clothing.

Violence:
I give it a 7.10 for several scenes of bloody violence and some disturbing material.

                                        Lieder Madchen

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Book Review #61: The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, City of Ashes and City of Glass
by Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA Fantasy / Paranormal
Ages: 13 and up

City of Bones Publisher Description:
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . .

Note: I am reviewing these three books together because, to me, they make up one story. I only put up the description of City of Bones because it is the first one, and therefore that is the description of the beginning of the story. If I could, I would get this series in one volume and count it as one book. :)

My Review:
I avoided this series for quite a while, looking at it occasionally out of the corner of my eye when I went to the library but never picking it up. I was quite prejudiced against vampires until I read Clockwork Angel and decided that they could be okay. After reading that, I had to get my hands on the Mortal Instruments as soon as possible. It took me perhaps two days to read them all. If anything, I liked them even more than Clockwork Angel.

Jace is perhaps one of my favorite male leads ever. Sure, he is as obnoxious as heck and there are times when I wanted to smack him silly, but he is so swoonworthy. I mean, really. Scarred, sarcastic and strangely vulnerable with only one girl who can touched his heart. Sigh. Like I said, swoonworthy. Plus, he plays the piano.

I loved Clary. Smart and stubborn, she will not let anyone walk over her or control her life. Not Jace, not her mother, not anybody. Her romance with Jace and her relationship with Simon are so marvelously convoluted and at times tragically confused. I spent all of City of Ashes searching for hints and foreshadowing that would reveal Jace's true origins. I mean, really, did anyone actually believe the twist at the end of City of Bones? (I am being deliberately vague for those of you who haven't read the series, those who have will know what I am talking about.)

No matter how magnificent Jace and Clary are, however, they pale in comparison to the force of nature that is Magnus Bane. He is the most fantastic, original, wonderful character I have met in a long time. He is so completely wacky that it was just fun to read everything involving him. Considering the fact that he is a complete opposite to me in every way, I found it very easy to sympathize with him. (Not that I am not wacky, but I would never be caught dead wearing sparkly blue sequins.)

The snappy dialogue in this series is great. There are some truly wonderful exchanges between Jace and Simon, Jace and Clary, Jace and Alec...let's face it. Most of the snappy dialogue involved Jace in one way or another. I am sure he does it for the attention.

After finishing City of Glass, I was rather surprised to learn that there was going to be another book in the series. It seemed to end so perfectly that I am a little worried that City of Fallen Angels might ruin it. However, reading through the series for a second time, I began listing the loose ends in my head and I realized that I really want to know where they lead. Therefore, I am ridiculously excited by the fact that City of Fallen Angels is sitting on the hold shelf at my local library, just waiting for me to pick it up... :)

This is a fun, satisfying YA paranormal fantasy series that I would recommend to readers 13 and up who are not afraid of good-sized novels. (I love the fact that the books are so long. The bigger the better.) Happy Reading!

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I give these three books a 4.10 for mid-level swearing and insults.

Sexuality:
These books get a 2.10 for some references, innuendos and sensuality.

Violence:
The series, as a whole, gets a 8.10 for bloody violence and some disturbing scenes including the murders of children.

                                 Lieder Madchen