I have quiet a hard time reviewing this book for a few reasons. It must have been 2012 - so four years ago, can you believe it? - when I read this book for the first time. I know I loved it immediately back then but I think now I have a bit of a different view on things. I still love it and the characters and the whole world of it but not quite as much as before. That's why I'm giving it 4 and not 5 stars as I had rated it before.

I love the idea of Shadowhunters and Downworlders and them living together or at least trying to do so. The Shadowhunters seem to be the amazing, sparkling heroes of the series but they are not. Of course they are powerful and many of them are incredible characters who are amazing at their job, but they all have flaws and some of them are not as good as they should be. And then their are of course the werewolves and vampires and warlocks who are also good and amazing and skilled and who fight for good (most of this not in City of Bones but the other books of the series).

The characters, the humor, the relationships, the different kinds of people and of course the really interesting story with quite a few plot twists are all great and I'm glad I revisited this story in its beginning. Maybe, if I ever have enough time, I might re-read all the books and actually remember all the things that happen in them.

I only want to add that I gave City of Bones "only" four stars because I get quite annoyed with the characters many times and that I really can't relate to them in those moments and that does put me off a bit. Otherwise the book is amazing, definitely.