May change this to from 3 stars to 4 stars, after I've had more of a think or read the next books in the series.

But, I watched the film years before reading this book. The film had differences that were changed for the films benefit that I preferred. I know they're two different forms of media, but its true that the film really did outshine the book in parts, mainly being its simpler timeline. However, there were things I preferred about the book, one being that it was more explained and fleshed out.

On personal issues: I DNF’d this book so many times over the last 3 years. And when I really started reading this year, I'd been reading a lot of a author of much maturer content, Sarah, J. Maas. So when Clary is 15 and complaining about her strict mum, being an adult and reading maturer content, I struggled. Meaning I did again DNF’d this book in May time. However later on in the year, I had read other authors and I was in a better place to read and enjoy it, without wanted to jump into the next book.

The world itself was lacking. They are demon hunters and you would have thought that's were the first book would start. But the focus on the story was more on Valantine's torment. This may be refreshing and different to other books, but sadly I didn't appreciate it. I feel completely uneducated on the daily lives of Shadow Hunters, the world building there was virtually non existent. How they hear about, choose, track demons and anything else, as nothing of there normal lives pre Clary really came up. There was loads of talk about special education classes for Shadow Hunters but nothing of that education really came up, other than runes.

Sentences is the book confused me at times with poor / weird grammar and mistakes. All the Jonathon names confused me a little bit,

I know there's a reason names were similar, but when your trying to learn characters it was a bit more difficult.

Many of the characters were difficult for me; unlikable and mean. And at some points I struggled to find one I liked or who was good. Made even more frustrating when a character is portrayed as good and something like murder is overlooked. Which meant I wasn't really rooting for any characters in the story and not involved like a author would want. Then suddenly at the end in the epilogue many peoples attitude had turned a 180 and it was unnatural and uncomfortable, cringy, dialogue to read.

Again on a personal note: Despite the bad things surrounding my review of this book. This was my last read of 2018, finishing on New Year's Eve. I tried to fit this book in the year completely, and enjoyed those lazy days in bed.

I feel my view of the book / world / character is really tainted by seeing the film, so I will have to read the next books to form a proper opinion on the series. Which despite this mostly negative review I will look forward to reading City of Ash. However, the thought of reading the planned 30ish books by Cassandra Clare is ridiculous, so I don't know if I would read any other series in the Shadow Hunter world even if I enjoyed this series.