The Mortal Instruments is a series of six young adult fantasy novels written

by Cassandra Clare, the last of which was published May 27, 2014. The Mortal
Instruments is chronologically the third series of a proposed five in The
Shadowhunter Chronicles.
Contents
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1 Publication history

2 Main characters

3 Critical reception

4 Popular culture references

5 Further books in the series

o

5.1 Prequels

5.2 Sequels

5.3 Offshoots

6 Film adaptations

7 TV series adaptation

8 References

9 External links

Publication history[edit]
1. City of Bones (published March 27, 2007)
2. City of Ashes (published March 25, 2008)
3. City of Glass (published March 23, 2009)
4. City of Fallen Angels (published April 5, 2011)
5. City of Lost Souls (published May 8, 2012)
6. City of Heavenly Fire (published May 27, 2014)
Main characters[edit]
Main article: List of The Mortal Instruments characters

Clarissa "Clary" Adele Fray (also referred to as Fairchild and Morgenstern) is the
sister of Jonathan Morgenstern and daughter of Valentine Morgenstern and Jocelyn
Fairchild. To protect Clary, Jocelyn changes her surname to Fray. Clary is described
as having long, curly red hair, freckles, and bright green eyes. She is very small and
thin and often viewed as younger than her actual age. Clary is an artist, and in the
first book, City of Bones, believes she is a mundane, an ordinary human. It is later
revealed that she is a Shadowhunter, a human with angelic qualities. Clary is
described as being stubborn and often rushes into dangerous situations without
considering the consequences. Her best friend in the series is Simon Lewis. He is in
love with her but she is romantically involved with Jace Wayland. Clary is devastated
when she is told that Jace is her brother but later learns this is untrue. Clary
discovers she can read ancient runes that are used by angels, and she can create
her own runes, an ability that was caused by the extra angel blood Valentine
administered to her while she was in her mother's womb.
Jonathan Christopher "Jace" Herondale (also referred to as Wayland,
Morgenstern, and Lightwood) is described as being tall and muscular with scars
across his golden skin from faded magical marks called Runes. He has wavy blond
hair and golden eyes, and, like Clary, is a Shadowhunter. Jace is among the
Nephilim's best fighters and readily defends his family. Jace is often flirty and
insensitive, and is described as projecting a false arrogance due to an insecurity
that he is not good enough. Throughout the books, Jace's biological family remains
unknown although he refers to Isabelle, Alec, and Max as his siblings, and Maryse
and Robert Lightwood as his parents. In City of Bones, he believes he is a Wayland
but at the end of the book Valentine Morgenstern falsely tells him that he is Jace's
father. In City of Glass, Jace learns that his biological father is actually Stephen
Herondale. He goes by the surname of his adoptive family, the Lightwoods but
changes it back to Herondale upon learning more about his true father. Like Clary,
he has special powers which make him swift and graceful, caused by the extra
angel blood he received while in his mother's womb. His parabatai is Alec
Lightwood. Parabatai refers to a pair of Nephilim warriors who fight together as
lifelong partners. This is represented as a permanent rune that allows both
individuals to be connected to each other. If one partner happens to be seriously
hurt or has died the other one will be able to feel the same pain.
Simon Lewis is a tall, thin boy with a mop of brown hair, brown eyes, and wears
glasses. He often wears T-shirts with gamer slogans. In City of Lost Souls, Simon
describes himself as being a "hipster," but his best friend, Clary, refers to him as a
geek. Simon is the only character to begin life as an ordinary human (called a
mundane), but in City of Ashes he is transformed into a vampire. After becoming a
vampire, he never ages and physically will remain 16-years-old. In "City of Ashes"
Valentine Morgenstern stabs Simon in the throat and slits his wrists for the onefourth vampire blood needed to convert the Mortal Sword. Jace finds Simon and cuts

his own wrist to let Simon drink his blood, thus resulting in Simon becoming a
Daylighter. Simon is quirky and caring,