Cassandra Clare returns to poor form after an above-average City of Ashes. Characters have about-faces; are made unbelievable and crude, especially Simon. Clary is as ridiculous as ever, sprouting extra powers as need demands, and she is as compelling as a piece of cheese. The primary antagonist, Valentine, is an unoriginal cardboard cutout, with goals taken straight from Rowling's Voldemort. Valentine inspires no fear. Jace is a waste of space. The incest plotline(s) are unnecessary and overblown. The author wusses out on the 'dramatic character death' front, killing off an extremely minor character, instead of someone who really deserved it, who was brought back to life by an angel - Can you say Deus ex Machina? Plot is stringed together by a series of coincidence. Backstory is ridiculous and the reader has to endure several pages of forced exposition on multiple occasions. Ultimately, the book is overlong, with a sagging middle, irrelevant characters, and borders on plagiarism on several accounts. The writing is poor, and Clare does not know how to use an adverb, or a semi-colon. Or a comma. But you do get a happy ending!! (And another book; the fourth in the trilogy. Cassandra Clare is an official trilogy creep.)