15-year old Clary witnesses a crime at a trendy New York night club. Interesting thing, nobody but Clary can see both the victim and perpetrators. As it turns out, there is an entire invisible to regular people world, and Clary is an unwitting important part of it.
The rest of the book is one extended hot mess. I am constantly disappointed with the world of young-adult fiction. Very poor writing is somehow packaged and sold to readers who do not know better. This book is possibly the worst offender, though Veronica Roth does give Ms. Clare some competition there.
The main protagonist seems largely unconcerned that her mother is missing and possibly dead, still engaging in witty banter with a boy who does not seem to be able to talk without sarcasm.
The back story is told in tedious bits and pieces, and there are way too many protagonists, deuteragonists and antagonists, so much so that it is hard for the reader to keep track. Too many concepts, too convoluted a history and painfully lazy world building.
Strongly recommend that folks stay well away from this book. There was apparently a movie too, but I couldn’t be bothered to look that one up.