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"City of Ashes" by Cassandra Clare

Why I read it: The boy was nagging me to. I finished book one what, three weeks ago?

Bookmark: Chapters love of reading fund (this one is getting a lot of use)

Tastes like chicken: Book one? That's pretty uninspired, I know.

What I liked: The story was really fast-paced and had plenty of surprises -- Simon, for one. And it was good, because it was so well planted, what wound up happening to Simon, and yet I didn't expect it, because there was so much else going on. I guess that's the trick -- have lots of stuff going on.

Not so much: Just one quibble: on page 70, Simon says he's kosher. He is so not kosher. People are treyf. Surely a good jewish boy would know that. Also, the introduction of a new character to set up book three on the second-last page of the book, to set up book 3? WTF? This seems like an example of editorial interference to me...

Lesson: Seeding the story -- different than foreshadowing, and yet similar.

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