Unfortunately City of Ashes is not better than City of Bones like I was expecting. No, instead, it's worse than City of Bones because characters who I thought were annoying in the first one become even more annoying in the second! I was so disappointed when I found out not only was Jace like his regular, shallow self, but this time he was worse because he took out his frustrations by being even more violent and condescending towards others. Basically, he acts like a spoiled teenager who wants everything his way, but why would one want to read a book about that? 
 Clary too becomes more annoying. I know I might shock some fans, and I'll probably get a few boos, but she treats Simon so terribly. She basically ignores him because she can't stop thinking of Jace. It's so obvious that she wants him, but will she do anything about it. I'd actually prefer if she started a relationship with her brother because then I wouldn't have had to read hundreds of pages of teenage angst. Seriously... 
 I think Clary is supposed to be likable, but there were just little things about her that put me off. For example, on a few occasions she becomes jealous and shows dislike towards girls because they're pretty. What the heck is that about? On several occasions, also, Jace says the most awful things to Simon, and I was deeply surprised Clary can't even defend him. Simon is supposed to be her best friend, but it's like she lets Jace say the nastiest things to others just because he's Jace. And then there's the fact that when Luke was about to die, she makes a big charade stopping Jace from saving him because she wanted to save him. So they end up spending five minutes arguing while Luke was lying on the ground about to die. I was livid when I read that. The two are so insolently stubborn that they'd rather stand there and argue with each other while someone's life was at stake. 
 Clary and Jace aren't the only annoying ones. My least favorite scene was actually the scene where Maia tries to kill Simon because it was in her blood. When I read that part I wanted to say enough is enough and put the book down for all of eternity, but it was only because of Goodreads and my wanting to write a review that I stuck it through. 
 Surprisingly, the book does turn around about three-quarters of the way through. It's comparable to Book One, which has bickering and sarcasm aplenty in the beginning, but the end is filled with heart-pumping action--only it took a lot longer for Book Two to enter that territory. So, basically, the ending saved the book from a one star rating. Had the whole book been as good as the ending, it would have probably have been three stars. 
 I think two stars is a fair rating. But there definitely were parts I disliked the book to the point of one-stardom. Although I suppose the ending redeems it. It's hard to admit, but there were even parts in the end that I liked! Yet having to wait 400 pages to get to that point is hardly worth it. 
 Oh well! You live and you learn. I most definitely am not reading the third one. I have no hope that it's better than the first or the second. City of Ashes has burned and scarred me.