City of Bones is the first urban fantasy book in author Cassandra Clare's New York Times bestselling series The Mortal Instruments.

The novel, first published in 2007, is set in modern-day New York City and has been released in several languages, including Bulgarian, Hebrew, Polish and Japanese.

The next day, her mother Jocelyn announces they are moving from New York to the country for the summer, where her friend, Luke, has a house.

The two friends go to a poetry reading where Clary sees Jace, one of the boys from the previous night, who privately tells her about demon-hunters, called Shadowhunters or Nephilim.

Jace claims Clary is not a "mundane", a term for ordinary humans, as she has the Sight, allowing her to see beings from the Shadow World.

Jace brings Clary to the "Institute": the local headquarters of the Shadowhunters, where she is introduced to Isabelle, Alec, and their tutor, Hodge.

Luke claims ignorance of where Jocelyn hid the Cup and refuses to negotiate with them or interfere with Valentine's plans.

As her memories emerge, Clary deduces that the Cup is hidden magically in one of Madame Dorothea's tarot cards.

While Luke's werewolf pack attacks Valentine's followers at Renwick's, Clary locates her unconscious mother and finds Jace.

Critical reception for City of Bones was mostly positive,[1][2] with Publishers Weekly calling the book "a compelling story".

"[5] The film adaptation was released on August 21, 2013, directed by Harald Zwart and starring Lily Collins as Clary Fray and Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace Wayland.