City of Bones book cover by Cassandra Clare

Books like City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

by Cassandra Clare · 2007

Book 1 of The Mortal Instruments

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Genre

Fantasy

What it is about

Where it happens

New York City

Kind of book

Novel

Ages

Young Adult

About this book

When her mother disappears, fifteen-year-old Clary Fray, newly able to see demons and Shadowhunters, is drawn into their world. (condensed from its Library of Congress summary) It is book 1 of the Mortal Instruments series, set in New York City, and listed for an audience of young adults.

Where this comes from: Library of Congress · Wikidata

Books like this one

Last checked: November 7, 2026

Shadow and Bone
Leigh Bardugo · 2012 · Young adult

about 350 pages

Why: Both are young adult fantasy books.
- Young adult
- Fantasy
What both books share
- young adult
  City of Bones: "young adult fiction" (WD genre)
  Shadow and Bone: "young adult" (WD intended public)
- fantasy
  City of Bones: "Fantasy" (OL subject); "Fantasy fiction" (OL subject); "fantasy" (WD genre)
  Shadow and Bone: "Fantasy fiction" (OL subject); "Fantasy" (OL subject); "fantasy" (WD genre); "Fantasy." (LoC 650)
From each book's catalog record: Open Library and Wikidata for City of Bones; Open Library and Wikidata for Shadow and Bone.
Library Bookshop.org Amazon
Skulduggery Pleasant
Derek Landy · Young adult

about 370 pages

Why: Both are fantasy books.
- Fantasy
What both books share
- fantasy
  City of Bones: "Fantasy" (OL subject); "Fantasy fiction" (OL subject); "fantasy" (WD genre)
  Skulduggery Pleasant: "Fantasy" (OL subject); "Fantasy fiction" (OL subject); "fantasy" (WD genre); "Fantasy." (LoC 650)
From each book's catalog record: Open Library and Wikidata for City of Bones; Open Library and Wikidata for Skulduggery Pleasant.
Library Bookshop.org Amazon
Eragon
Christopher Paolini · Young adult

about 580 pages

Why: Both are young adult fantasy books.
- Young adult
- Fantasy
What both books share
- young adult
  City of Bones: "young adult fiction" (WD genre)
  Eragon: "young adult" (WD intended public)
- fantasy
  City of Bones: "Fantasy" (OL subject); "Fantasy fiction" (OL subject); "fantasy" (WD genre)
  Eragon: "Fantasy" (OL subject); "Fantasy fiction" (OL subject); "Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic" (OL subject); "Fiction - Fantasy" (OL subject)
From each book's catalog record: Open Library and Wikidata for City of Bones; Open Library and Wikidata for Eragon.
Library Bookshop.org Amazon

See all books like City of Bones

Books like the The Mortal Instruments series

What they share, at a glance

City of Bones next to each book above. A dot means both books' records carry that fact.

Book	Fantasy	Young adult
Shadow and Bone	shared	shared
Skulduggery Pleasant	shared	not shared
Eragon	shared	shared
The Red Pyramid	shared	shared
Six of Crows	shared	shared
Red Queen	shared	shared
An Ember in the Ashes	shared	not shared
A Great and Terrible Beauty	shared	not shared
Bloodlines	shared	shared
The Cruel Prince	shared	not shared
Eldest	shared	not shared
Ruin and Rising	shared	shared

Tap a dot to open the record the match comes from.

City of Bones: the facts, checked

Each line names the page it was checked on and the date.

First published: First published on March 27, 2007. Source: Wikidata, checked November 6, 2026.
Another edition on record: The Library of Congress record found by this book's ISBN describes another edition: a 485-page edition from M.K. McElderry Books, ISBN 9781416914280. Source: Library of Congress, its record of another edition, checked November 6, 2026. 9781416914280 ... 485 p. ... M.K. McElderry Books

About Cassandra Clare

Born: Born in Tehran, Iran, in 1973. Source: Wikidata and the place's own entry, checked November 6, 2026. The sources differ. Each value is shown with where it came from.Born in 1973; Wikidata lists United States as the place of birth. Source: Wikidata, with no reference of its own, checked November 6, 2026.
Early work: Her first novel was City of Bones. Source: cassandraclare.com, checked November 6, 2026. City of Bones was her first novel.
Other work: After college she worked as a journalist and part-time in a children's bookstore. Source: cassandraclare.com, checked November 6, 2026. I worked as a journalist and I also worked part-time in a children's bookstore

More about Cassandra Clare

Where does City of Bones sit in its series? See the reading order.

City of Bones is on these lists

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Common questions

What does the Why line mean?

It names what the two books have in common, using only facts found in both books' catalog records. Tap What both books share to see those facts and where they came from. When the shared facts are few, the line is short. It never quotes reviews, ratings or reader reactions.

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