Polls for Our Souls discussion

I got the infernal devices not too long ago and I was about to start them, when my friend told me I should read the mortal instruments first. Is this true?

Yes.

Carly wrote: "I got the infernal devices not too long ago and I was about to start them, when my friend told me I should read the mortal instruments first. Is this true?"

No, your friend is mistaken. If you're only interested in The Infernal Devices, you don't have to read another single book since it happens before the events in The Mortal Instruments.

However, if you want to read all the series set in this world by CC, the order recommended by the author and that readers like best is this one:
1) The first three books from The Mortal Instruments
2) The first book of The Infernal Devices
3) The fourth book of The Mortal Instruments
4) The second book of The Infernal Devices
5) The fifth book of The Mortal Instruments
6) The third and finale book of The Infernal Devices
7) The sixth and finale book of The Mortal Instruments
8) The Bane Chronicles
9) Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy
10) Then The Dark Artifices trilogy

But that is only if you're interested. Like I said, you can also just read The Infernal Devices trilogy on its own.

Thank you very much Catherine!!

Carly wrote: "Thank you very much Catherine!!"

You're welcome! Happy reading :)

If I read the infernal devices and decide I also want to read the mortal instruments, can I do that as well? Or will that ruin it? Because I have heard that the infernal devices are better, and I already have them. I don’t want to waste my money buying the other series if I end up not liking the world, but if I get hooked into it I don’t want the other books to not be enjoyable because I’m working backwards I guess?

Carly wrote: "If I read the infernal devices and decide I also want to read the mortal instruments, can I do that as well? Or will that ruin it? Because I have heard that the infernal devices are better, and I a..."

I'll try to answer as best as I can :)

I read the books in publication order: The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, The Bane Chronicles, Tales from the Shadowhunters Academy, The Dark Artifices.

I'm not a big fan myself: at first I was curious to read The Mortal Instruments because I watch the show and then even if I had a lot of issues with those books I still wanted to read the entire series. As for The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices, while they may not be books I loved myself, they are still better than the first series and a lot of my goodreads friends who have really good taste loved those two. So I think there's a chance you'll enjoy it.

Now, the reading order I mention in my first comment can be good because events, characters and relationships mentionned in The Mortal Instruments happened in The Infernal Devices. There aren't spoilers since it already happened, it's just to understand better the past events mentioned when you read The Mortal Instruments. Which is why the author recommend this one and why it's the one most readers prefer. But that doesn't mean it's the only order in which you can read those books.

The only thing you have to be careful about is spoilers. Like I said, The Infernal Devices is set before The Mortal Instruments, so obviously you're not gonna read spoilers about events that didn't happen yet. But if, for example, you were to begin with the third series, The Dark Artifices, there are big spoilers since it happens after the events in The Mortal Instruments (and Tales from the Shadowhunters Academy, too). So you're only working backwards, like you said, if you read The Dark Artifices and then The Mortal Instruments.

The Mortal Instruments was the first series by Cassandra Clare yes, but in the chronological events of the universe The Infernal Devices is first. Here's what the author said herself:

"There are three books in the Infernal Devices series: Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, and Clockwork Princess. The Infernal Devices are often called a prequel series to the Mortal Instruments, but only because they take place in an earlier time period and contain some of the Mortal Instruments' characters' ancestors. You don't have to read the Mortal Instruments before The Infernal Devices. You don't have to read The Infernal Devices before The Mortal Instruments. You can read them in any order."

You can do it both ways: either read The Infernal Devices and if you enjoy it, go back to The Mortal Instruments before reading The Dark Artifices or maybe try to see if your local library has The Mortal Instruments? Cassandra Clare books are very popular, I'd be surprised if they don't have them. That way, you can see for yourself if you're interested before buying the books.

Thank you again!

Carly wrote: "Thank you again!"

You're welcome Carly :)