History Literature / TheMortalInstruments

* CodeOfHonour: The Shadowhunters' Law, which provides a moral framework for what they do, but which is often very restrictive. Both the [[NeutralGood heroes]] and [[NeutralEvil villains]] have a distinct tendency to try to circumvent it, even while accepting it in principle.

%% In universe he starts to take on many aspects of the biblical Caine thanks to Clary inscribing His mark onto him.
%% ** Isabelle Lightwood is Blaise Zabini.

* TokenMinority: Simon is [[NiceJewishBoy Jewish]] ([[spoiler:this is especially hard for him once he becomes a vampire]]), Maia is [[ButNotTooBlack biracial]], and Magnus had a mortal Dutch-Indonesian mother.

** Clary Fray is often almost insanely self-absorbed. Even though she is unconcerned about things like popularity, she can be rather spectacularly heedless of other people's feelings, tends to jump into dangerous situations without thinking about it and will do whatever she wants even if it literally results in endangering the entire world. Luke calls her out on it one time, [[spoiler:when she tries to blindly Portal to Idris]] and she is shocked because he has never chastised her before. By the second half of the series, she has begun shedding this trait; in the climax of ''City of Lost Souls'', she chooses to sacrifice her own personal happiness (and to atone for what she did; she did technically start the whole mess) in favor of saving the world when she stabs Jace with Glorious, despite it being potentially fatal.

* ApologisesALot: Many of the characters are prone to making profuse and dramatic apologies, Clary Fray most of all.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Clary, Isabelle and Jace usually go barefoot indoors.

* LieBackAndThinkOfEngland: Jace tells Clary to do this before they kiss in front the fairy court in ''City of Ashes''. More like "Close your eyes and think of England."

%% * AmbiguousDisorder: Subverted in Ty Blackthorn. WordOfGod is that he is on the autistic spectrum.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority:

Originally concieved as a trilogy, dangling plot threads were meant to be tied up in a graphic novel. The author found that dissatisfactory, however, and added [[TrilogyCreep another three books to the series]], and began working on several other series set in the [[SharedUniverse shared universe]].

* LawfulStupid: The Clave, to the point where their leadership is basically a NotSoOmniscientCouncilOfBickering. Actual LawfulGood Shadowhunters frequently find themselves in ToBeLawfulOrGood situations simply because the Clave is hopelessly bogged down trying to figure out the most lawful way of dealing with just about anything.

** This is the default stance of the Clave, although some members take it all the way to LawfulEvil or just plain LawfulStupid. Maryse Lightwood also counts, as she allows the Inquisitor to behave rather barbarically towards Jace, her adopted son, until the Inquisitor openly violates the Law and she can justify defying her.

* LotusEaterMachine: ''City of Heavenly Fire'' has a demon which can do this. However, its imagined worlds always have a flaw, as it always leaves something out (and in one case thought a good guy was evil).

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: After [[spoiler: Magnus]] has been kidnapped in ''City of Heavenly Fire,'' the normally levelheaded [[spoiler: Alec]] grows increasingly violent and ruthless, to the point that [[ItsAllAboutMe Jace]] remarks on it.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: After [[spoiler: Magnus]] has been kidnapped in ''City of Heavenly Fire,'' the normally levelheaded [[spoiler: Alec]] grows increasingly violent and ruthless, to the point that Jace remarks on it.

* {{Patricide}}: Magnus killed his step-father as a young child, though admittedly [[spoiler: said step-father was trying to drown him.]]

%% * NotSoOmniscientCouncilOfBickering: The Clave more often than not.

%% ** Alec Lightwood, sometimes. It's implied he was this to Isabelle and Jace before the series began.

* SequelHook: In addition to highlighting the fighting on the ground during during the Dark War, Emma's POV in ''City of Heavenly Fire'' sets up some of the main plot points in ''The Dark Artifices.''

Taken UpToEleven in ''City of Heavenly Fire'' when [[spoiler: Helen and Mark Blackthorn are considered tainted by their half-faerie status despite the former having fought for the Shadowhunters and the latter having actually leaked vital intelligence to the Shadowhunters. It's even sold by the Shadowhunters as saving the family from the future pain of being betrayed despite both clearly caring for their family]].\\

** [[spoiler: Doubles as a bit of FridgeBrilliance when he's revealed to be Jace's biological father in ''City of Glass.'']]

* SurpriseIncest: Subverted. [[spoiler:Clary and Jace are revealed to be siblings at the end of ''City of Bones''. They spend all of ''City of Ashes'' and most of ''City of Glass'' angsting about their attraction, until it's revealed that[[NotBloodSiblings Jace was adopted.]] Played straight with Sebastian/Jonathan, Clary's ''actual'' brother, [[VillainousIncest who kisses her despite knowing full well that she's his sister.]]]]

* ContemptibleCover: ''City of Bones''. Jace doesn't [[ShirtlessScene go shirtless]] at all in the first book, and hardly ever throughout the whole series. A more accurate cover artwork would probably [[http://www.impawards.com/2013/posters/mortal_instruments_city_of_bones.jpg look something like this, the teaser poster for the film adaptation.]]

* HalfHumanHybrid:
** Warlocks are the progeny of couplings between humans and demons. They are themselves generally infertile.
** Humans and faeries can also mate and give birth to hybrids. The children are for the most part human, but they have some kind of faerie trait, such as an oddly colored hair or pointed ears. Also, they can lie. Helen and Mark Blackthorn are both this, as is [[spoiler:Meliorn]].

* ImmortalityBeginsAtTwenty: This is the case with warlocks. As [[HalfHumanHybrid half-human/half-demons]], they age more or less normally until they reach adult, and then their aging just stops.

* TrainingTheGiftOfMagic: Warlocks and Shadowhunters are an example of this. Warlocks are the HalfHumanHybrid offspring of demons and possess an innate ability to wield magic. But they can only do so in the most crude ways without training in magical languages, writing and spells. Likewise, the Shadowhunters have angelic blood that gives them the potential to scribe [[GeometricMagic magical runes]] from the language of Heaven. However, this is akin to learning calligraphy, as the runes are often very complex. They also have to be drawn with focused intent using an implement called a ''stele'' (analogous to a wand) in order to work. Most Shadowhunters only know a fraction of runes originally given to them by the [[CelestialParagonsAndArchangels Angel Raziel]].

* FiveManBand:
### TheLeader: Clary Fray
### TheLancer: Jace Herondale
### TheChick: Isabelle Lightwood
### TheSmartGuy: Alec Lightwood
### TheBigGuy: Magnus Bane
### TheSixthRanger: Simon Lewis

* SiblingYinYang: Isabelle and Alec Lightwood. Isabelle is not averse to showing off her beauty, is generally nicer, and like Jace, always rushing headfirst into demon-slaying. Unlike her, Clary notes that Alec is shyer, easier to guilt, and tries everything he can to downplay the good looks he shares with his sister.\\
\\
[[spoiler:It's implied that Isabelle is the way she is in part because she wants to draw attention from her brother's homosexuality, as she does not want her parents to find out when he wasn't ready]].