Clary Fray is perfectly normal; she's a budding art student who loves spending time with her friends and family. On her 18th birthday, however, Clary discovers she is part of an age-old battle between demons and an elite race of warriors known as Shadowhunters. When her mother is kidnapped and her home is destroyed, so is her sense of reality. Clary must now understand her new role in an ancient battle, and come to terms with her family's past.