The Ninja Reader

Let me put this out front: I have not read Cassandra Clare's fanfiction. Me and Harry Potter parted ways a long time ago (although we did meet for a quick romp this summer, which left us both unsatisfied), and so I can't really tell how much of her old stuff is recycled into her books.What I can say is that as far as plots go, this book isn't half bad. It moves fast, and there were some really nice characters. Henry is my favourite, with Jessie close second, and even Lightwood was entertaining in his pretentious, prissy way. All in all, it could have been a pretty good book...Could have, if it weren't for Will.No, not that Will.Oh, you wish.No, I'm talking about William Herondale, the designated love interest and the original carrier of the 'smartass' gene, also seen in his descendants in The Mortal Instruments. (also, Moral Instruments? Pretty close to Mortal Engines. Except for the fact that Clary can only dream of being like Hester.)The 'smartass' gene, for those of you who don't know, is a reoccurring phenomenon in YA literature, which leads me to suspect that a lot of love interests are related nowadays (or inspired from each other). Sadly, this particular infliction doesn't only make the carriers generate bad punch lines, it also turns them into assholes.The good news is that the farther down it goes, the gene seems to lose its power. Because in comparison to Will, Jace Wayland is practically a cherub.I mean, yes, he was a jerk to Clary. And sure, he can be an asshole. But at least Jace had some explanation for being who he was. I mean, having your pet killed by your father, in front of your own eyes, when you were ten... that's pretty scarring. And hey, he didn't ask Clary to become his whore (not much of a defence, but still!). Will, on the other hand, is 100% pure jerk, with just the right pinch of self-hatred to make him adoring to the moms, and a penchant for long, lonely walks in the night. That's a pretty lethal combination in a love interest, if you ask me.And don't tell me Tessa won't end up with that guy. I mean, sure, there is Jem, but he's nice and caring and supportive, so obviously he's either going to bite it or end up with Sophie. In YA, the asshole always gets the girl.Which is pretty fucked up, don't you think? Not just that this same old stereotype of the bad boy being reformed by love exists (which is as unrealistic as curing yourself from alcoholism in an hour, see Evermore for reference), but the fact that after all the discussions, all the talks, all the reviews that were generated since Twilight first came out, authors insist on pushing it. At this point, having the nice guy get the girl would be revolutionary.And I don't know whether to laugh or cry.