Summary

In Part I, Dreamland, the novel opens with a poem by Edgar Allen Poe titled "Dream-Land." The poem mentions words and phrases that will be important in the novel. The words could be describing the land of the faeries.

In Chapter 1, Still Waters, Kit Rook is not trying to settle into life at the Los Angeles Institute. Instead, he is constantly on the lookout for a way to leave. His real name is Christopher Herondale, and he had discovered only a couple of weeks earlier that he is a Shadowhunter. He is still coming to terms with his newly found identity and the death of his father. One day, Jace Herondale introduces himself to Kit. Jace tells Kit that Shadowhunters cherish their family names and that each member has a responsibility to do their best to pave the way for the next generation...