One of the two teenage protagonists of the novel and the Mortal Instruments series, Clary is 16 at the start of the book. Clary is petite, with curly red hair, green eyes, and freckled skin. She often compares herself unfavorably to taller, curvier women, like Maia, but seen through the eyes of Jace, Clary is beautiful. While Simon sees Clary as fragile, he notes that Jace recognizes Clary’s strength and treats her like a physical equal. Clary is courageous, extremely loyal to her friends and family, and has a sharp sense of humor. She is naturally gifted at art.

Clary frequently feels torn between her various identities. For example, when Simon refers to her as his girlfriend, she tells Luke that she feels burdened by labels such as someone’s girlfriend and someone’s friend. The confusion is because Clary has recently discovered startling facts about herself, such as that she is a Shadowhunter, the daughter of the notorious Valentine, and supposedly Jace’s sister; her character arc thus centers heavily on The Struggle for Identity. Complicating this struggle further is the fact that Clary’s beloved mother, Jocelyn, is in a coma. Thus, Clary frequently feels overwhelmed by the changes in her life.