Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Year of Publication: 2010
Genre: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Pages: 478
First Line: "The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts."
Summary: When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.
Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, who are members of a secret organization called the Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.
Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by -- and torn between -- two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keeps everyone in his life at arm's length. . .everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . .and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.
Source: Back/Inside of book
Review: Well, this book to me way longer to read than it should have. I don't know if it was because a lack of interest or what, but I read the original three of this series much faster. (For those who don't know, Clare is doing something like Star Wars did, where she released three modern day novels about a world and is now releasing books that are a sort of prequel but aren't super necessary to the plot of the other set and vice versa.) This novel was hard to follow, and I was not particularly drawn to any of the characters (except, maybe slightly, Jem and Will -- but that's to be expected). I did find the mentions of ancestors of characters in the original three novels interesting, but there was nothing significant. I'm not sure if I will bother with the next book in this series. While I did like the original three, I'm finding this one just not up to par.
Worst part: The book dragged on and on and on and on. . . .
Best part: Jem's situation, which is explained towards the end, is really interesting.
Grade: C-
Other Books by This Author: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass
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