Clockwork Angel

Now I have been a fan of Cassandra Clare since I read City of Bones, which is the first book in her Mortal Instrument series. Clockwork Angel is the first book of the Infernal Devices series, which is set in London, with the same magical world she set up in the first series but with different main characters. This series is set hundreds or so years before the first book in Victorian Times. However the characters that are present are relatives or somehow present in the first series and a few do show up in the Mortal Instrument series.

The story follows Theresa Grey, called Tessa, and her life after she comes to London to find her brother Nathaniel. She is first met by the Dark Sisters who say that they are friends of her brothers. However Tessa soon finds out exactly what the Dark Sisters are, warlocks, and they train Tessa to change into people by holding onto objects that they own, such as clothes or watches. Tessa does whatever they ask because they hold her brother captive and threaten to kill him if she does not obey. Tessa thinks there is no escape until William Herondale appears in her room. She is soon wist off to the Institute where she learns a lot in quite a short amount of time. Soon she is going to vampire parties, disguised as a vampire, fighting with Shadowhunters, running from mechanical men trying to kidnap her, a mysterious Magister who wants her, falling in love, and learning that she is more special then she even cared to realize. Soon Tessa is questioning her humanity, her brother, her feelings, and just about everything around her. 

Now though I did enjoy the book, it didn't hold the same pull as The Mortal Instrument Series did. I wasn't finding myself having to keep reading to find out what happened next except in a few places. I don't know whether it was because it was a different set of characters or whether it was because a lot more explaining is done in this book, about the world that Cassandra Clare created along with Victorian London, then is given in the first series. This series is supposed to stand on its own, but also help understand certain aspects and actions that take place in the other series so the explanation is necessary, but I think it might have slowed down the pace compared to the other books. 

I am a sucker for Victorian Times, maybe just because I think I would look good wearing a corset, so that really did interest me and I like how she kept their language as if it was from that period. I also loved how she describe all the clothes because not only did it give a clearer picture, but it put us more in that time period. I especially liked the uneasiness Tessa felt seeing Charlotte dressed "as a man" in her Shadowhunter gear. I also like how they had a very striking example of a Lady in Jessamine. She wants nothing to do with fighting or Downworlders, she just wants to have a nice house, nice clothes, and a man to dote on her.

Alright, time for some girl talk. The leading male characters are certainly easily likable and you find yourself soon drifting to one or the other depending on your taste in men. I personally liked Jem (James) a lot better then Will. I know you are supposed to, Will being the dark and brooding male, but even knowing that Jem was just so smart, sweet, and kind. He was intelligent and reassuring and I just liked that about his character. His illness might have also lead me to soften up to him a lot more then Will who was basically the picture of health. I felt for William and at times found myself liking him as well and maybe I will like him better when we get a bit more of his back story, but I have always enjoyed the quite intelligent type over the loud and obnoxious ones. If Jem dies I will be extremely and utterly upset. 

As for Tessa, I liked her but also found her a bit annoying. I have a brother myself so I felt for her in trying to help and protect him, but it was a little over the top. Maybe it is another one of those things that was lost in the era, but the blind trust she had in a brother she knew was weak and easily manipulated was a bit foolish. In her situation, finding out so much about yourself and your parents in such a short time, I might not blame her for clinging onto the one thing that was from her normal life. However after I found out about what he had done, I probably would have strangled him with my own hands.

Overall I did enjoy the book, but it took me longer to read then the other books by Cassandra Clare. I am waiting for the next one because I have a feeling the further I get into the series the more I will enjoy each book. The battle scenes were wonderful and the few intimate scenes were extremely well written. Oddly enough I also liked that people well known and liked by the reader died. Most of the main characters survived all throughout the Mortal Instruments and it was nice to see that Clare wasn't scared to take out characters. Not everyone can survive battle. For some reason however I could not dive into it as I did City of Bones. It gets a 4.3 out of 5.