Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare

Author - Cassandra Clare
Publisher - Simon & Schuster 
Release Date - August 2010

Once again Ms. Clare you have amazed me with your creativity and writing skills. The Infernal Devices maybe related to The Mortal Instruments but with an entirely new story line. It’s more of a prequel actually. And I would have to admit the story was much more intriguing and exciting that TMI.

Tessa Gray went to London for her brother Nathaniel. She received a letter from him saying that she should come to London and live with him since their Aunt just died. Once in London she was abducted by the Dark Sisters of the Pandemonium Club. Tessa doesn’t know why she has been taken or where her brother had been held captive. Just when Tessa was being prepped to be handed over to the Magister she was rescued by the Shadowhunter William Herondale (Herondale? Now where have I heard that before?).

I mean WOW!  I am truly speechless. Ms. Clare simply made another masterpiece. I loved The Mortal Instruments but I didn’t know it could even get better with The Infernal Devices.

Where do I start?

Let’s start with Tessa Gray. I like Tessa more than I liked Clary. Tessa was more mature than Clary in every way. She wanted to find her brother but made sure she thinks first before she acts unlike Clary who based her decision on impulse regardless of other people who might get in trouble (remember City of Glass?). Tessa was smart and I admire her for that. She uses her head like with her encounter with the Magister. I really loved that part. She was all the things Clary was not so I really liked her.

Then there is William Herondale. Will as he likes to be called. Unlike Tessa who was nothing like Clary, Will however reminded me of Jace. Attitude problem must run in the family. LOL. To tell you guys honestly, I don’t like Will. I don’t like him at all. At first he was okay but then as the book progresses I was beginning to hate him so much I wanted to kill him myself. CURSE YOU WILL HERONDALE! No one deserved what he did to Tessa in the attic. Not everyone could be as understanding as Jem. I know I said earlier that he reminded me of Jace. They were similar in a way like their arrogance and mood swings only Jace’s were tolerable but Will’s? Will was just downright cruel. Tsk tsk. You are an ASS Mr. Herondale.

James Carstairs. JEM! MY JEM! OMG! I love him. He was the sensitive one. He was more appealing to me than Will. I do not usually go for the good guys in books but then for him I’ll make an exception. I know that Tessa would most likely end up with Will but I think Jem was a hell lot of a better choice. Silvery hair and eyes. Loves music. Sensitive. A perfect gentleman. What more could you as for? I am just a little sad about his condition. He was very fragile but I don’t care. I just hope there is a cure for what he has because if he dies I’d be devastated. MS CLARE YOU CANNOT LET JEM DIE! I tell you lot of your fans would die… Really. Hehehe.

The other characters were very much alive as the main ones. Charlotte Branwell was a woman tasked to do a man’s job. She is the head of the London Institute where Tessa took shelter after the encounter at the Dark Sister’s place. She dedicated her whole life to the job that probably why she doesn’t have kids of her own yet. I think she’s what 23 or something? Her husband Henry on the other hand was very... well… Interesting would be the right word. I wouldn’t say he was a mad scientist because he is not. He just loves to invent things and work on stuff. If I am not mistaken the Sensor that Jace and the other Shadowhunters use in TMI was his invention.

Jessamine Lovelace, sometimes I want to strangle you for being such a pain. I think the reason why she is who she is was because she didn’t want to be where she was. She didn’t want to be a Shadowhunter. She wanted to live a normal life just like her parents would have wanted from her. Sometimes I pity her but most of the time I just want to pull her hair and say “OH SHUT UP ALREADY!”

The Clockwork Angel was magical. I haven’t been to London nor do I know much about what the Victorian Era was like but this book took me there. That’s why I love reading books. It always takes me to places I have never been before. The concept of the automatons being an army to me was unique. I haven’t read a lot of steampunk novels but still I love the whole concept of this series. It was also good to know how things were before Clary and Jace and everyone else in The Mortal Instruments. I love how Magnus Bane made an appearance here though I was a little surprise with his relationship with Camille.

My only issue with this book is the ending!!!! I mean WTF!!!! It was a damn cliffhanger!!!! I want to get my hands on the Clockwork Prince now!!!

I have to rate this as a PERFECT 5 or 10 if that’s even possible. Why? Because it was amazing. It was like the Harry Potter fever for me all over again.