THE INFERNAL DEVICES: CLOCKWORK ANGEL REVIEW
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Title: The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Walker
Publication Date: 6 September 2010
Language: English
Rating: 4.5/5
Clockwork Angel is the first in a trilogy from Cassandra Clare. Like The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices takes us into the world of the Shadowhunters, only a century or so earlier. It acts almost as a prequel to the events of TMI and this time around, we are based in Victorian London.
This was instantly a positive for me. I love anything set in this time era. Actually, anything from the 17th century to the early twentieth century is a bonus in my world. I can't get enough of period drama's. I'm not sure if it's the clothes, the speech or the way of life, but I can't stop watching and reading about it.
Clockwork Angel is the first in a trilogy from Cassandra Clare. Like The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices takes us into the world of the Shadowhunters, only a century or so earlier. It acts almost as a prequel to the events of TMI and this time around, we are based in Victorian London.
This was instantly a positive for me. I love anything set in this time era. Actually, anything from the 17th century to the early twentieth century is a bonus in my world. I can't get enough of period drama's. I'm not sure if it's the clothes, the speech or the way of life, but I can't stop watching and reading about it.
I read TMI first and although TID is a stand alone series, I would suggest doing this. It gives you a better understanding of the Shadowhunter world from the outset and means you can delve straight into the London Institute without wondering what everything means.
The book begins by introducing Tessa Gray, an American girl heading from New York to London in search of her brother, Nate. Of course, it isn't as plain sailing as all that. Complications arise, drama unfolds and soon enough, we meet a new set of Shadowhunters.
Enter Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs. I did begin to have reservations at this point. For several reasons. Tessa has no idea that she's special, or why. There is the starting of a love triangle. Will is strangely similar to another Herondale any readers of TMI will have met before. All of these had me thinking, is this simply TMI but in the past? The more I read, however, the less of an issue any of this was. Yes, Will is extremely similar to Jace as a character, but there is a distinct lack of creepy, skin crawling, made me want to be sick, incest in The Infernal Devices, so that is one fabulous difference straight off.
I like the character of Jace, I do, but I have to say I love Will. I think Cassandra Clare can just about get away with their crazy similar personalities on the basis that they are related. I think that makes it kind of okay. And Will is tortured for totally different reasons than Jace. Well, I say totally different. As I was typing that sentence, I questioned it. Maybe not totally different, but I will leave that for your own judgement. I can't go into it without giving away too many details. Plus, Will has dark hair and blue eyes, so like, they are 100% different. Yeah, I'm aware I just described Alec too.
The love triangle isn't as annoying as I thought it would be. Usually, I will pick out one guy and decide that's the one the girl has to end up with and I'm team them all the way and I wish the other guy would do one. I didn't have that here. There is something so loveable about both of the male leads, I don't want either of them to end up alone. Tessa should just date them all and they can live happily ever after all loving each other. That's the only way that won't completely devastate me.
As heroines go, Tessa isn't too shabby. Quite often, I have issues with female leads. I hate it when they are too whiney. I hate it when they are too pathetic. I hate it when they are so independent woman, they can't accept any help or any feelings that might degrade them as a strong woman. I like strong female leads, but I like believable leads. While I'm ranting, I also hate the typical, "oh, I'm just so average and boring, but look at this, lots of crazy handsome men are fighting over me! How has this happened to plain, old me?" Thankfully Tessa steers clear of all of this. She is strong enough to hold her own, while refraining from being a whiney cow and accepting that she can't do absolutely everything alone because she isn't a superhuman. And without meaning to bring TMI up again, she is much more likeable than Clary, mostly because she is far more mature.
Again, for TMI fans, in TID, there is a familiar face in the form of Magnus Bane, who I <3. It's also fun stumbling across familiar names, such as the Lightwoods. This time around, we see the characters fighting off automatons as well as the regular demons. There are vampires galore and all the other Downworlder species we have come to know and love. But it is different, I promise. I actually prefer TID, quite a bit. Out of all the Shadowhunter books, TID are my favourite. The action is good and the suspense had me instantly buying The Clockwork Prince and continuing my reading. Unfortunately, I finished that rather quickly too and now have the agonising wait for The Clockwork Princess.
Hurry up March!
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