Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Release Date: August 31, 2010

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Magic is more dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosse 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 keep 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 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.

I’ll say this now, and I’ll probably say this again in this review but, I love Cassandra Clare and the stories she writes. They are simply amazing and quite addicting. Every time I pick up one of her books I wanted to do nothing else then just sit there with it and read it until I’ve gone through it all, and even then I want more. The same thing happened with Clockwork Angel. Even before I started reading I knew I would love it just because of how much I had loved the three books of The Mortal Instruments series. To put it simply, Cassandra Clare and her story most definitely did not disappoint.

All Tessa Gray wanted to do was go to England so she could be reunited with her brother, the only family she had left. But when she gets there, things definitely don’t turn out the way she expects them to. After having been held captive for weeks by two women calling themselves the Dark Sisters, Tessa is rescued by London’s Shadowhunters and taken in at the Institute. From there, things don’t really get easier for Tessa. She still has no idea where her brother is or what is happening to her. With the help of new friends Tessa will learn that there are some things in life that are a lot more difficult and dangerous than they appear, like magic...and love.

There are so many good things to say about Clockwork Angel that I don’t even know where to start. Cassandra Clare has always, in my opinion, had an amazing story-telling ability. Every time I read one of her books I am transported to a whole new world. I feel like I can see and live everything the characters go through. And every time I never want to leave, that’s how good the world Clare creates are. There is something almost magical about her writing that captures you and keeps you prisoner until the story is over. And if you’re like me, you just want to stay there even when the story is over.

Clare also creates these amazing characters. I loved Tessa from the start. Even though she wasn’t always at her best, she almost always put others before her which is something I can’t help but admire. She was always blaming herself for things that weren’t her fault but that just shows how much she cared about the others around her. I especially loved to see how she grew throughout the story. At the beginning she appeared as a scared little girl, but by the end she would hold her ground and I was proud of her for it. I didn’t expect she would become someone this strong and I loved her for growing so much.

Will and Jem. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure yet if I’m Team Will or Team Jem. I loved both boys so much. Sure, Will would often get on my nerves but then there would be moments where he was the most caring and compassionate person and I just couldn’t help but love that about him. It’s easy to see he’s afraid of opening up but he would just gain so much if he did. I have big hopes for Will in the future, mostly that he’ll learn to open up and not be scared to get close to people. Jem was just so caring and gentle in everything he did, it was so hard to picture him being a Shadowhunter and seeing him in the middle of battle. It was almost like he didn’t belong there. Seeing how much he cared about Tessa and how he was with her sometime made me wish I were Tessa. I honestly loved both boys and if I had to choose I would have a very hard time.

With Clockwork Angel, Cassandra Clare has once again written a magical story that will transport readers to another time and place whether they want to or not. There’s no use in resisting, this book will take you to places you never imagined were possible