This book was a reread for me from 2023. After finishing, I had to go back and highlight my favorite parts and things I wanted to use in my writing classes to showcase good examples, and thought I’d share a review on it here as well.
I loved the characters, the storyline, the stakes, and the romantic tension between Tessa and Will. If you check out this novel leave a comment below and tell me what you thought.
Disclaimer 1: the more I write, the more I find myself critiquing books harder on plot structure and how the various elements work together, and my reviews reflect this. However, if you see a book appear on the blog, it is because I enjoyed reading and thought you as a fellow bookie would enjoy it also. As always, reading is subjective and what resonates with me, may not resonate with you and that is OK! We’re in this to discover new books that are family appropriate and worth taking the time to read.
Disclaimer 2: This post contains affiliate links. There is no added cost to you, but if you choose to buy this book using the attached link below, I will earn a small commission for recommending it to you.
Before we dive in, here is a reminder of how I rate my books (All of these will be on a scale of 1-10, 1 being low, 10 being high):
- Plot Structure: How well the story was put together.
- Character Development: Level of growth a character achieves and how well the author makes them feel “real.”
- Language: Level of swearing, innuendos, verbal abuse, and other triggers.
- Violence: Level of fight scenes and gore.
- Sexual Content: Level of physical intimacy.
Book Description:
Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still. Discover the “compulsively readable” (Booklist) first book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy, prequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series! Clockwork Angel is a Shadowhunters novel.
When 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 a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform 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 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 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.
The Review:
The story starts off with a very strong Van Helsing vibe as one of our main characters, Will Herondale, dispatches a demon. He and his shadow hunting partner, James “Jem” Carstairs, work to solve the murder of a young girl who has been found dead in a back alley of London with a knife embossed with the symbol of two serpents.
Their investigation eventually leads Will to the building where Tessa is being held captive. The banter and the slow-burn chemistry shared between the two of them are captivating.
Set in London in the late 1800s, Clare does a wonder job of positioning landmarks within actual places within the city during that time. It has a bit of that Harry Potter feel where things hide in plain sight, and us muggles (or mundanes as we’d be called by Shadowhunters) walk right past them.
Some things I love about this novel are how the characters feel three-dimensional. They say the wrongs things; they make mistakes, they argue, they have health issues that add multiple layers to each situation. Yet they are there for each other the way a found family should. Also, as a fellow book nerd, I could completely relate to Tessa and how precious she found books.
Clare’s use of foil characters as she contrasts Will and Jem worked wonderfully to add depth and tension to the novel. First we have Will, who is bold to the point of reckless and says the first rude thing that pops into his head. Then we have Jem who is kind, philosophical, and brave. Jem’s nobleness highlights Will’s antics, and makes the subtle changes Will makes as he falls for Tessa even more endearing.
The second aspect of this plot reminded me of Sherlock Holmes as the shadow hunters seek to solve the mystery of who is behind the manufacturing of an automaton army. With an enemy as smart as Moriarty, it’s hard not to be on the edge of your seat as you read as fast as you can to find out the truth.
One of my favorite lines from this novel comes from page 308.
“You’ve always been what you are. That’s not new. What you’ll get used to is knowing it.”
Jem Carstairs.
What do you think?
How I rate this book:
- Plot Structure: 10/10; This high stakes novel was rich in details and a plot that flowed beautifully forward. The inciting incident, major plot points, climax, and resolution were strong, and held me attention to the very end.
- Character Development: 10/10; Will’s complex character is engaging as he battles within himself to be the rude, divisive person on the outside and the good person he is at heart. Tessa is also well-rounded with a good character growth and how she saves herself in the dangerous situations rather than being a damsel in distress.
- Language: 4/10; There is some swearing.
- Violence: 7/10; This book can get a bit graphic with the gore descriptions, especially when Will helps Tess escape from the Dark Sisters and body parts are strewn about.
- Sexual Content: 4/10; The only physical contact our main characters have is a passionate kiss after Will has bitten a vampire and is taking a healing does of Holy water. However, low cut dresses, large bosoms, and the concept of promiscuity, drugs, and brothels is mentioned, though never comes to the forefront of the story.
I loved reading Cassandra Clare’s Van Helsing meets Sherlock Homles novel, CLOCKWORK ANGEL and highly recommend it to anyone who loves urban fantasy with a strong light versus dark theme, as well as found family.
If you’re interested in checking out this book, you can find it HERE.
***Before you go, I need to provide this caution. While I loved book 1 in this series, books two and three left something to be desired. Book two has a scene of passionate kissing with foreplay, and book three had a full fade to black sex scene. The stories themselves were good, but because of those two things, I cannot recommend it here on my blog. So if you decide to check out the other novels in this trilogy, you have been warned.***
Have you read this yet? If so, let me know in the comments what you thought. Also, if there are any books you would love to see reviewed here, you can send those recommendations to me through this form.
