Clockwork Angel

Book Name: Clockwork Angel
Author/s:Cassandra Clare
LanguageEnglish
Publisher, year: Margaret K. McElderry, 2010
Page total:479
Date Read: September 3rd-4th 2010
Genre/s: YA, historical Fiction, Fantasy, Steampunk, Romance
Synopsis/Description:Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old 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 the mysterious Dark Sisters, 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: Jem, 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 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.
First line of Book:"The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts."
Review: as I sit here, my thoughts, blank, I keep trying to find a way to start this review. This is hard. There's so much to be said; my book is full of markers.

Clockwork Angel is...sublime. I loved The Mortal Instruments and I have a feeling I will love The Infernal Devices too.

I really liked Tessa, she's kind and brave and was not very intimidated by Will. She matured, grew, didn't run away like others could when she understood the truth of the world she lives in. I admired her for that too. But strangely,what REALLY made me like her was when she said: "Goodness," Tessa said to the back of his head. "If you keep seeing Six-Fingered Nigel like this, he'll expect you to declare your intentions."

I'm not sure of what to think of Will, as a character. He sounded so much like Jace-they're related, after all-, with his witty comments and sarcasm, but I did notice that whatever happened to him was not similar to what happened to Jace, so I will not judge yet.

Yet, I think I like Jem the most. He's so sweet, but brave and when he talked about his Shadowhunter life, he made me admire him.

I love the way Clare can make-makes- her characters. I find myself caring and wondering, which only happens when I really, REALLY love a character, because I don't want to let them go.

In the beginning, I was skeptical, doubting this would be nearly as good as TMI. That was a terrible, terrible sin. With every twist and turn, I found myself gasping and reading as fast as I could, but re-reading and marking pages too, because of certain details (and, okay, I admit it, funny parts) that I didn't want to lose. I love twisted plots, especially because I usually guess most or all of it with most books while till in the middle, which can be tiresome.

I should add that I love the bits of poems on each chapter, and the epilogue too. Magnus is such an interesting person. And that I'm still intrigued with the clockwork angel.

I'll leave you with some quotes:
"You know," Gabriel said, "there was a time I thought we could be friends, Will."
"There was a time I thought I was a ferret," Will said, "but that turned out to be the opium haze. Did you know it had that effect? Because I didn't."

"How strange to have the power to literally transform yourself into other people, and yet be so unable to put yourself in their place."

"With a shrug and a blink, the policeman moved past Will, shaking his head and muttering something under his breath about swearing off the gin before he truly started seeing things. Will stepped aside to let the man pass, then raised his voice to a shout: "James Carstairs! Jem! Where are you, you disloyal bastard?"

"While the Clave disapproves of trespassers, oddly they take an even darker view of beheading and skinning people. They're peculiar that way."