Book Review ---> Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel:
The Infernal Devices #1

By:  Cassandra Clare

Published By:  Margaret McElderry 

Published Date:   2010  

Hardcover:   476 pages

Tags:  Steampunkery, Young Adult, Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal, Historical Fiction 

Why the Mad Scientist Read this Book:  This Hardcover beauty was sitting on my shelf for way too long!  It was calling me and I love Clare's writing!

Concoction of a Review:

My dears, I do not think I will mislead you when I say I adore Clare's writing in City of Bones!  This prequel was more within my bounds since it does include mass amounts of Steampunkery.  Mad Scientist had to give this wonder a whirl!!  Shamed I am though, due to leaving it wait for so long.  

Without fare ado... 

My dear Tessa Grey, as ghastly as she was dressed, she is no damsel in distress if you will.  From the start she leaves America head over to the more stylish part of the world at the time.  London meets her with a crazy duo (who were given the appropriate naming) the Dark Sisters.  This doesn't seem out of sorts, however, she was supposed to be meeting her older brother, Nate.  Needless to say our Tessa was kidnapped.  These gruesome ladies push her to do painful tasks that reveal to us and Tessa of her true nature.... she is not as human and normal as she thought.  *gasps*

Let us sit for a moment and process that.  *sips some tea*  Not human... How interesting!  Even though I would have to say, it was a bit over dramatic.  Don't tsk me.  I assure you that this bit of information is a meant to fool you.  For me this novel just galloped along at the slow pace matching my steed, Molasses.

Skip 50 pages... Ah, now here is where I think Clare finally switch from that awful bitter coffee to the distinguished taste of tea. 

Too the dashing parts that makes my cheeks blush and my heart pitter patter in my chest.  The fictional dashing fellows.  Silver haired Jem made my heart swoon for him.  Suffering and diseased as he may be.  I will fight you off with my parasol for him!  Mind you it is silver tipped!!  The mouthy bad boy Will, was one that I wanted to slap and kiss and slap again.  He got under my skin but not in a disturbing way.  These boys did make the pages flip quickly away from these gloved finger in hop of more!

That's my girl Clare ;)

Now please do not fret my loves.  If you did not pick up the City of Bones or the rest of the series it is very much ok.  At least I would presume to think so.  You would have a bit more of an understanding but who needs that when you have Jem and Will admist the pages!  

Tessa does a good job at bring the Shadowhunter world to the reader since she too struggles to find out more of the world and of how her origins fit into it.  Tessa is also a wonderfully strong and confident woman who doesn't make you cringe.  Even more so since it was based back in the historical day where women were meant to be seen and not heard.  I was expecting a daffodil who had to have matching parasols and shoes but this was just not the case!

This is a prequel I remind myself *sips more tea* however, it does make me on edge.  There were just too many similarities between the characters of this series and the Mortal Instruments for this Mad Scientist to ignore.  Tessa resembles Clary.  As Will does Jace and Jem is like Alec.  I could even say that dear Jessamine is like Isabelle.  I was really hoping for Clare to make more of jump.  I wanted new amazing characters that were unique and just as lovable.  Not the same ones with new names.

For this reason I was a bit disappointed.  

Overall, Clockwork Angel will give you Steampunk on many of its pages.  Victorian London is a place that will dazzle you and make you think of nasty work conditions of the time.  (Dickens)  Clockwork automons are wonderful and the mysterious twist was enough to have my bloomers twisted as well.  It was a dark Steampunkery read but not my favorite.

*I purchased this hardcover book with my own monies.  The review is honest and is of my own Steampunkery mind. *

3.57 Blasts

It was a dark Steampunkery read but not my favorite.  

Challenges:

• Morbid Romantica 2011 - Steampunkery Romantica
• 111 in '11
• Reading Bucket List Challenge - Genre: Steampunk