Tessa thought that her life was going to get better. After the death of aunt, her brother, Nate, sends her a steamer ticket, to join him in London. Once off the boat in entrancing Victorian England, Tessa is tricked and abducted. Forced by her captures, develop a previously untapped latent talent to ‘change.’ She does not dare try to escape, for fear they will harm Nate. However, rescue comes from a strange and unlikely place, in the form of a blade wielding, smart mouthed, teenage boy named Will. Before she realizes it she is pulled into London’s seedy underworld. Not just of crime, but of the supernatural. A group of part angel blooded warriors known as Shadowhunters, keep the peace and ensure the safety of the unawares mundane populace. They agree to shelter Tessa, in exchange for her assistance. Tessa teams up with Will, Jem, and the Branwell’s to solve the mystery of her brother’s disappearance and that of the strange gears and mechanical devices that keep popping up in the underworld.
This novel represents a lot of first for me. It’s my first Cassandra Clare novel and my first experience with Steampunk. Clare weaves an engaging story, set in a very well contrived world that seamlessly overlaps that of Victorian England. The customs and cultures are period authentic. You can feel Tessa’s thrill at calling a boy by his 'Christian' name. It’s an excellent immersion into that time period.
The steampunk aspect is also fabulous. The use of the devices and the puzzlement at new mechanical item showing up is captivating to read. After finishing the book, I rushed out to read The Mortal Instruments Series. You can honestly read either first and still enjoy the stories. Clockwork Angel explains enough without being redundant, if you have read the other first. Anyone that likes a bit of sword clashing, mythos, or the paranormal in their reading choices will enjoy the works of Cassandra Clare.
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- Publisher: McElderry Books
- Date of Publication: August 2010
