Review: "Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1) by Cassandra Clare

I was privileged enough to receive an ARC of Clockwork Angel about a month ago and I've meant to write this review since the moment I set it down.  I wanted to give an in-depth review, however, not just a cursory blurb, which I've already provided on goodreads.com.  Alas, life, work, and my dvr kept getting in the way.  But never fear, dear readers!  I've caught up on "Supernatural" and "Fringe" and I am hear to give you my twopence on this first installment of the incomparable Cassandra Clare's new series, The Infernal Devices.

From the back cover (though I find this somewhat misleading, which I'll explain later):

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.

To give the proper context to this review, you need to understand that I adored Cassie's The Mortal Instruments series.  I enjoyed her pacing, her characters, her world, and her humor immensely.  When I heard there would be a prequel trilogy set in Victorian London, I may or may not have done a little dance of joy.  I've been a huge fangirl of the Victorian age since I read Bram Stoker's Dracula on a camping trip the summer after I graduated from high school.  Give me gothic horror over Dan Brown any day.  My biggest fear, as many people feared, was that The Infernal Devices would be The Mortal Instruments with corsets and cogs and minus the awkward family situations.  Not that I'm saying I was rooting for more incest, mind you.  Let me reassure you.  Clockwork Angel is not a repackaging of TMI's characters or its story.  This story is its own.  These characters are themselves not pale Victorian reflections of Clary or Simon or Jace.  (This is my essential problem with the back cover summary.  Most people I've talked to who've read this description assume this is the same basic story as TMI.  I know that the publishers are trying to tap the same market that loved the first series, but it's also making them assume this novel is something its not.)

While the boys of this book deserve credit and I'll give credit where credit's due, my favorite character is unequivocally Tessa.  Everyone else can pick Team Will or Team Jem, but I'm Team Tessa all the way.  I'm rooting for whatever makes her happiest, because she's bloody brilliant.  Tessa is spunky, intelligent, quick witted, outspoken, and a voracious reader.  This might not seem like a revolutionary character, but you have to remember that this book is set in the 1880s and Tessa is an unmarried woman.  Everything about her is offensive to polite society during this time, yet that doesn't stop her from being who she is.  Tessa is no passive heroine thrown into a supernatural world.  She uses her wits and her steadfast courage to not only survive, but to navigate a landscape she never knew existed.

Now, we've all seen spunky, intelligent, courageous heroines before who've overcome obstacles.  So you might be wondering what sets Tessa apart.  There are several factors that engendered my love for Tessa.  I love the unapologetic way Tessa lights up when she gushes about novels.  Anyone who loves reading will resonate with Tessa.  I also value loyalty in characters and Tessa refuses to give up on those she loves -- even those undeserving of her loyalty.  What I really love about this strength of Tessa's though is that Cassie shows its inherent weakness and how easily it can be exploited.  Tessa is an admirable character, but she has flaws.  For me though, what truly differentiates Tessa is her struggle with her own identity.  So many teenagers don't know who they are yet or who they want to be.  Clockwork Angel takes that universal struggle and embodies it in an aspect of who Tessa is.  It makes the abstract a concrete problem and conflict in the story.  That is why I love Tessa Gray.

The leading men of Clockwork Angel have been at the center of much buzz since the ARCs were released.  Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs deserve that buzz.  They are the white knight and the black knight and both are a mystery wrapped in an enigma.  Which, let's be honest, who can resist that?  Of all the characters of Clockwork Angel, Will resembles a character from TMI the most.  There are a lot of parallels between Will and Jace, last name notwithstanding.  Will, however, is his own character and is no poor man's Jace.  Unfortunately, all of the incidents that highlight Will's brilliance would also be spoilers.  Let's just say for now that Will has the standoffishness of Mr. Darcy with a swashbuckling appeal and Deadpool's ability to banter (Yes, I just said someone was like a hybrid of Mr. Darcy and Wade Wilson, what of it?).  And he's tortured.  Maybe it's just me, but I didn't stand a chance.  Will got me hook, line, and sinker.  Then there's the violin playing, half Asian, quiet and sensitive Jem Carstairs - the boy with a tragic secret.  If you're not the type to swoon at a swaggering scoundrel, then Jem's the boy for you.  He'll play you an achingly haunting song on the violin by moonlight, then wipe away your tears with a thumb.  They're great characters.  And what Will does at the end of the story will make you scream for book two.

There really isn't a character in the entire book who I couldn't spend pages on, so I'll try to be brief.  The side characters of the story are fantastic.  Charlotte and Henry Branwell run the London Institute and both are fabulously memorable characters.  The fragile strength of Charlotte, who holds the Institute together in a man's Shadow world, broke my heart.  Her husband, Henry, is the wacky inventor type whose absent-mindedness is almost stereotypical, except that he is far from a one-dimensional character.  Then there's Jessamine.  Oh, Jessie.  What can I say about Jessie?  I strongly believe that she and Lydia Bennett would be great friends and Jessie could beat off any undesirable suitors with her parasol.  Though who would those two consider undesirable?  Lack of pulse might disqualify a gentleman...  Then there's Magnus Bane.  My one criticism of the book: it needed more Magnus.  Granted, I think everything would be better with more Magnus.  Buying a new dress?  Better with Magnus.  Planning a party?  Better with Magnus.  Waiting at the post office?  Better with Magnus.  Root canal?  Better with Magnus.

As I mentioned previously, I love the Victorian era and Cassie did not let me down even a smidgen when it came to the setting.  The society (both of the regular world and the Shadow world), the manners, the locations, the gadgets, the dress, and even the geo-political undercurrents of the British Empire and the opium trade were woven to create not only a believable and immersive backdrop, but they were also woven into the subplots of the story.  I loved how the Shadow world and the events of the regular world overlap.  Unfortunately, I can't go into how without spoiling a big reveal in the story.  The setting of this book is not merely where the story unfolds, the story itself is informed by its environment.

I don't want to say much about the plot of the book itself, because there is so much mystery involved that to mention any of it would spoil the fun.  I began this review by telling you that I loved TMI series to give you the correct context.  This is why.  I thought that Clockwork Angel blew The Mortal Instruments out of the water.  Cassie's writing has matured, the plot is appropriately twisty and maddening and satisfying, and the characters most definitely speak for themselves.  I absolutely loved Clockwork Angel and the only real problem I have is that I desperately want book two and the first book still won't be released for another month.  Curse you, Cassie!  And thank you.  Brilliant book.