Goodreads Summary
I only put the summary for the first book in the Infernal Devices trilogy to not give any spoilers to the rest of the series, in case you haven’t read them 🙂
Clockwork Angel
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Timesbestselling Mortal Instruments series.
The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them…
Infernal Devices Review
Cassandra Clare does it again! The first book in a series usually sets the scene and prepare for the entire plot. The writing might seem technical and, to an extent, structured. But that wasn’t the case with The Infernal Devices. Clockwork Angel took off running, there was no dragged out introduction. Clare writes in a more “learn as you go” method.
I absolutely loved the concept that Tessa is an avid reader. She connects and compares her life to those she reads about in novels. I mean, what person do that now? It was SO relatable. I think I also appreciated it more too since it was the Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities among other classics. When Tessa or other characters talked about the those in the novels, I understood them.
“You said I am a good man,’ he said. ‘But I am not that good a man. And I am–– catastrophically in love with you.”
Clockwork princess
I zoomed through the first and second novels in the Infernal Devices that I forgot to write out my thoughts as I was reading. I’ll give it a try anyway.
I, myself, felt the tug between Jem and Will. I did start this series knowing how it ends but that did not take away from the stress and inner turmoil I felt alongside Tessa. Cassandra Clare portrays emotion in the characters in a jaw-dropping manner. You’ll just be reading and before you know it, you feel your heart breaking or speeding up with the characters, you feel a part of the group.
I don’t think I have ever cried as much as I did with the Infernal Devices. As I said in an earlier blog post (December Roundup & January TBR), I knew the overall ending of the story, I just didn’t know the specific details.
I wish there was a perfect place to start. A specific moment that I use to demonstrate how enrapturing this story really was. But I can’t. I could never make that decision. The distinction wouldn’t do the series justice.
Certain snippets that had me making that sad but happy smile at the book
I loved the small snippets in which it was indirectly shown that Gideon Lightwood had become part of the London Institute group. When he helped save some yin fen for Jem or his reaction to one of Jem’s announcements in the breakfast room.
“Gideon dropped his cup into his saucer with a clatter…”
I felt so much going on in that half sentence. It’s these moments, to me, that are integral to the story. It is not only in battle, where you see them protecting and fighting side-by-side. But it’s in these everyday instances. This action shows he is invested in the livelihood of the other characters. Gideon has begun to understand the internal relationships within the institute.
