"Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry."
- Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel
Review by Chase
Book Synopsis:
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 fold stalk the gaslit street. 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 soons 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: James, 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.
General Review:
I was initially skeptical about this book just because I didn't think that Clare would be able to separate this story from The Mortal Instruments. Other than the whole ripoff of certain characters, the book was nicely separated from The Mortal Instruments. There was enough similarities to please readers of the first series, but it can certainly be read as alone.
Plot:
I must say that I enjoyed the plot of this book way more than I did the Mortal Instruments. It was fun and fast-paced and it always ket me guessing. The book never really gave you a chance to catch your breath because as soon as one conflict was solved, another one began. My one complaint is that I often forgot that this book takes place 100 years ago. There was really nothing to distinguish that it was in the past except for the characters overusing the word "quite." But other than that it was quite a good plot.
Characters:
The characters in The Mort....uhh....I mean...The Infernal Devices (See what I did there? No? No? It means they were the same) As a fan of The Mortal Instruments, I was a little aggravated with the blatant similarities between Jace and Will. The whole angsty rebel who secretly has a heart was ok the first time, but it's just not acceptable to have the main male characters have the same traits. I've also read a lot of people complain that Tessa is exactly like Clary and I have to dissagree. Tessa is a much weaker character. I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just that Clary was much more assertive and motivated to get things done. Tessa is a victim of her era and feels that she has to rely on a man to get things done. The shining light in this book was Jem. Jem was a fresh face amongst a crowd of similar characters. While the characters may have had undeniable similarities to the companion series, they undergo different transformations and seem to be more complicated individuals.
Final Thoughts:
I quite enjoyed this novel and was excited to read the rest of the series. Hopefully, Clare sticks to her word and just makes this a trilogy because I don't think that The Mortal Instruments should have been lengthened.
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