From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)

Cassandra Clare

Start date: September 1, 2010

Finish date: September 30, 2010

Why we're reading this: We voted and this book was one of the chosen. BTW, you do not need to have read any of the Mortal Instrum…more
[close] We voted and this book was one of the chosen. BTW, you do not need to have read any of the Mortal Instruments series prior to reading this book. This is the prequel to that series so you won't be lost.

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What Members Thought

Sep 07, 2010 Marla rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, series, fantasy, zz-2013, challenged, historical-fiction, zz-team-2013-challenge-wild-blue-d, young-adult, vampires, paranormal

(Listopia challenge) Take an old England setting, a beautiful orphan girl and her missing brother, a race of demon hunters - two of which are handsome young men, add vampires and cyborgs and you have an idea of the story of Clockwork Angel. Interesting, but lots of elements to track and I'm not vested in any of the characters or the romance yet.

If you like the romance between Will and Tessa, be sure to read the attic scene from Will's point of view.

Likes:
* Learning about Will's past
* History of ...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Amanda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-stars, young-adult

I love this one, but then my favorite character for this trilogy was Jem, so...

Merged review:

I'm still giving this one a four but my feelings about it are far more complex than my feelings over The Mortal Instruments. I was very conflicted for about the whole first third-to-fifth of the book about how the set up parallels were far too much exactly the same not to grate.

Pretty Capable Girl, who is not all that aware she is pretty or capable, and who is not-quite-human falls into The Institute/Sh I love this one, but then my favorite character for this trilogy was Jem, so...

Merged review:

I'm still giving this one a four but my feelings about it are far more complex than my feelings over The Mortal Instruments. I was very conflicted for about the whole first third-to-fifth of the book about how the set up parallels were far too much exactly the same not to grate.

Pretty Capable Girl, who is not all that aware she is pretty or capable, and who is not-quite-human falls into The Institute/Shadowhunter hands through mysterious circumstances and must be educated/protected. The Institute for the most important part consists of three children. One extraordinarily beautiful-but-vain girl, one fragile-sensitive-boy and one reckless-self-preservation-lacking boy (who just happens to apparently have future-passing-genetic traits towards quoting things in other languages).

Someone try to tell me this does actually paraphrase itself as being both series.

Things I really, really, really liked?

Charlotte's age. Henry's bumbling. Seeing different sides of Camille, and more of Magnus, who really seemed normal for himself. Gaping when I'd recognize names. The whole of Agatha, Thomas and Sophie existing and how fraught (with the balances of love, humility, jealousy, loneliness, and gratitude) all of their positions seem to be. Jem's disability.

I teeter totter back and forth on how much do or do not like that the second trilogy of The Mortal Instruments and the whole of The Infernal Devices are going to be unavoidably, intertwined up in each other. The events of Infernal Devices are already all over The City of Lost Angels. Which means if done right (and extensively planned) this could knock my socks off with brilliance. Or it could be a massive let down (if not well planned previously).

I have so many theories about where this one will go already though. Especially how the whole of Will, Jem, Tessa, and Magnus thing will work itself out. And I have a feeling, if it is done right, it will utterly break my heart before it is done. And though I still waffle on whether I like Tessa at all, this is my favorite quote of the book, which is hers while she's being all prickly at the person she usually is:

"Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry." ...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Deedee rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult-fantasy-and-sf, world-europe-england, young-adult, vampires, world-europe-england-london, challenge-2012-winter, steampunk-read

Lexile Score 780L
A good entry in the YA category of: teenagers with supernatural powers battling evil forces that also have supernatural powers. The characters on the "good" side were well-differentiated and likable. My main criticism regards the heroine. She's 16 years old, an orphan, and knowledgable enough to travel (in 1870s) from New York City to London by herself. However, the thoughts and actions of this character better fit someone who is 12-13 years old and ignorant of large swaths of " ...more

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Nov 17, 2011 Angie Taylor rated it liked it

Okay, so already I can tell that I am going to like this series better than the Immortal Instruments. But I'm not sure if that is because it's a better story, or if it's because I know what is going to happen in the future. However, even having said that, I don't know if I can keep reading them. I was so bugged at the end of the story. I mean really, what is Will's problem? If it's worth it to continue, those out there who have read it are going to have to convince me. ...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Christine Chapman rated it it was amazing

Shelves: obsessions

I was hesitant to try this series since I am not a huge fan of Victorian era literature but I once again Cassandra Clare is an incredible writer. I am seriously in love her and her characters. I would even say that I enjoyed this book more than the Mortal Instruments series. I am taking a quick breather before I open the Clockwork Prince and although I was so excited to "meet" Jem, I am squarely team Will. Onto book 2 ...more

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