Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1) in Once Upon a Twilight blog

Jun 08, 2010 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2010-100-book-challenge, arcs-i-own, signed, books-i-own, mundie-moms-review

I have read some amazing series, by some wonderful authors. Most of the time I find that I love one or two of their books, and only a couple of their characters. Then there's Cassandra Clare, who introduces me to a whole new world in her Mortal Instruments Series. She has a whole cast of unique characters that keep me engrossed in the storyline. Now there's Clockwork Angel.

Cassandra Clare is brilliant! Not only did Cassie captivate me with her Victorian Era setting (in London) and transport me i I have read some amazing series, by some wonderful authors. Most of the time I find that I love one or two of their books, and only a couple of their characters. Then there's Cassandra Clare, who introduces me to a whole new world in her Mortal Instruments Series. She has a whole cast of unique characters that keep me engrossed in the storyline. Now there's Clockwork Angel.

Cassandra Clare is brilliant! Not only did Cassie captivate me with her Victorian Era setting (in London) and transport me into a darker world for the Shadow Hunters, but she swept me away with her characters. How can I pick one or two to love, when even the supporting characters are amazing. Before I get into characters and setting, let me just say that you do not need to read The Mortal Instruments series prior to reading Clockwork Angel. Cassie has a talent for introducing a new world for those who haven't read The Mortal Instrument Series. For those who have, you'll find yourself engrossed with an even darker, more dangerous Shadowhunter world.

Set in Victorian Era London, Cassandra opens up a whole new world of danger, action, romance and my favorite, the history of the Shadowhunters and the Institute. I felt like Cassandra had taken me back in time, and I loved her vivid description of 1800's London. Clockwork Angel's setting and the mannerisms from the time are rich in detail, that I felt I was apart of it.

Getting to know Jace and Alec's ancestors was fascinating. I enjoyed seeing some family similarities. Will and Jem will definitely win over the hearts of Cassandra's fans. Where Will is snarky and more complex, with many layers to his character we've yet to know, Jem is the more sensible one. Even he has an air of mystery around him. As much as I love the Jace and Alec scenes in TMI, Will and Jem have won me over. I adored Magnus! I'm looking forward to seeing more of him as the series continues. With a cast of Shadowhunters I adore, there are also some amazing supporting characters whom I fell in love with. I know everyone is anxious to met Will and Jem, but some of my favorite characters are the women in Clockwork Angel. Where Will and Jem provide snark, action and of course charm to the book, the women are tough and stand their ground in a man's world.

Having had a sheltered life, Tessa Gray comes to London to find her brother. She's thrust into a dark world she never thought existed. In finding out more about herself, the ties she has to this world might lead her to the clues she needs in her brother's disappearance. Tessa isn't someone who will sit back and wait for answers, or be told what to do. She's a searcher for truth and knowledge and handles herself and Will quite well. Believe me, Will doesn't seem like the type that many people can handle, except Jem.

Charlotte Branwell runs the Institute, and has taken in Jem, Will and Jessamine. Parentless and with no where else to turn, the Institute is now their home. Charlotte is someone who stands her ground, and she's regarded as a women doing a man's job. I love that she doesn't back down, even under pressure from the Lightwoods, to give up her running of the Institute. Jessamine Lovelace, is such a pain in the hiney sometimes. She lives a life she hates, but what I like about her, is that she knows what she wants and she's not afraid to speak her mind. A character who I think is over looked, is Sophie, a maid in the Institute. She's had a rough life, but she too, is a strong female character. She's someone who I think we'll be seeing more of. I think there's more to her character than we get to know about in Clockwork Angel.

With all the characters Cassandra introduces, never once was I lost. Each character has their own story to tell, and with the ending of Clockwork Angel, I found myself flipping through the extra blank pages just to make sure there wasn't more of the story. Written in true Cassandra Clare fashion, things aren't always what they seem. Filled with twists and turns, and characters who's layers we've just began to unravel, Clockwork Angel will quickly become a fan favorite.

Be sure to go pick up your copy TOMORROW! ...more

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Feb 22, 2010 Damaris (GoodChoiceReading) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: must-read

I have to admit that after reading all the early reviews on Clockwork Angel and all the hype about it I just could not wait to get my hands on a copy. I will say though that I was a little afraid that once I did get a copy and read it, that it would let me down. You know how everyone gets so excited over something and then once you get it sometimes it can be a let down? Well not Clockwork Angel. All the hype and great things that was said about it was all true!

I loved it & more! It was so nice ...more

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Apr 04, 2010 Kaitlyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: review-books

I absolutely adored this book. I haven't read the Mortal Instruments Series, but that didn't take anything away from this one since it is the first in a series of prequels. The characters were brilliant. I need to go out and get her other books.

THE VERDICT: You might as well go and pre-order this one now because, trust me, you’re going to want it. I can’t wait to read this one again and really catch all of the little details. I am so excited to see who Tessa decides between: Will, Jem or neithe ...more

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Jun 25, 2010 Maryanne/MA rated it it was amazing

When does the next one come out? Oh, the agony of having to wait!!!

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Sep 22, 2009 Cynthia Lopez rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-books

I expected Clockwork Angel to be a bit slow for me because of the setting and since it was the first in the series, and they usually are just like City of Bones was for me. Of course I got proven wrong because the book to me seemed fast paced from the beginning and had me at the edge of my seat immersed in it's wonderful Victorian world full of magic. I loved every minute of it, there was just so much going on and the story is so full of adventure and action with gruesome scary creatures and evi I expected Clockwork Angel to be a bit slow for me because of the setting and since it was the first in the series, and they usually are just like City of Bones was for me. Of course I got proven wrong because the book to me seemed fast paced from the beginning and had me at the edge of my seat immersed in it's wonderful Victorian world full of magic. I loved every minute of it, there was just so much going on and the story is so full of adventure and action with gruesome scary creatures and evil bad guys that you never feel bored or feel like wanting to put the book down and take a break. I even skipped a couple of meals because I didn't want to put it down, I kept telling myself just one more chapter but then it would turn into way more chapters and hours later before I stopped.

In Clockwork Angel we get a whole new set of characters which are ancestors to some of the ones we met in The Mortal Instruments series plus a couple that we've already met and were alive back then. Tessa the main character is a goodhearted and innocent girl who unfortunately ends up going through a lot of drama with love and finding out that she's not entirely human and the life she thought was real was all a lie. We also get two love interests in this one but it didn't seem like a love triangle (yet). Jem and Will are total opposites. Before I read the book I thought that I would definitely be Team Will but after getting to know him more I felt that I was tired of the "tough guy I don't love or need anybody and will not open my heart for no one" type of guys. I think that I'm team Jem in this one and he would be the right person for Tessa of course I'm getting way ahead of myself here. I did love Will too but in a different way, his humor and good looks made the book so much more enjoyable and fun to read. There's definitely plenty of humor and fun quotes on this one just like in the TMI series, also plenty of surprises along the way and lots of complicated characters that were very likable and different, they all seem to have their own little unique qualities.

If you think that you might not like it because it's set in a Victorian era you will be proven wrong just like I was. Clockwork Angel has the same Shadowhunter world that we fell in love with, an intricate web of plots, new characters, and twists all wrapped up in a dark and magical sophisticated setting. Cassandra Clare has proven to me once again why I fell in love with her writing in The Mortal Instruments series, her detailed descriptions make it so much easier for you to fall in love with her stories and feel a connection with her characters. I think I love Clockwork Angel even more than The Mortal Instruments and that's saying a lot because there's no Jace in this story *gasp!*. Can't wait for the next one!! ...more

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Nov 15, 2009 Alyson (Kid Lit Frenzy) rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, steampunk

I struggled to start this book....primarily because I loved the Mortal Instruments Series and I am always afraid that a new series (even one that takes place in the same setting) will not live up to the other books. Then I actually started listening to it on audio...kind of a mistake...not that the narrator wasn't good but she seemed to read so slowly. I can read 3x's faster than she was reading it...so then I was getting frustrated and had to start all over reading it. Smart move at least for m ...more

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Feb 18, 2010 Megan (magan bagan) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, steampunk

Let me first admit that when I heard about The Infernal Devices series, I was somewhat skeptical about the whole thing and wasn’t really sure if I was going to want to read it. With that out of the way, I have never been so glad to be wrong before. Cassandra Clare out did herself with this one and it’s only the first in a series of three!

Not only was the story line wonderfully written and engaging, but the characters were just as intriguing as our beloved Clary and Jace from The Mortal Instrumen Let me first admit that when I heard about The Infernal Devices series, I was somewhat skeptical about the whole thing and wasn’t really sure if I was going to want to read it. With that out of the way, I have never been so glad to be wrong before. Cassandra Clare out did herself with this one and it’s only the first in a series of three!

Not only was the story line wonderfully written and engaging, but the characters were just as intriguing as our beloved Clary and Jace from The Mortal Instruments series.

Set in 19th century London, we meet Tessa Gray. She’s a typically well brought up young lady who is thrust into a world that she never believed existed and never would have imagined that she was a part of, the Shadow World. With her brother’s life on the line, Tessa is forced into learning she has the unique and rather rare ability to change forms into anyone, alive or dead, a power that many want to exploit for their own uses.

With the help of Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs, two Shadowhunters that live at the London Institute, Tessa goes on a dangerous mission to locate her brother, uncovering even more secrets that may have been better left unsaid.

Each of the new characters we are introduced to bring something important to the story, including some of the familiar family names from TMI (Lightwoods, Waylands, and Magnus Bane). And, while I love the three main characters very much, I found that the two of the minor roles I wanted to learn more about were Henry and Charlotte, the couple that ran the Institute. With only a little mentioned about their relationship, I found myself asking more questions about their background than most of the other minor characters.

“She longed to reach out and stroke his face, push his hair back and reassure him. But she held herself back. She knew- she had been advised enough times- not force on Henry affection he probably didn’t want.” (CA pg 122) That statement alone was enough to pique my interest and drive me crazy to find out more.

And even though it might sound clichéd, Will was my other favorite character. Now, don’t get me wrong, Tessa was amazing and fascinating in her own right and I’m routing for her no matter what, but Will is much more of an enigma than the others. He’s witty and sarcastic, playful and spontaneous. To me he is like an artichoke, we have to keep peeling back layers until we get to the heart, and Clare hasn’t shown us all of what he’s about just yet.

“But there was nothing to say. There was only emptiness, as there had been before her. As there always would be.” (CA pg 451) Another sentence designed to make the readers even more curious about the fascinating William Herondale.

Cassandra Clare managed to win my heart again with this wonderful start to her prequel series and I am already twitching my thumbs in anticipation for the next two. I would also like to thank the lovely ladies of whatchYAreadin for hosting the Clockwork Angel contest and giving me the opportunity to read it early. You ladies are awesome and I hope that everyone enjoys the first book of the Infernal Devices series as much as I did.
...more

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Mar 18, 2010 Crystal rated it really liked it

First off, I read this through a tour website (Book it Forward). I chose this one because I read the first book City of Bones in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare and was intrigued by her world building and her characters and plots. So when I saw she had a new book coming out starting a new series, I jumped right in.

So what did I think? I think this is going to be a great series. A lot of the world building was done in this book like all first books in the series. I loved getting First off, I read this through a tour website (Book it Forward). I chose this one because I read the first book City of Bones in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare and was intrigued by her world building and her characters and plots. So when I saw she had a new book coming out starting a new series, I jumped right in.

So what did I think? I think this is going to be a great series. A lot of the world building was done in this book like all first books in the series. I loved getting to know the differing people/kinds that inhabited late 19th century London. I'm guessing this is steampunk, but since I'm really not familiar with that subgenre I can't say for sure. Whatever it is, it makes a great book.

I enjoyed the characters, loved Tessa who is strong but feminine. She makes a great heroine for this book. I also enjoyed the various Shadowhunters that make their appearance in the book, Will, Jem, Charlotte, Henry and Jessamine. All the characters are being developed as the book goes along and I enjoyed getting to know each of them, and look forward to getting to know them better as the series progresses.

I also enjoyed the love-triangle of sorts between Tessa, Jem and Will. I don't know which team I would be on if I had to choose because I really like Jem and Will both.

So Clockwork Angel has a great characters, a great setting, some real action, great plot, some romance and amazing world building. It has me anxious for the next book in the series and to get back to reading the Mortal Instruments series as well. Ms. Clare has a flare for writing and I enjoy her style and ability to put her ideas on paper.

I don't often do this, but I did mark a favorite quote while reading this book. It's from Will, who I adored, such a smart alack and so fun:

“Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?” Will demanded with mock horror. “Clearly I have been doing something wrong. Or not doing something wrong, as the case may be.” He banged on the side of the carriage. “Thomas! We must away at once to the nearest brothel! I seek scandal and low companionship.” ...more

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Dec 18, 2009 Heather rated it liked it

I waited forever for this book to come out and sad to say I didn't like it as much as the MI series. Full review at a later date. It had a much darker tone to it, and I am not a fan of automatons. I missed the sarcastic light banter, rich history and good magic I saw in the MI series. ...more

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Jul 15, 2009 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Loved!!!!! this book! It has everything from the Mortal Instruments and Cassandra Clare's writing that I loved (minus Jace and Simon). This new series adds a lot of great characters, intriguing villans, and creepy yet cool steampunk elements to the mix. ...more

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