Book Review:Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

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.

 

 In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Look at those covers. They are BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL.  Clockwork Angel features Will, and Clockwork Prince features Jem.

I'm gonna review these two books together. First I'm going to talk about this series in general, then I'm going to talk in details about each book.

The Infernal Devices series. That title is just powerful for some reason. It just gets to me. I don't know why. I think it's a very creative title. So this series is the prequel series to The Mortal Instrument series. Everything going on here is before Clary and Jace's story.
The titles of the books, even more haunting. Clockwork Angel and Clockwork Prince. Those titles alone make you start wondering what the books will be about.

I cherished the setting in this book. Its set in the early 1800s, I don't remember the actual date, but it was mentioned in the book. The setting was a great escape from books set in everyday life era. Cassandra Clare managed to vividly describe the culture and everyday activities of that time. You can't help yourself, you fall in love with the women's fluffy dresses, the men's hats. You fall in love with the places, the carriages, EVERYTHING.

The writing style is breathtaking as always. These are the fifth and sixth books of Cassandra Clare I'm reading. So yes, I know a good writing style of hers when I see it.

The characters. AHHHHHHHHHH the characters. I was extremely attached to the characters. Each and every one of them. Especially the main three: Tessa, Will, and Jem. Yes, some characters will drive you crazy.  You will hate them. But they are supremely developed. You care for them. If they are sad, you are said. If they are happy, you want to laugh for them.

1-Tessa: Tessa is our protagonist. She is on a mission to find her missing brother. I personally liked Tessa. She had very ladylike qualities and was a thoughtful character.

2-Jem: Jem. Jem. Jem. The boy with white hair. The gentleman. Jem was amazing. He's how every man should be. He is kind. He is brave. He respects ladies.

3-Will: Will is the rude bad boy. The one we see a lot in lots of young adult books. The boy that girls suddenly fall for.

I think that some of the other notable characters are: Henry, Charlotte, and Magnus.

What I liked about this series is that I got to see the back stories of certain characters that appeared in The Mortal Instruments.

I think one of the best things Cassandra Clare did, was intoducing us to the Shadowhunter world again. It was really great experiencing how the main character gets introduced. So, if you want to start reading a Cassandra Clare book, it doesn't matter if you start with this series or The Mortal Instruments. Do not hesitate buying this just because you haven't read The Mortal Instruments. 

Clockwork Angel:

At first, it took me time to get into the setting of this book. It was weird. Not only the setting, but I don't know, it just felt like WEIRD WEIRD. If you feel this way, DO NOT put this book down. As I progressed, it got better and better. I reached a point where I thought, this SERIOUSLY cannot get any better, but it did. There were moments I was literally jaw-dropped. You have to learn one thing about Cassandra Clare's books. You don't know who will survive and who will not.

Clockwork Prince:

This is the best Cassandra Clare book published so far. EVER. I was sucked in right through the first page. I was addicted to the third person narration (I usually prefer third person). I loved the reference to classics in this book. I love how Tessa loves books. Will as well. Reminds me a lot of myself. The book is huge, but I couldn't feel it at all. I kept turning pages. Adrenaline was rushing through me. I was way too excited. Reminded me of the days I was reading Harry Potter. Near the end of the book I felt SOOOOOO shocked. I couldn't believe what was happening. My words cannot describe how great this book was. The ending killed me. It was a cliffhanger.


Clockowrk Princess comes out in March next year. I am waiting eagerly.