There's plenty of sense in nonsense sometimes, if you wish to look for it.
My first impression of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare was that Will is, in my opinion, an almost perfect mix of Jace from The Mortal Instruments and Jesper from Six of Crows. That by itself would be a reason to read on.
Clockwork Angel takes the Shadowhunter world to the Victorian Era of London. Tessa Gray gets pulled in when traveling to England to meet her brother after the death of their guardian Aunt Harriet. Just steps off the boat, Tessa finds herself immersed in magic and macabre where she meets supernatural beings and the residents of the London Institute. Desperate to find her brother, and discover why members of the shadow world are interested in the siblings, Tessa begins to embrace this world she never even knew existed.
One must always be careful of books and what is inside them for words have the power to change us.
The characters were what really drew me into this book. Tessa carries the same curiosity and incessant question-asking that I do, and I was so intrigued to read from the perspective of a society-abiding female of this time. Will and Jem were a wonderfully balanced pair, in some ways reminiscent of Jace and Alec. I loved their distinct ways of connecting with Tessa. Charlotte, and particularly Henry, are just lovely. I would happily reside in an Institute run by this pair.
The way the Shadowhunter world is woven together across the timeline in Infernal Devices and Mortal Instruments is just beautiful. Readers get to see how the society progresses and changes. Additionally, since some of the beings live for much longer than a mortal human, there are familiar pieces in the otherwise unique plot.
My biggest point of contention with Clockwork Angel was that I guessed the twist. For whatever reason, I tend to not guess or make many predictions while reading. I know that I enjoy getting to that line where the whole story tips, so I just try to avoid guessing what might happen. And even on the few occasions when I do indulge, I tend to be not very good at it. So it was a bit disappointing that I could think "oh, I saw that coming". Perhaps it was just a fluke on my part. But it made sense and moved the story along just the same.
Overall, a good recommendation for those who enjoyed the Mortal Instruments, as well as those who like historical fantasy.
And let's not forget... never trust a duck.
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