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A review by pgmoon
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I tried reading TMI back in the day, and it just never really grabbed me as a reader. However, I always had people telling me to try The Infernal Devices and I am so glad they did! I can't believe these books have existed for so long and I never read them.
The setting of Victorian London is very interesting to me as a history nerd, and I overall found these characters, especially Jem, Will, and Jessamine, to be very compelling. I admit Tessa was not my favorite at the beginning, but I really grew to appreciate her at the end (the fight at the end had my jaw on the floor!)
Although overall I enjoyed the setting/atmosphere, I do have a couple issues with this book. Mostly the plot had me compelled, although the pacing was a bit odd. The story does drag in places, mostly due to the first book doing much of the world building. As stated above, I didn't read TMI, so some things that might have come naturally to readers were new info to me. Additionally, some of the story beats did come back predictable to me, and some characters felt like a plot device and tropey more than a nuanced development.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story though! The jokes genuinely made me laugh, there were some beautiful prose in there, and I look forward to reading the next book!
The setting of Victorian London is very interesting to me as a history nerd, and I overall found these characters, especially Jem, Will, and Jessamine, to be very compelling. I admit Tessa was not my favorite at the beginning, but I really grew to appreciate her at the end (the fight at the end had my jaw on the floor!)
Although overall I enjoyed the setting/atmosphere, I do have a couple issues with this book. Mostly the plot had me compelled, although the pacing was a bit odd. The story does drag in places, mostly due to the first book doing much of the world building. As stated above, I didn't read TMI, so some things that might have come naturally to readers were new info to me. Additionally, some of the story beats did come back predictable to me, and some characters felt like a plot device and tropey more than a nuanced development.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story though! The jokes genuinely made me laugh, there were some beautiful prose in there, and I look forward to reading the next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Minor: Racism and Xenophobia