Book Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

 Clockwork Angel 

(Infernal Devices #1)

By Cassandra Clare 

Published Year : 2010 

Page Count: 485 pages 

Medium Used : Paperback 

Genre : Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Fiction, Vampires, 2024-read, Adventure. 

Rating : 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐💫

I think when I saw the huge number of ratings and the average rating for this book on GoodReads, I built high expectations for this book. Having just finished, I don’t under what the gaga is all about. 

The biggest achievement for the author in this is ability to pull together vampires, warlocks, demons,angels and modern day Robots all into one plot. The spin off that these Downworld creatures being offspring of demons – either born of them or infested by them – is too fantastic. She has taken some liberties with the logic but made the plot stick to her rationality.

I thought the prose is good. The twist that came in, is a breath knocker. The characters have depth and are well drawn. The pacing and the placement of different elements of surprise and intrigue is commendable. But my appreciation sort of comes to an end here. I felt that Clare has tried to make multiple characters the hero of the plot. Like giving them all equal footing. She tried to make some of them negative and at the same time positive. Yes, this is confusing. I didn’t like the character of Will at all. His cynicism and detached behavior, repelling the naive and honest Tessa while also luring/liking her felt deplorable to me. He either wants her or doesn’t. He either takes her or doesn’t. What is this gray area he lurks in? And Jem. He sees good and positive side in everyone. He rarely feels despair. I liked his positive energy and calming presence. Tessa, the main character, the heroine – is absolutely the best. She loves reading English classics. She starts liking Will but gets stumped by his kissing one minute, pushing away the next. 

Tessa has a brother Nate. He has an addiction of gambling. He has moved to London from New York to find an employment having run into debts. Tessa gets a ticket to London from Nate who invites her to stay with him after their aunt and caretaker dies suddenly. Tessa, coming to London, gets kidnapped by the Dark Sisters. They train her and torment her till she hones and learns to use her special ability. She is a shape shifter who can not only change her appearance but also access the thoughts and personality of the person. Will, a shadow hunter, helps her get out of this imprisonment. He takes her to the lair of shadow hunters, the Institute. What follows is the hunt by ‘the magister’ –  for capturing and exploitation of Tessa, for his attempt to overtake the shadow hunters in London – and how his attempts are collectively and successfully thwarted. 

I would have liked if Tessa got to use her talents more to defend and help the shadow hunters. But perhaps more scope for that is provided in the next book in the series. I also would have liked if Will wasn’t so cold and detached towards Tessa.