Clockwork Angel, By: Cassandra Clare

       In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.
       The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium 

Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them...​​

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My Rating: ★★★★★

​       This is a book that's been on my TBR for quite some time. I'd been putting off reading both the last three books of The Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices just because I wasn't sure in which order to read them, and quite frankly, it was just easier to read something else. But now that I've read it, I don't know why I put it off. It was such a well-represented book, having elements of fantasy, comedy, romance, historical fiction, and action. There is definitely something for everyone in this book.
       First of all, I love the Shadowhunter world that Cassandra Clare builds in the late 1800's. It is the perfect mix of Victorian Era London and the sophistication of the Nephilim society. Since I read this book after reading the first three Mortal Instruments books, I could see the parallels in the books and the different ways the Shadowhunters lived in the 19th century vs. the present world. The time period also has an effect on the way the narrator, Tessa Grey, views both the mundane and Shadowhunter societies. I really noticed how Tessa thought it was strange that the women of the Nephilim were thought of as equal, and fought alongside the men. It goes to show how far we have come in today's society.
​       Speaking of Tessa, I'm pretty sure we could be best friends. She is a strong and independent woman who don't need no man, and also loves books! I'm not going to lie, we're basically the same person. She will also do whatever is necessary to find her brother, who goes missing at the beginning of the story. Tessa is so courageous and intelligent, I wish I was her. She doesn't back down to anyone, and I really admire that.
       My favorite aspects of this book are the small tie-ins to the original series, and it kept me on my toes. I won't go into too many details because of spoilers, but there were a lot of little moments where I thought to myself, "Oh, that's a nod to so-and-so!" or, "That's important later!" It was really neat to have all those little moments. I also loved the fact that every time I thought I had everything figured out, there was something unexpected thrown into the mix. Cassandra Clare constantly shakes things up and makes me second guess things.

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       So, if you're new to the Shadowhunter Universe or you've read a few Mortal Instrument books, you should definitely get your hands on this amazing read for all types of people.

A re-instated Shadowhunter,
Ashton

'One must always be careful of books,' said Tessa, 'and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.'

- Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel