[Review]Clockwork Angel, Cassandra Clare

To start with, I just recently discovered Cassandra Clare and her series “The Mortal Instruments” and it quickly became one of my favorites in the young adult fantasy genre. After having read so many rave reviews, I was exulted at finally having the opportunity to read the first installment in her brand new trilogy – “The Infernal Devices” - in which the author once again revisits her world of angelic warriors, the Shadowhunters, the only impediment to havoc wrought by demons. The novel, however, does not take place in a contemporary setting, but in urban Victorian London during the 1870s. 

The story revolves around Tessa Gray, a pretty orphan from the States, who abandons the only life she knew in favor of England, where her dear brother Nathaniel awaits for her. Everything is just fine (with the exception of the dreary weather) until she is kidnapped by a clique of not-so-human hags, called the Dark sisters, who start teaching her how to use a terrible gift our heroine possesses. For Tessa is a Downworlder with unique powers, powers that are sought after by a shadowy figure called the Magister. Barely escaping from a deadly trap, Tessa finds herself in the London Institute of the Nephilim, from where she sets out on a desperate adventure to save her brother. Along the way, she meets a plethora of unique characters who will aid her in deciphering the tangles of lies and intrigue that threaten to override the frail balance between the Shadow and the mundane world. With an unexpected plot twist, Cassandra Clare once more asserts herself as a master of suspenseful and well-crafted tales of love, death and betrayal. 

The main problem of the novel is our lovely Tessa. The comparison between her and Clary (from the author’s other series) is inevitable – both stumble across the Shadow world for the first time, fall in love with the wrong person and struggle to come in terms with their respective powers. See the parallels? Besides, a good number of Clare’s heroines are damsels in distress, crying in frustration at not being kissed correctly. And though this annoying fact in “The Mortal Instruments” was glossed over by the appearance of a few authoritative female figures, “Clockwork Angel” falls short on expectations regarding most of the female protagonists. Nonetheless, I rather enjoyed the struggles of Shadowhunter girls to juggle between their duties as warriors and as ladies. 

Undoubtedly, Tessa may seem to be unique in her own way, as she is quite the bookworm and manages to quote famous writers of the time. What’s more, she eloquently forces William, another of the main characters, to shut up. Speaking of Will, I believe that the dark brooding act of “the bad boy with a dreadful secret” is already rather clichéd and even borders on ridiculous. It may make some ladies’ hearts pump more dramatically, but I cannot overlook Cassandra Clare’s fascination with this type of characters in all of her novels. Moreover, and you would not be surprised, there is once more a love triangle, mirroring the one in “The Mortal Instruments” series. All in all, the new set of heroes to save the day resembles the old one, but with a few cosmetic alterations. Anyway, the new characters are just as likeable as the old ones, but I really wished Cassandra Clare would make them a pinch more different. 

What saved the novel from the “clone” label was, unsurprisingly, its authenticity. In an interview, Mrs. Clare mentions having industriously researched the customs in England during the Victorian age, as well as having unearthed the first impressions of fellow Americans visiting England for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised that London has the distinctive feel of the Victorian age about it. Even though the terrible weather and the glum streets are some of the principal topics of conversation, the author has managed to make her version of London plausible and even romantic in its daily power struggles. I must also give credit to Cassandra Clare for penning out once more an elaborate plot, even though it is more talk than action in some instances. Of course, it is quite intriguing to see the predecessors of characters from Clare’s other series and the whole automaton concept was also wonderfully worked out. “Clockwork Angel” may not live up to all of the heaps of praise that have been circulating the Internet for the last couple of months, but it has spirit and is quite an enjoyable read. 

In conclusion, “Clockwork Angel” is a streampunk tale with an ugly twist, as beautifully and intricately crafted as the cruel machines that stalk the characters across the dirt-smeared streets of Victorian London. It may not be perfect in execution, but there is potential in the setting dotted with quite a few witty and obscure characters. 

My final verdict: 7,5/10