“Bloodthirsty beasts, never trust a duck.” – Will Herondale, discussing cannibal ducks.

Clockwork Angel is a Shadowhunters novel by Cassandra Clare about a girl, Tessa Gray, who crosses the ocean to find her brother. Her destination is England, 1878, during the reign of Queen Victoria. Something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets.

Tessa is no ordinary girl. While trying to locate her brother, she has to trust the most unlikely people: shadowhunters, including two mysterious and handsome boys, Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs, who saved her from her captors, the Dark Sisters. But, how can Tessa trust them when she doesn’t even know her true self?

Moving to London to be with her brother, Tessa finds out that she is a warlock, a child of a demon and a human female. However, Tessa is not an ordinary warlock: she can shapeshift into any person living or deceased through touching objects that belonged to the person. Tessa is hunted by the Magister and other creatures who seek to keep her power for themselves. With the help of Shadowhunters, Tessa must find her brother and avoid falling into the hands of the Magister and his allies.

The Clockwork Angel is a terrific, fast-paced read that is a perfect starting novel for The Infernal Devices series. Fans of The Mortal Instruments book series or any books by Clare will love The Clockwork Angel.

The Clockwork Angel  features a mixture of romance, suspense, and a lot of comedy. Will Herondale in particular is an amazing character. When Will is rescuing Tessa and she questions if he knows his way around the house, Will responds with, “Let me tell you give you a piece of advice. The handsome young fellow trying to rescue you from a hideous fate is never wrong. Not even if he says the sky is purple and made of hedgehogs.” I mean – who says that?

The characters in this novel are exceptionally well-written. Once you start to learn who they are, you can’t help getting attached to them – particularly Will Herondale and James (Jem) Carstairs, Shadowhunters who Tessa forms a strong bond with after they save her from the Dark Sisters, two horrible warlocks that kidnapped her. 

The plot and setting aren’t overwhelming.  The reader isn’t hit with one thing after another immediately. The Clockwork Angel takes its time introducing its characters. The Victorian era setting manufactures a new level of depth.

Those who adore fantasy series and new fictional worlds will find Clockwork Angel to be one of their favorites – it’s one of mine! I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a new series to lose themselves in.