Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster Books

Published: September 2010

Hardcover: 478 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4169-7586-1

FYC FYI: Borrowed from library, but will be purchasing own copy.

I read the first three books in this series last year. The series is “The Mortal Instruments” and the books are “City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass”. “Clockwork Angel” is the first of three prequels. The story is dark, and there is some violence, but that didn’t stop me from reading and loving these books.

“Clockwork Angel” is set in London in 1878. Will and Jem are Shadowhunters. They hunt and kill troublesome demons and help protect mundanes (humans) and downworlders (warlocks, vampires, etc). Shadowhunters have “Marks” on their bodies, that help them fight stronger, heal them, and can even open doors with certain tools. Will and Jem are tracking a troublesome demon, and find a dead girl in the street. She was killed by a demon, and Will wants to find out why… That takes us to Tessa Gray. She is an orphan who’s aunt has just died. Her brother, Nathaniel, sends her a ticket to London and right away, just off the stream boat, she is kidnapped by the Dark Sisters. Mrs. Dark and Mrs. Black promise her that if she behaves, they will take her to her brother. However, the Dark Sisters know Tessa is different. They know she is a shape-shifter. The sisters are training her to use her power and are preparing her for the Magister. Enter Will, who tracks down the pair and helps Tessa…

I’ve been thinking about this next thing a lot since I finished. I think in order to understand and appreciate the story, you should read “The Mortal Instruments” first. The author goes into more detail about the Shadowhunter world. Saying that, if you wanted to start with “Clockwork”, you could. There are just more explanations of this different world in the first three, and I think the characters and this cool world would be understood more with some extra background. What I like most are the Shadowhunters. They are very cool and mysterious.

Cassandra Clare is an amazing author. She truly brings these characters to life and each character is so unique. I will read all of the books in this series, and I’m quite bummed that I have to wait two years for this series to be finished. “Clockwork Prince” will be released in September 2011, and “Clockwork Princess” in November 2012. Some extra good news to Shadowhunter fans… the fourth book in the “Mortal Instruments” series, “City of Fallen Angels” will be released April 5, 2011. (Great birthday present for me :)

Four stars for this book and four for the first three released.

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