Hello Readers, welcome back to my blog.

Happy new year’s eve to my readers, I hope we all had a lovely Christmas.

This is the first book in the Infernal Devices series and it seems to be the first introduction of shadow hunters, maybe because the plot is set in Victorian time. Reading the shadow hunter series by time line is another way to get into the series but I am reading it in the order recommended by the author.

SUMMARY

When Tessa Gray arrives in England 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. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of demon hunters. Drawn even deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by – and torn between – two best friends

Rating: 4/5 stars

Pages: 486

Category: YA, Fantasy, Romance, Action

Publisher: Walker Books

Theresa Gray came to England from New York on a steam ship to join her only family Nathaniel, who she expects to meet her at the docks but instead she is picked up by Mrs Black and Mrs Dark – aka the dark sisters – who claim her brother sent them for her and they had a letter from him to confirm. That was a mistake Tessa made because she is imprisoned by the dark sisters ad they forcefully teach her how to use her powers, which she didn’t know she had.

Tessa is rescued by William Herondale – a shadowhunter – and taken to the London institute, where she learns about the Downworld through the shadowhunter codex she is given. She stays with the shadowhunters under the agreement that they would help her look for brother, whom she hopes is still alive.

I loved the way the shadowhunter world was liberal in what a woman can do in terms of fighting and what she can read which is at odds with the Victorian time the plot is set in, when the clothes, the manner of speaking and professions for women are restricted. The women like Jessie and Tessa had to straddle this line of liberty in the shadow world and restriction in the Victorian world. I loved all the old English poems at the start of each chapter and how the chapters have titles and numbers. I really did not like Jessie’s character because she was so vain and the things she said or cared about were nonsense compared to the danger around everyone in the institute. She didn’t want to be part of the shadowhunter world and she expected people to sacrifice their lives for her when she wouldn’t do the same, in fact she found it insulting if they thought she should make such a sacrifice. Between her and Nathaniel Grey, I felt like slapping them each but I wasn’t sure which of them deserved the slap more.

I feel as though I should have read Clockwork Angel first before the first 3 books of the mortal instruments which I have already read and reviewed previously in my blog – you can check out those reviews on my blog if you are so inclined. Clockwork Angel feels like an introduction to the shadow world and it hints at a lot to come in the books of the other shadow hunter series. For example, Magnus Bane’s comment that he likes blue eyes and dark hair when he speaks about Will Herondale, which is what his partner Alex Lightwood looks like in the Mortal Instrument series – apologies, but that’s a spoiler. William Herondale is so much like his descendant Jace Herondale in regards to his self-destructive tendency, that I felt it was a family trait along with the charmlessness and arrogance,

Favourite line

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

I gave the story 4 out of 5 stars because the story gave all that it was meant to give. I regret not reading it first before the first books of the mortal Instrument series because this was a great introduction to the shadow world. The work building was done alongside the plot development, which made me feel like the plot was moving along without unnecessary pieces.  I would recommend reading this book if you want to get into the shadowhunter series.

If you like this review and are interested in reading this book, you can purchase it using the links below:

Waterstones (UK) – https://tidd.ly/3kYySCz

Book depository (Free shipping worldwide) – https://tidd.ly/2UNrGyK

Audible (audio books) – https://tidd.ly/3f3bLD7

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