Clockwork Angel

The Infernal Devices, Book 1

By: Cassandra Clare

Narrated by: Jennifer Ehle

A young woman with a rare ability finds refuge with the Shadowhunters of Victorian England in this “compulsively readable” (Booklist) first book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy, the prequel series to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments! Clockwork Angel is a Shadowhunters novel.

When Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother in Victorian England, she has no idea something terrifying is waiting for her in London’s Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa’s power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm’s length…everyone, that is, but Tessa.

As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world…and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Great Start to a Wonderful Series

Clockwork Angel is the first book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments spinoff: The Infernal Devices series. Call it blasphemy, but (having read the current entirety of both series) I think The Infernal Devices is considerably better than its already awesome predecessor. Do not fret if you haven't read the Mortal Instruments series yet, Clockwork Angel is set a hundred years before the City of Bones and the series absolutely can stand on its own.

The characters are better developed and infinitely more clever and snarky (which I love). Where Jace came off a little pouty for my tastes (in City of Bones, etc.) somehow Will pulls the same sentiment off with less churlishness and more aplomb! Fans of the earlier series will be delighted to see some of their faves make cameos in this series (such as Magnus Bane!). As the Infernal Devices series progresses, it is interesting to see where plans are laid that impact the present Shadowhunter world and Easter Eggs abound for die hard fans of Clare's work.

So, the story goes, that our heroine, Tessa Gray, comes to London from America at her brother's request after the death of their guardian Aunt. Immediately upon arrival, however, Tessa is Shanghaied and introduced to the dark secrets of Downworld. She has powers of her own and is thrust into plots, plans and manipulations that she would have never suspected existed in her previous life.

Along the way, she meets the Shadowhunters at the London Institute and becomes a part of the family, fighting for good. No supernatural YA novel worth its salt would dare show its cover without including a love triangle, so naturally, we are treated to one in Clockwork Angel. While this device generally annoys me, in this instance (and in the subsequent novels) the triangle is natural, touching and (spoiler alert) eventually heartbreaking.

Audio Notes:

Jennifer Ehle has been one of my favorite actresses since her turn as Miss Elizabeth Bennett in the BBC version of Austen's Pride & Prejudice. As the sole narrator of the audio version of Clockwork Angel, Ehle puts her acting chops to work by playing all parts to great effect! Her wry sense of humor shines through while playing Will and she conveys a true sense of innocence and strength while portraying Tessa. I would highly recommend the audio version and it is one of my favorite audio adaptations of all time.

Clockwork Angel is a must-read novel that will pull you into the world of Downworlders and Shadowhunters, Angels and Demons, Tessa, James and Will and will keep you begging for more of this amazing series!

Steampunk and Vampires

Seriously, how can you possibly go wrong with steampunk and vampires? I absolutely enjoyed this book. The character of William in particular was great fun. He had me laughing through the most absurd moments, and then ticked me off in other places. What a wonderfully complicated character.

That being said, I only gave the story four stars because there were a few elements that I found predictable. Still, Will's humor through it all kept me engaged and I look forward to reading more in this series.

Nice Escape...

I was surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. The pace seemed slow, however, I never found it to be dull. The story unfolded nicely and was easy for me to visualize because of the vivid descriptions. The characters were intricate and eventually a love triangle unfolded that is dealt with more heavily in the following book, "The Clockwork Prince". I really enjoyed the London setting and the British accent that the narrator adopted for several of the characters. I was greatly disappointed when I found that she did not perform the second book in the series, and found that this abrupt transition disrupted the overall feel of the story. I don't believe the third book is available through Audible yet but I hope that when it is, they utilize the talents of Jennifer Ehle.

Narrator Makes This One!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes. Like most of Clare's books, you won't find much original in the plots, but the characters and dialogue sparkle. They are witty and enjoyable. Listening to her books is always a fun place to escape.

Jennifer Ehle's narration makes this one something special. More than the written words would have been.

Her interpretation of the dialogue is wonderful and inspired. I laughed out loud very often. Her Will and Magnus were spot on. Her Jem sympathetic. Loved listening to her. Listened more than once back to back just because I enjoyed her reading so much. I wish I could read aloud like her.

If you’ve listened to books by Cassandra Clare before, how does this one compare?

I have listened to all of Clare's books. This is my favorite. Not necessarily because of the plot, though I do like the Infernal Devices novels more than I like The Mortal Instruments, but really, it was the narration that nailed this one for me.

What about Jennifer Ehle’s performance did you like?

Everything.

Was Clockwork Angel worth the listening time?

Yes, yes, yes.

Any additional comments?

If you enjoy UF or Steampunk, I think it one is worth your time. It clips along and the characters are a lot of fun. There is nothing new here in terms of completely original plot or characters, but still a very fun ride.

Very Good

A very interesting book with well developed characters. I do believe that it is a bit deeper than most Young Adult books which makes it more enjoyable for adults that like a lighter read from time to time. It may not be and epic adventure but it is a worth while read/listen.
Narration was good, I believe that someone else could have added more depth to the production but Ehle isn't too bad. (her accents are very weak) Character voices are a little bland but emotions and inflections are pretty good.