Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

This review of Clockwork Angel comes at an opportune time. Exactly one year ago, we fled our home which was submerged in floods 10 feet high, brought about by the onslaught of the typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana). The possessions I needed most were placed in a plastic bag and put inside my knapsack. In that bag were my wallet, my cellphone, a change of clothes, and Cassandra Clare's City of Glass, Book 3 in the Mortal Instruments Trilogy.


I wrote about that experience and what I thought about being a mortal instrument nearly a year ago. In that post, I said that rebuilding is a great adventure and life can not be overshadowed. Cassandra Clare herself was kind enough to read it and comment. So, here I am, one year after the flood, reaffirming what I said. We have rebuilt and we are still here. Moreover, I am here again, with another of Cassandra Clare's books, Clockwork Angel. I didn't set out to make it a tradition, but it is a cool coincidence that, around the same time last year, I was reading the same author, who has come to mean something to me because of what I went through while I was reading her other book.

And before this post degenerates into more recollections about that Great Flood and the good and bad things that came because of it, let me proceed with the review. I was waiting for this book since it was announced. I became a Clare fan with the The Mortal Instruments (TMI) trilogy, as you can probably tell from my previous review. I may be in my mid-30s, but a YA story that brings to mind the heyday and passion of one's teen years is something I'll buy into, provided that the author can tell a good yarn. And Cassandra Clare can tell a good yarn, not to mention create fun and snappy dialogue.

Clockwork Angel, unlike the TMI series, is set in Victorian England. A young American girl, Tessa, goes to London to be reunited with her brother, the only family she has left, when she's kidnapped by two demonic women--Downworlders, as they are called in Clare's universe. Eventually, there's the requisite rescue, led by Will, one of the two young Nephilim boys with whom Tessa forms a romantic connection. Will's best friend and rival for Tessa's affections, Jem, meets Tessa in the Institute, where Tessa stays until they figure out who or what she really is.

Yes, it's another love triangle, because, really, who doesn't like love triangles? Ok, many people don't, but I do, if it's the right kind. And the love triangle between Tessa, the shape-changer, Will, the virile and wounded bad boy, and Jem, the sincere and kind gentleman is exactly the kind that will divide people into teams again. And because I'm into strong personalities (read: bad boys), it should be no surprise that I like Will.

Romance and fantasy aside, Clockwork Angel also works in a little bit of steampunk, not surprising considering the book's and the series's title: The Infernal Devices. However, in this series, the coldness of the machine is melded with the fire of fantasy. It's a promising combination, which I hope will live up to its potential.

To be completely honest, though, I liked the dialogue in TMI better. I also liked the story development of Clare's initial series more. But I suppose it's too early to tell, as only the first book has come out. I do like the change, though, that best friends are now vying for the same girl's attention--very different from Simon and Jace in TMI who seemed to hate each other from the start.

This I'll say, too, for Ms. Clare. I follow her on Twitter, and I sincerely admire how energetically and consistently she connects with her fans. She replies to each tweet, conducted a Q&A at Goodreads, and frequently updates her followers about her signings and appearances. I know it's a long shot that she'll actually come to my neck of the woods, but her online presence makes up for not seeing her in person. Hats off to you, Ms. Clare.

The thing about losing things through a flood is that, whatever's left behind is valued more. And a year after that eye-opening deluge, I'm glad for every little thing that can give me happiness. So, I thank Cassandra Clare for, once again, writing a book that made me happy while I was reading it.