Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare – A “Mini Review”

I finished reading Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare last night, and I can’t get it out of my head. It’s the first book in her new trilogy, The Infernal Devices — a set of prequels to her best-selling The Mortal Instruments series. And as much as I love the original series, Clockwork Angel is by far my favorite. Yes, in my mind, it blows away the original books — and that’s saying something.

Cassie’s books will be featured as our upcoming August Book of the Month, and we’ve got some really exciting things in store — including official reviews of Clockwork Angel by yours truly and Stephanie (clumzbella). But I’m so enamored with the book, that I wanted to get a little “blurb” or mini-review out while the book was fresh on my mind.

You see, I’m a huge fan of The Mortal Instruments series — even though I got on the bandwagon a little late in the game (all three books had been released by the time I picked them up). In fact, I had to resist going all “fangirl” the first time I interviewed Cassie. But as much as I love The Mortal Instruments, Clockwork Angel literally took my breath away. It is an amazing book.

It’s sort of hard for me to describe right now what is so great about this book — because I’m still simply thinking “OMG, it was so freaking awesome!!!!” in my brain — and frankly, I’ll save explaining the brilliance of Clockwork Angel for my “real” review in August.

But I have to say this … I’m torn over wanting to know what happens next immediately, and wanting to savor the release of the next two books. For while I am simply dying to just read books two and three, part of me is excited to savor the anticipation. Despite the wait, it’s nice knowing there are two really exciting books to look forward to over the next two years — in addition to the upcoming release of City of Fallen Angels (a new book in the original Mortal Instruments series).

As media reporters the world over try to pin down what’s going to be “the next Harry Potter” and “the next Twilight” (ie, the “next Big Thing”) — Cassandra Clare is filling that void without the press even realizing. But they will — oh, they will.

In case you haven’t heard the buzz just yet, here is the official synopsis for Clockwork Angel:

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and 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 the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, 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 blue-eyed 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 that 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.