geofrog 's review for:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

3.0

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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. Content warning for addiction, death of a parent and mild sexism. I tried reading Clockwork Angel when it was first released but didn’t really get into it at the time, and finally decided to try the audiobook. I think that was the right choice. Clockwork Angel made me feel at home with Clare’s writing style, the superb world building, familiar terminology and the paranormal world that makes up the Shadowhunters books. Like City of Bones, I felt the story was slow at first, though by the end I felt more invested in the characters and eager to continue on with the series. The audiobook did make the experience more enjoyable with Jennifer Ehle’s outstanding narration, though due to the length of the audiobook and slow pace it still took me over two weeks to get through it. The Victorian London setting makes a charming backdrop for the story, and Clare has done her research and provided a detailed look at the time frame. The manners, locations, horse drawn carriages, and wardrobes set the scene perfectly. The characters here were interesting and I think it was a good choice to include some immortal characters that appeared in The Mortal Instruments. I recommend this book for fans of the Shadowhunters world.