Amazon Description:
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.
FallenBookAngel Review
I have got to say that I absolutely loved this book!! Before reading this I had read The Mortal Instruments series (TMI) and was a bit skeptical about The Infernal Devices; however, I was met with a pleasant surprise.The time period of this book is set one hundred and fifty years before that of The Mortal Instruments, and the language that Clare uses really puts you in that time period, which in my opinion, is an important aspect. After all, if the language doesn't sound unique to the era of the story, the reader doesn't feel as if they are in that time period. The thoughts and actions of the characters also align with the late 1800's, which was almost a shock to me. I hadn't really given any thought to how people of that century would act and Clare does a fantastic job portraying that in the characters.
The characters themselves are composed in a way similar to those in The Mortal Instruments. There's the headstrong, doesn't-care-about-anything Will (paralleled with Jace); the level-headed, mild Jem who looks out for everyone else (Alec); and then there's the volatile, wants-things-her-way Jessamine (similar to Isabelle). Of course, who can forget the reluctant heroine, Tessa. Much like Clary from TMI, Tessa is tossed into a world she knew nothing about and really doesn't want to know anything about. Tessa is witty, brave, and like Clary, she is always concerned about others.One thing I will say about these characters is that, while they are similar to their TMI counterparts, they are much more complex. Each of these characters seems to be hiding something deadly and while some of those secrets are revealed, the majority of them are left in the shadows, driving the reader to want more and more. And then there are the supporting characters: Nathanial, Tessa's brother and her main reason for coming to England; The Dark Sisters, who serve as Tessa's introduction to the Shadow world; De Quincy, a vampire who is part of the mysterious Pandemonium Club; and then there are two which appear in TMI: Magnus Bane and Camille Belcourt. These two make a nice cameo and play a well thought out supporting role in the novel.
The plot of the story is, in some ways, almost more interesting than that of TMI because it always keeps you guessing. Clare is a master of plot twist and she makes great use of that skill in this novel, leading the reader down one road and then suddenly darting down a side-street that goes in entirely the opposite direction. In this novel, Tessa is kidnapped once she reaches England and ends up in a grand scheme involving the secret Pandemonium Club, the ominous Magister,vampires, automatons, shape-shifters, and the hint of a deadly motive that centers on Tessa and her abilities.
Overall, I would most definitely recommend this novel to anyone who has an affinity for fantasy and a desire to escape the modern world.
- FallenBookAngel
Soon to Come:
A review of the sequel Clockwork Prince!!
