"'There are much more things in Heaven and earth, Nathaniel, than are dreamt of in your philosophy,' he said."
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| Book 1 of the Infernal Devices Trilogy |
Clare is also one of the few authors whose young adult novels have hit the movie screen after the phenomenal success of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter universe. Her book, City of Bones in The Mortal Instruments series was in the cinemas just this year.
I initially expected Clockwork Angel to be like Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games film trilogy, which I personally did not enjoy due to the weak and diluted prose that did no justice to the brilliant idea of combining reality television with a dystopian, Kardashian-like future. Thus it was a pleasant surprise when Clockwork Angel turned out to be a rather solid and highly entertaining read with surprisingly accurate references to Chinese folklore.
Starting her chapters with ominous quotes that will prime every Victorian literature lover for a wild and raw rush of action and bloodlust, Clare weaves humans (the 'mundanes'), dark magicians, healers, vampires or beasts (known as 'Downworlders' or the 'Shadow World') and the Nephilim ('Shadowhunters') together in a coherent story of sibling love and betrayal.
The Nephilim is widely considered to be a race: half humans, half angels, originating from the Bible (Genesis 6:4) which described them as "sons of God" and "daughters of men". Some believe that they are the offsprings of men and angels and are thus more beautiful and strong than other mortals. Others simply believe that they are the offspring of Seth who rebelling against God, mingled with Cain who commited the first murder by slaying his brother and was condemned to roam the earth. The common strain between these different interpretations is that the Nephilim are outsiders of our world, who are not quite human and yet cast away from God.
Tessa Gray, an American girl, crosses the ocean to locate her brother Nathaniel ('Nate') in England. A lonely orphan amidst orphaned Shadowhunters, who by nature of their Nephilim blood are lonesome beings belonging to neither heaven or earth, the book revolves mainly around her search for Nate and her life in The Institute with them. These Shadowhunters have superior physical capabilities but wither away at an age we would consider a human's prime.
Much detail is paid in describing the dreary weather in London as well as the differences in accents. The story begins with her kidnapping by the Pandemonium Club, an occult secret society, which reveals a hidden talent she possesses. This ultimately becomes a weapon as fatal to others as it is to herself and the people she loves.
Tessa’s incredible love for books serves to strengthen her resolve to live at certain points of hardships. Books are an escape for her difficult circumstances. She is probably a reflection of Clare’s love letter to her own passion for literature. It was distracting, somewhat like the quotes at the start of the chapters which felt irrelevant and more of a throwback to the Victorian forefathers of fantasy and gore, but the familiar references are welcome nonetheless, adding depth and dimension to the immensity of what the characters are experiencing.
Set apart from both life and love, Tessa unintentionally embarks on a discovery of other lonely characters and her mysterious past while the different worlds wage war against each other. More importantly, she gains a family in a process filled with blood, murders black magic and betrayals.
Why read this book?
- To expose yourself to the steam punk genre
- To cast aside one's prejudice of books with fancy covers directed at young adults
- Simply, to enjoy a good and easy read on sleepless nights!
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