Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

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Clare, Cassandra. Clockwork Angel. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010. $19.99 Hardback (479p) ISBN: 9781416975861.

Recommended for ages 14+.

After the death of her aunt Tessa flees New York to live in London with her brother, the only family she has left. Immediately upon arrival in England Tessa is kidnapped by the Dark Sisters who force her to discover her talents as a shape changer. With the aid of the Shadowhunters, whose mission is to protect the world from demons and the like, she escapes the confines of the Dark Sisters only to realize that a world full of supernatural creatures is now her reality. Tessa remains a sought woman and violence erupts as those with evil intentions pursue her. Twist after twist leaves the reader guessing to the very end, at which point the book concludes nicely while still leaving a perfect opening for the squeal.

This title deals with the relevant young adult issues of identity seeking, romance, and family. With the descriptions of early 19^th century England and the issues with women’s rights at the time, it does fit in the genre of historical fiction, yet the theme is primarily fantasy as it is centered around supernatural characters such as witches, vampires, and demons. This series was written as a prequel to the popular Mortal Instruments series, making it a must-have for libraries. Though the first title in the Mortal Instruments series, City of Bones, was published in 2007 it is not necessary to read it before Clockwork Angel.   This book, along with the rest of the series, will appeal to those ages 14 and up.

Awards/Honors
YALSA Teen's Top Ten Winner - 2011
Silver Inky Winner- 2011
Indigo Top Ten for Ten Fiction - 2010
Indie Kids Next List for Teen Readers - Winter 2010/2011

The next book in The Infernal Devices series:

Cover art from indiebound.org

Book three, Clockwork Princess, newly released.

Cover art from indiebound.org

Here's a great book trailer for Clockwork Angel. 

This series is the prequel to The Mortal Instruments series:

Cover art from indiebound.org

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