Book #1 of THE INFERNAL DEVICES
by Cassandra Clare
It was pretty hard for me to rate this book, I somehow didn't know what to make of it. I would give 3,5☆ only because I love Shadowhunter books and Cassie's writing style is fine with me (comfortable, easy reading).
Don't think I didn't like this book, I really did but I had higher expectations from it. I have read the whole Mortal Instruments series, then Tales of the Shadowhunter Academy and the whole Dark Artifices series before the Infernal Devices- and that was the BIG mistake. I was so excited to read it but now I have too many Cassie's books to compare with and TID don't reach to the aspects of the following books- TMI characters, TDA actions, character building, storylines (and mostly the complexity of the twists and turns). It is so clear that this was one of the earlier books Cassandra had writen. And yes I know that the first three books of TMI are older than this but still, this just feels like a first time.
But again- I DID LIKE IT, it was great but you must not read it after the other series if you want to enjoy it fully.
I liked the story, though the setting of Victorian London was a bit hard for me since I am used to more modern world. I rarely read a historical fiction so I don't really get the violation of rules they all fuss about like women's trousers and fighting (Tessa's horror about this was kinda funny to me) and I don't care much about that, just no big deal- in fact I am a little (but just a little bit) offended because I see myself as a modern independant and capable woman and I hate those old principles about what a woman/ man should be like, should do or say.
I expected to "see" more of London, as Tessa is suppossed to build a new life here but we get only like two brief visits of the city of London? (Hyde park and the Blackfriars Bridge) and besides that only the endless labyrinth of the Institute corridors and the Dark House in the beginning.
Sorry, I know I have already been comparing a lot but I have to say it- I can't help the feeling that the main characters here are just pretty much copies to TMI
- Tessa is practically Clary, new to this world and completely oblivious of her true self and she is falling in love with one of the Institute's residents (so far). She is shy, kind and trying to save the only member left of her family. Doesn't she sound pretty much like Clary?
- Will is a worse version of Jace with his gorgeous Herondale looks and sarcastic selfish comments, but unlike Jace he is really mean and unkind toward others safe Jem. I very much started to dislike him in this book which was a surprise since I have read a bit about him in the Tales of Shadowhunter Academy and he seemed like a totally different person. So I hope he will put himself together in the second book and that we will get some explanation of this manner...
- Jem feels like a combo of Alec and Simon to me- like Alec for his protectiveness of his parabatai and seemingly to be the only one unmoved by Will's behaviour and like Simon for his light and joky answers and there is also the fact of being in love with a girl who (at the point) loves somebody else.
- I don't much like Jessamine, she is selfish and bigheaded and ungrateful but her confidence in herself reminds me of Isabelle sometimes (though I must emfasize that I love Isabelle, she is the queen unlike Jessamine who is just insufferable).
- Then again we have the evil brother Nathaniel Gray (had Jonathan Morgestern not been enough?) who breaks the heart of protective and hopeful Tessa. I must admit though that his betrayal was a surprise to me, I did not see it coming.
- Thank God for at least the brief presence of my darling Magnus Bane (the way he states that black hair and blue eyes are his favourite? OMG I was dying and thought instantly "Oh Alec, where are you?"). I hope to see more of his presence in the next books. He is just one of my forever favourites.
I would say there are more of the minor similarities to TMI as well (like the Institute being lead by a married couple for example or the parabatai being the silent steady one and the often self-destructive one) but I will stop at that.
What concerns me is that I absolutely despise Will now so I really hope he will get better. At the start he seemed just as selfish, reckless, rude and sarcastic as was Jace (what is why I loved Jace in the City of Bones btw) but then it tipped to cruelty, real selfishness, not caring and hurting feelings. It is startling to me since I have read the Tales of the Shadowhunter Academy and in that part he wasn't like that at all (still joky and sarcastic, but loving and full of fierce protectiveness). I can sense that the problem is evidentlly some important life-changing boom and that his manner have some reason. I am frustrated that we didn't got any explanation for Will's behaviour and if I didn't read the short story I wouldn't think it is something deeper- I just would have said he is a real jerk, ungrateful and not caring about other.
It was a quick read, filled with action and I have to admit I was genuinely surprised with "the Magister's revelation and Nathaniel's betrayal" scene- I really wasn't expecting this (a very good twist) and till that moment I wouldn't have guessed the Magister's true identity.
I know this is going to be a trilogy and that Cassie probably didn't want to cram it all into the first book but I just feel that many important details are missing here. I wasn't spoiled for the storyline of the books, just from their refferences in other Shadowhunter books I came to know some really important things:
- I know Tessa is half Shadowhunter/ half warlock (pretty much the whole core of this book is her wondering what the hell is she)- it just feels incomplete not to find out on the end of the first book (only a hint at the total end that Jem will help her discover her origin). But we get no real answer to it here as I expected.
- Than there is the matter that Will can see ghosts- a pretty cool and unsual ability among Shadowhunters but is not shown or at least spoken of here. In fact we know nothing of Will at all aside that he is a really horrible person here.
- At least we learn the cause of James' illness- otherwise it would feel like there is nothing about the characters.
- What really concerns me, is the parabatai thing- the descriptions of both the Alec/ Jace and Julian/ Emma parabatai bonds in the other series gave me the impression that it is something special and valuable, some precious connection between two people. In TMI and TDA the bond is a big deal, the characters are constantly talking about what it means to them and what would they do for each other. But in here it is always mentioned only marginally and to be honest, I learned only at the end of the book that Will and Jem are parabatai (to this point it seemed like they would be in some time but not already). Yes I can see how they care for each other, but there are just not enough of these moments, they don't share the "parabatai talks" and don't mention it often enough. It may be my observation only but it is really visible for me.
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The copy of this book presented in the pictures is from bookdepository.com- the picture is featuring The Clockwork Angel, The Clockwork Prince and The Clockwork Princess. You can find the pictures on my instagram account @michelles_bookshelves
You can also find this review on Goodreads
