By Cassandra Clare
Published By McElderry Books
Summary (GoodReads): 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.
Dislikes: There was nothing that really stands out as a dislike in this book. While I didn't care for Jessamine, I felt more sorry for her than dislike. Such an angry young woman, there has to be more behind it than we saw in this book.
Likes: Tessa as the female lead in this story. She was strong when she needed to be, especially where her family was concerned. She set out with one purpose, saving her brother, and wouldn't be led off that path no matter what the Shadowhunter's priorities were. I also really liked Will and was intrigued by the glimpses we got into his past. I cannot wait to find out more and see why he is the way he is. The rest of the side characters were just as great as these two. I really enjoyed the poem at the beginning of the book Thames River Song by Elka Cloke. It put me in the right frame of mind for the story and setting of this book. I love character consistency, it was nice to see Magnus still loves the pretty things.
Overall: I loved this book. I was drawn into the story from the very beginning and did not want to stop even when it was finished. Cassandra Clare brought us another batch of great strong characters to fall in love with (and sometimes hate) and wove them into a world that we are are already familiar with, but made it their own. I'm not Team Will or Jem, I'm Team Cassandra as long as she is writing them I'll be reading them.
Rating: 5
This is in my TBR pile, and your review makes me wanna start it ASAP =)
ReplyDeleteYay Kristina! I so adored this book as well, I agree with you on Tessa, I thought she was a fabulous protagonist. And I'm always a sucker for a cocky, snarky boy, so Will had me from the beginning. It's such a beautiful world as well, can't wait for book 2! Really nice review:)
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