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Description edit
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray arrives in England during the reign of Queen Victoria, something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Summary edit
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... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Characters edit
- Theresa 'Tessa' Gray: Tessa has spent the first sixteen years of her life being overprotected by her aunt after the death of her parents in a carriage accident when she was three. She lives almost all her life in books, dreaming of having the kind of adventures the heroines she reads about do—until she is forced to travel from New York to London when her Aunt dies. She is left in the hands of only a pair of mysterious—and sinister—women called the Dark Sisters, who seem to have been 'hired' by him. The Shadowhunters of the London Institute may be Tessa's only hope of finding Nate, but their mysterious world of demons and and her newfound talent holds many dangers for her—especially when she realizes she might be more a part of it than she'd thought.
- Wiliam 'Will' Herondale: Seventeen-year-old Will is the sort of young man nice Victorian girls were warned against. He drinks, gambles, and enjoys the company of ladies of questionable virtue—at least, as much as he enjoys anything. Will hates everyone and everything, with the possible exception of Jem, and even that's in some doubt. He can be very sarcastic and rude, and Sophie warns Tessa to stay away from him.
- James 'Jem' Carstair: Brought up in the Institute in Shanghai, Jem's parents were killed by a demon who allowed Jem to live—but with a terrible price to be paid. Frail and silver-haired, Jem seems an unlikely demon-killer, but his skills and swift intelligence make him a formidable foe. He finds a kindred spirit in Tessa as both of them feel they are torn between two worlds, neither belonging completely to one or to the other. He is also kind and understanding.
- Nathaniel 'Nate' Gray: He is Tessa's older brother who went missing at the beginning of the book. He is also the reason why Tessa left New York for London after the death of their Aunt Harriet.
- Jessamine 'Jessie' Lovelace: Jessamine's parents were Shadowhunters who left the Clave. Their deaths in a fire orphaned her, leaving her to be brought up in the Institute by Charlotte and Henry. Jessamine hates everything about being a Shadowhunter, from the training to the danger to the existence of demons, which she sees as "smelly and disgusting." Armed with a razor-edged parasol and an equally sharp tongue, Jessamine can be dangerous if she wants to be—to herself as much as to the supernatural creatures she's sometimes forced to encounter. She believes that acting like a proper lady, which would then lead to marriage, could be a way out of the life of the Shadowhunter that she despises.
- Charlotte Branwell: Twenty-two year-old Charlotte runs the entire Institute with a capable hand. Kind and loving, she does her best to care for the orphaned Shadowhunters who live under her roof while hiding her loneliness from the absent-minded husband she loves. She feels insecure at times, but almost everyone likes her. It seems as if there's nothing Charlotte can't manage—until Tessa's search for her missing brother begins to uncover a web of corruption and deceit in London's Downworld that threatens to tear London's Conclave of Shadowhunters apart.
- Henry Branwell: Absent-minded and brilliant, Henry is Charlotte's husband. He spends most of his waking hours in the crypt of the Institute, inventing fabulous machines and weapons out of cogs and gears. Unfortunately, just as many of Henry's inventions don't work as the ones that do, and Henry is as likely to set himself on fire as he is to invent something new and amazing. However he is very kind and cares for the people at the Institute very much.
- Alexei De Quincey: A very influential vampire clan leader who is "officially" allied with the Shadowhunters despite his hatred toward them.
- Camille Belcourt: A beautiful and admired vampire with a gorgeous red pendant. She is also secretly Charlotte's ally and somewhat Tessa's ally too. In a relationship with Magnus Bane.
- Magnus Bane: A very flamboyant and mysterious warlock in a relationship with Camille Belcourt.
- Sophie: Sophie is the maid at the Institute. She gets along with everyone, except Will, which is why she warns Tessa to stay away from him.
- Thomas: Young mundane man who came to work for the Clave as a child despite not being a ShadowHunter. He has grown into a large and muscular man who if powerful in his own way though he does not have the gifts of the ShadowHunters whom he serves. Tessa thinks he likes Sophie.
- Benedict Lightwood: He is a Shadowhunter who has two sons. A very powerful and rich man who is disliked by Charlotte Branwell. He is part of the Enclave and lends the London Institute carriages when asked but really would like to assume control of the Institute for himself, instead of allowing Charlotte (whom he believes is doing a terrible job) to run it.
- Gabriel Lightwood: One of Benedict's two sons. He is a Shadowhunter in the London Enclave. At the time of Clockwork Angel, he has recently turned eighteen and is attending his first Enclave meeting. He has sharp and regular features, tousled brown hair and a watchful expression. Tessa describes him as being "handsome in an angular sort of way." He hates Will because of a past offense that the reader is led to believe involved Gabriel's sister. He can also be snobby at pouts and act like he's better than everyone else.
- Brother Enoch: One of the Silent Brothers who cures the hurt Shadowhunters as well as Downworlders in the Institute. Tessa finds him a little scary to look at it, with his stitched lips and other features.
- Black Knight: One of the Dark Sisters who kidnaps Tessa and forces her to learn to use her hidden talent, shapeshifting, or as it's called in Clockwork Angel, Changing.
- Mrs. Dark: One of the Dark Sisters who kidnaps Tessa and forces her to use her hidden talent, shapeshifting, or as it's called in Clockwork Angel, Changing.
- Miranda: A servant for the Dark Sisters
- Aunt Harriet: Tessa and Nate's deceased aunt, whom is never met in Clockwork Angel.
- Agatha: One of the servants at the London Institute. She's the cook. Will loves all the food she makes.
- Axel Mortmain: The man who says he employed Nate when he first came to London
- Emma Bayliss: Add a description of this character.
- Archer
- Frederick Ashdown
- James Carstairs
- Angel Raziel
- Balios: A black horse
- Mark
- Nigel
- Richard Gray
- Elizabeth Gray
- Miss Jessamine Lovelace: A shadowhunter who doesn't want to be a shadowhunter.
- Nephilim: Word meaning Shadowhunter.
- Alexei de Quincey: A Head vampire
- Lilian Highsmith
- Magister
- Oscar Wilde
- Lady Delilah
- Mr. Branwell
- William Herondale
- Cecily
- Xanthos
- Idris: A place hidden from mundanes and only for shadowhunters
Quotes edit
-
“'That was enterprising,' Will sounded nearly impressed. Nate smiled. Tessa shot him a furious look. "Don't look pleased with yourself. When Will says 'enterprising' he means 'morally deficient.'" "No, I mean enterprising," said Will. "When I mean morally deficient, I say, 'Now, that's something I would have done.'"”
Will, Tessa -
“There are worse things than that. It's all right to love someone who doesn't love you back, as long as they're worth you loving them. As long as they deserve it.”
Sophie, Tessa -
“Sometimes, our lives can change so fast that the change outpaces our minds and hearts. It's those times, I think, when our lives have altered - that is when we feel the greatest pain. I can tell you, though, from experience, you grow accustomed to it. You learn to live your new life, and you can't imagine, or even really remember, how things were before.”
Jem -
“Will: "Let's hope they left something behind other than filth. Forwarding addresses, a few severed limbs, a prostitute or two..." Jem: "Indeed. Perhaps if we're fortunate, we can still catch syphilis""Or demon pox. There's always demon pox.""Demon pox does not exist.""Oh ye of little faith."”
Will and Jem -
“One must always be careful of books and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”
Tessa -
“Beauty fades but cooking is eternal.”
Will -
“Goodness, if you keep seeing Six-Fingered Nigel like this, he'll expect you to declare your intentions.”
Tessa, Will -
“Whatever you are physically, male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy--all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. All those other things, they are the glass that contains the lamp, but you are the light inside. That's what I believe.”
Jem -
“"You know," Gabriel said, "there was a time I thought we could be friends, Will." "There was a time I thought I was a ferret," Will said, "but that turned out to be the opium haze. Did you know it had that effect? Because I didn't."”
Gabriel, Will -
“"Do you often sleep tied to the bed?"”
Will,Tessa -
“Will smiled the way Lucifer might have smiled, moments before he fell from Heaven.”
3rd person -
“As for the temperature of Hell, Miss Gray, let me give you a piece of advice. The handsome young fellow who’s trying to rescue you from a hideous fate is never wrong. Not even if he says the sky is purple and made of hedgehogs.”
Will -
“Henry: “It isn’t against the Law to be an idiot.” Jessamine: “Lucky for you.””
Henry, Jessamine -
“Will: “Well, she’s not responding to my advances, so she must be dead.” Jem: “Or she’s a woman of good taste and sense.””
Will, Jem -
“Jessamine: “It’s Will,” she said. “He’s being absolutely ridiculous in the dining room.” Charlotte looked puzzled. “How is this different from his being totally ridiculous in the library or the weapons room or any of the other places he’s usually ridiculous?””
Jessamine, Charlotte -
“Do you normally turn up in gentlemen's bedrooms in the middle of the night? If I'd known that, I would have campaigned harder to make sure Charlotte let you stay.”
Will -
“She's alive, the one you came back for. Her. Tessa. She's with Sophie”
Thomas to Will -
“"... Are you laughing at me?" "Not at you, more because of you. I've never seen anyone get so excited over books before. You'd think they were diamonds." "Well, they are, aren't they? Isn't there anything you love like that? And don't say 'spats' or 'lawn tennis' or something silly." "Good Lord, it's like she knows me already."”
Tessa, Will -
“"... I know what he is. I always did know what he was. I just didn't want to believe it. I suppose we all lie to ourselves sometimes." "Yes. I suppose we do."”
Tessa, Will -
“What kind of monster could possibly hate chocolate?””
Will -
“"Is there a particular reason you keep biting vampires?" (Jem). "They don't expect it." (Will).”
Jem, Will -
“"Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?" Will demanded in mock horror. "Clearly I have been doing something wrong. Or not doing something wrong, as the case may be." He banged on the side of the carriage. "Thomas! We must away at once to the nearest brothel! I seek scandal and low companionship."”
Will -
“"His Highness is in a particularly fine temper this evening," Sophie announced as Tessa approached. "He threw a pail at my head, he did." "Oh, you mean Will. Is he all right?" "Well enough to throw pails," Sophie said crossly. "And to call me a nasty name. I don't know what it meant. I think it was in French, and that usually means someone's calling you a whore."”
Sophie, Tessa -
“If no one in the entire world cared about you, did you really exist at all?”
Tessa -
“Only the weak minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.”
Tessa -
“Inanimate objects are harmless indeed, Mr. Mortmain. But one cannot always say the same of the men who use them.”
Henry -
“"I think you ought to let me take poor Tessa into town to get some new clothes. Otherwise, the first time she takes a deep breath, that dress will fall right off her." Will looked interested. "I think she should try that out now and see what happens."”
Jessamine, Will -
““I just wondered,” Gabriel said, in a more subdued voice, “if perhaps you have ever had enough.”“Enough of what?”“Enough of behaving as you do.”Will crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes glinted dangerously. “Oh, I can never get enough,” he said. “Which, incidentally, is what your sister said to me when—”The carriage door flew open. A hand shot out, grabbed Will by the back of the shirt, and hauled him inside.”
-
“I think that you do not understand that sometimes the only choice is between acceptance and madness.”
Will -
“"Bloodthirsty little beasts. Never trust a duck."”
Will -
“She shuddered. "Oh, no. I hate chocolate." Will looked horrified. "What kind of monster could possibly hate chocolate?"”
Tessa and Will -
“Will cared for her, she was sure of it. Yes, he had been rude to her almost since he had met her, but then, that happened in novels all the time.”
Tessa -
“I know you feel inhuman, and as if you are set apart, away from life and live but... I promise you, the right man won't care.”
Jem -
“One must always be careful of books and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”
Tessa -
“There's plenty of sense in nonsense, sometimes, if you wish to look for it.”
Will -
“Where there's our Will, there's a half-dozen angry girls claiming he's compromised her virtue.”
Jem -
“Do reasons matter when there's nothing that can be done to change things?”
Will -
“When someone who ought to be afraid wasn't, the reason was rarely bravery.”
Will -
“The best lies are based on the truth, at least in part.”
Nate
Setting & Locations edit
19th century London
- London, England: The place where it all takes place. Where the Shadowhunters are, where all the action takes palce.
- Highgate: Where Will and Jem are sent leaving Tessa alone at the Institute
- Mortmain's: Charlotte and Henry go to speak with him about Nathaniel's business.
- The Institute: The Shadowhunter Institute located in Victorian London, a place of refuge and camaraderie and, sometimes war.
- York Institute: The lesser Shadowhunter Institute located in York and run by the vengeful Benedict Lightwood, where the London Shadowhunters discover a haunting secret.
Organizations edit
- The Pandemonium Club: A club for mundanes with an interest in magic/downworld. It is run by De Quincy, a vampire, and other downworlders.
- The Clave: The authority for Shadowhunters/Nephilium around the world. In England it is known as the Enclave and in America it is the Conclave
First Sentence edit
The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts.
Table of Contents edit
Thames River Song
Prologue
1 - The Dark House
2 - Hell is Cold
3 - The Institute
4 - We Are Shadows
5- The Shadowhunter's Codex
6 - Strange Earth
7 - The Clockwork Girl
8 - Camille
9 - The Enclave
10 - Pale Kings and Princes
11 - Few Are Angels
12 - Blood and Water
13 - Something Dark
14- Blackfriars Bridge
15 - Foreign Mud
16 - The Binding Spell
17 - Call the Darkness Down
18 - Thirty Pieces of Silver
19 - Boadicea
20 - Awful Wonder
Epilogue
Glossary edit
- Downworlder: A term used by Nephilim to address mythical creatures e.g werewolf, vampire, fairy, shapeshifter, warlock.
- Shadowhunter: Half human; half angel / Nephilim / those chosen to rid the world of evil
- Mundane: The term Nephilim and Downworlders call humans.
- The Pyxis: A Box which contains the spirit of demons
- Demon Pox: a said sickness that involves an encounter or has something to do with a demon. It is not yet proven to be real but is believed by some. Specifically, William Herondale.
- Seraph Blades: The weapon choice of Nephilim, excellent for using magic on
- Iratze: A healing rune used placed on the skin of a Shadowhunter after being wounded.
- Stele: The blade used by Shadowhunters to apply runes to their skin.
- Parabatai: A "blood brother" of the Nephilim. Shadowhunters are not required to take the parabatai vows with another shadowhunter, but if they do, the bonds are life-long and never perish (even when their parabatai partner dies). Two Shadowhunters may agree to become parabatai, and thus vow to always fight together and protect the other in battle and in life. The sacred vows of parabatai bind the two in such a way that they are more physically and mentally aware of each other during battle, thus giving them a mechanical advantage over their adversary. There are some runes that can ONLY be applied to a Shadowhunter by his parabatai, so Shadowhunters without a parabatai cannot use those runes.
- Magister: The title of the arch-nemesis of the Shadowhunters in the Infernal Devices series.
Themes & Symbolism edit
- Good vs. Evil: The battle between the Nephilim Shadowhunters and the evil Pandemonium Club
Series & Lists edit
This is book 1 of 4 in The Infernal Devices. (standard series)
Followed by Clockwork Prince.
This book is in Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Nominees 2013. (authoritative list)
Authors & Contributors edit
- Cassandra Clare (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Country: United States
Publication Date: August 31, 2010
ISBN: 1416975861
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Country: United States
Publication Date: August 31, 2010
ISBN: 1416975861
Page Count: 496
Awards edit
- YALSA Teens Top Ten Award (2011)
- Silver Inky Award (2011)
- Nominated for Romantic Times (2010: Young Adult Paranormal/Fantasy Novel)
- Rita Award (Finalist, #2011)
- The Winter 2010/2011 Kids' Indie Next List
- Indigo Books Top 10 of 2010 (Teen Fiction, #4)
- Barnes and Noble’s Top Ten Teen Books of 2010
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: PZ7.C5265 Cl 2010
- Dewey: 813.54
Notes for Parents edit
Reading Level: Young AdultsSuitable for anyone 12+(It would be more advisable for someone 13 and above to read the book)
Subjects edit
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Links to Supplemental Material edit
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Books with Additional Background Information edit
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(see review)
