Clockwork Angel Book Review (Non-spoiler)

Title: Clockwork Angel (Book One)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Steampunk
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Took me forever to finish this book but I really enjoyed it more than the first book of The Mortal Instruments.

Synopsis of Goodreads:

In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them…

My Initial Thoughts Right After I Finished:

I NEED THE SECOND BOOK. WHY WOULD THE EPILOGUE FINISH LIKE THAT? HOW DID PEOPLE WAIT A YEAR FOR THE NEXT ONE?!?!?

My Thoughts Now That It’s Been A Few Hours Since I Finished:

• If you don’t want to read The Mortal Instruments, you don’t have to. I feel like this series is great enough to read without TMI. The author describes things in the Shadowhunter world that would make sense for a person who hasn’t read TMI.
• I loved the female dynamic in this book. I feel like we have way more female characters in this first book vs. City of Bones and I loved the interactions. Except for Jessamine, there’s always a Jessamine somewhere.
• The author’s writing is a lot better in this book. I feel like she matured in her writing with Clockwork Angel. I also feel like you can tell that she did her research for this setting in 1800s London. The descriptions and the way I saw everything in my head was amazing.
• Team Jem. Listen I don’t have a ship yet because I feel like everyone is discovering themselves in this book but I don’t like Will and he better pull heaven on earth in Clockwork Prince to get me on his team.
• I loved seeing how Cassandra Clare didn’t ignore the way women were treated back in the 1800s but also how she made it very clear that within Shadowhunters, women were equal (sorta but don’t want to spoil).
• I loved how the plot was a total surprise for me, I didn’t expect anything!
• Clare makes you feel for these characters. Charlotte, Tessa, Henry, Jem, Will, Jessamine, Sophie, Thomas, just all of them!!! I want to hear all their individual stories. While reading you get some of their stories but I know there’s more to that. Hope

I’ve already started Clockwork Prince. Have you read this book? What did you think?