Fans of Clockwork Angel, the first book in Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices trilogy, will discover here an even darker and sexier trip through the gaslit streets of Victorian London. Tessa Gray, 16, whose power was unveiled in Clockwork Angel, has settled in with the Shadowhunters inside the London Institute. Benedict Lightwood covets the Institute for himself, and the plot centers on protecting Charlotte's guardianship over it--which can only be secured if Charlotte, Henry Branwell and the Clave can hunt down the Magister. However, the Magister manages to stay always one step ahead of Tessa and the other Shadowhunters.
Series fans' favorite characters often commit despicable acts, yet Cassandra Clare draws them with enough complexity that it's hard not to sympathize with them after learning their histories. And the love triangle between Tessa and Shadowhunters Will and Jem presents consequences beyond pure heartbreak: Tessa must place the brotherhood between Will and Jem ahead of her heart's calling. The author also injects some comic relief through characters such as warlock Magnus Bane, who leavens some scenes of heavy confessions and betrayals--which set the stage for the final installment, Clockwork Princess.
Clare delivers an edge-of-your-seat sequel, then leaves readers holding their breath one last time with an emotionally brutal final chapter and game-changing cliffhanger. --Adam Silvera, a bookseller and intern at Figment