Book Looks/Mini Reviews of Clockwork Angel and City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Book Looks are mini reviews of books I have read. Today I will be using a format created by Staci's at Life in a Thumb  and attempt to review two books by Cassandra Clare using only six sentences for each review.

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. (Publisher's summary from Powell's Books)

Clockwork Angel was my first novel by Cassandra Clare and I loved stepping into the world of the Shadowhunters. Clearly, Clare is a master world builder and I found myself lost in this my first journey into the steampunk genre. Her characters, even the secondary ones, were surprisingly effective in moving the plot forward adding layers that kept me reading and wondering what would happen next. I was especially taken with Jem whose even temper and caring loyalty to Will drew me to him like a moth to a flame, and I hope to find out more about him in the next book. I also loved Magnus Bane, a warlock and Camille, a vampire, whose roles in the story were pivotal.  Clockwork Angel was a fantastic introduction to Clare’s writing and while I came to this book first before reading any of the Mortal Instruments series, I felt Clockwork Angel was a terrific introduction.

Final Thoughts: Clockwork Angel has a complex and engaging plot with well-developed characters. The setting is expertly described, and it is a fine example of the steampunk genre because of its use of automatons and other inventions. If you enjoy science fiction, action, and the paranormal then Clockwork Angel offers up all of this and more.

Their hidden world is about to be revealed....

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary. 

Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know.... (Publisher's summary from Powell's Books)

Even before reading Clockwork Angel, I was anxious to start the Mortal Instruments because of some amazing reviews I read about this series, and I can firmly attest that I was not disappointed. Unlike Clockwork Angel, City of Bones is set in the present day New York where Clary, the strongly independent and city savvy protagonist inadvertently enters the Shadowhunters world with catastrophic results; the world as she knows it is forever changed. I loved that the action starts immediately and continues almost non-stop as Clare unfolds her plot with the precision of a fine tuned car. I was totally immersed in the conflict and emotions that Clare felt as she searched for her mother and tried to make sense of dealing with demons bent on killing her. Clare has an amazing knack for throwing surprises at her readers and City of Bones provides a real shocker. As in Clockwork Angel, I loved the characters and was pleasantly surprise to see Magnus Bane, the warlock from Clockwork Angel reappear in City of Bones.

Final thoughts: This is an exciting start to Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series. Her characters are believable, which helps to make the Shadowhunters’s world realistic too. The setting is vivid and detailed, and the ending only adds to my desire to read the rest of the series ASAP.

Review/Libyrinth by Pearl North

In her debut novel, Pearl North takes readers centuries into the future, to a forgotten colony of Earth where technology masquerades as magic and wars are fought over books.

Haly is a Libyrarian, one of a group of people dedicated to preserving and protecting the knowledge passed down from the Ancients and stored in the endless maze of books known as the Libyrinth. But Haly has a secret: the books speak to her.

When an attack by the hostile Eradicants drives her from her home, Haly learns that things are not at all what she thinks they are. Taken prisoner by the Eradicants, who believe the written word to be evil, she sees the world through their eyes and comes to understand that they are not the book-burning monsters that she has known her entire life.

The words of a young girl hiding in an Amsterdam attic and written hundreds of years before Haly's birth will spark the interest of her captors and begin the change necessary to end the conflict between the Eradicants and Libyrarians. With the help of her loyal companion Nod, a creature of the Libyrinth, Haly must mend the rift between the two groups before their war for knowledge destroys them all. In doing so, Haly's life--and the lives of everyone she knows--will never be the same.

Although Pearl North (Anne Harris) is not new to the science fiction or fantasy genre Libyrinth is her first YA novel and let me just say that I want more please! In this fast-paced adventure, North’s prose, characterization and message shines.

The first of many striking features in Libyrinth is North’s extraordinary world building. Anyone who loves books will be enchanted. Through her use of vivid details and the preponderance of quotes from a variety of books, the world came to life for me. I found myself emotionally involved with the quest to save the Libyrinth from the Eradicates, who believed that once a word is written it is dead, murdered and the only way to free the words is to burn them. Another aspect of North’s world building that appealed to my love of science fiction is the technology, which drives the conflict and makes for a very exciting climax. Finally, this is a fully featured world with differing cultures, history, and religious beliefs. If for no other reason, Libyrinth’s dystopian world in and of itself is well worth the read.

I was also quite taken with North’s characterization. I loved all three of female protagonists and the fact that each one contributes to the plot line in very different ways. Haly, a clerk to Libyrarian Selene, is able to hear books. She is shy and always examines her words carefully before speaking because no one believes she can hear the books. That is until she is caught by the Eradicants and becomes their Redeemer, the liberator of dead words. Through her interaction with the enemy she learns that their ideas, while vastly different from the Libyrarians, have value too. Her friend, Claudia, a kitchen servant, is outspoken, brave and an accomplished gossip. Her loyalty to Haly is one of many traits that made her my favorite character. Finally, Selene is a natural leader, with a rational voice, and I really want to hear more from this strong intelligent young woman.

In addition to North’s fantastic world building and characterization, the book’s message is illuminating. While on the surface, the story talks about censorship, there is a deeper message about the power of words and how knowledge should be free to all who want it. The struggle then is as old as time, those with knowledge have the ability to enslave those who do not, and thus, literacy is the best weapon against tyranny.

While many of the reviews I read about this book felt the book had too much extraneous information, I unconditionally accepted and enjoyed the world North built. And although Libyrinth works as a stand alone novel, this is the first of a trilogy, and I am excited that I will once again get to journey back to and learn more about this strange new world.

Review/ The Compound by S. A. Bodeen

Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they've become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy. No amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day. As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary--and their sanity--Eli can't help but wonder if he'd rather take his chances outside. Eli's father built the Compound to keep them safe. But are they safe--really?

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen, another book being considered for the Area Wide Book Battle held annually at my school, is quite unique in its premise. Eli’s father is a billionaire obsessed with the threat of nuclear war. So much so that he builds an underground compound just in case the U.S. is ever bombed. The book opens with Eli, his two sisters, mother, and father racing to the compound after Eli’s father proclaims that what he feared might happens has. Unfortunately, in the rush to make it to the compound within the first forty minutes after a nuclear war head has been launched, Eli’s twin and his grandmother do not make it in time.

The Compound is definitely a compelling read. Narrated by Eli; we learn about the compound through his eyes. Eli is a difficult character to like, and I constantly had to remind myself that under the same circumstances (being locked up underground for six years, and losing his twin brother, Eddy), I might not be the most pleasant person either. But as the action unfolds, it becomes obvious that Eli has always been selfish, self-centered, distant and even hateful at times to both his sisters. Eli is, however, a dynamic character in that he changes a great deal by the end of the book and becomes a hero.

As Eli begins questioning his father’s planning, so does the reader.  I was aghast at the possibility of Eli’s family having to spend another nine years in the compound. Especially when it becomes clear that the supplements Eli’s father prepared as a fail safe for their dwindling food supplies, turn out not to be vitamins. The story takes an even more bizarre twist at the end, and while I did see some of it coming, it was none-the-less exciting and very suspenseful as Eli fights to save his entire family.

The compound explores several key issues such as family dynamics, parental authority, and the philosophy of utilitarianism.  The book definitely asks not only the characters but the reader to contemplate just how far is too far when it comes to one’s survival?

The Compound is a fascinating and suspenseful story that is a quick read and will hold the interest of not only young adult and middle school audiences, but adult readers as well.

Review/ Fang by James Patterson

On a trip to Africa, Max and her Flock meet a mysterious billionaire whose intense scrutiny of the Flock makes her fear the worst. Then canny birdkid Angel makes a dire prophecy about Max's soul mate: "Fang will be the first to die." Max's desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever.

I have been a fan of James Patterson’s Maximum Ride series from the beginning. His first first three books The Angel Experiment, School’s Out Forever, and The Final Warning were exciting and action-packed with great characters and plots. However, while Patterson’s new addition to the series, Fang, brings back all of the same characters that I love and presents some interesting surprises, it has some definite flaws.

The plot centers around Max and Fang’s growing feelings about each other. Complications arise with Angel’s prophetic announcement that the flock isn’t always going to be together and Fang is going to be the first die. There is also a new villain introduced, Dr. Hans  Gunther-Hagen. Max’s feelings for Fang are complex and distract her from the leadership role she has always maintained. When Max and Fang fly off together for a little alone time, the rest of the flock is attacked. Incriminations fly aimed at Max’s ability to continue as the flock’s leader. She is usurped by Angel when the flock votes Max out. Oh and there is a new birdkid, Dylan, and he is handsome and the same age as Max. Dylan is supposedly the perfect mate for Max, but she is having none of it.

Like all Patterson’s Maximum Ride books, there is the whole saving of the world, fighting for their lives, and Max to the rescue. The main reason I thoroughly enjoy these books is Patterson’s very consistent with his characters. Since Max is the narrator, I always feel like I am being caught up on what is happening by my tough, snarky, and brutally honest girlfriend. Patterson uses the first-person narration to give readers an up close look at everything Max is thinking, and despite the fact that this type of narration often is bias, Max’s love of her flock is always obvious.

Angel has also been a favorite character. As the youngest member of the flock, I have watched Angel grow up. So, when she tries to take over the flock it was not a surprise. Despite her youth, Angel has always been very smart and out spoken, kinda like Max only less snarky about it, and Angel has always felt that she would make a good leader. Angel ends up getting the rest of the flock in trouble and Max and Fang end up coming to the rescue.

I was surprised by the introduction of Dylan into the flock, and was immediately suspicious of him. But he rose to the occasion when the fighting began. Still I have my doubts as to whether or not he will turn out to be a good birdkid or not in the next book, and it will be interesting to see if Dylan will be able to win Max’s trust and affections.

My biggest complaint with Fang is the plot seems concocted and confusing. The appearance of Dr. H-G and Dylan in Africa where the flock is doing humanitarian work was just too coincidental. Another incident that was never fully explain was the appearance of Erasers (human wolf hybrid), who are suppose to be extinct. But the biggest inconsistency in the plot came during the climax, when Dr Chu, a villain from the last book ends up being exposed as a boyish looking green scaly freak. Patterson never explains this revelation or what happens to either Dr Chu or Dr. H-G after the final fight.

There is a surprise ending (which was fairly predictable), and while I do understand why authors leave their readers hanging, I really don’t like having to wait yet another year to find out what happens next.

If you have never read any of the Maximum Ride books, this one does provide enough background information that you will not be lost. However, I strongly recommend you read the first one The Angel Experiment as it is definitely the best of the bunch.

Review/This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer

It's been over a month since Miranda Evans has written in her diary, a month of relative calm for her and her family. It's springtime, and with warmer weather comes rain, and the melting of the winter's snow. The shad are running in a nearby river, and Miranda's brothers Matt and Jon leave home for a few days to see if they can catch some to supplement their food supply.

When they return, Matt brings with him a girl named Syl, who he introduces as his bride. But that's not the only shock Miranda and her family have to deal with. A few weeks later, Miranda's father, stepmother, and baby brother show up at her door. Accompanying them are three strangers, a man named Charlie Rutherford, and two teenagers, Alex and Julie Morales. These five people have crossed America together, becoming, in their own way, a family.

Miranda's complicated feelings about Alex, curiosity, resentment, longing, and passion turn into love. Alex's feelings are equally complex. His plans to escort Julie to a convent where she can be taken care of, so that he will be free to enter a monastery, are destined for failure. He wants desperately to live up to his moral code, but his desire for Miranda is too strong. He proposes to Miranda that they take Julie and go to a safe town. (from Goodreads)

In trying to write a review for a book that is part of a series, it is hard to not mention the previous books. So let me first say that if you have not read The Life We Knew or The Dead and Gone you will still enjoy Susan Pfeffer’s third book, but I would encourage you to read the other two first because This World We Live In will be a more personal journey if you do.

The reason I feel a personal connection to This World We Live In is Pfeffer’s talent of creating dynamic characters. As in her first book, Pfeffer chooses Miranda to unfold the story through her journal entries. Miranda’s voice is powerful and unmistakably real.  She has survived in a world where everything a teenager takes for granted no longer exists: school, proms, dates, cell phones, friends. And Pfeffer does not try to portray Miranda as a martyr or a saint. In fact what I like most about Miranda is that she is flawed. She gets resentful, angry, and depressed and no one could possibly expect anything less under the circumstances, but these emotions are also the emotions most teenagers exhibit. Miranda is also insightful and passionate about her feelings good or bad.

The addition of Alex into Miranda’s life is another reason I felt personally connected to this book. I came to love Alex in The Dead and the Gone even more than Miranda. Alex is bull-headed and unwavering in his commitment to his goals. But like Miranda, he too is flawed. His attempts to always be right and take on the role of head of household has forced him to make decisions that haunt him, and makes it difficult to change his course of action, or admit that he is not infallible.

Naturally, Miranda and Alex develop a relationship. While many might think that their relationship lacks a certain amount of reality because it occurs so quickly after they meet, placed in the context of the world around them where nothing is as it once was, I was able to accept the short progression from dislike to love at face value.

Like most post-apocalyptic novels This World We Live In, is a stark look at “what if”. Pfeffer masterfully describes a world most of us with all our modern toys, gadgets, and everyday conveniences could not imagine, and her what if is a lot more conceivable than most. However, the different relationships and the characters’ struggles to maintain a semblance of normalcy is truly what creates a powerful and poignant story.

While it is not clear whether Pfeffer will continue this series further (though I would certainly read another one if she does), This World We Live In is a great third novel and one that should definitely be on everyone’s “to be read” list.

Review/ Past World by Ian Beck

What if all of London were really an amusement park—a whole city returned to Victorian times to entertain visitors from the twenty-first century? That's the wildly original premise of Ian Beck's Pastworld, a high-stakes mystery set in a simulated past.


Eve is a lifelong resident of Pastworld who doesn’t know she’s living in a theme park until a mysterious threat forces her to leave home. Caleb is a visiting tourist who finds the lawlessness of the past thrilling—until he suddenly becomes a fugitive from an antiquated justice system. And in the midst of it all, in the thick London fog a dark and deadly figure prowls, claiming victim after victim. He’s the Fantom, a creature both of the past and of the present, in whose dark purpose Caleb and Eve will find their destinies combined. (From GoodReads)

The premise of Pastworld is the reason I picked the book up. I found the whole idea of a Victorian theme park complete with a Jack the Ripper type villain irresistible. Pastworld’s plot is complex, establishing several different conflicts that at first seem random, but are eventually tied together and resolved satisfactorily in the end. However, this randomness could easily confuse younger middle school readers.

Another confusing aspect was Beck’s choices of narration. The book begins with a forward from Chief Inspector Charles Catchpole, Scotland Yard (Pastworld Division), who explains that he is the narrator. However, the chapters alternate between third person narration (Catchpole’s) and Eve’s journal, which is first person and written in italics. This confusion was short lived once I accepted that despite the forward, Catchpole’s narration would maintain the third person POV.  The reason I think Beck chose to handle the POV in this manner was to ensure that Catchpole’s narration read like an official record of the events that transpired.

I also found that Beck’s characters were just character who were playing parts. There was very little that made me connect to any of them. Eve told her story through her journal and while there were times when she expressed emotions, she never felt real. Perhaps that was what Beck was  aiming at because of the revelation that comes at the end, which I will not reveal here. I also didn’t connect with Caleb. He was too flat and never did show growth. The only character I did like was Bible J., who ended up being the hero risking his own life for Eve.


Beck’s setting however, was authentically drawn and created a mood that carried both the story and the characters. The setting not only played a huge role in sustaining the suspense, but the theme park itself was an antagonist, working against the protagonists most of the time. This was by far my favorite facet of the story.

Despite many elements that bothered me about Pastworld, I read with interest and continually tried to piece together the various clues that Beck provided through out the story. However, as stories go I did not find Pastworld a story I would consider a must read.