"we live and breathe words. it was books that kept me from taking my own life after I thought I could never love anyone, be loved again. it was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone." - will herondale
Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices trilogy, is beautifully written, heart-wrenching and promises to have you up all night gripping the pages and sobbing madly. The prequel series to Clare's bestselling debut series, The Mortal Instruments, the story takes place in Victorian England, from the perspective of a young orphaned 16-year-old girl named Tessa Gray who travels to London, England in search for her older brother. Shortly after disembarking, she finds herself captured, tortured, and after a desperate attempt to flee, is saved by a handsome young man who goes by the name of Will Herondale. She quickly learns the hidden truth about London, and is sucked into a world of demons and Shadowhunters; half-angel, half-human warriors who fight a never-ending battle against evil. Still desperate to find her brother, she bands with these Shadowhunters to fight their common enemy. Meanwhile, she also finds herself caught between Will and Jem - two Shadowhunter best friends with a sacred bond closer than blood.
The plotline was very original and elaborate, with the interesting concepts of non-living creatures (automatons) entering a battle between angels and demons, avenging family deaths, dark underground societies and spiteful blood feuds. The setting of the story was breathtaking, putting you right into the era and created a magical atmosphere and aura. The story incorporated intense elements of revenge, betrayal and hatred that thickened the storyline, especially in terms of relationships characters had with one another. The story, while having a gripping action-narrative, mainly focused on these relationships between characters. The incorporation of literature and poetry in the storyline was simply beautiful, particularly with the quotes both spoken by characters and featured at the beginning of each chapter. The mutual love and passion for novels shared between Tessa and Will very strongly shaped their relationship with each other, especially in terms of comparing the characters from their favourite novels (A Tale of Two Cities) to themselves and also beautifully built upon their trust in each other. The love triangle was cleverly mastered, with two young men falling for the same down to earth, stubborn and straight-forward girl. The twist was, though, that one of the men was broken, hesitant to love (the heart-breaking cause revealed in the second book), and the other man was dying.
The characterisation, as with the case for most of Clare's literacy wonders, was most certainly the strong point. The protagonist, Tessa, was strong-willed and straight to the point, yet had an optimistic and loving heart. Her ability to see things in an always truthful light led her to become both a realistic love interest and an admirable character.
"'One must always be careful of books,' said Tessa, 'and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.'"
However, the two main male characters, Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs, and their hugely contrasting personalities were the real highlights of the series. Will, with his sharp wit, beautiful exterior and renowned prowess in combat, was unwilling and hesitant to love, resulting in his reckless behaviour, quick temper and self-destructive actions. Although unbearably guarded, his broken and hidden heart of gold was flooded with despair and tragedy and the cause for his unwillingness to love or be loved is truly heartbreaking.
“He was Will, in all his perfect imperfection; Will, whose heart was as easy to break as it was carefully guarded; Will, who loved not wisely but entirely and with everything he had.”
Jem, on the other hand, with his love for classical music and always-forgiving nature balanced the pair out like fire and water. His soft words of comfort and ever-present understanding only added to the agonizing fact that he was dying, and forced to take a drug that was killing him slowly, but would kill him immediately if he stopped use.
“His beauty did not blaze like Will's did in fierce colours and repressed fire, but it had its own muted perfection, the loveliness of snow falling against a silver gray sky.”
The real heart-breaking aspect of the storyline, though, is not the relationship they had with Tessa (although that was a tear-jerker), but their relationship with one another. Bound by a sacred Shadowhunter oath, the two had a bond closer than blood, better than brothers. The very fact that Jem was dying was tragic, and really put into perspective their connection, how close they were with each other and how far they'd both be willing to go for the other person. Tying it in with their mutual love for the same girl, and you have yourself a story which pages are founded in tears.
"Our souls are knit. We are one person, Jem."
The Infernal Devices truly is a phenomenal read, with the rare ability to make you both cry and laugh simultaneously. The intricate and compelling action-packed storyline keeps you on the edge of your seat and the characters and their delicately woven relationships with one another will keep you up until the dawning hours of the morning, huddled under bedsheets and praying to make the pain in your heart go away. Clare has yet again moved, twisted and broken our hearts with her enchanting crafting of words and, to put it in the words of Tessa Gray, has changed us.
The plotline was very original and elaborate, with the interesting concepts of non-living creatures (automatons) entering a battle between angels and demons, avenging family deaths, dark underground societies and spiteful blood feuds. The setting of the story was breathtaking, putting you right into the era and created a magical atmosphere and aura. The story incorporated intense elements of revenge, betrayal and hatred that thickened the storyline, especially in terms of relationships characters had with one another. The story, while having a gripping action-narrative, mainly focused on these relationships between characters. The incorporation of literature and poetry in the storyline was simply beautiful, particularly with the quotes both spoken by characters and featured at the beginning of each chapter. The mutual love and passion for novels shared between Tessa and Will very strongly shaped their relationship with each other, especially in terms of comparing the characters from their favourite novels (A Tale of Two Cities) to themselves and also beautifully built upon their trust in each other. The love triangle was cleverly mastered, with two young men falling for the same down to earth, stubborn and straight-forward girl. The twist was, though, that one of the men was broken, hesitant to love (the heart-breaking cause revealed in the second book), and the other man was dying.
The characterisation, as with the case for most of Clare's literacy wonders, was most certainly the strong point. The protagonist, Tessa, was strong-willed and straight to the point, yet had an optimistic and loving heart. Her ability to see things in an always truthful light led her to become both a realistic love interest and an admirable character.
"'One must always be careful of books,' said Tessa, 'and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.'"
However, the two main male characters, Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs, and their hugely contrasting personalities were the real highlights of the series. Will, with his sharp wit, beautiful exterior and renowned prowess in combat, was unwilling and hesitant to love, resulting in his reckless behaviour, quick temper and self-destructive actions. Although unbearably guarded, his broken and hidden heart of gold was flooded with despair and tragedy and the cause for his unwillingness to love or be loved is truly heartbreaking.
“He was Will, in all his perfect imperfection; Will, whose heart was as easy to break as it was carefully guarded; Will, who loved not wisely but entirely and with everything he had.”
Jem, on the other hand, with his love for classical music and always-forgiving nature balanced the pair out like fire and water. His soft words of comfort and ever-present understanding only added to the agonizing fact that he was dying, and forced to take a drug that was killing him slowly, but would kill him immediately if he stopped use.
“His beauty did not blaze like Will's did in fierce colours and repressed fire, but it had its own muted perfection, the loveliness of snow falling against a silver gray sky.”
The real heart-breaking aspect of the storyline, though, is not the relationship they had with Tessa (although that was a tear-jerker), but their relationship with one another. Bound by a sacred Shadowhunter oath, the two had a bond closer than blood, better than brothers. The very fact that Jem was dying was tragic, and really put into perspective their connection, how close they were with each other and how far they'd both be willing to go for the other person. Tying it in with their mutual love for the same girl, and you have yourself a story which pages are founded in tears.
"Our souls are knit. We are one person, Jem."
The Infernal Devices truly is a phenomenal read, with the rare ability to make you both cry and laugh simultaneously. The intricate and compelling action-packed storyline keeps you on the edge of your seat and the characters and their delicately woven relationships with one another will keep you up until the dawning hours of the morning, huddled under bedsheets and praying to make the pain in your heart go away. Clare has yet again moved, twisted and broken our hearts with her enchanting crafting of words and, to put it in the words of Tessa Gray, has changed us.