Cassandra Clare is the author of the #1 New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shadowhunter Chronicles. She is also the coauthor of the bestselling fantasy series Magisterium with Holly Black. The Shadowhunter Chronicles have been adapted as both a major motion picture and a television series. Her books have more than fifty million copies in print worldwide and have been translated into more than thirty-five languages. Cassandra lives in western Massachusetts with her husband and three fearsome cats. Visit her at CassandraClare.com. Learn more about the world of the Shadowhunters at Shadowhunters.com.
Gr 9 Up-Readers of Clare's "Mortal Instruments" series (S & S) will recognize the warlock Magnus Bane and the demon-killing Nephilim, but instead of modern-day New York, this book is set in Victorian London and takes a look at the historical role of the Shadowhunters (aka demon hunters). Tessa Gray, 16, has traveled from America to London to join her older brother. But instead of Nathaniel, she is greeted by the Dark Sisters, two evil women who kidnap her in order to develop her previously unrealized ability to change shape into another person. Their employer, a shadowy figure ominously referred to as the Magister, wishes to exploit Tessa's great power. The teen is rescued by a group of Shadowhunters who are perplexed as to the origin of her ability and unsure about whether her nature is one of good or evil. Together they must discover the identity of the Magister and thwart his devious plot that threatens London. Vampires, warlocks, demons, and steampunk elements such as clockwork monstrosities abound in this supernatural offering. From the erratic and volatile-yet charming-Will to the bumbling and amiable inventor, Henry; to the ethereal and gentle Jem, Clare has made each character unique. The action-heavy plot takes off from the first page, propelling readers toward a dramatic conclusion that fails to answer all the questions raised during the course of the tale, leaving the door wide open for the next installment. Give this book to fans of Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty (Delacorte, 2003).-Heather M. Campbell, formerly at Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
This first book in Clare's Infernal Device series, a prequel to her bestselling Mortal Instruments books, opens as Tessa's pleasant life in 1878 New York is coming to an end when her guardian aunt dies. Upon her arrival in London, where her brother lives, Tessa is kidnapped by the Dark Sisters, who force her to learn to use a rare power-shape-shifting-she didn't know she had. Her rescue by a young man named Will leads her to the Shadowhunters-Nephilim descended from humans and angels-who enforce the magical Accords against demons and other creatures. Tessa gets caught between the various players seeking to use her amid a plot to conquer Britain. The events often read as bleakly as the Victorian London weather, punctuated by Clare's trademark humor, empathy, and authentic characters, who fight their own flaws and tragic pasts as often as they do evil. Mysteries, misdirection, and riddles abound, and while there are some gruesome moments, they never feel gratuitous. Fans of the Mortal Instruments series and newcomers alike won't be disappointed. Ages 14-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
"A century before the events of Clare's Mortal Instruments trilogy
. . . this crowdpleaser's tension-filled conclusion ratchets toward
a new set of mysteries." - "Kirkus Reviews"
"Compulsively readable . . . Packed with battles, romantic
entanglements, and tantalizing foreshadowing, this will have
readers clamoring for the next installment." - "Booklist"
"Mysteries, misdirection, and riddles abound. . . . Fans of the
Mortal Instruments series and newcomers alike won't be
disappointed." - "Publishers Weekly"
"Top Pick! Readers will be thrilled and amazed with this prequel to
The Mortal Instruments, tearing their way through a beautifully
constructed story of action, magic, mayhem, and romance. Fans and
newcomers alike will be enchanted by Clare's fantastical world and
left begging for more!" - "Romantic Times Book Reviews"
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