Clara’s Verdict
Cassandra Clare built her reputation on The Mortal Instruments, but many of her readers — myself now counted among them — argue that The Infernal Devices is the superior series. Clockwork Angel, the first volume, makes that case compellingly. Set in gaslit Victorian London rather than the contemporary New York of the original series, it has a richer atmosphere and a more interesting central triangle. Tessa Gray is a considerably more compelling protagonist than Clary Fray, and the supporting characters — Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs particularly — are drawn with a psychological complexity that Clare’s earlier work occasionally lacked.
This is young adult fiction that earns its emotional moments through actual character work, and the Victorian Shadowhunter world is one of the best settings Clare has conceived.
About the Audiobook
Clockwork Angel is the first book in The Infernal Devices, a prequel trilogy to Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments. Published in audio form by W. F. Howes Ltd in November 2019, it runs to 14 hours and 36 minutes. The story follows Tessa Gray, an American girl who travels to London to meet her brother, only to find herself captured by the mysterious Dark Sisters and forced to use a power she didn’t know she had — the ability to transform into other people by touching their possessions.
Escaping with the help of the Shadowhunters of the London Institute — warriors dedicated to protecting humans from demons — Tessa finds herself drawn into a world of warlocks, vampires, and ancient conspiracies. The novel is set in 1878, and Clare does considerable work to make the Victorian setting feel authentic rather than merely decorative: the Institute’s strict hierarchies, the attitudes towards women of supernatural ability, the particular textures of London society all add to the period atmosphere. The central mystery — who are the Magister and the Clockwork creatures he commands? — is well-constructed, but it is the relationships between the three lead characters that give the book its lasting power.
The Narration
Jennifer Ehle brings considerable pedigree to the narration — she is perhaps best known for her definitive portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, which makes her casting in a Victorian-set novel rather fitting. Her voice carries a natural authority that suits both Tessa’s observant intelligence and the period’s formal register. Ehle handles the romantic tension between Tessa, Will and Jem with admirable restraint — she trusts the writing rather than underlining every charged moment, which is the right call. At nearly 15 hours, this is a long listen, but Ehle’s craft makes it feel considerably shorter.
What Readers Say
Rated 4.5 out of 5 from 12 listeners on Audible UK. Reviewer Red Rose offered a detailed breakdown for newcomers to the series, noting that the book works as a standalone despite its prequel status and that “the fantasy elements are explained really clearly again in the first few chapters.” Deb Foley called it “excellent, well worth a read” and praised the “interesting characters, twisting plot” before declaring Clare “fast becoming one of the authors I watch out for.” International reviews suggest the series has a particularly devoted following among readers who consider The Infernal Devices emotionally superior to The Mortal Instruments — a view Clare herself has been known to share.
Who Should Listen?
Young adult fantasy fans who enjoy Victorian settings, well-constructed romantic tension and a mythology that rewards investment across multiple volumes. Fans of The Mortal Instruments who have not yet explored the prequel series should begin immediately — many find the payoff considerably richer. Clare’s work is also a strong recommendation for adults who enjoy the genre without embarrassment; this is not thin fiction, and the emotional intelligence on display puts it well above the average. Start here if you’re new to the Shadowhunter world — it will serve you well.
The Victorian London that Clare constructs is worth remarking on separately. It is not merely a decorative backdrop — the period’s particular attitudes towards women, class, scientific progress and the supernatural all shape the plot and the characters’ choices in ways that a contemporary setting would not allow. Tessa’s unusual ability — the capacity to transform by touching others’ possessions — sits at the intersection of Victorian anxieties about identity, performance and the instability of the self that makes it feel like genuinely period-appropriate fantasy rather than a modern premise awkwardly transplanted backwards.
Listen to Clockwork Angel on Audible UK and step into the most atmospheric corner of Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter universe.
