Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Sometimes authors write multiple series of books within the same world. When writing genre fiction, the most time consuming task is creating the world. It's hard to build a back drop that provides depth to the narrative. So, it makes sense to reuse it. However, multiple series means fresh characters and new plots. Some of my favorite series growing up are like this and I felt like I could imagining myself living in those worlds.

Clockwork Angel is the first in a trio of books sent in the same world as the "Mortal Instruments" series but set back in victorian England. Tessa is a young American girl who travelled to England to join her brother after her Aunt's death. However, she's met at the dock by two quite sinister figures and imprisoned. This is how Tessa, a mundane, comes to find out that there is more to world she's known.

What's worse, Tessa discovers that she has some mysterious ability to change her shape and become the thing/person she changes into complete with memories and mannerisms. She's soon discovered by accident and rescued by Will Herondale, a young Shadowhunter, and the rest of the London Institute.

This is one of those classic set ups where a young woman, Tessa, must choose between two suitors, Will Herondale and James Carstairs (Jem). Additionally, the villain known as the Magister intends to marry her as well. Will holds her at arms length with a sour disposition and tendency towards sarcasm. Jem is deathly ill but kind and marvelously patient.

Clare's depiction of victorian England is nicely detailed and she includes mainly of the typical plotlines of a gothic romance. That, combined with gritty industrial age London and creepy clockwork monsters gives this a steam punk kind of feel.