From Idris, With Love #02

# And with Infernal Devices

After finishing Mortal Instruments Series I was practically bookless for a day with my leisure time thoughts occupied by Shadowhunter universe and their motto ‘all the stories are true’. In that whim, I googled for Cassandra Clare books and found out her publications, in sequence. ‘Infernal Devices’ is her next complete series.

The Clockwork Angel

The Clockwork Prince

The Clockwork Princess

I read the three-book series again in continuity, and found it really better than the Mortal Instruments.

Infernal Devices are much more riveting than Mortal Instruments with characters introduced and taken away with every book (and not just in one), lead characters behaving in what we call as makes-sense ways and above all, drama packed and maintained without melodrama (which I had actually anticipated at higher scale because of the Victorian timeline chosen for the story). Funnily enough, I was expecting use of mobile phones (and having my expectations failed every time - haha) at the beginning and it took me a bit of time getting used to the story timeline and location. But once gotten it correctly, I was absolutely held by the Devices.

Capturing from the very first step, Infernal Devices start with a murder discovered in an alley and end with a happy twist, not losing the grip throughout. Story of Tessa Gray, James Carstairs and William Herondale is a prequel to the ‘Mortal Instruments’ Series revealing so many secret corners of the latter. The series revolves warmly around these three while holding tight hands with Jessamine, Nate, Charlotte, Henry, Sophie, Gideon, Gabrielle, Cecily and Magnus.

This series explained to me the Nephilim Concept of ‘Parabatai’ as I later thought it should’ve been in MIs itself. Inevitable part of emotional tangle is bit more yet much gracefully handled in this series as compared to MI (not-taking-into-account Will’s sometimes-overpowering martyr-fever).

But regarding that, I must mention, YAs of the IDs behave at a rather different maturity level than the MIs YAs. I assumed it’s because of the generation gap between the two. The restrictions that mundane and Nephilim society put back then were subtly pointed out in almost everywhere starting from everyday wear for ladies to the weapons they can carry. Progress of Nephilim community, which again highlights the different era, is carefully indicated by Shadowhunter gears, things such as under-development Portal-Tech and their refusal to get along with downworlders at ease – even after the accords.

Well, what’s more to say? After completing the two series, I recommended IDs first, to my fantasy-lover friends, and not just for the sake of chronology. (wink!)