Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare 476 pages

This prequel to the "Mortal Instruments" series is set one hundred years earlier in Victorian London. Orphaned 16 year old Tessa Gray left America to join her older brother, Nathaniel in London. Before their reunion, she is kidnapped by the evil Dark Sisters. Vampires, warlocks, demons and Nephilim are colorful characters. The title refers to inhuman "clockwork" creatures (add this to the new "Steampunk" genre) out to destroy humans. Tessa discovers that she is no ordinary human, but is unsure what she is and who she should align herself with. She definitely wants to avoid a forced marriage to the evil Magister and fortunately she is rescued by a group of Shadowhunters. She is drawn to the volatile Will, but is determined to find and rescue Nathaniel. Only some of the questions are resolved since this is just book one in a new series: The Infernal Devices. It took me a very long time to finish this book, I loved Clare's City of Bones and did not find this quite as mesmerizing, but I just could not give up. I look forward to book 2.