GNA Review: The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel by HyeKyung Baek and Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel
Series: The Infernal Devices Manga #1 
Author: Cassandra Clare
Manga-ka: HyeKyung Baek
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Graphic Novels, Teen Ages 13+
Publisher: Yen Press, Hachette Book Group
Format: Paperback, 243 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-316-20098-1
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: Tessa Gray thought her journey to London would be the beginning of a new life, but she never could have envisioned the dark turn that life would take...

Abducted upon her arrival, Tessa is introduced to London's Downworld, the sordid supernatural underbelly of the city, and informed that her future will be recast to service a man known as "The Magister." Only the intervention of the London Institute's Shadowhunters delivers the girl from this fate, but sinister forces are still gathering around Tessa. Even so, Tessa's attraction to two of the young Shadowhunters who have taken her under their wings may prove more dangerous by far...

Review:

This adaptation of Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel has been highly anticipated by fans worldwide, and I was no different. But I'm always wary of graphic novel adaptations of my favorite novel series, because a lot of the time the story becomes too watered down to be truly enjoyable. I've found that many adaptations published by Yen Press are very well done and the story retains its original depth. I didn't feel like I was missing anything while reading this graphic novel.

HyeKyung Baek's artwork is absolutely gorgeous. The emotions of the characters and the atmosphere of the setting are brought to visual life with the stunning artwork. The characters turned out to be pretty close to how I pictured them while reading the novel, well except for Henry (LOL). I was a little disappointed about the lack of visible runes--that's one of the things that set Shadowhunters apart from Mundanes. The stele looks more like a magical wand--I pictured the stele more like a magical tattoo gun. And the seraph blades look like regular swords, instead of a weapon of angelic power.

I know I'm being a little nit picky about the details, but I figure it's a lot more easier to draw the story as it's described in the novel accurately than it is to make a movie version. That's why I give more leeway to movie adaptations than graphic novel adaptations. It's harder to make the supernatural elements in a movie than in a graphic novel.

Aside from these finer details, I thought the character designs and architectural designs were perfect. Very appropriate to the time period.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this Clockwork Angel graphic novel. And let me tell you, those moments we all swooned at while reading the novel are a thousand times better when you can see them right in front of you.

Jem Carstairs

Will Herondale

Tess Gray

About this Author:

Cassandra Clare was born overseas and spent her early years traveling around the world with her family and several trunks of fantasy books. Cassandra worked for several years as an entertainment journalist for the Hollywood Reporter before turning her attention to fiction. She is the author of City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments trilogy and a New York Times bestseller. Cassandra lives with her fiance and their two cats in Massachusetts.

About this Manga-ka:

HyeKyung Baek is a bestselling manga creator in South Korea well known for her stylish flair and sense of drama. Her skills are ideally suited to bring the lives of the original Gossip Girl cast to life.