Perfectly honest, I bought the book out of a whim. I've been eyeing City of the Fallen Angel series for years now but haven't quite taken with reading it. The prose is not bad, I preferred second point of views than the YA tendencies of first pov. While trying to make me feel interested in the book, I've read some of the reviews which somewhat put me off when they said the characters were similar to the Fallen Angel series, and so I'm gonna leave the characterization as ongoing "?". I hate to over analyze a lot of things especially the obsessive tendencies of some fangirls. 
 But the book left me half-way uninterested. I read the first page a few months ago and finally when I'm reading it, I have a sudden urge to put a bookmark and find something else. I think its the first-book-syndrome thing that i had been feeling whenever I know there's an impending book in a future. The continuation would make it better but still, the book gave some rapport on first impressions of the world (especially since I dont read Mortal Instruments). Clare took the Fallen Victorian London world in slow, calculating menace. Its smelly, smoggy, dank, wet and cold, I get it. It reminiscent of the game Fallen London completely with "The Magister" and "Dark Sisters" characters. 
 My brother in law read the back of the book and seemingly very uninterested with the whole book especially with the flowery words that predicted the book have a lot of romance in it. Apparently, by the time I've finished with the book, supernaturally intrigue ranked the first among the recurrent theme. The book in reality just hinted of an incoming romances especially between Will and Tessa AND Jem. Bad PR move with the blurb, you've lost several age and gender group in that way. 
 The book is not that bad but its not that good either. Slightly undertones fillers made the book bearable but it is a good start. However, if you haven't touch the book and still interested, I suggest you waited until the end of the year for Clockwork Prince. I usually like reading serials after several books and this is one of the reason why I had that habit. The book left me cold and slightly uninterested, the epilogue is puzzling but the length between the sequels is the real turn off (and I only bought this book last week and its been a long time between the first publication).