ONE STAR 
 I am completely baffled at how this book has a 4.32 average rating on Goodreads. I honestly think I must have read a different book, or somehow Amazon has sold me like the first draft or something. Exercising restraint I would describe this book as disappointing, not exercising restraint I would describe it as terrible. 
 As always when I read a book I like to take notes on it, things I liked, things I didn't like, quotes etc. My notes for this book are all in all CAPS. I was tearing my hair out and considered making it a did not finish at many points. It was only that 4.32 rating that kept me going, I thought, maybe it has an amazing ending. I did not have an amazing ending. 
 I'm not really sure if I can stay calm while I try to explain the millions of things that went wrong with this book. It was a hot mess. It is a shame as well because I do like the Shadowhunter/Demon world idea that Clare has going in all of her series, and in this book in particular Steampunk is a new favorite genre of mine. Firstly, and unfortunately, the writing is really what let this book down and secondly the characters, and there was more to be desired from the plot, pacing and resolution. 
 I have previously read some of Clare's Mortal Instrument series - maybe the first 3 books. I read them some time ago but I didn't really recall hating the writing like I have with this book. It's obvious that Clare has tried to tweak her writing to conform with the Victorian feel of the book. I think that was unnecessary. Sure, the way the character's speak had to be consistent with the era but it feels like Clare has tried to imitate the writing of, say, Austen or the Brontes and it is a poor imitation. She is very fond of the comma and scared of ending a sentence. Her descriptions are long winded and unnecessary - at one stage there is a group of people arriving and she describes them each in detail one after the other. Usually there is at least one or two sentences or paragraphs that I highlight with the intention to quote it. Something poignant or eloquent, or even just something meaningful to me. There was literally NOTHING in this book that I wanted to quote, not one sentence. The only thing I highlighted because I liked it was one of the quotes from someone else's work that Clare used opening the chapter. It is a sad day when that happens. 
 There are also some very random changes of perspective. The book is told in third person limited narration, limited to Tessa, but then switches to Will sometimes for no apparent reason then Clare wanted to show something and had no skills to show it subtly from Tessa's point of view. It's bizarre. 
 Secondly, I hated the themes of the book. It felt very preachy. You can tell that Clare has tried to be quotable, has tried to weave strong themes of morality through the book but it's not very subtle and garnered a lot of eye rolls from me. I actually read up on Clare after I finished this book and I read that she used to write Harry Potter fan fiction and that actually makes a lot of sense because I think she tried to be a lot like Rowling with her morality lessons, some very Dumbledoreesque quotes in there. For example: 
 Tessa remembered something Aunt Harriet had always said -that you know a man not by what his friends said about him, but by how he treated his servants. 
 Sound familiar, yeah, I know, right? 
 I can't even begin with the characters - I think that some snippits of my notes will be more than ample to describe my absolute disdain. 
 The Book (10% of the way through, Tessa is being rescued by Will. She met him for the first time two pages ago): "Did she, Henry?" Will, looking amused as usual, appeared.... 
 Me: YOU HAVE KNOWN HIM TWO SECONDS AND YOU KNOW HIS USUAL?!? 
 The Book (17% of the way through, Tessa has again just met everybody, this is about something inconsequential like agreeing to show her around the Institute): And to Tessa's surprise he was true to his word. 
 Me: WHY IS IT SURPRISING THAT HE DID WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO SHE HAS KNOWN HIM 5 MINUTES!? 
 Book (18% through about Will remembering that he told Tessa he would give her books): Tessa was so startled that he remembered what he had said, that it took several seconds to respond. 
 Me: Why is that startling. He only said it that evening - most people remember what they say to one another. And why is there a comma in that sentence, where is the editor!? 
 Basically Tessa is confusing, she contradicts herself so many times that she has no discernible personality. Will is a bunch of cliches and Jem is boring! I don't care for them or about them. All the other characters are underdeveloped and bland. 
 Most of all Clare crossed the literature no-no line in that it was obvious where things were going and who the "bad guys" were and even things about the relationships between the characters were obvious. You should never, never, ever let the reader figure it out before the main character does. It makes them seem stupid and its frustrating and then the frustration turns to boredom. 
 I will not be reading the rest of the series. Thank God I only bought the Kindle version and not the physical box set I was thinking about getting.