[1] The book also contains many quotes referring to famous pieces of Victorian literature, for example, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, and the works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Alfred Tennyson.

In 1878, Tessa Gray arrives from New York City to Southampton on the invitation of her brother, Nate, who has been working in London for the past few years, following the death of their aunt and foster mother, Harriet.

The next day, Jessie decides to take Tessa to shop for clothes and reveals during their stroll through Hyde Park that she despised being a shadowhunter and wished to be a proper lady.

Meanwhile, Charlotte learns from Axel Mortmain, Nate's former boss, that he was forced to work for Alexei de Quincey, head of London's vampire clan and the presumed identity of the Magister, leader of the secretive Pandemonium Club.

Later, a vampire named Camille Belcourt visits the Institute and tells Charlotte that de Quincey is holding a party where his clan will prey on humans, in breach of the Accords with the Clave.

The following evening, Tessa overhears the heated argument between Jem, Will and Charlotte, the latter assuming that it was due to the previous night's fiasco.

Tessa barges in and gives Will a piece of her mind, shortly leaves the Institute in fury and settles near the front stairs.

While most of the Enclave head to Chelsea to kill him, Tessa, Will, Jem, Jessie, Nate, and the innkeepers stay behind in the Institute.

When Nate tries to yank her away, Tessa's clockwork angel pendant, a memento from her late mother she brought from New York City, flickers and pushes him away, enabling her to flee, though she is eventually cornered by Mortmain.

1 spot on YALSA's ‘Teens’ Top 10′ of 2011, beating out the likes of Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins and Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick.