Book Review: Clockwork Prince by Cassadra Clare

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Series: The Infernal Devices #2
Genre: YA Steampunk
Publication Date: December 6, 2011
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 498
Source: Purchased

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.
 
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart. (goodreads.com)

Goodreads

HOLY FRAGGLEZNIPF. Why am I so surprised that Cassandra Clare has completely wowed me once again? But, uh, WOW! Three dimensional characters, stunning prose, and a swoon-worthy love triangle--Clare brings it BIG in the newest installment of The Infernal Devices.

So much happens in this book. A LOT. The Shadowhunters are trying to save the Institute, find the Magister and unveil why exactly he wants Tessa, and Will deals with some issues of his own. Seriously, guys, there are so many twists in this book. I could never figure out who to trust. The one little tiny quibble I have about the plot is that this book does not contain as much action as the predecessor. Instead, it focuses more on the romance. Not that the romance isn't fabulous, but I would have loved more of Clare's famous heart-pounding action.

Speaking of the romance, OH MY OH MY OH MY OH MY. Clare pulled my heart in, like, ten trillion and two different directions. My mental tug-of-war went a little something like this:

AHHH WILLLL!!!
OH MY GOD, JEM!
HOLY DAMN WILL!
AWH JEM.
AWWWHHHHH WILL.
OH MY GOD THEY ARE BOTH SO GREAT.

This is not your typical love triangle. Okay, it kind of is. I mean, you got the bad boy and the tender boy. BUT IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. There is legit depth in the character's feelings for one another.

AND MY GOD, THE CHARACTERS. They are what make this book for me.

You can tell that Tessa has really changed since the first book. Her skin has grown thicker. I liked how it wasn't as much about her powers and accepting the world around her as it was about helping the world she has come to love, and those in it. Then there is Will and Jem, and well, I can't even get into them. I love them both and I hate how there is an expiration date on Jem. I could feel his time ticking away, but this book also wasn't about Tessa coming to terms with his illness, it was about her realizing that there was ten times more to Jem than his illness. Will deals with a lot in this book, and we learn a lot about him and I have a feeling your opinion about him will be irrevocably altered. I always loved him, but now I see him in a whole new light.

I was so so so so so so happy for Henry and Charlotte. I love them and I am so happy to see that their relationship is more than everyone thought. I love that we get to see the Lightwoods, and we learn what their problem is. Some things happen with Jessamine that really surprise me, and as horrible as he is, I loved Nate.

This book was simply made of win. It's amazeballs to see the characters from the ID start to relate to the MI series. If you love the Mortal Instruments but aren't sure about starting this series, do it. I promise you, you won't regret it. My excessive capitalized words should indicate just how mind-blowing this book is!