Book Review: CLOCKWORK PRINCE by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince 

(The Infernal Devices #2)

by Cassandra Clare

Release Date:  December 6, 2011
Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Personal Collection

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.

Fictitious Delicious Rating (by Amy): 4

Yes, despite my memories of “Zach vs. Jace” in the YA Sisterhood Crush Tourney, I love and have always loved Cassie Clare’s work. I am very proud that I read the Mortal Instruments from the very beginning and feel very proud of Cassie and all her success. She offers something unique to the YA genre and still continues to be one of the most successful third person POV writers in YA fiction, in my opinion anyway. I love her dark, urban settings and mix of genres and myths. And those Shadowhunter boys make me swoon!


And now what could be better than Cassie Clare doing Victorian London?! I really, really liked CLOCKWORK ANGEL and was so, so, excited for CLOCKWORK PRINCE. Maybe it was because of my high expectations for both the series and Cassie, but I was left a bit disappointed with this book.  Here is why:


Spoiler-Free:

 Despite the historical aspects in the book (locations, styles, etc), readers do have to suspend their belief for the clockwork creatures and Shadowhunter world. So why, then, does Tessa have to be the one conventional, slightly stereotypical Victorian character in the series? I would really, really like to see Tessa ditch her Victorian notions of propriety and modesty, because while she thinks about them, she does not act them. And then afterward, there is the inner monologue about what so-and-so must think of her, etc, etc, and it feels contrived. If Tessa really is conflicted, I would’ve liked to see this more, and use it as a source of character development for Tessa, to either strengthen her current moral beliefs, or to show her progress to a new ‘school of thought’. I want her to own her feelings and convictions and show me she is a thinker and can take charge of her life, no matter what she chooses.


Okay, now for the SPOILERS:

I was SO mad at the ending! First of all, I love Jem and Will equally. Okay, I might love Jem a tad bit more…it’s the violin that gets me, and I have a penchant for the Underdog. But I think Jem and Will are really very similar. Will’s walls are to keep people out, to keep people from loving him. But Jem has walls, too. Maybe even greater ones than Will, because Jem’s walls are practically imperceptible. He is in constant pain and never shows it. He leads people to believe that he is content and happy, when he really is not. But Jem does all this quietly, behind the scenes, so that not even Will knows it.

So finally, FINALLY, Jem gets some love and happiness! I was SO excited! To me, his story is the intriguing one. I loved getting to know Jem better. I felt that Tessa’s feeling for Jem were sincere, too, and they made each other happy.

Then, Will's reveals his curse-that-is-not-really-a-curse and declares his love for Tessa (which was a bit anticlimactic).  The last few chapters felt so different to me.  Although Tessa is committed to Jem and says she loves him, her thoughts almost take on a pitying nature. Tessa's narration turns into worrying about Jem being happy and not ruining things for Jem, as if their engagement is only for Jem's happiness and not her own.  Of course, I knew the whole Will revelation at the end would throw a wrench in everything, but I did not think it would change the whole tone of Tessa and Jem's relationship.  I understand the necessary conflict, both for Tessa and for the storyline, but I felt Tessa's implications went a bit too far and turned Jem into a pitiable character, which he SHOULD NOT be.

However, I LOVED the Sophie story line! And I have to say I FINALLY get the Magnus appeal! How poignant and insightful and fantastic were some of those Magnus moments?! He, more than anyone, made me intrigued for the third book, especially knowing that Clary sees him and Tessa talking together in CITY OF GLASS. There is definitely more story here, people, and I am anxiously waiting to read it!


(But Tessa, dear, just own those hormones already!)