Book Review | Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

{NOTE: This post does not contain any spoilers, however, it will spoil the previous two novels. For those of you who have not read, and have obtained a Collectors First Edition copy, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, look at the beautiful geneology tree on the back of the book jacket. It however, IS a spoiler! }

THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray. Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever. As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army? Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

-Amazon

I'm reeling after only having finished the novel a half hour ago. I have no idea where to start, or what to harp on first, but the end result is the same: Pretty Darn Awesome!

First things first: It's wonderful to be back in the Iinstitute with a cast of characters that I've grown to love in such a short time. I wish it were to grand circumstances, however what kind of novel would it be if all were dandy? Clockwork Princess forces us all to come to terms with Jem's precarious illness, Tessa's origin,  her decision which could tear the the parabatai apart, and Mortmain's team of crazed automatons. Cassandra Clare has penned a fantastic conclusion to The Infernal Devices series.

In Clockwork Princess, Tessa matures, and stands as a true warrior. Seriously, by the end, you will be in awe of the risks Miss Gray is willing to take in order to keep her newfound Shadowhunter family safe. The most stunning portions of this novel, however, are those which showcase the unstoppable love that Jem and Will have for each other. Clare could have used this triangle as an opportunity to showcase yet another predictable, push-pull showing of testosterone. But in pure Clare fashion, she has made Tessa's decision layered and complicated, and thus obliterated the whole 'Team Will' / 'Team Jem' argument. I won't go any further, but, there will be tears, ladies and gentlemen.

Second, I loved getting to see Cecily in action! I thought that her inclusion is nothing short of genius, what with her brothers wit, her ability to ruffle Will's feather's a bit, and a certain other Shadowhunter. She is just as stubborn as her brother, and quickly comes into her own in a cast of well established characters. As far as other characters go, I certainly sympathized with Gabriel and Gideon's challenges, and I loved watching Gabriel, in particular, grow through them. Charlotte is her strong heroic self, and Henry continues to be bright and adorable. I believe this novel finally credits his genius! Sophie is just wonderful!

The conflicts within the novel are wonderfully executed, with the evil of Mortmain, as well as those within the Clave who consistently challenge Charlotte's position within it. I love that within this fantastical tale, Clare finds time to discuss the practical challenges that women had during this Era.

The challenge I have with this novel is the ending. It's truly hard to gage my own reaction to it, honestly. I both found it beautiful, yet I can see how others may wish to challenge it. I will say that Cassandra Clare executed it brilliantly, as it felt very organic, not at all contrived as other novels I've read.

Bare in mind: This novel discusses demons, the occult, and witchcraft. This novel also depicts violence, and sensuality.

I have had a thoroughly awesome experience reading The Infernal Devices series. As I've only come into the fandom last summer, I'm a bit sad to see it end so soon. But Cassandra Clare fashions a world that is intoxicating, she truly brings this fantastical Victorian Era to life. She's also given me an exemplary example of what it is to create characters who literally live and breathe as if on their own. I'm not sure I've experienced very many novels that can pull off character voice as she has.

I give Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare 5 out of 5 cups of Gunpowder Tea!

P.S.- Has anyone of you ever tried Gunpowder Tea? If so, what's it like?

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare Book Review

This review may contain spoilers of Clockwork Angel, and slight spoilers of Clockwork Prince.

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. 

-Amazon

Clockwork Prince. That's all I can say as I'm still reeling from the awesomeness of it. This being my first Steampunk series, I'm so happy I encountered this one first. It's filled with dark intrigue, smokey London, and two lovely guys that I really can't get out of my mind. This novel follows the lovable gang on a race against time to find Mortmain and stop his army of clockwork devices before Charlotte losses the institute forever.

Cassandra Clare did an excellent job in Clockwork Prince. She set the stakes a bit higher, created a driving tension that made me unable to stop reading, and set up a love triangle that is believable and heartbreaking. 

Tessa faces some tough decisions in this novel, and I appreciated her courage and growth. She did, however, make me a bit irritated with her confusion towards Will and Jem. Even as the novel draws to a close, I could see the emotional tug and pull of her heart as she tries to stand on her own two feet and choose the path most beneficial.

This whole business with Will, and his unrelenting doubleminded crankiness is finally sorted out and answered. I joined Team Will in the last novel, but in this one I can say it with more fervor, as the secret he holds justifies his oftentimes harsh demeanor towards Tessa. The only problem is now he has managed to push her away, and right into the arms of his parabatai, Jem. It's an  awesome writer that can pose two sides, two choices, and have them both be so beautiful. Jem is the picture of a perfect gentlemen, always tender to Tessa (though we do see this idealist side of him pull away a bit, which makes him all the more sincere). I cannot foresee how this will end, but as much as I'll be disappointed if she doesn't choose Will, I can't even be sad about Jem. It makes me all the more disheartened if this triangle threatens Will and Jem's brotherhood.

Charlotte is particularly frazzled in this novel, and it was nice to see her tough exterior melt away as the reality that she may lose the Institute comes to a head. She and Henry are the most adorable couple. Henry literally warms my heart no matter what scene he's in. I only wish that those around him would stop selling him short, and I hope that in book three he creates an invention that will blow them all away!

This novel's also packed with some surprises that I loved. I was a bit disappointed that I could predict who in our lovable team would defect, but Clare packs so many other surprises that you never see coming. The end carries an especially awesome surprise that I can't wait to witness how it all plays out.

The only thing I didn't enjoy, was its oversaturaturation of demonic practices.

Bare in mind: This novel discusses demons, the occult, and witchcraft. This novel also depicts violence, and sensuality.

Clockwork Prince was an entertaining story, filled with such intrigue, suspense, romance...all of the good stuff!

I give Clockwork Prince 4 out of 5 cups of steaming Earl Grey in the library.

A Classic's Challenge: hosted by November's Autumn

Since the New Year came in, I pondered what I could do to actually accomplish some of my reading goals, and I came across this wonderful challenge hosted by the lovely blog, November's Autumn. I wanted to find a way to get some classic novels onto my reading list, and what better way than to dive right in. For the challenge, each participant must read 7 classics this year, and participate in at least 3 monthly prompts.

Here are my picks for this year:

When I was away at school in the UK (2010), I vowed to finish Pride and Predjudice, as I was the only known English Major to have completely bypassed the novel. I finished the first ten chapters and became so swamped with work that I just veered off. But now I'm back. Back to adore the thrillingly, ecstatic language, manners, and the very unlikeable Darcy. (Sorry Ladies, perhaps my opinion will change but upon first glance, I'm not sure I understand his appeal.). For this one title, I may even resume chronicling my thoughts on my inspiration blog, Forelsket. Stay Tuned.

I've already read her sister, Emily's, grotesque account of love obsessed Cathy and Heathcliff, and thought, Jane Eyre is perhaps the other novel I managed to evade as an English Major (you all must be wondering what, in fact, I did read whilst in school.). I even tried watching the latest film adaptation during a flight home, and though I didn't finish it, it seemed scarier than I thought it was going to be. Looking forward to reading this!

All I think about when I hear the title of this piece, is Estella, and her perhaps, disdainful behavior towards Pip. I remember an adaptation of it set in present day, and have always wanted to get to the bottom of what exactly happens between those two.

There's no one else to blame for this pick but, Leanna Renee Hieber, who just happens to be one of the best historical YA writers, period. She's caused me to have a resurgence of historical fiction, particularly those of the Gothic Victorian persuasion. I have a thing for those Gothic, world steeped in fog, and intriguing heroes swathed in dark shadows, kinda stories.

I actually started reading this around two summers ago, and I remember it starting off very promisingly. Yet another Gothic mystery that I can't wait to restart and actually finish.

I'm guessing by now you see a pattern, :-).

I'm so torn between these two volumes of loveliness! They are two of my favorite films (yes, I know, I see loads of films, and always end up reading the novel later on...), and I have a feeling that each would be a joy to read. I'll either put both choices through a generator, or maybe you guys could help me choose?

These are my picks for the November's Autumn Classic's Challenge. If you're participating, what novels have you chosen?

Looking Forward to Reading in 2012

This year is brimming with exciting reads, and I can't wait to get my hands of some of them! My list will also contain titles not released in 2012.

 

Okay...Two awesome reads coming out in the same year? Brilliant. I know that I'm not the only one to have fallen for Lauren Oliver's dystopian romance, Delirium! It surprised and intrigued me. With all the plot twists and turns, one never knows what to expect within this series. In Pandemonium, I'm hoping that it involves our same two lovelies, Lena and Alex, but who can really know. All I know is that it promises to be out of this world! (Did I mention that I had a serendipitously AWESOME meeting with Lauren Oliver while on my internship? Still can't believe it).

After having a quick glimpse (looks down in shame) of Nina La Cour's beautiful novel Hold Still, I knew that I would read The Disenchantments after having only viewed the cover art. All of the cool points are there: band culture, road trips, and perhaps unrequited love. I can't wait to dig into this. I have a feeling it will be one of my novel treasures by the end of the year, God Willing.

Bridge of Scarlet Leaves seems like it will be such an intriguing read! The story is set in 1941, and it chronicles the life of a brilliant violinist who challenges social standards around her when she elopes with a Japanese-American young man the night before Pearl Harbor is bombed. The premise alone draws me in, and I find it might just be the novel that stays with me for the rest of my life.

I bet you guys saw this one coming. Everyone I know brimmed with excited over one of the most highly anticipated releases in 2012. Although I have 3 other novels by John Green, The Fault In Our Stars will be the one that I read first. I was so chuffed to find an autographed copy at The Strand! I've only read the first chapter, but, I've got to tell you, it has the markings of genius! John Green knows how to turn such deep, and at times, inexplicable themes into poignant, comedic, and relatable journeys that you learn so much from. 

Whilst taking a stroll through Barnes & Noble, my eyes automatically fixed on to this extraordinary and disheartening novel, The Watch That Ends The Night. When I was in Middle School, I was drawn to Titanic, from stories of excited passengers gaining the opportunity to board the 'unsinkable' ship, to that dreadful night where lines blended between classes, and all had but one thought: being saved. I cannot wait to get my hands on this wonderful tale. I've heard that it also comes with extras such as morse code messages to decode. 

The Girls of No Return is about four girls who attend a school in the heart of the Frank Church River, and are forced to finally deal with secrets that have haunted their lives. The Good Reads synopsis says that it is Cut meets Hatchet. That alone promises a thrilling/heartwrenching ride.

A lover of most dystopian epics, The Pledge seems like it will be yet another intriguing, suspense filled ride. 

I have recently turned my sights to the wondrous world of Historical fiction, particularly that of the Victorian/Steampunk persuasion. It seems a world filled with romance, and wonders that the imagination can't help but latch on to. After seeing The Girl In The Steel Corset around bookshops, and the blogosphere, I thought that I would try it on for size. If any of you have recommendations, please, I would love to hear them!

I'm looking forward, and hoping to read all of these novels and more this year. What novels are you looking forward to reading this year?