Summary: 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.
Review:
I suppose the first thing I should mention about this book is that I finished it in a day and a half. It was that good. I couldn’t put it down, and this is someone who really hasn’t read actively since the summer. The whole reason I picked it up is because my computer has a virus and is being cleaned up (yay library computers!) and being on break I had nothing better to do. A friend had begged me to read it so we could discuss it and because I love the first part of this trilogy so much I was eager to begin.
Cassandra Clare’s stories may not be deep or thought-provoking but dang does she know how to execute a plot with very human characters that you can’t help but love and a world that you can’t tear yourself away from. And for that you must give her credit because its what makes her stories so popular. Clare brings you right in with the convening of the Consul an event that basically gives Charlotte and Henry two weeks to find Mortmain or the institute goes to Benedict. That’s the premise of the story: find Mortmain. This, of course, leads them down various paths that brings us closer with Sophie, Jessamine, Charlotte, Jem, Tessa, and Will. I will not reveal much more about the plot because you need to read it, just be assured that if you ever find yourself getting bored another plot twist will come up that drags you right back in.
Now let’s get to what everybody cares about yeah? Does Tessa end up with Will or Jem? Well, I will tell you this…by the end of the book she is committed to one of them (read if you want to find out which!). I ended Clockwork Angel by leaning towards Jem’s side. He was unbelievably sweet and kind and he seemed to genuinely care about Tessa. It only took me about a quarter way through Clockwork Prince to become an adamant supporter of Will as you learn more and more about his character. The romance scenes between Will and Tessa and the ones between Jem and Tessa are delicious and done tastefully without giving you the idea that Tessa is some skank who is just giving her kisses away.
Overall Clockwork Prince is a fast-paced addition to this series with satisfactory plot and character development. An amazing second book and I believe it definitely secures the Infernal Devices above the Mortal Instruments for me. If you were a fan of the first one, you won’t be able to put this down!
Rating: 5/5
Reviews from the Pros:
"It's got everything; set in Victorian London but with a usefully American heroine - feisty and attractive, natch; it features the Nephilim, a category of quasi-angelic beings and some interesting vampires... a cracking read".-Evening Standard
I promise I'm going to attempt to get some more reviews up! Sorry I lost interest :[. I hope to have an Ophelia review up soon and possible Mockingjay if I finish that soon enough.
Happy Reading!
-She Who Reads A Lot
