Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) 

By Cassandra Clare 

Released: March 19, 2013 

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books 

Hardcover, 568 pages 

Don’t miss The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, soon to be a major motion picture in theaters August 2013.

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. --B&N

4.5 Stars

Review

I cannot believe that it's over! The Infernal Devices, one of the best YA series ever written is done, gone, and forever shall stay in our hearts. If you're a lover of this series and need to stop hyperventilating in excitement to read more Will and Jem, then I suggest you to stop being a miser and buy a copy of this book like I did. Seriously! It is worth every penny and trouble that you will get yourself into, like I did with spending $9 on it.

This will be a spoiler-free review, so let's see how this will go. Now, let's start with the aspect of the series that keeps everyone hooked: the love triangle. Honestly, this love triangle is one that is ridiculously hard to read about. It's so heart-wrenching and unbearable to see Tessa, Will, and Jem be forced into the kind of despicable romance with one guy left hanging. For some reason it is okay for 2 girls + 1 guy to have a girl be left hanging because that girl is always the self-centered *beep*, but for with 1 girl + 2 guys, it's such a tumultuous roller coaster that always crashes. 

Thankfully, Cassandra Clare is able to make the otherwise overly used love triangle exciting and seem original. There are so many love triangles out there, but this series presents a love triangle that seems to be genuine and passionate. I will not say that I am falling for the conclusion of this love triangle because it felt somewhat fake and obvious that the author was trying to appease everyone. 

Otherwise, everything about Clockwork Princess was perfect, or near perfection. There is a maturity that all of the characters, young or old, seem to develop. Characters that I originally despised, mainly Gabriel and Jessamine, received their share of the spotlight that redeemed them. Other characters that were obviously meant to be despicable remained that way, and some still are to this day (Woolsey is the werewolf I'd love to shoot the most). Despite the ridiculously large number of characters that keep popping up in The Infernal Devices, they all possess their own unique qualities that make them memorable. 

Clare's tendency to have weak, boring female leads seems to have shifted to stronger, more likable female protagonists. Tessa has become a heroine that is worthy of everyone's love and support because she doesn't mope or waste time on dreaming on the what-ifs, like Clary did in City of Lost Souls. In the beginning, Tessa did seem to be a clone of Clary, but thankfully she has developed into a fierce heroine that can stand among the Shadowhunters. 

Meanwhile, Will + Jem, are the couple that deserve the most shipping. All of the misunderstandings and necessary clarifications are revealed to the both of them that leaves the reader breathless. There are so many moments between the two in this book that left me brokenhearted. The beautiful friendship they have is so powerful and sweet. If only all books had bromances of similar caliber as this one...

Clockwork Princess is the pinnacle of perfection for conclusions to magnificent, epic series like these. Cassandra Clare has left her readers disappointed with an ending that is somewhat predictable, yet satisfying. The ending wasn't tightly tied up, but left many loose ends for Clare's future books, leaving everyone desperate to find out what more is to come in the world of the Shadowhunters.

Purchase Clockwork Princess here: Amazon/ B&N/ The Book Despository