Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Princess
Author: Cassandra Clare
ISBN: 9781416975908
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Released: March 19, 2013
Series: The Infernal Devices #3
Page #: 568
Source: My public library

Summary:
"Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan.
He needs Tessa.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are engaged, Will is still in love with her.

The last words of a dying Shadowhunter provide the clue that might lead Tessa and her friends to Mortmain. But their small group cannot stand alone, and the powerful Consul doubts that Mortmain is coming. Deserted by allies, the Shadowhunters find themselves trapped when Mortmain seizes the medicine that keeps Jem alive. With his best friend at death's door, Will must risk everything to save the girl they both love.

To buy Will time, the warlock Mangus Bane joins with Henry Branwell to create a device that could help defeat Mortmain. As they all work to save Tessa and the future of the Shadowhunters that resides with her, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself - for in the discovery of her own true nature, Tessa could become more powerful than she ever dreamed possible. But can a lone 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."
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First Lines:

"'I'm afraid,' said the little girl sitting on the bed. 'Grandfather, can you stay with me?'
Aloysius Starkweather made an impatient noise in the back of his throat as he drew a chair closer to the bedside and seated himself."
Page 1
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Review:

In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a Cassandra Clare book. This is the third (and final) book in the series. So if you haven't read the rest, I suggest you do so.

Tessa and Jem are finally getting married. Will, of course, isn't happy about it. And there are more people living in the London Institute than before - some of which have only just begun training to be Shadowhunters. Charlotte is being undermined and Jem's medications are becoming scarce. One attack on the Institute throws everything into a whirlwind. Will has to make a huge trip on a whim and Jem is fighting for his life. It is an epic conclusion to an already epic story.

Honestly, I didn't know this was the last book in the series. I could feel that it was getting there when I neared the end, but I wasn't expecting that. I'm notoriously bad about not reading book flaps of series' I'm already involved with. I already know I'm going to love it, so why read about it beforehand? :) So, even though this is the end, the book really captivated me.

In the previous books, there is a huge emphasis on Tessa, Will, and Jem - as to be expected. It's really their story, after all. But this last book pulls in a few more interesting characters. Gabriel and Gideon - brothers that I continually got confused. Even more about Will's sister and his family before he left them. And other fringe characters really started making a name for themselves. It was a really cool way to end the story.

Obviously, I'm not going to tell you what happens. But for those people who have chosen a side (Will or Jem), I think everyone will be happy. I haven't read a book that crafted that particular aspect so well - especially the link between the two boys. You end up loving them both and being torn - just like Tessa. It's a well crafted love story and I think will be appreciated by all fans of the series.  

Even if you haven't read the Mortal Instruments series, I think this story of the Infernal Devices stands well on its own. I do like that you have characters that you can keep up with in the future. But I really think you can get into this earlier story and be just fine. Especially if you're a fan of magical historical fiction. It's all really well thought out and I love how things come together in the end. Cassandra Clare is a true artist.
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Other Blog Reviews:

Under the Covers Book Blog
The Mountains of Instead
Kala's Book Blog
Readers in Wonderland
Booktastic Reviews
Books Complete Me
A Beautiful Madness
A Walk on Words
Random Things in Action
The Reader's Den

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