Clockwork Prince

The Infernal Devices, Book #2

By Cassandra Clare

ISBN# 9781416975885

Author’s Website:  cassandraclare.com

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

*Beware of spoilers*

Review

Benedict Lightwood is using the recent events against Charlotte and Henry to try to claim the Institute for his own.  He has brought a complaint to the Council stating that Charlotte isn’t fit to run the Institute and she should be removed.  Now, she has two weeks to find the Magister, and if she doesn’t, Benedict will take over.

And, it doesn’t look good for Charlotte when they find another traitor in their midst.  Can they use this traitor to their advantage to draw out those working for the Magister and finally locate their target?  Or will it all backfire in spectacular fashion?

Meanwhile, Tessa is growing closer to Jem.  He’s everything Will isn’t; kind and gentle.  But could their budding friendship shatter both of their relationships with Will?

I really enjoyed this book.  After finding the previous installment, Clockwork Angel, rather mediocre, I really needed this.

There was less of a focus on the Magister, Axel Mortmain, in this one, even though our Shadowhunter friends were trying to locate him.  So, we didn’t get as many encounters with his blasted automatons, which I was glad for.

“I promise to charm the dickens out of him,” said Will, sitting up and readjusting his crushed hat. “I shall charm him with such force that when I am done, he will be left lying limply on the ground, trying to remember his own name.”

“The man’s eighty-nine”, muttered Jem. “He may well have the problem anyway.”

In this book, there was a heavy focus on relationships.  Several side characters had things going on.  Then, of course, we had the love triangle between Tessa, Will, and Jem, as expected.  I knew someone was going to get their heart broken and it was a time, I wish they could all just decide to share.  I just wanted them both to get the girl so neither had to leave with a broken heart.  However, that isn’t really feasible for the time period, I suppose.

“We live and breathe words. It was books that kept me from taking my own life after I thought I could never love anyone, never be loved by anyone again. It was books that made me feel that perhaps I was not completely alone. They could be honest with me, and I with them. Reading your words, what you wrote, how you were lonely sometimes and afraid, but always brave; the way you saw the world, its colors and textures and sounds, I felt-I felt the way you thought, hoped, felt, dreamed. I felt I was dreaming and thinking and feeling with you. I dreamed what you dreamed, wanted what you wanted-and then I realized that truly I just wanted you. The girl behind the scrawled letters. I loved you from the moment I read them. I love you still.”

We learned a lot about why Will is the way he is, in this book.  And, it all makes perfect sense.  I was happy to see the weight lifted from him, even though it didn’t end up the way he had hoped.

I’m also glad that Jem didn’t seem as sickly in this book.  Yes, he’s still dealing with his illness, but he definitely seemed more normal.

My heart hurts for how the love triangle shook out, but I don’t think it will stay this way.  I feel the next installment has the potential to be a total tearjerker.  And, I do have a sick love for those kinds of stories.

“God knows we’re all drawn to what’s beautiful and broken.”

The storyline didn’t really seem to advance much, but I’m completely okay with that.  This book kept my interest and I truly enjoyed it.