Goldilox and the Three Weres: Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess
(The Infernal Devices)
Cassandra Clare
Release: March 19, 2013
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Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

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. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

Review:

*Spoiler-free review*

When I first started The Infernal Devices trilogy it was clear to me that it far surpassed The Mortal Instruments. It has all the same world building and excitement of the Shadowhunters, but being set in the late 1800's in London there is just something extra special about this Shadowhunter world. The historical aspect, the location outside the U.S., and the occasional steampunk elements make this spinoff even more unique and fun than its predecessor. And the emotions in this trilogy are off the charts, even more than anything Jace, Clary, Alec, and Isabelle have experienced.

As in the other two books in the trilogy, Mortmain is after Tessa and will stop at nothing to steal her away from the Shadowhunters. Also as in the other books, Mortmain is more of a constant threat lingering over the characters than a villain who we see regularly. At the times when he does appear in the plot he is just as evil and underhanded as before. Through Mortmain, as well as some other characters, we learn about Tessa's past and finally find out exactly who and what she is.

Another bit of a threat in this book comes from the Shadowhunter's Consul, and his constant backstabbing to try and remove Charlotte's credibility and threats to take away her job as head of the London Institute. This was a side plot that intertwined Gabriel and Gideon Lightwood and I was almost as anxious as this as I was about Mortmain.

Tessa is a torn women for most of this book, but brave and loyal. She is a very honorable character, putting aside her feelings for Will and making him think she doesn't love him in order to try and make him forget his feelings for her. She truly does love both Jem and Will equally, something we don't often see in a love triangle, and I never ever felt like she was just engaged to Jem because he was slowly dying. That is something impressive that author Cassandra Clare did with this series, she made a love triangle where everyone actually loves everyone else. Will and Jem have their special brotherly type of love because they are parabati, and it truly makes neither of them wish unhappiness on the other. And Tessa truly loves both Will and Jem.

Will's temper and attitude have evened out a little in Clockwork Princess, ever since he found out his curse wasn't really a curse. But now those traits have been replaced with his burning desire for Tessa and his absolute refusal to do anything that would come between her and Jem. It's beautiful but heartbreaking, really, to see him struggle with this. Jem faces down his own issues here, as he is fighting death, as he always has, but its creeping up on him faster than it was before.

I know what you want to hear: Who does she pick in the end? But, as this is a spoiler-free review I'm not going to tell you (Where would the fun be in that anyway?). I will tell you that the way Clare works out this love triangle is beautiful and perfect. I cried off and on for most of the second half of the book, but they were both sad tears and happy tears. I was blubbering like a small baby, if you must know. This series just brings out the giant crybaby in me, apparently. As many of the predictions I've seen readers making prior to the book's release turned out to be spot on as those that were completely off base. Still, other aspects of the story's ending I just plain didn't see coming.

There are several side plot romances going on here as well and I loved seeing other characters find their own happy endings.

In the end, Clare brings the trilogy full circle and I closed the book happy and satisfied (in fact, I think I hugged it for a little while as well). I'm sad that The Infernal Devices is over, but I am so so so glad that I had the pleasure of reading it.

Recommended for fans of: The Shadowhunter world, love triangles, honorable and smart young adult characters, The Mortal Instruments, and ugly crying until your face is swollen and red